Chapter 13

Days passed, and Rhys stayed at the tavern, helping however he could. One night, after we'd closed up, we sat on the steps outside, staring up at the stars. "I've seen you before," Rhys said suddenly. "Back when you were wearing the Grimoire pack's silver armor, patrolling the borders." I froze. "I didn't dare ask about your past before. But we've been living together for half a year now, and I've started piecing things together from what people say." He rarely spoke this much at once, and it caught me off guard. "Nova," he said, taking my hand, warm and firm in his, "let me take care of you from now on." "I…" I opened my mouth, the fears I'd buried for so long rising back to the surface. "Rhys, I've betrayed my pack, I—" "That's not betrayal," he cut me off gently. "That pack abandoned their guardian first. They lost you long before you ever lost them." His thumb brushed over the back of my hand. "Your heart was just… frozen." "Rhys, this is too sudden. I—" "Alright, I won'