**BOOK THREE**
Still grieving the loss of his mate, twenty-four-year-old Tatum Knowles isolated himself from the rest of his pack. With the strength of both his pack and himself being questioned by those around them, the last thing Tatum planned to...
The words brought a small smile to my face. "Thank you, and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made comments about what I didn't know. I let my emotions get the best of me."
Nolan smiled at me. "Water under the bridge."
His words still rang in my mind, though. I knew without a doubt how much Nolan cared about me. Ever since we were younger, he'd always tried to protect me. Maybe not necessarily physically but emotionally. He always tried to put me first, and it was something I both admired and despised at the same time.
"You know you're not the only one who worries, Nolan," I told him. "And I definitely am not the only one who deserves happiness. You gave up a lot for me, and even now, you're still giving things up. Like your—" I paused and glanced over at Roan. "Like your mate." My eyes turned back to Nolan. "He is your mate, right?"
The subtle change in his expression told me everything I needed to know. Though I had previously suspected it, I never outright asked about it. Maybe it was because I was afraid of the response I'd get. Hearing him say those words would only make me feel worse about everything. Even though I loathed it, ignorance was sometimes bliss. Not having to hear him admit it made it easier for me to feel like I hadn't fucked up my brother's life.
But now? I needed to hear him say it out loud. I needed him to admit it so I could accept it.
"Roan is my mate," he confirmed as he gripped Roan's hand.
My eyes squeezed shut. "Fuck, Nolan. I—"
"Don't you dare apologize to me, Nixon," there was a surprising amount of anger in his voice. "It was my choice to agree to that lie. I knew the consequences of it—don't blame yourself."
"You're keeping your mate a secret, Nolan," the words left my mouth in a dejected manner. "You're keeping your mate a secret because I killed mine."
Saying those words out loud hurt me. I never wanted this to be the case. The night I killed Isaiah, I didn't care about the consequences—they never even crossed my mind. Whatever happened to me was fine, but the possibility that it could hurt Nolan also? The thought didn't even register as Isaiah, and I fought. Now, years later, and Isaiah was still a bad omen I couldn't break free from. Meeting him sealed my fate. It was as if he was still wrapped around me, that seemingly perfect smile on his face as he watched the consequences of his actions play out.
The consequences of our actions play out.
"I made my peace with this choice a long time ago. Isaiah was a peace of shit, and I'd be damned if I watched you suffer more than you already had because of him. Even if I could only help a little bit—it was better than nothing."
"How are you okay with this?" I asked Roan. "Not being able to show your bond openly."
Roan's eyes met mine. "I have known from day one what a relationship with Nolan entailed. It does not change our feelings for one another."
"If Roan and I wanted to come out about our bond, then I'd say we were second-chance mates," Nolan added.
Of course, he would because he'd do anything to keep up the lie for my sake. My head dropped, and I didn't know what else to say. Guilt consumed me.
"Before you asked me about my past," Roan said. "Maybe if I told you, it would help put things into perspective."
I looked at him, but his eyes were focused solely on Nolan, who nodded. Roan turned back to me, and his expression had changed.
"Let me tell you about my past and how I met Nolan."
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