amazing,” Logan blurted out.
“She was,” Indigo said wistfully. The corner of his lips dipped down in a frown. “We stood there in the guest room as she made plans, and out of nowhere she bent over in excruciating pain. She cried out, and I was next to her in seconds. It was nothing like the doctor had said. Our claw didn’t have a doctor, so we always had to have another doctor from another shifter group travel to us. I called one instantly. She was supposed to be coming to town, with Teagan’s and another panther’s due dates so close. Well, it just so happened she wasn’t too far away, so I packed Teagan into the car, and we went to the clinic that night. We went in and the doctor set everything up, but when she had Teagan settled, she gave me a grim look. Blood had started to spill, and they forced me out of the room. My panther couldn’t take it. Teagan wasn’t our fated mate, but she was ours nonetheless. She was ours to protect, and there was nothing I could do. My alpha at the time had to be there to force me back. They kept me away for what felt like forever. Hours had passed, and there was no word from anyone. My insides ate at me. I just knew something bad was happening, and there was nothing I could do. I felt so damn helpless.”
Logan rubbed circles on Indigo’s back, trying to soothe his mate.
Indigo took in a shuddering breath, completely lost in his memory. “The doctor had finally come out. She was covered in blood, and my stomach dropped. She told my alpha that he would need to be there to help keep my animal at bay, but there was only a limited amount of time.” Indigo audibly swallowed and his arms slightly shook.
“She was lying there on the bed, a thick blanket pulled up to her chest. I knew something was wrong instantly, Teagan hated blankets and said they made her hot, but there she was lying under one, her face pale and her eyes distant. I made my way to her, and it took far too long for her to reach out to me. I clutched her hand, and I just couldn’t understand why this was happening. What did I do wrong?”
Logan’s heart broke for Indigo. “You did nothing wrong.”
Indigo hugged him back. “I know that now, but back then I thought it was fate’s way of punishing me. She’d been fine before everything, and then she wasn’t. She said nothing to me. She just looked at me and smiled as the light left her eyes.”
“Oh, Indigo,” Logan said. He pulled back and moved until Indigo’s face pressed against his chest, wetting the T-shirt with his tears. Indigo held on to him like he was a lifeline.
Indigo continued to talk. “I’d lost her, and I was so angry and hurt. I didn’t understand why she had to die. I later found out that it was a breach birth and that she’d had more complications during the pregnancy than she’d told me. I stared at our daughter, unable to pick her up for fear I’d inadvertently hurt her too. I didn’t deserve happiness, not when Teagan didn’t even get to see our daughter. I made a rash decision. When I walked out of the clinic, it was already night again, and I took a chance on you still being at the cafe. And you were.” Indigo swallowed audibly. “And I pushed you away because I didn’t deserve you. I felt like I couldn’t be who you needed, and I wasn’t sure if I ever would be.”
Logan pulled Indigo’s face back and brought their lips together. He hadn’t noticed his own spilled tears until Indigo pulled back and wiped Logan’s face. Indigo opened his mouth, and Logan crashed their lips together once more, not letting him talk.
They slowly pulled apart. Indigo blinked away tears and stared into Logan’s eyes. Logan cradled his mate’s face, staring back just as intently.
“Will you forgive me?” Indigo asked.
How could he not?
“I’m not asking because of the story—you needed to know the full story—but I’m asking can you forgive me for walking away from you?” Indigo asked.
Logan looked into his eyes and knew the man felt guilt that Logan could never understand. “Yes.”
Indigo woke sometime later feeling more relaxed than he had in years. After telling the full story to Logan, a weight had been lifted off