"I don't know what to do," he said quietly. "I don't know how to fix this. And I'm..." He stopped. "I'm so angry, Lilith. At the curse. At the Moon Goddess. At myself for marking you without permission. At fate for putting us in this impossible situation."
He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear with shaking hands.
"You were right to be furious at me," Lucian continued. "What I did....marking you when you told me you did not know if you would stay....that was unforgivable. I took your choice away because I was too selfish to risk losing you. And now...."
His voice broke.
"Now I'm losing you anyway. And I would give anything....ANYTHING...to go back and do it differently. To wait. To let you choose me freely instead of forcing the bond."
Through the connection he could feel her so faintly it was almost like she was already gone. Just the barest whisper of presence. The faintest echo of the girl who had looked at him with fury and forgiveness in equal measure.
