My Second Chance Mate is a Barbarian (Sera and Fenris) novel Chapter 462

Elara

The night before.

"I'm sorry, Elara," Kane pleaded from the doorway. His voice cracked with desperation. "I don't know what happened to me. Please, just look at me."

His words hung heavy in the stillness, the lamplight flickering off the walls as shadows danced. I sat rigid on the couch, hands white-knuckled in my lap, refusing to turn my head. My gaze remained fixed on a vague point ahead, a spot just beyond the lamp across the room.

"Elara. It's been eleven days. Say something. Anything."

My jaw tightened. I could hear the anguish in his tone, how much he wanted to fix this, to make it right. But I couldn't bear to face him.

"There's nothing to say." Each word fell hard, icy and unyielding. It was the first time I had spoken to him in over a week.

Kane took a few steps into the room, moving towards me. I sprang up, circling around to the far side of the couch, putting its bulk between us.

"Don't," I warned tightly.

He froze a few paces in, hands fisted at his sides. "Elara..." His voice was raw with need and pain.

"You have said sorry." My voice was flat, unyielding. "Every single day. I know. But I don't want to hear it anymore."

"Then what do you want from me?" Frustration cracked through his carefully measured tone. "I've been patient. I've given you space. But this can't go on forever. We need to talk about this."

"What is there to talk about?" I crossed my arms, trying to appear stronger than I felt. "You nearly killed me, Kane. I can't just forget that."

The wounded look on his face nearly made me ache. "I would never hurt you. You know that."

I shook my head, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "No, I don't know that. Not anymore." My fingers drifted up to my throat, ghosting over the marks I knew had long since faded. "You already did."

His face fell, eyes dark with pain. But I turned away before I could feel the full force of it. I couldn't look at him. I didn't dare.

"So I'm a monster to you now?" Kane's voice was low, rough with hurt and anger.

I didn't answer. I didn't need to.

His eyes snapped with anger. "Elara, I..."

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