"Will you tell me what's wrong?" I asked.

A sharp expression made his face spasm. "You didn't stay long enough," Dain said, his voice harsh. "One might think that I'd be used to such things by now, but it still stings to be told that at least Stag Court's monster can get off on pain without there being blood."

"You don't even like pain," I said softly, looking at him. "You told me yourself."

He laughed, harsh and bitter, with a glittering pain in his wolf eyes. "Do you think that matters to anyone? Do you think they'd ever believe that what I want when I'm between a woman's legs is to make her forget, in the face of her pleasure, what's giving her such ecstasy?"

"It matters to me," I said, biting anger coming out in my words. "And stop fucking talking about yourself like you're a thing. I get that you play the role of the Beast of Phazikai real well, and I'm sure you've got reasons for leaning into it, but I'm already sick of hearing you call yourself a monster."

Dain stared at me, going still in the way that he could, no part of his body moving except for his eyes as he scanned my face. "Why would you say that?" he asked at last, his voice tight.

"I'll answer, and I'm not even going to make you pay for it," I said, holding his eyes with mine. "You want my friendship, and I'm offering mine to you. You've done a damn good job of shoving your worst actions and behavior in my face thus far, but I do actually need to believe you're not an irredeemable monster to be your friend. I'd like to, even." I tilted my head, and ran my thumb down along his, stroking his warm skin like he'd done for me before we'd entered the banquet, trying to soften my words with physical comfort.

With a shudder, Dain dropped his eyes, his fingers tightening on mine. "I'm trying, Leah," he said, holding onto my hand like a promise.

"I know," I said. "You made a bargain with me, and you keep your word. I don't expect you to unlearn everything in a day."

We sat in silence for a while, Dain looking at our hands while I ran my thumb back and forth along his skin, and me watching Dain while he relaxed away from pain and bitterness.

"Why'd you have sex with her, if you didn't want to hurt her when she asked for it?" I asked at last.