My dad ordered, “Son, sit down. You know you can’t go down there right now.” No, but I could do something else. I whirled and stared down every single person here. I declared, “If ANYONE thinks I’ll have children with anyone besides Cassie allow me to dispel those thoughts right now; I WON’T. ANYONE who tries to separate me from my mate dies. ARE WE CLEAR?!” Everyone nodded and a few looked scared.
I warned, “If you think you’ve seen a tough schedule before, you’re wrong. You have seen nothing. Alexander and I will announce the new training schedule. It will remain that way until I think you all have learned how I feel about ANYONE trying to make my mate leave me! ARE WE CLEAR?” Several people winced but they all nodded.
Tory chuckled, “If I cared more I’d convince TJ to calm him down.” TJ shrugged, “I’m good.” Gia tapped his nose. “Yeah you are buddy. No help for that horrible excuse of a girl down there.” I realized Gia had called her girl multiple which was an insult here and she knew that. Cora should’ve been referred to as a woman, but no part of me cared.
I refused to sit back down. Cassie had cut Cora several times, but she was clearly messing with her. Cassie’s guard was now visible on the floor. I was twitching to order them to end everything here and now because I hated seeing Cora anywhere near my mate. It filled me with fury.
My head snapped to Aiylee when she called Cora, Corursula. I raised an eyebrow knowing that meant Haley knew about this. MOTHERFUCKER! I was supposed to protect Cassie, but I wasn’t supposed to have to protect her from our own damn people!
Sure, I’d put my fair share of fighters in the hospital for staring at her or making a lewd remark, but no one was trying to hurt her. I told Hendrix, “Cora will be taken to the dungeons after this. She can be treated there. I’ll get around to dealing with her later.” Hendrix nodded, “Of course.”
The second Cassie knocked Cora unconscious, I hopped over the barrier and ran to her. I didn’t care that she clearly didn’t mean to do it. This was over now. I put her behind me needing space between her and Cora. I was tempted to kill Cora right here and now. I was angry enough to do so.
My blood was pounding in my ears. My dad sent me his understanding after I threw her over my shoulder and ran to my office. I could barely focus. Cassie felt she needed to prove she was my mate for some reason, but she had nothing to prove to anyone. She was mine. Forever. I went about proving that.
I claimed her and even admitted I wanted to propose. Searching our bond, I knew she was stunned but thrilled. She wanted to get engaged too. I could feel her happiness about that as she searched the bond realizing I was dead serious.
I knew I could never get enough of her taste. When her legs were trembling, I whirled her around and bent her over my desk. Nothing could be more beautiful than this sight. Sliding into her was like coming home. She was mine and no one else’s.
All those eyes on her out there were because they wanted her and lusted after her. But they couldn’t have her! The possessiveness radiated off of me along with the protectiveness. No one would mentally or physically hurt what was mine and get away with it. Cora was in a heap of trouble. She’d hurt My Duchess mentally and made her feel like she needed to prove I was hers. Nothing could be further from the truth.
When we’d finished, we talked. Hearing the things she told me meant Cora was so far past all the boundaries. She really should’ve backed out of this tournament. She messed with the wrong person, andmy mate proved that. What Cora didn’t seem to realize was now she was about to face a very pissed off Commander.
That my own people used this event as an excuse at some piss poor attempt to prove Aesir wrong and take what was mine from me was grating. Training was going to be brutal. I was going to tell Alexander to come up with the most brutal plan he could and combine it with my own. Then I would double it.
I was astonished Cassie truly didn’t realize there were a lot of my own men who wanted her. It shouldn’t surprise me though; she was just like her mom. I didn't know who Angela’s mate was, but the poor sap could join Eric and me for Conners women not seeing their own appeal.
I mentally began to plan my proposal. She’d have my ring on her finger shortly. Then I realized we might never make it out of this office because she looked mouthwatering in everything. I’d kept my hands off her this morning because I’d had to.
Of course someone knocked on my office door. I knew, just knew, it would be one of her brothers. To my astonishment, it was my dad. Cassie’s family, the men anyway, were losing it over how long we’d been in here.
