Ben

Ice prickled down my spine, and I looked to my mate.

She'd never wanted to be mated to Kylo Ren. She never wanted a life with him. And, I'd been desperately trying to eradicate that part of myself, but here it was, in the six men standing at attention behind me.

I heard a grunt and turned to see Vicrul get to his knees, then his feet, and I fought an urge to crush his windpipe. I would have, but he had always been the weakest in the Force, and I was easily able to look into his mind.

If I'd seen the slightest tinge of ill intent in him, or any of them, I would have used the Force to tear them all apart.

But, they'd been honest.

They had come here for Rey thinking Hux's interest in her was solely capturing Snokes murderer and the Last Jedi. He hadn't told them that she was my mate, most likely in an attempt to side step the ancient protection laws that applied to us now.

Or would, when our Bond was confirmed.

"Do you know?" Ushar asked. "About what Hux is doing?"

Before I could answer, Ap'lek said. "He's declared himself Supreme Leader after the Battle of Hoth. He gave us the order then, to bring-" He looked to Rey at my side. "Your mate to him, and we refused."

"But then he had a helmet like yours made." Cardo added. "He thought he could just cover his face, and we wouldnt know the difference." His tone made it clear that Hux's assumption was insulting.

"He gave the order again, and we thought agreeing would be better than not." Ushar explained. "Who knows what he would've done if we'd refused the second time."

"It's not that we're scared of Hux," Ap'lek amended. "But, he is Supreme Leader, now. And if we piss him off, it would be us against a galactic army."

"How long have you been after me?" Rey wanted to know.

"We've been tracking your Force signature for a few weeks, now." Trudgen answered. "But, the two of you were mostly together." He shrugged, the movement barely recognizable under the heavy armor he wore. "We assumed that he was tracking you, too. We would have never thought…"

They all fell silent.

But, he didn't have to finish.

They would have never thought I'd be mated. Never imagined it would be to a light user, after I'd sacrificed so much for the Dark.

Rey crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, if you're not going back to the First Order, what's your plan?"

My Knights turned their heads to look at her, but neither one of them spoke.

Rey waited for a bit before explaining, "Hux will be expecting you. And, when you don't return, he'll either send scouting troops after you, or he'll turn the entire armada this way." She looked up at me. "Neither of which bode well for C."

No, we had to keep Hux as far away from Naboo as possible.

"Do you have a suggestion?" Ushar asked.

Rey turned her attention back to them. "Well, if he's expecting you to return with me, you should return with me."

I blinked, caught completely off guard. Return her to Hux? Had she lost her senses entirely?

No. She snapped, glaring up at me, and I ground my teeth together.

"You know as well as I do that if they don't return with me, he'll just keep looking." Rey reasoned.

"We barely made it off of that ship a few days ago." I reminded her. "And you want them to take you back?"

Rey nodded. "As bait."

My face fell. Did she seriously just say that?

"You are not being used as bait." I growled.

"How else are we going to get to him?" She looked to my Knights. "He doesn't know that you know he's not Ben. So, to him, you're just following orders. But, Ben will go with us. And we don't have to worry about anyone seeing him because no one on the ship knows what's going on." She looked back at me. "Then, once we're in the throne room, even if Hux has a new guard, it'll be the eight of us against the nine of them."

My Knights exchanged glances, apparently liking those odds.

"I'll go." I countered. "You stay and protect the Queen, and I'll go confront the man who's stolen my identity."

"Hux is expecting you to kick the door down. He'll shoot you as soon as you set foot in that throne room." She pointed out. "But, if your Knights bring me in, you can slip in undetected and take his head off of his shoulders."

Ushar shrugged. "It's not a bad suggestion."

"It's an awesome suggestion!" Kuruk laughed, obviously ready to put her plan into action.

I gave them a sideways glare and they straightened, clearing their throats as they fell silent.

"You are not using her as bait." I said, putting an end to the conversation. We'd already spent too much time discussing it. "There's a way in without-"

I trailed off watching Rey casually walk between my Knights and me, their heads turning as she passed.

"Where are you going?" I demanded.

"I've been captured by the Knights of Ren." She said, not slowing. "I agreed to go with them to stop the destruction of this planet." She pointed to the burning building to her left as evidence. "They're holding me captive."

I felt my face heat. Rey. I warned.

She ignored me.

Rey!

She responded by showing me myself, remembering the words I'd said to her before she'd gone to face my Knights. I am not her master. I do not command her.

A low snarl erupted from my chest. Yes, I'd said that, and yes, I'd let her go, but this was different.

No, it isn't. She denied.

I set my jaw. Last time you were there he told you that he didn't want to hurt me. I reminded her. He wants to make me watch him hurt you. And, he would have, if Severyn hadn't saved us.

She stopped in front of the docked ship and waved a hand in front of her, using the Force to engage the controls, and the loading ramp lowered for her.

Well, all the more reason to stop him. She said, and disappeared onboard.

My hands started to shake, and I tried to control my breathing.

I couldn't remember ever being so angry with her.

"Orders, sir?" Ushar asked.

I cast him a furious gaze, then stalked toward the ship.