Desired By Three Alphas; Fated To One novel Chapter 39

Chapter 39: Apologies

Nathan’s POV

The door creaked open slowly, and I already knew who it was. His scent filled the room before I even saw him.

Father.

And beside him, the pack’s healer followed quietly, head slightly bowed as if unsure of his place.

I didn’t look up. I didn’t speak. I just picked up the bloodied towel Hailee had left on the nightstand and resumed wiping the dried blood off my side like they weren’t even there.

Father didn’t say a word at first. He just gave the healer a silent nod.

The man approached me cautiously, kneeling at my side.

I clenched my jaw, wanting to shove him away. But I’d already lost too much blood. I was in no shape to argue again, not today.

So I stayed still and let him work.

His hands moved efficiently—soft green light glowing faintly from his fingers as he mended the deeper wounds. The pain eased almost immediately, but it didn’t change the anger still burning in my chest.

The healer finished quickly, giving me a brief nod before quietly walking out, leaving just the two of us in the silence.

That’s when he spoke.

"I’m sorry," Father said, his voice low and full of regret.

I refused to meet his gaze.

I didn’t care for the softness in his voice—not when it came after everything.

I turned away, grabbing a clean shirt from my chair.

"Please leave," I muttered. "Before I say something that’ll make you punish me again. And this time, you might not stop until I’m dead."

Silence.

But I felt the shift in the room. Felt it in the way his breath hitched.

I glanced at him—just for a second—and saw it.

Fear.

Not fear of me.

But scared at the thought of me dying.

No doubt, he loved me. But the way he showed it... the way he handled things... it was all wrong.

But somehow I didn’t blame him because he learned all this from his father.

His father raised him to believe discipline equaled strength, and emotion was weakness.

Father sat down beside me, the old warrior in him trying to soften, but still wearing that mask of control.

"I’m sorry," he said again. "It was never meant to go this far."

I didn’t look at him. I couldn’t. My throat was tight, but I forced the words out anyway.

"I wish I wasn’t your son."

He stiffened.

"Not because you don’t love me," I continued, staring at the floor. "I know you do. But the way you show it... it’s messed up."

I finally looked at him.

"A normal father would’ve grounded me. Cut me off from training. Maybe even stripped a few privileges. But you?" I laughed bitterly. "You threw me into a ring with four armed warriors and told them not to go easy."

His lips parted, but I didn’t let him speak.

"You set me up to get wounded. To prove what? That I could survive it? That I deserved it?"

"I was trying to teach you—"

"Teach me what? That I’m never allowed to make mistakes? That love comes with punishment?"

I shook my head slowly. "You don’t even realize how much I’ve resented this since I was ten. Since the first time you made me fight a warrior twice my size because I broke a rule."

His face dropped then.

But I continued. "You don’t treat Clara this way." I spat in pain and looked away.

I didn’t know what I expected him to say. Maybe more silence. Maybe another excuse. But what I didn’t expect... was what he did next.

Father reached out, took both my hands in his. His grip was firm, but not commanding—just steady. And then, gently, he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to my knuckles.

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