Page 58 of Dark Goodbye

“Then I will take her punishment.”

Silence fills the space, nearly deafening. My heart pounds in my chest as my brain blanks. He can’t be serious. I can’t let him do this. I just can’t.

“There is nothing you can say to me,” Davix continues, his voice low, “that will convince me that anything Ladria did is comparable to what Malus did to her. But if it’s blood you seek, if it’s petty vengeance, then let it fall onto me. With our bond not yet complete, she will survive. However, I cannot, will not, live in a world where my mate no longer exists.”

Unable to think or even breathe, I tear myself from the Guardian’s grip, crying out as white-hot pain tears through my shoulder. I push through it, reaching out to the door. I can’t let him do this. I can’t let him die for me.

The moment the door opens, Davix’s face whirls to face mine. His lips are thinned, pinched, and every inch of his body holds rigid. However, once he registers what he’s seeing, he opens his arms, pushing against the two Guardians flanking on either side.

He doesn’t make any fast movements that might spark them to harm him, but he makes it very clear with his low growls and posturing that he will hold me if it’s the last thing he does. From the corner of my eye, I watch as, who I assume is the king, motions for them all to back away.

Not willing to waste any more time, I fling myself into Davix’s arms, soaking his shirt with my tears. He holds me close, enough that I can hear his steady heartbeat pounding against me. This is where I belong. This is home. I was an idiot to ever leave him, to pry myself away from his affection.

Turning, I block Davix with my arms, bowing low to Jaxxon. “Please, my King Alpha, though I do regret my involvement with the plot, it was not my intention to see harm done to Karis.” I glance over at Altris and lower my head. “You must believe me. Your mate was a friend to me. I cared for her like a sister. I-I don’t even know what happened to her.”

A soft sob cracks through my words as the weight of everything sinks on top of me. Davix scoops me into his arms, growling at those around him. “My mate is distraught. Please, just pronounce my sentence and get it over with.”

Panic beats at my chest, blurring my vision. Squirming in his arms, I shake my head, looking up at him, but he doesn’t see me. His purr vibrates through the air, taking out the bite of fear that threatens to overtake me, but he never falters in his resolve.

“Such dramatics,” Jaxxon sighs, shaking his head. “Nothing you’ve done will result in your death.”

“Even me running from the Guardian Alphas?”

The four exchange glances with each other before Jaxxon addresses me again. “I’m just grateful they caught you before you could plummet to your death.” Looking over at Davix, Jaxxon smirks for a moment. “Is she always this dramatic?”

My body sags as relief floods my veins, making me lightheaded for a moment. Still though, I need to know Davix will come out of this unscathed before I can truly take a deep breath. I don’t trust them to not change their minds.

“Respectfully, I will ask you to refrain from casting your thoughts and opinions on my mate. We would like to hear the punishment.”

Davix’s jaw jumps as he stares at the council that holds our fate. With a sigh, Altris stands up and walks over to us, ignoring the soft warning growl vibrating through Davix. Altris pauses for a moment before lifting his hands to show that he intends no ill will.

“She’s fine, little omega. My mate is safely by my side. It is I that should apologize to you. I had no idea you still languished in that cell. Everything was still nothing but chaos when we returned. In my mind, I didn’t think you were actually going to remain in your cell — merely spend a day or two so that the seriousness of your actions was impressed upon you.”

“You didn’t think to check on her?” Davix growls, baring his teeth at the warrior Alpha.

“Like I said. I had my own omega to protect. More than that, a threat to the crown. Once the dust settled and everything returned to a semblance of normalcy, that’s when both Karis and Alexi asked after Ladria. When we did not see you roaming around Stanlion, we figured you had returned to the commune. We couldn’t spare the manpower to hunt you down. From the stories I heard, you were very keen on running away.”

Davix cradles me in his arms, burying his face in my neck. Hurt, anger, and fear swirl through the bond as he forces himself to make peace with everything being said.

“Unfortunately,” I murmur, choosing my words to inflict the least amount of emotional harm to Davix. “If I was released, I indeed would have run again. You’re correct in that statement.”

Possessiveness flares through Davix as his purr once more turns to a growl. It’s not lost on either of us that my suffering is what eventually led to us being together. However, Davix still carries that burden of guilt that I’ll never be able to remove from his shoulders.

“Alexi has already faced her punishment and is free to walk around Stanlion. I do hope it is enough, and that we make amends by saying your punishment is timed served. Besides…” He trails off and gathers the scarred wrist in his hands. “What you endured,” Altris continues, “is a far greater punishment than what I would have asked for.” Looking back at Jaxxon, he clears his throat. “It is my wish that Ladria goes free.”

When the king finally nods, I sag against Davix, relief flooding my system. Now, officially, Davix isn’t going to have to die in my place. Not that I would have ever let that happen. I would have fought with every fiber in me to keep him safe. Could it be that the gods are giving us a second chance after all?

“Enough? Enough?” Davix bellows, his arms encircling me in a tight grip. “My mate almost died, and you say time served is enough? Surely there should be some form of reparations. Something. You cannot stand there and tell me it’s enough.”

Altris straightens, crossing his arms. “What would you have me do? What’s done is done. I cannot change the past. None of this was ever my intention. Alexi endured more than just a few days in a cell. Nothing compared to what Ladria went through, though. It is enough.”

Jaxxon motions for Altris to step to the side, his lips pulled down in a serious frown. “What happened is unforgivable. There is no excuse for it. The only consolation I can offer is that it was not on purpose. No doubt the guard we executed for harming you lost the paperwork. Or something far more nefarious. A full inquiry as to how exactly this happened will take place.”

Davix’s arms tighten around me as anger swirls about us. “You placate us with bureaucracy-.”

“As for you, Healer Alpha Davix,” Jaxxon barks out, rising from his throne. “I’m of half of a mind to force your resignation from the hospital. However, without your keen eye, Malus might have gotten away with his savagery. Who knows just how many more lives would have been lost without your interference? I do not condone what you did, but I am grateful for it. You may keep your post, but the moment you step out of line, you will no longer work there.”

“And the omegas?” Davix chuckles behind me, clutching me close to him. Our bond sings with his happiness, washing away the bite of jealousy that threatens to overwhelm me. “With all due respect, you’ve turned the hospital from a place of healing to something no better than a brothel.”