Chapter 43: Chapter Forty-Three

Ethan

Not how I expected to start my day or end it.

Cassius was in the room next door to mine.

Genesis still hadn’t woken up, but her breathing had evened out. Her heartbeat sounded less erratic. I had faith she was just healing—taking her time.

“Have you tried kissing her?” Mason said from the doorway.

“What?”

“Kissing her.” Mason walked into the room, his arms folded, eyes tense. “In those movies, the prince always kisses the princess.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” I growled. “What movies?”

“Like the King Lion movie… there’s tons of them.

“I had nothing else to do, so I went out and bought them because they made Genesis happy, and I was losing my mind with worry so I watched a few… or maybe… seven… and the prince always kisses the princess.”

I fought hard for patience as my fangs elongated, wanting to take a bite out of his silly neck. “You watched cartoons. All day?”

“I made steak…” Mason fidgeted with his hands. “…for when she’d return. I thought maybe we could share it.”

I glanced back at Genesis. “She would like that.”

“I figured it would give her something to look forward to.”

“Sharing meat with a wolf?” I smirked.

“And watching cartoons.” Mason pulled a seat up to the bed. “And it’s worth a shot. Maybe kiss her, then tell her about the steak.”

Werewolves.

“Any change with Cassius?”

Mason shook his head. “His temperature drops for seconds before it skyrockets again. It’s like he doesn’t have enough blood to self-heal.”

“He gave it all to her.” Tears filled my eyes. “To save my mate.”

“There must be something we can do for him,” Mason growled. “He’s still king. He’s still…”

“Our friend. Brother,” I finished. “Watch her for me? I need to find Stephanie.”

Mason’s face was impassive, but I could hear his heart pick up speed. “So, you’ll risk breaking her heart by telling her the truth?”

“Yes.” I licked my lips.

“Good luck.” Mason shook his head. “I think I’ll stay here and talk to Genesis about steak.”

I smiled— the first time in a few hours— and patted him on the back. “Don’t leave out any juicy details, wolf.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he growled then leaned over the bed and grabbed Genesis’s hand.

“Listen, human, if you don’t wake up soon, I’m going to eat all the meat, and we both know what that would do to my digestive system at this point.”

I let out a chuckle and moved down the hallway, my ears sensitive to all the heartbeats in the house.

Cassius was weak, so weak. I’d never heard his heart flutter that way.

Another strong heartbeat joined the mix.

Picking up speed.

I waited as Stephanie reached the top of the stairs. Her hair was piled in a knot on her head, her blue eyes still blurred with tears.

“Remove it,” I whispered.

Alex could hear my thoughts—could hear me in the house. He’d just walked in the door when I’d uttered the command. He cursed a blue streak.

“I said…” My voice edged with venom. “Remove it.”

Alex’s tortured heart slowed, and then the house trembled as Stephanie’s hair went from light to dark, her lips from cherry to pale, her eyes—white.

She stumbled back and felt her face.

It would feel different, smoother, stronger.

Her hands shook in front of her. “What did you just do?”

“We need to talk.” I held out my hand. “Trust me?”

She gulped, her white eyes blinking in confusion. “I feel different.”

“Because you are.”

“I don’t understand.”

“But you want to?”

She nodded.

“Take my hand.”

The minute her fingers touched mine, she gasped. We’d always felt warm to one another, but the minute her skin came into contact with mine, frost formed across her fingertips.

“But—”

“Let’s go visit Cassius. He may be sleeping right now, but I believe he’d want to be in the room.”

“He hates me.”

“No,” I sighed. “That’s where you’re wrong.”

“Dark Ones do not love,” she whispered. “I know that now.”

I tilted my head and smiled sadly. “Don’t they?”