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“What–Why–?” She shakes her head. “You’re being really nice.”
I sweep the shards into the dustpan. The small shards of glass clings to the broom, but I don’t worry about it.
“I can’t be nice?”
She takes a sip of the juice as she thinks about her answer. “I’ve seen you be nice,” she admits. “But this is a different level. Almost a, ‘what have you done with Austin?’ level.”
I chuckle. “I’m still an asshole. That will probably always be true, but I don’t want to be that person with you. I want to be better. For you.”
She shakes her head. “Be better for you, Austin. That is the only way a change will ever stick, is if you are doing it for yourself.”
“I’ll work on it.”
Silence falls as I finish cleaning up the accident. After I put the broom away, I stay on the opposite side of the island from Audrey. The space allows me to think about things other than touching her.
“I bought you flowers,” I say with a nod at the flowers in the glass. “I’ll have to buy a vase, we never needed one before–” I stop when I realize I’m rambling.
She eyes the flowers again like she isn’t sure they won’t launch across the space and bite her. “They are pretty. Thank you.”
“And pastries.” I slide the plate to her.
A soft smile plays on her lips. “Have you slept? When did you have time to clean the apartment and go shopping for pastries and flowers?”
“I did it this morning.” I ignore the question about sleeping. Who needs sleep when their future could be slipping through their fingers?
“Austin, it is six-thirty,” she says, something akin to concern playing over her face, as she runs her finger along the edge of the pastry plate.
I glance at the clock. “It is.”
She swallows. “You don’t have to do all this because you feel guilty about—”
“I do.”
She inhales and focuses on the marble countertop, shielding her eyes and emotions from me with the move. Even her perfume doesn’t give her away.
“I need you to know…” she says and lifts her eyes up to mine. The emotion swirling in their depths freezes the breath in my chest. “I will not take your pack from you. That isn’t what I’m doing.”
Not even cement shoes would keep me on my side of the island. I’m around it to her side before she can blink. Using the motion of the swivel stool, I twist her toward me, cradling her face in my palms.
“Audrey, you aren’t understanding. It is me who will not take your pack from you. You belong here with them. And if I’ve crossed lines and done unforgivable shit, it will be me that leaves.” I pause and swallow, my chest tightening painfully. “But–I hope you give me a chance to beg for your forgiveness.” She gasps as I drop to my knees at her feet and bow my head. “I’ve been an emotionally stunted alpha, and I’m sorry I’ve caused you pain because of it. Audrey, my omega princess, can you ever forgive me?”
The moments that pass feel like eons. I keep my eyes on the bottom bar of the stool. Her toes curl around the metal bar as she shifts and drops her feet to the floor next to me and sinks to the floor with me. Her soft touch lifts my face, sending electric awareness through every part of me.
Her eyes are damp as mine meet hers, and she blinks. A smile tries to show itself on her lips, almost like the sun trying to break through the clouds. “All of this,” she says, gesturing at the counter above us, “is to ask my forgiveness for what?”
My tongue wets my lips before I part them to answer. “For making you think I don’t want you as pack. Because I do. I can’t imagine my life without you in it. It wasn’t you. There were things I needed to come to terms with.”
“And you think you have?”
“I think the thought of losing you hurts more than anything I’ve ever experienced, and if you try to walk away–I can’t promise my alpha wouldn’t find you and lock you up until you change your mind.”
She huffs out a surprised laugh.
“Without you, I would cease to exist, Audrey. Bratty omega and all. I need you in my life to push me and challenge me.”
“Saint and Felix…”
“Are not you,” I say, stopping whatever she was going to say.
