The Alpha novel Chapter 21

Ethan's POV

She quirks her lips into a devilish grin and shrugs again innocently. I can't help but to laugh and shake my head. "How very devious of you Miss Denton," I exclaim with a chuckle.

"I have my moments," she teases. Being with her like this somehow makes me feel lighter. Seeing her joke around, smile, laugh... it's the best thing in the world.

I let out a chuckle before heaving a sigh. Shaking my head, I look up again to meet her mesmerizing violet eyes. "I seem to be making one mistake after another with you Scarlet and every time you manage to show me how amazing you are. I just... I am so sorry that I keep hurting you." My eyes drop to my hands in my lap as a wave of shame washes over me, thinking of everything I've done, agreeing to take Nicole as my Luna, not being unable to announce to my pack that I found my true mate, lying to her about it... her stay in the dungeons.... I gulp as my eyes suddenly sting. I've never been a cryer, but just remembering the state of my mate when I had finally gone down to retrieve her seems to be enough to break me. Scarlet's hand reaches out and takes one of mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze causing me to look back up at her. "I... I never really apologized before.... I think I was just too ashamed and didn't want a reminder."

She tilts her head questioningly at me. "What are you talking about?

I inhale deeply before letting it out in one big puff as I steady my nerve. I don't know if I've ever apologized to anyone before in my life. Suddenly, it seems as though I should be apologizing for everything. "I'm sorry about your treatment when we first brought you here. You're my mate and I should have trusted you from the moment I met you. I shouldn't have thrown in the dungeons to be questioned the way that I did." I stop and take a shaky breath as I shake my head. "I don't deserve you Scarlet, but I'm going to spend the rest of my life trying to make up for it."

She stares out the windows in front of us, silent. I can feel my heart begin to thump erratically as I await her response. After what seems like an eternity, she exhales slowly and turns back to me. "I forgive you," she begins and a smile instantly spreads across my face. She quickly holds her hand up for me to not interrupt her. "But, I'm not a doormat and I can only take so much bull. You need to do better Ethan. You need to BE better."