“I trust my mate,” Zelene said, drawing in a deep breath. Her expression was sure, even if her words shook. She squeezed my hand. “Everything will be okay.”
Solen
Chapter Fifteen
I came to with a snarl, immediately scanning my surroundings for Ashla. Instead, all I saw was Cassian’s ugly mug right in my face.
“Don’t fight,” he growled, his expression stern.
“Ashla.” My garbled tone told me I had shifted back to my human form after they tranquilized me.
“She’s fine.” Dagger’s voice came from somewhere behind Cassian. “The ladies are with her.”
I tried to sit up. “I need to get to her.”
“Impossible,” Cassian said, pushing me back down. “Just wait a goddamned second. The dart is still in your leg.” I growled as he quickly removed the offending projectile and tossed it aside.
When I was able to stand, I could see that we were in my castle quarters. Why wasn’t I in the dungeon where the king sent me?
“You need to shower and dress. The king expects you soon. You will be reunited with Ashla there.”
“The king expects me?” I spat. “I was supposed to go to the dungeons.”
Cassian pressed his lips together. “That was for show. If you hadn’t shifted—”
“For show. What the fuck does that mean?”
He looked at Dagger and back to me. “Better to let the king explain. Get cleaned up.”
I did what they said, but only because I knew it was the fastest way to get back to my mate, and soon, I was being escorted to Adalai’s meeting room. As I entered, I scented Ashla and found her standing between three other omegas. She faced the king dressed in military leathers. An unexpected choice. I knew how much she loved her gowns, but maybe she wasn’t allowed to wear her old clothes like I was.
She turned her head, spotting me, and a look of relief washed over her face. “Solen!” Ashla ran to me and I shook off Cassian to catch her in my arms. Dragging her close, I breathed her in before pulling back to look her over for injuries.
“Are you okay? Did anyone touch you?” The question came out harsh, but I wanted to kill Adalai for his accusations and verdict. If he was responsible for any harm to her… I would have his head.
“No, no one. I’m all right.”
I gripped her neck, placing a hard kiss to her forehead. Mine. It was the best I could do as a mark right now.
“What about you?” she whispered. “What’s going on?”
I could only answer with a slight shake of my head before Adalai interrupted. “I guess you’re wondering what all this is about, why you’re not in the dungeon.” He sounded more like himself, less like a pompous king needing to punish the innocent to appear powerful.
“You know we’re innocent,” I accused, pushing past Ashla to face the king myself.
“Of course you’re innocent,” Adalai snapped. “I know my generals, and I know you wouldn’t jeopardize your status for a rebellion.”
He didn’t know as much about me as he assumed, because if I had to lose everything to keep my mate safe, I fucking would. If one thing was clear after what we’d gone through together, it was that.
“Ashla didn’t unlock the armory,” Zelene added, her hand finding Adalai’s.
“No, my rose. She is also innocent. But I had to make it seem like I was falling for this bullshit setup in order to find out how deep the rebellion went.”
“Are you saying this really was a setup, and you let it happen?” Ashla asked.
“Yes.” Adalai straightened, tipping his chin forward in a way I’d come to recognize. It usually meant he intended to be blunt. “I noticed the way Solen was becoming protective of you. I knew you’d never be in any danger with him so close. So when the evidence was sent to us, I saw it as a chance to learn how far the beta resistance had spread, and whether they could be squashed like a mosquito or if it would take a bit more… effort.”
“This setup, blaming a royal omega, it was clearly meant to divide our pack further,” Cassian added. “To pit alpha against omega, and to make our people question the king’s actions in abolishing The Division.”
“How did you know I was innocent?” Ashla asked.
Adalai pegged me with a hard gaze. “Solen said you were. I believed him.”
“I mean… I said it too,” Charolet muttered. “Think we all did.”
Adalai nodded. “Right, but Solen knew she was innocent.”
I knew. Yes, I knew because she had protected too many people in this castle to give them up to traitorous betas.
Ashla’s eyes softened again like they had at my bunker. I was quickly growing addicted to her soft looks. Reaching over, I brushed my thumb over her cheek.
“She knew what I was and protected me, kept my secret,” I said. “She wouldn’t have given the enemy any leg up. Not when it could put people she cared about in danger.”
“You knew Solen was omega?” Zelene asked Ashla before turning to Adalai. “You knew too. Didn’t you? Before the trial, you knew.”
“Yes, rose. Solen is unique. Omega by birth, with alpha tendencies that refused to be denied. He belonged on a battlefield, and that’s where I put him.”
My mind swirled with all the new information. My chest clogged with so many emotions I couldn’t sort them out. Relief and vindication. Anger that I didn’t know which way to direct. To Adalai, for using us like he did? But if he hadn’t, we wouldn’t know what we know about the resistance. To the resistance for trying to hurt our people for their gain? That seemed like the most logical target for my fury.
“What happens now?” Tavia asked.
Adalai straightened