I rolled my eyes sending him my feelings that Cassie and I had been together for three years now. They all would’ve reacted the same way I did. Eric would have had Haley in a different realm by now. Or on her island releasing magic. He sent back his laughter along with the fact my feelings were accurate.
I begrudgingly walked out of the office. Cassie’s family all moved to hug her. My dad nudged me, and we walked back into my office. He asked, “Are you ok?” I answered, “No, but you knew that. I’m pissed off about this entire thing. How is it some girl who cheated on me thinks I’d prefer her to my mate?”
My dad shrugged, “I don’t know. I’ve never quite understood her. She deliberately embarrassed you, revealing she cheated and shamed herself. For reasons your mother seems to be able to explain. Then instead of getting to know you, which she never did, she kept insisting you two needed to have coffee when you don’t drink it.” I groaned. He added, “By the way, your mom is with Cora in the dungeons and she’s angry.” I snorted, “Of course she is.” We walked back out and I took Cass home.
The next day I’d posted the new training schedule that no one was happy about, but I didn’t give a shit. I glared at all of them warning, “I don’t want to hear a damn word out of any of your mouths. Next time maybe someone will say, ‘Gee, do you think we should tell the Commander that some crazy psychos are giving his mate a hard time? I do believe we should.’ But you didn’t. So START RUNNING!” I walked out of the gym instead of joining them this time.
I stalked over to the dungeons running on fury. When I found Cora, I actually paused. She looked terrible. She cried when she saw me. She managed to ask, “Are you going to torture me too?” I snorted, “I’m not going to touch you since I think you’d take it the wrong way. I’ll just send my mom back here every so often to torture you.” She sobbed as if I was the one in the wrong.
When she calmed down, I told her, “I want the answer to one thing.” Cora nodded, “Ok.” I questioned, “Did you come into mine and Cassie’s home?” Cora snorted, “What? The precious goodie little two shoes didn’t tell you?” I grabbed a chain and whipped it around her wrist and yanked her against the bars, her head hitting them fairly hard before rebounding, like whiplash.
I spoke in a deadly tone, “If you speak about her like that again I’ll kill you with my bare hands. Now, answer my question before I give into that inclination.” Cora said, “Yes, I did. I just wanted her to think we were an off period fling! She didn’t though and she hurt me instead!”
I scoffed, “As you are not dead, she was kind. Do not go near her again. I don’t want to hear anything about this shit continuing when you get out of here in two weeks. Are we clear?” She cried begging me to reconsider but I walked out.
I found my mom up top. I said, “Go see her as much as you want and torture her.” She asked, “You’re not going to?” I reiterated, “She’d take it the wrong way if I touched her. You can get my point across without delusion filling her mind. Everything in me says I should kill her, but Cassie didn’t. I’m trying to respect that, but if I spend more time with Cora I’ll just end her pathetic life.”
My mom kissed the top of my head, “I’m more than happy to let that awful excuse of a woman know what I think of her. I think I’ll go down there now.” I nodded and made sure she got down ok. I told twomen guarding the door, “Send a guard down there with my mom.” They nodded and I went back to the gym to run with my warriors.
Between workouts, I spent my time planning the perfect proposal for Cassie. I closed my office door and portaled to Black Mountain. I had an appointment to see Eric. I walked into his office and sat down. He nodded, “Cayden, you are aware you don’t need to go through Caleb to get an appointment with me. You’re my son in law.”
I nodded, “I know but this conversation is different. I want your blessing to ask Cassie to marry me.” If he was surprised, he didn’t show it. He sat back, “I never thought I could part with her. Of course, the Moon Goddess gave my Princess a mate who was already a man I respected. You make her happy and don’t keep her away from us.” I replied, “I would never do that.”
He said, “I can’t accurately express how much I appreciate you letting her carve her own path in a bit of a hybrid style between here and the Hackura realm. You let her be an Alpha in this pack, and your mate. You did the same for Alexander as a squadron leader.” I nodded.
“You have my blessing to propose. Make sure she remains happy with you, Cayden. If you ever hurt my pup, I don’t care who you are I’ll kill you.” I smiled, “I intend to make her very happy for centuries to come.” Eric nodded, “Good. Thank you for asking.”
