No, not him! Anybody but him. He's going to hurt me. Like he did the first time. No, who cares about him. I don't care if he thinks he is my mate. The second I get back to who I was I'm not staying with him.

He'll probably reject me anyways. He walks in slowly, and I stare at his feet as they approach me and still.

Alpha Eric POV

I hate myself. I've always been the bad boy, the playboy who never gave a shit about what anyone else thought about him. So quickly, what she thinks of me has become the only thing that matters.

My mate. Rose Ivy Lawrence.

Even her name gives me chills and makes my wolf purr. She's amazing, I would do anything for her. The thing I hate is that she is an Omega. Because of me. Because of my stupid pride, she's injured and she's the weakest in this pack.

I treated her so badly. I didn't know that she was my mate but that's not an excuse. I looked down on her because she didn't have a wolf yet. I liked her for so long, and her wolf's lack of an appearance made me change my whole view on her. She smelled so good in the hallway, I thought it was someone else. Hugging her, changed my world.

Seeing her disappointed me though. I thought it was someone else. I don't know why but the minute I hit her, my wolf growled at me and took control. He killed off every rogue. As my punishment, he put me into that coma. I didn't understand why until now. I hurt our mate. He didn't speak to me until I found her.

She's sitting against the hospital wall, curled up. She's so tiny. I have to protect her but I didn't do that. I hurt her. She's so beautiful even now.

I need to help her get better. Things will change. I will protect her.

I don't deserve her, and if she rejects me, I won't stop her. I'll be the best mate I can be, and I can hope to convince her.

I can only hope she loves me.