Dahlia’s POV
A sudden shift in my mind told me that Blue was finally stirring, slowly coming back to me. This was my chance-I had to try and make things right.
“Blue, can you hear me? Please, I’m so sorry! I never meant to hurt you. I was just upset and acted without thinking. You know I’d never do anything to push you away. Please, forgive me!” My words tumbled out in a rush, my vision blurring with tears.
“I forgive you, Dahlia.” Her voice was soft, yet firm, carrying a tinge of regret. “I made a rash decision too, pulling away like that. I never wanted to hurt you either. I just… I don’t want you to make the wrong choice. We need them, Dahlia. They’re ours. Please, promise me you’ll give it more time. Please.” She pleaded, her desperation wrapping around me like a vice.
“Alright,” I sighed, “I promise I’ll talk to them when we go back out there. We’ll see how that conversation goes and take it from there, okay?” It was the most I could offer her right now.
“Okay,” she murmured, “but promise me you’ll talk to me first before making any big decisions!”
“I can do that,” I assured her.
I took my time in the shower, letting the hot water work through the tension in my muscles. Two days in bed had left my curls tangled beyond belief, so I carefully shampooed and conditioned them, then wrapped myself in an oversized towel-so large I could easily wrap it around me twice. Who even needed a towel that big?
Once dry, I combed through my hair, letting it fall naturally before slipping into a pair of black skinny jeans and a light pink baby doll top. Satisfied, I took a deep breath and reached out to Blue one more time.
“Are we really okay? I can’t face them without you,” I whispered.
“Of course, we’re okay. I love you, Dahlia. Besides, how could I stay mad after waking up to that amazing orgasm?” she teased with a wink.
Cheeky little bitch.
“I heard that!” she growled playfully.
“You were meant to,” I shot back, smirking as I stepped out of the bathroom.
The moment I entered the bedroom, I was met with two pairs of hazel eyes watching me with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine. The twins were always intense, but this was different-calculated, like they were trying to solve a puzzle.
“Is everything okay?” I asked, frowning at their odd behavior.
My voice seemed to snap them from their trance, their features relaxing into identical grins-except for the unfortunate yet utterly adorable dimple on Logan’s right cheek. Funny… my wolf and I never had trouble telling them apart, even without the dimple. Huh.
“Everything’s great,” Liam answered smoothly.
“We were just starting to worry. You took a while in there,” Logan added.
There was something in his tone, something almost teasing, but he masked it before I could confirm. Still, my cheeks heated at the implication. I swallowed hard, suddenly very aware of how long I had spent in that shower.
“Oh, sorry. The hot water just felt really good. My muscles were stiff from being in bed for two days,” I mumbled, hoping to cover my embarrassment.
“You haven’t eaten in two days either. Let’s fix that.” Liam’s voice was gentle but firm, a welcome distraction.
I blinked at the sheer amount of food covering the table-fresh fruit, eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, waffles, and an array of pastries. Enough to feed an entire pack.
“Are we expecting company?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “Who exactly is going to eat all of this?”
“We figured you’d be starving,” Liam shrugged.
I laughed, shaking my head. “I couldn’t eat all that if I’d been out for a month! I don’t even eat much for breakfast. If I’m not working, I train with the pack warriors in the mornings. I don’t like to work out on a full stomach.”
“You train with the warriors?” Logan’s voice turned sharp, laced with disapproval. “That’s dangerous. They’re trained to kill, Dahlia. You could get hurt.”
I bristled instantly, about to give him a piece of my mind, when Liam cleared his throat and gave his brother a pointed look. Logan hesitated, then sighed.
“Sorry,” he muttered. “I just hate the thought of you getting injured.”
I softened, just a little, but my guard remained up.
“So… you wanted to talk?” My voice came out more uncertain than I intended.
Liam nodded. “Yeah, we need to talk about what happened. About why you were so upset that you tried to reject us.” His voice was hesitant, like he’d rather discuss anything else.
I folded my arms. “Oh, do you mean the fact that you were already in a relationship when you met me and were perfectly willing to make one of us your side piece? Or are we talking about the part where you, Logan, had already used her and tossed her aside like she meant nothing, only to turn around and expect me to be next?” My voice dripped with venom, my words directed solely at Logan.
“You would never be anyone’s side piece!” Liam interjected firmly.
I arched a brow but stayed silent.
Logan ran a hand through his hair, looking genuinely remorseful. “I’m so sorry my past hurts you, Lia. I wish there was something I could say to make it better. But the truth is, those women… they never meant anything to me. It was just about meeting a physical need. I know that sounds hollow, but if I had known I’d find you, I would have done things differently. Instead, I assumed I had a mate out there and still acted like a selfish asshole.”
Well, at least he was self-aware.
“Just so we’re clear, what exactly do you think is so painful for me about your past?” I challenged, tilting my head.
Logan hesitated. “Uh… our previous experiences? That we didn’t wait for you?” He suddenly looked unsure. Liam, on the other hand, just looked like he wanted to disappear.
I let out a dry, humorless laugh. “Do you seriously think I’m upset that you’re not virgins? That would be awfully hypocritical of me.”
Logan frowned. “What do you mean, hypocritical? We know you’re a virgin. You know we could smell it if you weren’t.”
“That’s true. But only because of a technicality.” I smirked, watching realization dawn on their faces. “The reality is, I didn’t wait for you either. The only reason I’m still technically a virgin is because Finnian’s parents insisted we wait until after his Alpha ceremony before they’d support me as his chosen Luna. Otherwise, I would have given myself to him long ago. In fact, I wouldn’t even be your mate right now because I would have let him mark me too.”
Their growls were instant. Logan’s eyes darkened with fury, his body taut with barely restrained rage.
“Don’t you dare growl at me!” I snapped. “You shared your truth. This is mine. I knew Finnian and I weren’t fated, but I still wanted him. If his parents had only prevented us from marking each other but not mating, I still would have gone through with it. Knowing we both had mates out there wouldn’t have changed a damn thing.”
Logan looked at me, stunned, like I had just shattered the very foundation of his understanding.
“Then why were you so upset about me sleeping with Rowena?” he asked, his voice laced with confusion.
I exhaled sharply, preparing myself.
Now we were finally getting to the heart of it.