Ren stood in the doorway. He looked tired, vulnerable, his shoulders slumped. The gold was gone from his eyes, leaving only a dark, troubled grey.
The pain in his chest, an icy, sharp sensation, was a cruel punishment for his actions. The Beast wanted protection and rage; the human core wanted Axton.
The fact that Axton had offered the gun, had dared him to shoot, spoke volumes of his desperation and sincerity. A traitor wouldn't offer their heart for a bullet.
Axton looked up, his expression hardening immediately. He didn't move. He didn't speak. He simply let the raw hurt and anger in his eyes do the talking.
Ren stepped inside, letting the door hiss shut behind him. He walked slowly to the foot of the bed, stopping a few feet from Axton.
"I called them off," Ren said, his voice low, the words catching in his throat. "The army is waiting outside. They won't attack unless attacked."
Axton just stared. "You shot me, Ren."
