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There didn’t seem to be any love lost on her end, but the longing with which he stared at her made me uncomfortable. Worse, it made meinsecure.That was a most unwelcome feeling. Whereas Reagan’s spot in my life was permanently affixed, mine was not nearly so. This boy had her before I did. Who was to say he wouldn’t change her mind? I had no doubt he’d try if given the opportunity.
Reagan sighed. “I don’t think that’s a very good idea right now. Just say your piece and go.” She waved her free hand at him in a way that was almost royal. Then she doubled back on the assertion with a quiet request. “Please.”
Ben ran a hand over his short beard. “I did come here because I thought you were in trouble. I wanted to save you, and I wanted to make it up to you for—well, you know.”
She crossed her arms. “You might as well say it. Everyone here already knows and omitting it is kind of a slap in the face, don’t you think? Hard to be sorry if you can’t even own up to it.”
His face warmed in embarrassment. Making him admit what he did was so mild a punishment. The bastard deserved death for trying to mark an unwilling woman, and he deserved it slow for trying to markmywoman.
“To say I’m sorry for marking you. My wolf had been hounding me to do it for the last six months and I just snapped that night. I don’t know if it was the full moon, or what. I really don’t. That’s not who I am. I fucked up, Reagan. It’s no excuse, only an explanation. There’s no reason he should have been able to take control. I should’ve been stronger. I wasn’t, and you suffered for it.”
My blood heated, but I kept my temper on a tight leash. Whether I wanted to deal with it or not, it was disrespectful to not let her handle this how she saw fit. I wanted a partner. If I undermined her in this, it set the precedent I wasn’t all that interested in an equal. I wouldn’t do that.
“Trying to mark me,” she corrected. “It didn’t leave a scar—thank the gods for that because I’m pretty sure my father would have killed you, if Sin didn’t get to you first.” She paused and he started to speak again, but Reagan wasn’t having it. “I trusted you, Ben. You threw that away, and what you don’t realize is all this? The reason we’re even here in Tartarus?” She motioned to the room around us. “Your bite triggered the ward to break.”
His face paled. “What ward? What do you mean?”
Nog laughed. “Are you kidding me? He didn’t even know about the ward? Man, and everyone thinks I’m dumb. This joker didn’t evenknowyou.”
His words were delivered in jest, but no one was laughing because they were true. It was at that moment it hit me. Whatever they once had was truly and utterly shallow. I’m glad I let this transpire. It eased that sense of insecurity.
“It’s a long story I’m not interested in rehashing,” Reagan said, voice tight. “The point is your actions had consequences beyond the gross breach of trust between us.”
“Reagan I—I’m so fucking sorry,” Ben said, his voice quiet.
The tension in her body seemed to dissipate with his apology.
“Thank you,” she said softly. “It doesn’t make it better, but I accept your apology all the same.”
Good. Now this was settled, and?—
The doors to the throne room flew open. The commander of the army in Tartarus entered; probably the last person I would have expected.
“Legion,” I said his name by way of greeting.
“Your Majesty,” he said, lowering his eyes in a bow before returning upright. “The prisoner is ... resisting. We’ve been waiting for you in the dungeon.”
“I’ve been tied up. It’s been aneventfulmorning,” I muttered, shooting a glare at Nog and Ben.
He nodded once, taking in every person present, more than half of which he’d never seen before. “I see.”
“Who is with her now?”
“Abyssian.”
I cursed. While few and far between, there had been futile assassination attempts in Tartarus. Abyssian was particularly brutal in killing them if I didn't myself. Call it brotherly loyalty, but for as easygoing as he could be, all that went out the window when someone tried to hurt me. Something told me that extended to my mate.
“Youlefther with him?” Pol questioned.
Legion lifted one shoulder unconcerned. “He outranks me. I wasn’t going to order him to leave.”
“You could have at least told him to come get Caius,” Pol argued.
The commander sighed. “You have met him, right? Tall guy? Thinks he’s funny? Never listens to anyone except Caius?”
I groaned. He was spot on. We needed Jana in one piece, and Abyssian would tear her to shreds if given the chance.
“I’ll be back,” I said to Reagan. I stood fluidly and set her on her feet. She swayed but righted herself quickly enough. I hesitated for a moment, thinking I should bring her with me, but thought better of it.
