His Belated Apology – 2

I looked at him suspiciously. "Why?"

"I want to talk to you."

I scanned the road, searching for a taxi. I'd taken one because I didn't feel like driving.

"I don't think that's a good idea. We have nothing to talk about," I said, turning my gaze back to him.

He ran a hand through his black hair, looking frustrated.

"Sebastian…" I was about to tell him I was leaving when he interrupted. His expression hardened.

"I'm not taking no for an answer. Either you get in the car yourself, or I'll carry you," he pointed to his car.

"You wouldn't dare," I challenged.

"Try me, Thea," he retorted.

He started moving toward me, and I knew he meant to carry out his threat. I snorted and walked to his car.

He unlocked the doors, and after I got in, I glared at him as he started the car. I remained silent, annoyed and confused by his sudden change in behavior. I wanted the old Sebastian back, the one I was used to. This one was a stranger, completely unpredictable. I didn't like it one bit.

We arrived at a restaurant I'd never been to. He led me inside, gave his name, and we were immediately seated.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Sebastian?" I asked as soon as we sat down. "Your behavior lately has been really confusing. I mean, for fuck's sake, you showed up at my prenatal checkup for a pup that isn't even yours, when you never attended a single one when I was pregnant with Leo."

He said nothing, just stared coldly. This was the Sebastian I knew: cold, distant, and detached.

"You never wanted me around before, and suddenly you're everywhere. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate you pulling me back from the edge during my darkest moment, but can we go back to how things were? Can you continue to act like I don't exist?" I pleaded.

I didn't want any more changes in my life. More importantly, I didn't want trouble with Aurora. They didn't want me in their lives before, and then suddenly everyone wanted to be a part of mine? I wanted to be left out of their lives. To stay away from anyone or anything that reminded me of pain and misery. I just wanted to be left alone. I wanted to heal, and I couldn't do that if I was still around the people who caused the hurt.

"You can't heal in the place where you got hurt."

"I'm sorry," he said after a while, his voice so low I almost thought I imagined it. "I was angry with you. I didn't want to acknowledge my behavior that night, yet I fucking let you take the blame and continued to punish you for something that wasn't entirely your fault."

He shocked me again. He was full of surprises today, wasn't he? Sebastian was never one to apologize; he always maintained his alpha pride, so him apologizing was a miracle. His voice grew angrier, but I wasn't sure at whom his anger was directed.

"I was so terrible to you when you were just trying to make the best of a bad situation. You were only twenty, scared, and I let you go to all the doctor's appointments alone. You'll never know how much I regret that." He took a deep breath.

"Why are you doing this? Why are all of you apologizing after everything's been said and done? You have to know it doesn't change anything. The damage is done. The best thing we can do is be civil to each other," I said quietly.

What was wrong with everyone? When I wanted them all to apologize, none of them would. Now, when I was ready to put them in my past where they belonged, suddenly everyone was apologizing for hurting me.

"I'm sorry for the role I played in hurting and breaking you. I'm not a man who makes mistakes often, but I admit, I made the biggest one in the way I treated you," he said.

I heard what he was saying, but I couldn't comprehend it. How could I forgive him? How could I forget everything he put me through?

I remained silent, staring at the table. I had nothing else to say; I just didn't know if I could forgive him.