Sasha looked away for a moment, as if absorbing that. Then he exhaled slowly and deeply, as if he realized he was not alone in the storm anymore.
Aylin leaned forward slightly in her chair, the firelight catching the loose strands of her hair. "You said I make you feel calm," she murmured. "But I wonder… do you ever wish I didn't come here? That I'd stayed out of your chaos?"
His gaze snapped back to hers, sharp and unwavering. "No. Not once."
"You didn't even know me," she said, a little smile tugging at the corner of her lips, as if trying to soften the weight of her own words. "I feel like I forced you to mark me and be my mate. I should have known better; I should have confronted my fears rather than hiding them behind your back."
