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Unlike my buzzing self, Neo somehow managed to keep focused.
"Acknowledging what you did wrong means it won't happen again," he emphasized as if it were a hidden warning that I wouldn't dare try killing myself for what I guess was a third time. "However, you're not solely at fault. Circumstances encouraged it, and we should have fought to figure out what was troubling you before it led down this path."
The movement of footsteps drew my attention to Dimitris as he approached the three of us. Neo and Onyx seemed to move to stand by my sides. Neo ended up switching places with Onyx to stand on my left side while Onyx now stood to my right.
They didn't hesitate to hold my hands as if to take comfort in our newly formed connection while making a clear point to Dimitris that whatever he was plotting, they would endure it as well if it involved some sort of torture.
Compared to his taunting smirk from earlier, he was looking at me with seriousness while his aura grew almost competitively. I would have tried to fight against his dancing aura with my own, but I was far too exhausted to bother and my wolf didn't give two shits.
Was she observing Dimitris like a hawk? Yes. But his games of taunting me into accepting he was still Alpha of the Forbidden Pack weren't going to get a response from me. The bet about me taking over was more of a joke in my mind, but even with me winning the bet thanks to my awakened wolf, I had no desire to take the lead role.
Not when I have so much of myself I need to unravel.
I readied myself for his words, even fighting the tempting desire for my knees to buckle and the itching need to sleep, but he did something I never expected him to do.
He got down on one knee.
That had Neo and Onyx stiffening like statues, and I overheard Saint speaking to Jayce and Viktor. "Now I must be hallucinating. Y'all want to confirm what I'm seeing? Because in all my years, I've never seen our Alpha kneel to anyone."
"You're seeing correctly," Jayce muttered with a hint of disbelief.
"Well, if he's trying to propose, he better get the fuck up," Viktor grumbled with enough irritation it was hard not to laugh.
Dimitris gave Viktor a glaring look, but he returned his attention to me as he placed his hand upon his chest and bowed his head.
"I, Dimitris Moore, apologize for my earlier behavior," he declared. My jaw went slack as I stared down at him in disbelief. Lifting his head to see my obvious shock, he continued, "Neo's right. He's always been right, always spoken up on your behalf when you're not around. Time and time again, he told me to prove to you that we wished for your company. That no matter your shifter status, you belong to our pack. I failed at showing you that, and regardless of the power controlling me earlier, it's no excuse. My words, words from your Alpha, stabbed deeply enough and left enough wounds to make you think you weren't worthy of another night within this world of the living."
He bowed his head once more. "That should have never occurred, and thus, the reason why I'm apologizing on behalf of the Forbidden Pack."
I was absolutely speechless, and I sensed Neo's presence within my mind as he quietly spoke within our connected bond.
"The Forbidden Pack has never apologized to anyone, Sweetness. Even when we were in the wrong. This is a big deal, and I know without a doubt that he meant every word of his apology."
I didn't need Neo to explain that to me, but the added dialogue and viewpoint were important in helping me come to my decision. I’d known Dimitris long enough to acknowledge the pride he carried in being the leader of this phenomenal, lethal pack.
He managed to bring them together, and the result created a pack of power, loyalty, and complete submission from anyone who dared to strike back. Him acknowledging his mistake and apologizing was enough to prove he meant it, and he wasn't doing this because of what I now was.
No matter if I'd survived as a human, he would have apologized.
"I forgive you," I quietly affirmed. "Now get off the grass. You're staining your pants and I ain't going to be the one being punished to do laundry and clean them for you."
I sensed Neo's smile, while Onyx huffed, "As if we'd let him make you do laundry. Royalty doesn't do laundry."
I gave him a side look, but Dimitris stood back up to face me, drawing my attention once more. "Are you okay?"
"Been better," I admitted. "Could use a Snickers bar to get back to my usual self and go on a killing spree, but I'm sure the stores are closed."
"Not the convenience stores," Saint pointed out. "Chocolate on the way home. Want alcohol, too?"
The question made me smirk, and Neo replied, "That's a yes."
"Got it," Saint declared with a wink. "So, can we all hug and get the hell out of here?"
That seemed to relieve the intensity between all of us, and Jayce and Saint approached to get first dibs on hugging me. Obviously, Onyx and Neo had gotten their moments with me, but it didn't stop them from hugging me a second time, or from Onyx slipping in a brief kissing moment to further relax me.
By the time I was finished hugging Dimitris and moving on to Viktor, I felt like I'd drop at any second. He clearly noticed because he announced, "What's the getaway plan? Because Willow needs to sit down."
"If that's your way of getting out of a hug, you better shut the fuck up," I huffed at his clear attempt to avoid my hug. "You're getting this hug, even if my ass passes out after."
