Chapter 38: Coming Back

-Rhys-

Rogan and I spent most of the day just trying to plan our next move and putting extra men on the border. We knew it wouldn’t be long before Nova’s brothers would try and attack. Now that she was home again, she could tell them everything she knew. I wasn’t sure how much that was, but it was best to be prepared.

“Okay, I think we should put—”

I was suddenly interrupted as someone knocked on the door.

“Come in!” Rogan said.

A warrior from the border control came inside, looking like he was in a hurry.

“Sorry to interrupt but we have an intruder,” he said.

“What? Already?” I asked.

“No, just one,” he said, knowing I spoke of Nova’s rogue pack.

“What?” I asked, confused.

“It’s … your mate,” he said.

I just stared at the warrior confused, but then Rogan snapped me out of my trance, as he stood up, and we all left the office to go down to where Nova was. She had been placed in a small living room, surrounded by both hunters and wolves, all watching her with anger in their eyes.

“Rhys!” she said and got up.

I heard a few wolves growl, warning her not to try anything. So instead, I walked over to her, crossing my arms and looking at her coldly. She looked down, not able to look me in the eyes when I was sending off so much anger.

“What are you doing here, Nova?” I asked.

“I …”

“Speak up,” I said.

“I chose!” she said and finally looked at me.

“What?” I asked.

“I … chose,” she repeated.

“What does that mean?” I heard Serena ask, but I knew what it meant.

“You chose?” I asked.

She nodded, but I wouldn’t be won over so easily.

“You expect me to believe you have come back to me?” I asked.

“I would be a very bad spy if I came back after all of this. I know you don’t trust me, and now you might never will, but they are … were my family.”

“Some family you have,” I said.

“I never said they were perfect,” she said. “But they are … were my family, and I had to protect them, because as I said, in one way or another I lose.”

“So, why are you here?” I asked.

She looked a bit unsure, but then reached out, touching my arm, and I felt so warm from her touch. I just wanted to take her with me back to my bedroom, but I stayed put, even taking a step back from her. She looked so sad when I rejected her touch, but I was not sure I could trust her.

“I want to help,” she said.

“A bit too late,” I said.

“I didn’t tell them anything!”

“No?”

She shook her head.

“You expect me to believe that?” I asked.

“Rhys … I love you,” she said.

I looked at her shocked, feeling my heart beating out of control, and now I really just wanted to ask everyone to leave, so I could finally make her mine, but I had to stay strong.

“Nova …”

“I know … too late, but I came back because I love you, and I want to help,” she said. “I understand if you put me in jail for the rest of my life or never want to see me ever again after this, but let me help.”

I sighed, scratching the back of my neck and thinking it all over.

“Rhys,” Rogan called.

I turned my head and saw him nod at me, telling me to go ahead. We needed the help, there was no doubt. I looked back at Nova, who was staring at me with her big dark brown eyes … wait … Dark brown? Could it be … I stepped closer, and Nova looked up at me shocked, but I could see it so clearly now. She had dark brown eyes. Not those dark ones the rogues had. She had really chosen, and she had chosen ME!

“Okay,” I said. “I will believe you.”

She smiled.

“But you better tell us everything,” I said.

She nodded.

“But …”

“But what?” I asked.

“You have to promise me you will let my brothers live,” she said.

“Nova!”

“I understand if you need to put them in jail too, but I beg of you! Let them live!”

I turned to Rogan, who nodded again, but I was not sure if he was asking me to make an empty promise here, so I tried not to.

“If they don’t give me a reason to, I won’t, but if they do, Nova, then I will not hesitate. Do you understand?”

She sighed and nodded.

“I understand.”

“Good,” I said before turning to the others. “Give us a moment.”

No one looked happy about it, but then everyone left, and when the last one closed the door behind them, I was on her, pulling her to me and kissing her hard. She gasped, but then responded and gave herself over to me, letting me push her down on the couch behind her, and just letting me continue to get all that fear out. I might be mad at her, but she was still my mate, and I really needed to feel her close to calm down.

“Rhys …” she gasped.

I pulled back just far enough so our noses were barely touching.

“I am so fucking mad at you, don’t think I am not,” I told her.

She nodded.

“But you are my mate,” he said.

“You … You are not rejecting me?”

I sighed.

“At least not right now …”

She looked down and I placed my hand on her cheek.

“I just need some time,” I told her.

“Time … right … I am sure I will have a lot of that afterwards … in a cell.”

“You made a mess, little rogue,” I said, but then realized, that was not what she was anymore. “You need to fix it now, little mate.”

She nodded.

“I know …”

“I understand your choices, but at the same time I am so fucking mad at you for choosing them!”

“I get that,” she whispered.

“Don’t make me regret trusting you.”

She shook her head.

“Never!” she told me.

I smiled and then pressed our foreheads together, just breathing her in and feeling her close.

“You made me so damn scared.”

“I am not leaving again,” she whispered. “Not unless you want me to.”

“I don’t. So, you better stay, or I will hunt you down and drag you back, and you will not like the punishment I have in store for you.”