The Rogue King {18+} (Book 2)

40. I'm All Yours

Everyone here recognised me as Luna now, bowing to me wherever I and Torben went, minus Rita, James and Josephine.

From what I knew Rita had been packing up there home, but in the meantime, James was being ten times worse with his attitude, most likely because he was angry to leave, and Josephine continued to work. She'd spent most of her time today setting up the homes for my friends.

I was still certain that I wouldn't allow Rita to force her children to leave the one place they'd known all their lives in exchange for starvation, freezing climates and hostile lands.

But for now, Rita was at the back of my priority list, at least until I knew more about her plans to leave. I had other problems to think about.

"Do you think they'll hate me forever?" I held my glass tightly, staring at the wine inside.

"They don't hate you." Torben assured.

"It sure feels like they do." I mumbled before taking another sip and another.

Anything to numb the pain

"You can't just expect them to be welcoming when you're in bed with the enemy." He was staring at me when I looked up, a small smile on his face. "Especially when they still love you." He was talking about Reagan.

And I could feel the hurt in his gaze that he didn't dare to mention.

I had said to Reagan 'I still love you' and Torben's ears had picked up on every word. Turning them over and over in his mind, trying to evaluate what exactly they meant. Because I had not yet said them to him.

And even though I had admitted to not being in love with Reagan, it was only a few months ago that I was. It was only a few months ago that Torben witnessed me throw myself in front of Reagan and offer up my own life rather than to see him be killed.

And he wasn't entirely sure if my feelings for Reagan were gone.

I wasn't even sure when I'd stopped being in love with him. It just happened. I had still missed him and feared about what he was going through, but my feelings for him no longer ran deep. And I knew I didn't love him like that anymore.

"Things between me and Reagan are complicated. The day you took me was the same day I broke up with him. I knew he was going to have a mate and I couldn't be selfish." I gave Torben a long look that expressed how grateful I was he existed before I admitted to him, "But I never expected the moon goddess to have granted me a mate. For years I believed I wouldn't have one." I reached up and brushed his cheek. "Yet, here you are."

He gave me a soft smile.

I placed my glass of wine on the table and then moved to straddle Torben's lap, taking him by surprise, but he didn't hesitate to bring me into his body and squeeze me at the waist. A corner of my mate's mouth tugged upward, and I gave him a big smile of my own, kissing him once—twice.  "What was once between me and Reagan no longer exists," I told him. "And I know why."

"Oh?" Torben squeezed my waist again and I could feel him growing hard against me. "And what's that?"

"You." I nipped at his ear and then drew his lobe into my mouth. He groaned and my wolf enjoyed the sound. Then I pulled away, his dark eyes gleaming with lust and love. I said quietly to him, "Because I'm in love with you, Torben. I have been for a while."

The look he gave me was worth a thousand full moons.

He crashed his lips to mine and said against them, "I thought I'd never have the chance to hear you say that."