Chapter Thirty Six

**Bastion's POV**
Rage, betrayal, confusion. Take your pick. Fuck, I couldn't even think straight anymore.
My claws extended as I stepped towards the bastard who defiled my mate.
I was stopped by Aria, though, as she held her arms up in defense between he and I.
"Listen, Bas, you are misunderstanding something here." She pleaded.
"His scent is on your thighs, Aria." I growled in return.
"That's because I was straddling-" She clamped her mouth shut.
"You were *what*?" Rory questioned from beside me.
"For crying out loud, not like that! I was drinking! His blood! Do you smell sex on me, Bastion?" Now she was glaring at me.
I took a deep breath. I turned to Rory who was awaiting my consensus with red eyes.
"No. I don't."
His shoulders relaxed a little, but hers were still tense. She was pissed.
"Do you honestly think I would do something like that? After one night?" Shit, she was starting to cry. I gave her an apologetic look, but she looked down.
"Who is he then?" Rory mumbled, his eyes reverting back to blue.
"He's our new High Priest." She sniffed. "I hope you end up thinking higher of him than you do me. I have to go. I'm sorry, Jesse." She pushed past me, disappearing into the house, the smell of salt water cascading down her face.
That's when it hit me.
I had just accused her of cheating on me. On us. With our fucking Priest.
I didn't even give her the chance to explain.
I ran my hand over my face, letting out a deep groan. "I am such an asshole."
"Jesse, is it?" Rory's question stole me from my self-deprecation. He was crouched beside the trembling kid. "I'm sorry if we frightened you. It was a misunderstanding, completely our fault. I hope you can forgive us and we can introduce ourselves properly." He held out his hand, waiting to speak again until Jesse grabbed hold, meeting his eyes. "My name is Rory. I guess King Rory. The vampire, in case you couldn't tell." The kid shook his hand weakly.
"Um, Jesse."
Before I could get the chance to introduce myself, Rory continued. "And this here is Bastion. I'll accompany you through lunch, since he has an apology to make." He gave me a brief scowl before turning to smile at the kid.
*Really? Just me? Great.*
I flipped him the bird before stalking off into the house after our girl. The wolves and vamps at the dining tables were whispering amongst themselves, probably wondering what the hell I did to make our Queen cry.
Damn, I was no good at this shit. Rory was the kind and sensitive one, not me. What was I even supposed to say? *Sorry I accused you of spreading your legs for a random human boy. Hope you don't hate me for basically calling you a slut.*
This was not how I wanted our reunion to go.
As I turned down the hall to our room I was met by Kim.
"Hey, Bas. Do you know what's going on with Aria? She isn't answering the door and some of our men said she was crying."
I bit my lip nervously. "Yea, uh, I'll take care of it, Kim. Thanks."
She gave me a wary look, but patted me on the shoulder anyway as she walked by.
I breathed out one last sigh before approaching the giant oak door.
Locked.
I decided to knock as opposed to tearing it down, figuring that using violence probably would just piss her off even more. No answer.
I tried again, connecting with the wood a little louder, but still nothing.
I knew she was in there. I could smell her.
"Aria? It's me. Bastion." I called out helplessly, facepalming afterwards. Of course she knew who it was. She could smell me too.
I sighed in defeat, pressing my back to the door and sliding down it, hugging my knees.
"I'm sorry." I mind linked, hoping that she would hear me clearer. She didn't respond, but I didn't really expect her to. "I... I know I'm an asshole. I didn't mean to blow up like that." I flinched. "Okay, maybe I did. But I wasn't angry because I thought you cheated on us. I thought he might've violated you or something... I know it's not an excuse. I just... I missed you, Aria. I slept like shit last night. I couldn't stop imagining you in my arms again, which only made it harder to be away from you. So when I smelled his scent on you, and saw your head resting on his arm, something inside of me just snapped. I saw red. I didn't want that guy to touch you. I didn't want him to feel you. I... shit, I don't know. I guess I was jealous to see him making you so happy. And... now I've made you cry. I'm rambling again. You know how I can get. I just don't know when to shut up. All I know is that I need you, baby. I've missed holding you. I'm a selfish mate and a shitty person, but I love you. I-"
I heard the click of the lock on the door so I leapt to my feet, my heart beating from my chest. The door creaked open and Aria gave me a soft smile that I didn't deserve, her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes puffy and red.
