Apology (3)

"If you want, I will accept in front of everyone. Can we have a new start without the rules you put on the front? If it doesn't work out we will go by the rules you want," he said sincerely hoping for her reaction.

Zaros felt nervous facing her. He never felt nervous facing anyone or anybody. It's just that Adira was not anyone or anybody. She was his wife. He can't take her lightly. He needs to be sincere. In the past, he messed up everything. Now, he doesn't want to repeat the things that he did in the past.

Adira raised her brow at his words. She didn't expect him to be the first one to break the ice. She always thought it shall be and it will be her alone.

But… he surprised her. He was indeed surprised. She can't say she was not moved by his past actions. After all, she was nothing but a naive twenty-year-old girl, who loved attention, care, and gentleness. He gave them to her successfully. She doesn't know if she would regret this now or not. Regretting would be a thing of the future. Right now… she just wants to live in the present and wants to give it a try to everything.

Looking at his sincere eyes, she realized he was being sincere at least, right now he was being sincere.

Those silvery eyes were reflecting back into her golden orbs, which reflected anticipation, waiting, sincerity, and… love for her.

She can understand the anticipation, waiting, and sincerity that he has. As for love… she must be hallucinating. Nevertheless, she decided to give him a chance and she would give him a chance. There was nothing to be afraid of now. She will not go back on her decision. She was scared to end up like her mother. And she would do everything to not end up like her mother.

Her mother Serene was a great mother, great woman, and great queen but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't become a wife to her husband. Her husband always ignored her. Serene was nothing but an ignored queen.

Everyone knew she wasn't her father's mate and her mother's mate died even before they had a chance to mate and marry. And somehow she became a queen because she was a daughter of a packs Alpha.

Alpha's daughter with no mate was a rare occurrence. She needs a mate, Adira's father needs a namesake-wife. They both needed something. And they became one.

Serene doesn't want to mate till he loves her and becomes her mate under the moon goddess, and he doesn't want to mate her because he doesn't love her. And they never marked each other. She was still open to picking up a man and mate with him.

Adira doesn't want to be an ignored wife or doesn't want to be open to everyone even after aging decades of years despite getting married. That's the hardest life a woman could imagine.

Adira stayed silent for quite some time after he apologized to her. Zaros was getting anxious with every second that passed. How could she stay calm and silent?

Can't she say her answer?

He was dying to hear her answer. Every second passed painfully for him. With every passing second, he felt like he was swallowing a fireball while waiting for her answer.

He wondered what if she rejects him? How long would it take for him to make her fall for him? He doesn't want her rejection. Even if he gets rejected it's not like he has a choice. He has to work hard to appease her and make her his.

"If you want time, you can tell that to me tomorrow night. I will be waiting," he said clenching and unclenching his fist.

"No need. I will tell now," Adira said after a long time.

Zaros waited for her holding his breath. He waited till she started speaking. One thing that's common in Adira and her brother were they won't speak when someone was speaking to them, and they don't like being interrupted when they were speaking. He liked that about them. If not he would have been thrown away a long ago out of these chambers by her husband.

He nodded his head at her saying that he was listening to her.

"Even I wanted to give a chance to this relationship. Let's see how it goes. If it doesn't work out. You don't get to behave the way you did with me in the past. No matter how young I am and how old you are… I deserve respect. I expect that" she said to him without breaking the eye contact.

Zaros just kept listening to her and nodding to her at her words.

"When I feel, I don't see the light in our relationship or I am not even getting the things I deserve, I will back off. If that is okay with you, I don't mind restarting it," she said with a straight face that didn't even have a small smile.

Zaros smiled at her and hugged her tight.

"Thankyou! I was scared that you might reject me. But… you accepted. Even though I remember what I did in the past, I did it under the influence of magic. That doesn't cover up your suffering. From now on… I will never hurt you consciously or unconsciously," he said choking her in his hug.

"Is that the reason now you are choking me?" her choked voice came out bringing him out of his senses.

He immediately loosened his hold on her. "Sorry, I just felt excited," he said cupping her face.

She just looked at him with a blank face. Adira didn't know what's wrong with him. She knew he has a soft spot on her before they married but when the ring happened everything changed. She has doubt that the things that came out when he put the ring were his inner desires. Adira would know it soon or later. She just needs time.