e P

th the fallout at my own company, Sloan

he whispered, her eyes wid

ting could wait. I sat back down i

d and a somber expression on his face. He was Sloa

grave. "I have the results from the

out a small

doctor continued, avoiding my eyes. "It aggravated the old inju

e air, heavy and suf

" I asked, though I a

of practiced pity. "It means... I'm afraid Ms.

er me. This was my fault. The fight with Aurora, the

h and left the room, leaving me alon

violent sobs. "A cripple," she wailed. "I'm a useless cripple! Yo

hought of the fire, all those years ago. She had run into the flames for m

her eve

ne. "No," I said, my voice hoarse. "I am not going a

er voice breaking. "What Alpha would eve

my mind. A solution. A way to ato

, demanded I care for the woman who had been maimed for my sake. And a darker part of me, the part stung by Aurora's

solution. A penance. A declaration. It was the o

me. Then I thought of Aurora, who had just rejected me, wh

ing her to look at me. I wiped the

want you?" I asked, my

filled ey

felt heavy, like stones in my

ce, marry me

n her eyes before she quickly masked it with disbelief. She covered her mouth

t to give you the life you deserve. I want to mak

as Aurora is concerned, this is my stance:

oy and threw her arms around my neck, buryi

her hair. But I fel

had just signed a contract with my own