MEADOW'S POV.
The words hung heavily between us.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Killian simply stared at me.
Confusion flickered across his face.
I couldn't blame him.
In our world, mates weren't supposed to reject each other. Yet a lot of people did it anyway, mostly because they simply didn't care.
Not unless something had gone terribly wrong.
Finally, he spoke.
"Why?"
I looked away.
The fire crackled softly in the room.
How was I supposed to explain years of pain in a few words?
"It's a long story."
Killian leaned back in his chair.
"We're not going anywhere."
A bitter smile touched my lips.
No.
The storm outside made sure of that.
I stared into the flames for several seconds before finally speaking.
"My father was the Beta of Hollow Mountain."
Killian remained