"I'll forgive you, but you have to stop with the speech."
I gave her a beaming smile in return, relieved tears forming in my eyes.
"Deal."
She opened her arms up for me and I wasted no time rushing into them, picking her up off her feet and twirling her around the room as she giggled. Her skin felt heavenly against mine.
I stopped, squeezing her as tight as I could manage as she clung to me, her legs being supported by my hips.
"I missed you, too." She mumbled into my neck. I felt warm droplets hitting my skin.
I walked us to the sectional, sitting and curling her up in my lap so I could cradle her in front of the perpetually lit fire.
"I found us more men and women. Some general staff so we don't have to do it all ourselves. Cooks, maids, and the like. And Rory found 150 vampires who are willing to fight. I think they are staying in the city at night, so we don't need to house them. They'll just be here for training and meetings."
I picked up a strand of her hair and sniffed it. It smelled flowery and sweet. "What did you do today?" I asked.
She looked up at me with doey eyes. "I went to the Oasis. I took a swim. That's where I met Jesse."
I took in her clothes with a raised brow. "Did you skinny dip?"
She blushed, turning to face the flames. "Yea. I really wanted to swim and I didn't want to ruin the dress." The dress did look amazing on her, and her swimming naked did things to me. But she said that she met Jesse there.
"Did... he...?"
She tensed. "Yes. But he covered his eyes. I drank fully clothed." *Thank Goddess*.
"Okay." I didn't want to continue down that path, just in case it was still a sensitive topic for her. "Well, you smell and look amazing, baby."
She gave me a halfhearted laugh.
"Yea, not at all like an emotional teenager." She poked at her swollen lids.
"Maybe you're just pregnant and that's whats got you so emotional." I teased, poking her in her flat tummy. Her eyes got wide and she swallowed. "I'm just teasing." I assured her.
The gods wouldn't let her get pregnant right now. That would be the worst idea ever. How is a pregnant woman supposed to fight the most powerful men in the world?
She bit her lip, fiddling with the collar of my shirt. "What if it were true? What if I were pregnant?"
I blinked at her. "Is there something I should know?" She was starting to really freak me out.
"No, I'm saying hypothetically." Whew.
"Well, then I guess we would have a baby. Of some kind."
"You want it to be yours?" She asked in panic, making me wonder if we were still being hypothetical.
"Does it matter? Even if it had fangs, it would still be ours."
Her body melted into mine, as if I had lifted a great burden from her shoulders. Wasn't that obvious to her, though? We both had unprotected sex with her. Chances were that she could have a spawn instead of a pup. But with our peculiar three way relationship, we would both be its father.
I chuckled at the thought of teaching a little vampire boy how to growl. Rory would hate it. Aria looked at me quizzically, but I shook my head. "It's nothing. I just thought of something funny."
She held my gaze with hers, now tracing my collarbone with her delicate touch. "I love you. You're perfect."
I snorted, kissing her nose. "Not even close, baby. Don't you remember my speech from earlier?"
She rolled her eyes, poking my cheek. "That's how *you* see you. Not how I see you. They are vastly different."
"Maybe you're blinded by my charms." I grinned.
"Hardly. I think you're blinded by your past."
My smile faded as I considered her words. How could I not use my past as a means to define me, when I had fucked up so much that it wasn't even funny? She didn't know the half of who I was or what I had done before her. So how could she be the judge of who I was?
Damn... But if I really was the monster I saw myself as, why would she be looking at me this way? Why would she love me? Accept me? Cherish me? Could I see myself the way she saw me?
"I'll get back to you on that." I mumbled, kissing her head before going in for her lips.
My heart had never felt so full. So liberated. This short and quirky little woman who was also my Queen had performed a miracle on me. She gave me faith in the gods. Faith in love.
She was my everything.
I knew that I would meet death before harm would befall her. I would protect and cherish her with all my being. I would be a King who made her smile, not cry. And I would stand on her left for as long as she would allow me to.
I was completely and utterly hers. Her love.