Dean blinked, as if that had not been the question he expected after all the rest.
"I did," he said.
Arion's expression did not move.
Dean pressed on anyway, visibly aware that this answer needed better scaffolding than the first one. "When I broke the pheromonal lock on the collar. I told you I could neutralize things. I just…" He grimaced. "I just didn't say it worked in combat too."
Arion held his gaze. "You forgot."
Dean, to his own evident irritation, had the decency to look ashamed again. "With everything that happened between us, I just… forgot I could do it." His mouth twisted faintly. "I remembered when you pissed me off with the collar."
There was a beat of silence.
Then another.
The office stayed very still around them.
Arion looked at him.
Dean looked back.
