Regret 

ISABELLA’S POV 

“Not really…” I managed to say, my voice still hoarse and frail, barely louder than a breath. 

I could feel the sweat coating my palms as my heart pounded furiously in my chest. The realization hit me all at once, and nervousness surged through me like a rising tide. Avoiding Xavier’s gaze, I stared down at my lap, trying to calm the erratic rhythm of my breathing. 

I was still lying on the bed, feeling weak, almost paralyzed by the weight of everything that had happened. My limbs refused to cooperate as I tried to push myself up, but then I felt strong arms gently lifting me. Sparks shot through my skin at his touch, and my body instinctively reacted with different sensations that started surging through me again as I realized just how close he was. I could feel the heat radiating off his body, intensifying the already overwhelming pull of the mate bond. 

The bond had grown stronger since last night, every nerve in my body heightened, more sensitive to his presence. My pulse quickened as I felt his firm hands steadying me, holding me up as if I might crumble without him. 

Flashes of last night flickered in my mind–his touch, his lips, and how he marked me. My gaze instinctively traveled to his neck. He was wearing a fitted shirt that clung to his muscles, but then I noticed that his skin remained untouched by any mark. 

I immediately looked away. I couldn’t remember what happened after he marked me. I must have passed out after that. And I haven’t marked him. 

Disappointment twisted inside me, sharp and bitter, tightening my chest. I bit my lip, trying to shake off the lingering frustration. It wasn’t the time to dwell on it, not with so much still unanswered. 

“Do you want me to get you something?” 

His voice cut through the haze of my thoughts, calm and steady, yet there was a gentleness there that made me shiver. His tone had shifted, softer, and more intimate now. However, it made me wonder if it was just the mate bond affecting me so intensely, or if something had truly changed between us. 

I shook my head slightly, still too overwhelmed to speak. Instead, I asked the question that had been gnawing at me since I woke up. 

“Where are the kids?” My voice was quiet, and I glanced anxiously toward the door. It was well into the afternoon now, judging by the sunlight filtering through the window, and I hadn’t 

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+50 Point 

Regret 

sensed Liam or Lily nearby. 

“Don’t worry. Your brother took them to their house.” Xavier spoke, his tone gentle and reassuring that it somewhat sent a shiver running down my spine again. 

Everything felt different. His words, his actions–it was all so much more gentle than before. His touch lingered on my skin, his gaze seemed to search mine for something deeper. But was it real? Or was it simply the effect of the bond, clouding my judgment, making me see things that weren’t there? 

He turned away to grab a glass of water from the table nearby, and for a moment, I let out a shaky breath, grateful for the brief reprieve from his scrutiny. My thoughts were a mess, tangled with doubts and questions. 

“Drink this,” he said softly, handing me the glass. 

I nodded, taking the glass and focusing on it as I sipped, avoiding his eyes. Every time he looked at me, I felt exposed, as if he could see everything I was trying to hide. As if he could see straight into my soul. I wasn’t ready to face what all of this meant yet, not with my 

emotions still raw and confused. 

“Are you hungry? I can make something for you.” His voice was soft, almost tender, and it took 

me by surprise. 

It was too much. The closeness, the tenderness–it was so foreign. The Xavier I had known before would never speak to me this way. My wolf purred in satisfaction, but I couldn’t shake 

the unease tightening in my chest. 

I had his mark now. That should make me feel happy, right? My wolf certainly was, but I… I 

wasn’t so sure. Xavier had never marked me in the past, even after we got married. married. 

He had always held back, and I had thought it was because of Sophia, his first love. But now, I 

knew that wasn’t true. 

Sophia wasn’t the reason. So why hadn’t he marked me then? What had changed now? 

I wanted to ask, but the words were stuck in my throat, tangled with fear. Was it duty? Did he 

mark me because he felt responsible now… because he thought he had to? 

Before I could delve deeper into the torment of my thoughts, I felt him move closer. I hadn’t 

noticed him stepping toward me until I felt the weight of his gaze on me again, piercing and 

intense. 

“What’s wrong?” His voice was gentle, but the question hit me like a punch to the chest. The concern in his eyes, the way he was watching me so closely–it was almost too much. 

2/3 

Regret 

50 Point: 

“I… I need to see the kids,” I stammered, avoiding his question entirely. I swung my legs over 

the edge of the bed, struggling to stand, but my limbs felt weak and still shaky. I just needed 

to get away from him, away from these suffocating emotions. 

But before I could take a step, his arms wrapped around me again, steadying me, pulling me close. The sparks from his touch shot through me like fire, and I gasped, startled by the intensity of it. 

“I can manage on my own,” I muttered, though the weakness in my voice and my body betrayed me. I could barely stand, and he knew it. 

His grip tightened, firm but gentle. Then he stared down at me with his dark and serious eyes. 

“Do you regret it?” He suddenly asked, his voice low, filled with something I couldn’t quite 

name. 

I froze, my breath catching in my throat at his sudden question. My heart hammered against 

my ribs as I stared up at him, unable to look away this time. 

“Do you regret letting me mark you?” He asked once more, his voice barely above a whisper. 

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