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I took a step closer. “That you loved me, and now you don’t? That you had someone destroy what you felt for me because I hurt you so much that you couldn’t bear the pain another moment?”

“You didn’t know you were hurting me,” she choked out.

“You didn’t tell me.”

“I thought it was the best thing for both of us. It hurt to be around you, but I wanted to help you. You needed that from me, more than anything else. I didn’t think…you said you didn’t want me, and I believed you.” She bit her lip again. “I never thought—”

“That I’d fall in love with you? That after you helped me and I could see clearly again through all the blood and pain and horror, that I’d finally see you? That I’d see my mate?”

She jolted, her entire body rocking back. “What?”

“You really didn’t know?” I stepped closer. “Christ, Jaz, that new wound that opened up inside me, while you were healing me? That was you. That was wanting you so fucking badly, but forcing myself to give you up when that was the last thing I wanted to do. That was giving up my mate.”

She stared at me wide-eyed through the shadows.

“You are my mate, Jasmine. My female. My reason for breathing. You’ve been my reason for a long fucking time, even before I knew. It was your eyes I saw when I stood at the edge of a cliff and imagined stepping off, it was your eyes that pulled me back, time and time again. I just didn’t know why, not until you wrapped your arms around me and everything clicked into place. The truth. What we are to each other.”

She was trembling so hard I could see it even through the shadows. “I didn’t know.”

I closed the space between us, unable to stay away from her another moment. “I know I hurt you. I fucked up, but please, butterfly, fix this. I need you, Jaz. I fucking need you.”

Tears streaked down her face. “I c-can’t. I wish I could, but it can’t be fixed.” She sobbed. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry I did this to us. I’m so s-sorry—”

“Who did it?”

“It won’t change anything.”

“I’ll make them fix this, I’ll—”

“You can’t.”

“This can’t be it.”

“I’m sorry,” she said again.

This couldn’t be happening. It couldn’t be true. My world had narrowed to her. Without her I was nothing. Something snapped inside me. I grabbed her shoulders. “Love me back,” I demanded, pleaded. “Please, butterfly. Please love me back.”

“I can’t,” she sobbed.

I held the side of her face with one hand and curled my fingers around the side of her throat with the other. “You’re mine. You’re fucking mine, Jasmine. I won’t let you go. I’ll make you love me again. No matter how long it takes.” I brought my mouth down on hers, needing her taste more than anything else on this planet.

She fisted my shirt, but she didn’t push me away. “I’m sorry,” she said against my lips. Our panted breaths mingled, then she tugged me closer and kissed me back. “I’m sorry,” she said again, then lay back, taking me with her.

Trembling, I covered her, kissing her deeper, harder. I should get the fuck up and leave, but I couldn’t do it. My mate was kissing me, touching me, and I was lost, completely fucking lost. Her hands slid down between us, tugging at my belt, sliding down the zipper, then her hand was on me. I groaned into her mouth.

She wriggled, tugging off her panties, then her thighs were hugging my hips. The head of my cock brushed over hot slick flesh, and I tried to lift my head, but she hooked her arms around my neck and pressed her forehead to mine. “It’s okay,” she rasped and lifted her hips.

I slipped inside her, just the tip, and I shook harder. “Jasmine?”

“It’s okay,” she said again.

I was too fucking weak to resist. My mate might not love me, but she wanted me. Her pussy was primed for me. I pushed forward, and her nails dug into my back with a cry. “Yes,” she whimpered. “Please.”

Mouths still touching, breathing each other’s air, I slid deeper, unable to hold back. “Oh fuck,” I groaned. She was so fucking tight and wet and impossibly hot.

Her hips lifted again, taking me deeper, her nails scoring my back, and I couldn’t restrain myself. I started to move. We shook and rocked against each other, and I pinned her down more firmly with my body, lifted my knee for better purchase, and slid deeper. She cried out against my lips, her pussy squeezing me so damn tight, fluttering and clenching around me. “You feel so good, Jaz. So fucking perfect.”

Her feet locked behind my back, and she strained against me, arching. Her mouth opened, and I covered it with mine, smothering her screams as she came for me fast, trembling. Her pussy gripped me fucking tighter, and I finally had her under me. There was no holding back, no finding an ounce of control in that moment. I thrust into her, utterly lost but somehow finding the strength to pull out at the last moment and grind my cock between our bodies, coming on her stomach instead of inside her like I desperately wanted to.