Chapter 143: Chapter Seven

Mason

I cleaned the dish, wiping it with a rag at least a dozen times before placing it back in the cupboard. I wasn’t sure how many minutes I’d stared out into the empty space of the kitchen.

Until a ripple of awareness ran from my hands all the way down to my bare feet.

The spells always happened this way, as if I was possessed by some sort of monster inside that needed to be fed—demanded it.

“Drink,” it whispered.

I clenched my teeth and braced the counter with my hands as claws started sprouting from my fingers, digging into the hard granite like it was dust.

Normally, I could control the urge.

I always had.

Not this time.

This time, I felt the blood coat my tongue, the taste of ecstasy as it built in my body.

“Cease.” A booming voice came like a clap.

My claws retreated, and I looked up into the face of Cassius.

With a sigh he tilted his head. “You cannot fight it forever.”

“I can.” I snapped my teeth together. “I’m just weak because of her.”

“Then continue the mating process. You and I both know you already started the minute you decided to heal her a second time. Every time you lick her, the link between you intensifies. This is not a fire you can control. It’s a blaze that will sear you alive.”

“No,” I ignored the need to charge up the stairs and love her, mate her, make her understand that this predatory thing between us was more than just healing. I was lying to myself if I believed otherwise. I chose the lie.

He sighed. “Stubborn wolf, you will mate with her. You will stop ignoring your destiny.”

“My destiny has already passed,” I whispered with emotion. “It died the minute she did.”

“She…” He leaned in until we were face to face, until I could feel the ancient secrets his wings whispered into the air. “…was not your destiny.”

With that, he walked off leaving me pissed and confused and near starving.

I reached for more berries and snarled in disgust as Ethan waltzed in with a bag of blood and a cruel smile on his lips. “We’re leaving for a few days.”

“We?” I repeated. “You and Genesis? The twins?”

“We, as in the council. Each of us is going back to our respective… roots to warn the different immortals of what’s to come. The war has just started. We have fallen angels all over the place trying to decide which side they want to fight for, and the most evil of all has returned to the abyss to play house. I’d say it was time to warn them, wouldn’t you?”

I couldn’t argue that logic.

“The wolves, they will also need to know…” Ethan’s voice trailed off.

“Let Cassius tell them.”

“I imagine they’d prefer you,” Ethan said softly.

The pity in his eyes wasn’t helping.

Nor the hollow ache in my gut when I thought about my pack, my people, the looks on their faces when I’d walked away and sworn never to return.

My shame was too great.

The burden insurmountable.

“Three nights.” Ethan was talking again. “Think you can keep the house from burning down?”

“I’ll make an effort.” I tried joking, but it fell flat on my own ears. I was trying too hard to pretend I wasn’t aching. Always aching.

“That’s really all I can ask.” Ethan winked and then, just like he had appeared with Cassius…

They were gone.

Utterly alone.

Solitude used to be my peace, my… serenity.

I jolted away from the counter as gasps fell from my mouth. Serenity. It was gone. My comfort in my loneliness was gone.

Replaced with…

Her.