I walked over to the kettle and flicked it on, more for something to do than anything else. The conversation we were about to have wasn’t something I looked forward to.
But I couldn’t get out of it either.
“No, he’s still at Axel’s with the others.” Rys tapped his phone where it sat on the table in front of him. “He messaged me though.”
I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, stalling. “Axel and I talked things through. We both know where we stand now.”
Rys didn’t react, except to sit back in his chair. “And where’s that?”
“We’re not friends, not like we were.” It hurt to admit out loud, but it was the truth. “I don’t know if we can get back there. But he won’t avoid me, and I won’t walk on eggshells around him.” I focused on fixing my tea. Cup, tea bag, water. “It won’t affect the pack, but we’re—” I shrugged, not looking at either of them. “—done. Whatever I was holding out for, hoping for… It’s not going to happen.”
I turned around, holding my mug like a shield.
The sadness in Rys’s eyes wasn’t unexpected, but that didn’t mean I enjoyed seeing it there.
“Are you all right?”
Was I?
Axel owed me nothing.
He’d never promised me anything, had actively told me that he couldn’t, and yet I’d feltsomethingthat night, and I’d hoped…
And that was all on me.
His behaviour was shitty, and I did blame him one hundred percent for that. But the heaviness in my heart? Yeah, I had to own that. “I’ll live.”
Sasha shook her head. “I can’t believe you two.”
“Leave it, Sash.” I wasn’t in the mood to rehash any of it. Not now when it was still raw. But we did havesomethingto discuss. “Lady Sarhin cornered me at Axel’s.”
Rys’s lips twitched. Whether with a smile or a growl, I wasn’t sure. “Yes, Gabriel said. So you know about her request?”
“I do.”
He glanced between me and Sasha. “I happen to agree with her. Dathal and Nick shouldn’t be separated so soon after bonding. The strain on Dathal will eventually affect his ability to guard Axel effectively.”
“I dare you to say that to his face.”
Rys’s eyes darkened. “It’s the truth. Lady Sarhin knows it. So would Dathal if he could look at this objectively, but Axel is his family. It’s hard to think rationally when it’s someone you love.” His gaze lingered on me for a second and I itched to fidget.
Whatever he was implying was way off base.
“While Zh’alek’s whereabouts are still unknown, at least for the next few weeks anyway, the high court and I have agreed that a pack member will be at Axel’s house all the time. We’ll still keep watch in the surrounding forest, but rather than guard the house from the outside, we’ll be inside this time to allow Dathal to be with Nick.”
None of this was news to me, but I noticed Rys had yet to mentionwhowould be living with Axel. This time yesterday I would’ve snapped his hand off, no question that it would be me. But now…
“You agreed it would just be sex, nothing more.”His expression had been so cold when he’d said that. So far from the Axel I knew, the one I’d held in my arms that night.
I couldn’t do it.
I couldn’t stay in his house and be in such close proximity to him.
Not yet.
“I’ll guard the forest.”
Sasha gasped in surprise, but Rys nodded.
