Too Late Alpha The Mate He Never Wanted (Iris and Eric) novel Chapter 59

Chapter 59

Iris’s POV

There was silence for a moment, then Rowan sighed.

“Sorry won’t save you next time,” he said flatly.

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My chest ached with guilt, and shame flooded through me as the memory of those rogues flashed through my mind. The shame of being so weak that I couldn’t even protect myself. I could still feel the helplessness that had pressed over me then.

“I tried,” I whispered.

Rowan shook his head. “No, you didn’t. You just… froze. I saw you, you didn’t even fight. If I hadn’t been there, if I hadn’t-” He cut himself off, running his hand through his hair in frustration. “You would have died, Iris.”

His words were like sharp knives, piercing through me, and I clenched my jaws hard, as my hands trembled in my lap.

“I know I froze,” I said sharply. “Do you think I don’t know? I remember every second of it. I remember how weak and useless I felt at that moment. You don’t have to remind me, Rowan. I was there..”

He frowned with a hard expression on his face, but I didn’t stop. I was already frustrated, so I exploded.

“Maybe it would’ve been better if you hadn’t come,” I snapped. “Maybe you should’ve just let them finish me. At least then you will finally be free, and I will no longer be a burden to you.”

The room went still at my words. Rowan froze, his eyes were wide as he stared at me, all his harshness and coldness drained away in an instant.

His lips parted like he wanted to say something, but nothing came out. At that moment, he was totally speechless.

The silence continued for long, and regret sat heavy in my stomach. The words I had just spat out echoed in my head, and I winced. I hadn’t meant to say them like that. Now I sounded even more pathetic.

I kept my eyes down, staring at my shaking hands instead. “Forget it,” I muttered, my voice breaking. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No,” Rowan said firmly, but his voice was soft. “I can’t forget it. Do you really believe that? Is that what you think?”

I swallowed, fidgeting with my fingers, but I didn’t answer.

Rowan leaned forward, “Look at me,” he said.

I refused.

He reached out and lifted my chin slowly with a finger. “Look at me, Iris.” He murmured softly.

I reluctantly lifted my eyes to meet his earnest brown eyes.

“Don’t ever say that again. Do you think that you’re a burden to me?” His voice was soft, but there was

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something else in his voice that I couldn’t place. Something that sounded like hurt.

I sighed. “If I had died out there, it would have been easier for everyone, because honestly, I am so tired and exhausted, Rowan. What’s the point? What do I even have to live for?” I whispered.

The words came out before I could stop them, and as I said them, I couldn’t take them back. At the moment, I felt so vulnerable and exposed.

Rowan clenched his jaw, but his eyes stayed fixed mine. For a moment, he didn’t say anything, and I almost thought that maybe he agreed with me.

Finally, he spoke. “Maybe you’re right.”

I stiffened, my stomach twisted. Was he actually agreeing with me? That thought hurt more than I expected.

Rowan’s eyes stayed on me. “Maybe you don’t have a lot to live for right now. Maybe you’ve lost too much.”

His words hit me. I dropped my gaze. For a second, it felt like he was agreeing to everything I already believed.

“But,” he said firmly, causing me to look back at him, “that doesn’t mean you should just give up. That doesn’t mean you should take whatever is thrown at you without fighting back.”

I swallowed hard, but no words came.

Rowan leaned closer to me, his voice got softer. “Because you’re wrong. You do have something to live for. You have more than you think.”

I blinked at him, listening intently.

“You have people that care about you,” he said with a soft smile. “You have me.”

Something in my chest warmed at that, especially as I could see the sincerity burning in his eyes.

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