I’d been so wrong. I had no right to search for him but I had to, needed to. He stands to his feet and towers over those around him. My fingers twitch with the need to touch him. My feelings are overwhelming as my rock, my love, and my home takes a step toward me.
I’d been so wrong. I had no right to be here, I had no right to want him, I had no right to be by his side but I needed to. I wanted to be by his side. My heart hurt from everything I’d done, hell, it hurt now even as I wanted him. It hurt from the betrayal of sleeping with Shane to what happened last night in the dungeons but that didn’t stop me. I was selfish. I ran for him.
His eyes softened and he opened his arms for me. I cried as I ran into his embrace. He pulled me in, holding me close, holding me tight. The bond wasn’t there anymore, I couldn’t feel it. There weren’t any tingles on my arms, back, or shoulders where his hand was but my heart felt warm despite all of the cracks and the pain. He dipped his lips to the top of my head and I buried my face into his chest as he kissed me.
“I’m sorry,” I cried. “I don’t deserve your forgiveness and I would understand if you didn’t. I’m so sorry, Ethan. I-I-”
“Shh. Shh. It’s okay, My Queen,” Ethan murmured into my hair. His breath was warm on me.
“The bond-” I started.
“We don’t have to talk about it right now. As much as we want to, this isn’t the time. Right now, we need to figure out how to win this war. We have the upper hand at the moment, we’re close to winning, I can feel it but… but I can’t win until I kill Half Moon’s Alpha.” There was a dip in his tone and I could hear the poison, the hate, the promise in his words. He leaned back as I bit my lip. “Where is he?” Ethan asked.
“Ethan-” I started but was cut off.
“Alpha!”
Our heads turned in the direction the voice came from. We found Odis standing five feet away from us. He bowed his head to me and I nodded in return. Seeing Odis reminded me of Gabe. I needed to know he was okay.
“Where’s Gabe?” I asked. “Is he…”
“He’s here and he’s okay. I’m trying to find him,” Odis said.
“Link him,” I say.
“I tried,” Odis said. His voice sounded gutted and I knew what that sound was. It was fear. I swallowed as my gaze darted around us. I hadn’t seen him yet.
“Why is Gabe here?” I asked.
“He wasn’t supposed to,” Odis gritted out. “I didn’t see him among the warriors when we left but he must have slipped in when I wasn’t looking. I didn’t want him to come.” I turned back to Ethan.
“Why did you come?” I asked. I lifted my chin so that I was looking into his eyes. He stared down at me, an incredulous look flashed over his features.
“Is that even a question?” Ethan asked. Anger laced his voice. His words sent a shiver down my spine. I’d just heard these same words, or something similar to it last night.
“Yes, no, I… you said you weren’t coming. You said you were giving me space. If you. had kept your word, you wouldn’t have been caught. You wouldn’t have been tortured and there wouldn’t be a war going on right now.”
“You mean I wouldn’t have seen you and Shane last night. I wouldn’t have seen you with your lips on his and I wouldn’t have seen his hands all over you,” Ethan growled.
“Why didn’t you trust me, Ethan?” I asked. Tears were welling in my eyes. I know what happened last night. I didn’t want to hear it again. I didn’t want to see that look in his eyes. I didn’t want to feel what I was feeling right now. The shame, the guilt was crushing me. I didn’t want to think about what I’d done, I didn’t want to admit it.
“Trust you?” Ethan asked. He laughed, he sounded delirious. “You wanted me to trust in you? Wasn’t it you who didn’t trust me? We had a plan, Adea! We were ready for him! The warriors were in place and we had a routine going. We could have taken him. Where was I when you came up with this plan of yours? Where was your consideration for me when you came up with the idea to leave me? Where was your mind when you decided to turn your back on me? Where was your heart when you ran to him?” Ethan asked.
My mouth hung open. I didn’t know what to say. What was there to say. The guilt of what I’d done, everything from lying to him about pups to sleeping with Shane stopped me from biting back. I deserved his anger, Ethan had every right to be angry, I had no reason, no right to give him excuses.
“There was no question when you told me you were leaving. I would never let you leave, I wouldn’t let you do anything on your own. I chased after you the moment I knew you were gone. Did you really think I would just let you go? Go and what? Have time to think? Come on, We don’t do that. We aren’t that couple. We talk, we figure it out. We don’t just put it aside and leave it to fester and rot. That isn’t us. I knew you were up to something. You weren’t being yourself. I know you, Adea. I know you more than I know myself. That night… I knew something was going on and I knew it wasn’t good. I hoped you would talk to me but you just kept pushing me away. I hoped you would have at least…”