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Her mate’s nostrils flared and his wild green eyes darted around the camp searching, searching, searching until—that intense gaze locked with hers, then his eyes drifted to the shallow cut across her forearm and the one across her thigh.
Something in him snapped.
He twisted toward their prisoners and Arianna’s stomach sank. All clambered to their feet and desperately fought against their bonds. His magic rose, crawling across the ground, pulsing with his hurried steps.
A monster, that female had called him. He’ll show his true colors soon enough.
But the only thing Arianna saw was a territorial male reacting to those who’d injured his mate.
Arianna left her cloak by the fire. She barely had the energy to pull at the water particles but forced herself to do it anyway. They mingled with his raging magic. He paused when she tugged on the bond, but Rion didn’t turn to face her.
Arianna laid her hand on his shoulder and he met her gaze. Icy hatred filled his beautiful eyes as he studied her face, breath coming in rapid gasps.
“They’re not worth it,” she tried.
“They’re not worth the air you breathe,” he seethed, his voice a low dark tone she hadn’t heard in a while.
“Maybe not,” she eyed them. “But everyone deserves a chance at redemption.”
His body shook with barely contained fury, but his magic fell away slowly, settling on the ground in piles at their feet. Rion locked eyes with one who dared to look up and he bolted toward the male, slamming his fist into the male’s face so hard Arianna heard something crack.
The male howled in pain and Rion stood over him for several seconds, panting. She wondered if Rion might kill the male anyway.
Her mate turned away slowly and suddenly wrapped his arms around her so tight she was sure she’d break. He breathed in her scent, kissed her brow, then buried his head in her neck and just held her.
Arianna wrapped her arms around his back and the knot in her chest unraveled with his presence. She breathed easier now, despite Rion’s iron grip, and let her head rest on his shoulder.
Rion didn’t move until Arianna shivered and even then, he didn’t release the hold on her shoulders. They marched toward the nearest fire and Rion growled at those gathered. They dispersed quickly.
She sat on the ground and Rion sat behind her, pulling her flush against his body. He wrapped his arms over her shoulders and held her again, close, as if she might disappear.
His heat seeped through her clothes and exhaustion swept through her body. Arianna leaned her head against his and breathed in his scent.
Not a monster, she wanted to tell that female. Maybe once, but not anymore.
“I’m sorry,” he said after a time. She merely tilted her head. “I wanted to give you space, but—”
“I don’t want space.” Rion’s rage trickled away, but he was still a hurricane of emotions, like every one of them was beating against him from all directions.
He’d known. Gods, he’d known how she would feel after seeing the village. He had known exactly what she would come across. The atrocities she would witness.
“Why did you let me go?” He hadn’t tried to warn her or make any excuses for himself, just like he’d done with Zylah.
“Because I don’t want to hide anything from you. You deserve to know.”
“I already knew.” But she hadn’t, not really. It was difficult to imagine that the male currently clutching her to his chest was the same monster everyone talked about. He was different now. So different, Arianna could hardly visualize his old self. But Rion could. She was sure he relived every cruel thing he’d ever done day in and day out. She wondered if he still fought against that part of himself or if it had vanished entirely.
“You still doubt my feelings.” He didn’t answer and she hated it. How could she show him once and for all?
“Maybe they aren’t real.” His voice cracked and her heart shattered with it.
“You think it’s a pseudo bond, too?”
He didn’t release her. Didn’t pull back in the slightest. His heart beat so fast she could feel it in her own chest. “It doesn’t feel fake,” he said. “But it would make sense. It would explain things, at least.”
“Why do you keep trying to push me away?”
“I just—I want you to be happy. I want people to adore you the way The Divine is supposed to be adored. I don’t want the weight of my sins on your shoulders.” She had seen just how heavy that weight could be today. And it had only been one village.
