The Forbidden Howl

32. I Love You, Too

Sarah's POV.

It's been two weeks. I'm not over the pain of going estranged. 

I'm not ready to accept that I can't go back.

I have hope. Jordan hasn't severed my tie with our pack. I still belong to Vermon Cast. 

My brother hasn't completely let go of me.

But with that ray of hope, I'm suffocating from his betrayal. How could he, my own brother, do that to me? I don't care how much he trusts Nick, Jordan should've never let Nick near me. Never.

Every day, my divided heart mulls over whether to go back or not, to talk one more time with my family, and to give my brothers one more chance to accept me and Dane. 

On the other hand, for causing me to leave my own home like that, I think I should never see my brothers' faces again. Whatever hope I muster up in me gets crushed in one brief flashback of that day.

But that's not all.

As much as I want to not think like this, as much as I'm trying to bury this unfair blame before it could surface, it keeps circling in my head — that somehow it's all Dane's fault.

I haven't talked much to him. 

I'm happy... I'm happy I'm with him and not restless anymore about being away from my mate.

But we've a distance between us, drawn there by me.

He understands my situation and has given me some space. He didn't ask me to meet his pack members or perform any formalities as the mate of the Alpha. 

His father, Hunter, is also very supportive. I couldn't have asked for a better place to be in now.

Yet none of that goodness stays visible for long before my eyes.

"Sarah," calls Dane.

I turn to him from my simmering tea on the stove. "Hey."

"Hey," says Dane, hugging me from behind. "It smells good."

"Hmm," I answer, lost in my own world and turning back to my brew.

"Listen, Sarah, I want to talk to your brothers."

That brings me back to the real world, more like snaps me in. Facing him again, I ask him in shock, "what?!"

He lets me go and stands straight. "You can't go on like this."

"I can and I will. You will not talk to my brothers."

"But—"

"Please, Dane! That will only make things worse!"

"But I can't just sit here and do nothing! You barely eat or talk. You just stay in your room all day. I'm worried!"

"I'll get better."

"When? It's been weeks!"

"So? I'm supposed to forget my family in just weeks, then?!" I shout, letting my angry self, that I was trying so hard to hide, takeover.

"Sarah, please. That's not what I'm asking. I want to fix things between you and your brothers. That's what I promised you and I want to keep that promise."

I dryly laugh. "Oh yeah? How are you going to do that? Go ask them to accept us?"

"I don't know, Sarah. I'll find a way. I'll do whatever it takes."

"Oh, I know what it'll take, Dane. There's one very simple way to fix this. Break our mate bond."

Dane growls angrily, holds my arms and speaks through his teeth. "Sarah, don't. I know you're upset, but fighting with me is not going to do any good."

"How would you know? Huh? You're not the one who had left your pack, your family and friends!"

"Then who am I to you, huh?! Is my pack not yours? Am I not your family now? Tell me!" asks Dane, shaking me.

All I could do is look away. How can I say no to any of that? How can I say he's wrong when he's not? This isn't about who's right who's wrong anyway.

This is about me wanting to see my mother again. This is about me wanting to talk to my father again. This is about me wanting to hug my brothers again. 

Dane pulls me, making me look at him. "Please, Sarah. I can't see you like this anymore. Please, I'll do whatever you want me to do!"

"I told you. There's only one way to fix—"

His teeth sink into his mark on my neck, surging my body with pain and pleasure. Feeling nothing but anger and depression for the past few weeks, this sudden change of emotions confuses me.

"D-Dane, let me g-go!"

Dane licks the mark and pulls me into a firm hug. 

"I miss you, Sarah. I miss your smile. I miss touching you. I miss holding you. Please, I can't take this anymore. I want you, Sarah. I want you back. I'm sorry, I'm sorry you'd to go through all those painful things with your brothers because of me.

And I know you're starting to resent me for coming after you. I know you blame me for everything. I know you're angry I didn't leave you alone when you asked me to."

My eyes begin to tear up. 

Dane continues, "I know you're angry at me for mating you. I know you think it's all my fault. And I'll accept it all. I'll accept everything. So go ahead and blame me, blame me all you want! But don't keep me at a distance.

Shout at me! Hurt me! Take it all out on me! But don't push me away! I can't live through that! I can't live without you!"

Dane pulls away from his hug and kisses my lips. The longing kiss of my mate reminds me of my love — my love for the man I chose over my kin, over everything else.

I give in and kiss him back.

Our kisses are yearning and healing. Before I know it, I'm sitting on the counter and my shirt is being stripped away.

I forgot what it's like to touch him, to be touched by him. The coldness in me before is now replaced by a fire that wants to consume me with passion.

I hold him tight as his burning body pushes against me. "I love you," says Dane in my ear.

"I love you, too. I love you so much."