Christos nodded, helping me off the stool and leading me to the couch in the living room. I didn't know how to start and Christos didn't pressure me. Of course not. He was so attentive to my needs, I think he knows them better than his own. 

"I know I've been...unreasonable. And I won't apologize for that because you hurt me. I t-trusted you and you betrayed me in the worst way. I told you what happened to my family. How my mother was raped in front of me. How they slaughtered my baby brothers. How they raped me and made my Papa watch. How they killed him right after. I even told you about Asher. How I was waiting for him. You knew what I suffered. And you did the same thing. But, I want to know why you did it. Because...because I don't believe you did it to hurt me. It sounds insane, because you did...but..."

I couldn't finish my sentence. I just waited.

"I didn't want to," Christos said after a strained silence. "Lady Amanda raised me. She trained me to be the perfect warrior. It was all I knew. I followed orders because I did not know there were other options. I did not know how to say no. I did not know she assigned me as your guard on purpose. I did not know what she was planning. But she told me that same day that I was to knot you. I said no. It was the first time I ever said no. But...I did not want to hurt you."

I listened to Christos talk quietly. It's been a long time since I've heard him talk so much. I was almost transported to the past...Almost.

He continued.

"Lady Amanda does not tolerate disobedience. And I was punished. Severely. She told me again, to knot you. I refused. She did not like that her training backfired and that she could torture me forever but I would not be affected. She would have had to kill me. I thought we would be fine. That I protected you. But she injected me with hormones and I lost myself."

Christos's eyes—much to my disbelief—watered with unshed tears. His expression was guilt-ridden and haunted. 

"They threw me in there with you. And you were in heat...I tried to stop. I tried to control myself because I knew what you suffered. I did not want to hurt you."

He didn't continue and I didn't make him. 

Before I could even react, the pups went crazy inside me. I cried out in pain, doubling over. Christos was quick, placing his hands on my stomach and murmuring to the distressed pups. They still kicked but much less than before. 

Christos leaned his forehead against mine. 

"I am sorry. What I did to you was unforgivable and I will never forgive myself for it. Never. I do not blame you for hating me."

I looked into his eyes.

Damn it, Christos.

I forgive you.

And I kissed him.

He froze in shock, but responded tentatively. His lips were just as soft as I imagined and he was sweet. Sweeter than a person should be, but I felt myself getting delirious with his sweetness. 

I cupped his face, kissing him harder, pushing my tongue into his mouth. Loving how he let me take control but was just as passionate. We grew eager and rougher with our kiss, not bothering to stop for air. 

I clumsily climbed on his lap, maneuvering enough so that my large stomach didn't thwart me from pressing myself against him. His hands tightened on my hips. Before I could even blink, he flipped us over, laying me softly on the couch, hovering just above me, but pressing his lips to mine tenderly. 

But just as I was about to fall even more into him, he was suddenly ripped away. I sat up with just enough time to see Asher throw Christos into the wall. The Alpha crushing it with the strength of my mate-to-be. 

Asher's blue eyes were red with fury. He clawed at Christos viciously. Tearing and ripping. But Christos wasn't fighting back. He was letting him. I stared at all the blood in horror. 

"Asher! Asher stop it! Asher don't hurt him! It was me! Asher!" I screamed but he didn't hear me. He was completely feral. 

I wasn't strong enough to help and I didn't have a phone. So I ran. I ran to the one place where I knew I could get help. 

I just hoped I got there in time.