#Chapter 420 – New Bonds

“So,” Ben says, his mouth turning down as he heaves an awkward shrug. “In the thousand times that I imagined meeting you…it never went like this.” Elias stays still for a moment before his shoulders twitch and he lifts his head to look Ben in the eyes. “You mean you never imagined introducing yourself to me in the Land of Darkness? Inside a cage that my brother built to keep his mate trapped here? With said brother laying at our feet, gasping for air?” Ben just stares at Elias for a second before Elias’s face breaks into a wry smile and Ben stumbles out a laugh. God – god damn it – but he’s hot and he’s funny? Shit. Shit, but he lucked out on this one. “Are you okay?” Ben asks, taking three hesitant steps forward, his hand lifting towards his mate without him really meaning to. Elias shrugs and, to Ben’s surprise, takes his hand – just lightly. “I’m surprisingly okay. Gabriel has been…challenging lately. And he murdered our cousin last night, so I guess I’m not entirely surpri