Awaiting Fate (22 page)

“Landon,” she said, her tone mocking his. “I trust Cain. He wouldn’t let anything happen to me. I’m safe with him.”

“But—” Landon began to argue.

Standing her ground, she said, “Either I go with Cain or I go alone. What will it be?”

Landon scowled. Nonetheless he relented, but she knew it was temporary.

“Dinner’s ready,” the maid, Cristal, announced.

“Oh, great,” Jocelyn exclaimed. “I’m starved.”

Chapter 24

Fearing the red tint in his eyes, Cain angled his face away from Landon, knowing the alpha’s gaze was centered on him. He trailed Olivia instead, watched her as she stood, her thick brown hair swaying. Her tantalizing scent drifted toward him. Even as angry as he was with her, desire sparked. He held his breath because if he didn’t, he might do something he’d regret like drag her away and lock her in his room at the compound where he knew she would be safe, always.

Aroused and enraged was a bad combo. His mind debated what he should do the second they were alone, delve into her or scream at her. All because he loved her so much, his body ached without her near. Hell, he hurt more every second she was in the same room and not in his arms.

Since the moment he’d materialized them to the estate and he’d pulled away from her, a dull ache claimed him. Then the stunt she pulled insisting she hunt Malums. What the hell was she thinking? He’d never been this livid, ever. Now, he had no choice but to keep his word.

Fuck it,
he thought. If there’s no Olivia, what was the point of honor? He’d break his word for the first time in his life. It’d sting, but the pain compared to the thought of Olivia in danger was nothing.

He continued to watch her patiently as she and Jocelyn headed toward the dining room before he veered his attention to Landon, who continued to eye him suspiciously.

“You aren’t taking her with you,” Landon spoke.

“I’ll do everything I can not to,” he said, honestly. “If I can’t—”

“Why in the hell did you agree?” Landon cut him off.

Not in the mood for the alpha’s temperament, his eyes narrowed. It wasn’t smart of him, considering the alpha was quick to temper, considering he didn’t need to get on the alpha’s bad side. At the moment, though, he couldn’t help it.

He spent a magnificent week with his mate. Now, he was a foot away from her scent, her skin and her lips, and he couldn’t touch her, comfort her, whisper sweet little nothings to her. His fear—that she’d leave him when she realized he wasn’t worth her—tormented him more than ever. It hadn’t been an hour, but he was sure he was in the seventh circle of hell. The worst kind of torture: the knowledge and beauty of living with something you once had, that you could no longer have. He wanted to scream, rage, and curse.

Gritting his teeth before he answered, hoping no anger resonated, although he was sure his eyes were ablaze, he said, “Did it look like I had another option?” He paused. “I know her. She threatened to go alone. You called her bluff, but she wasn’t bluffing. She’ll go. She’s a fighter who’s tired of sitting on the sidelines waiting just because she’s a princess.
I
wasn’t willing to take the chance. I’ll do everything
I
can to convince her not to hunt. I’ll even ask Jocelyn to play ill, but I
won’t
let her hunt alone. She’s better with me. I’m sure we both agree.”

Landon remained silent for a while, seemingly absorbing Cain’s point of view then lifting his chin, he asked, “What’s it to you?”

The sound of his bitter laugh resounded. It was a little late to play catch up. “The same it’s been to me, always,” he retorted, then stood and strode away because he was tired of explanations, but mostly because being near Olivia, whether or not he felt her skin against his, was better than being without.

****

Although barely dusk, after the steak dinner Cain had barely eaten, he bid farewell. He wasn’t in the mood to pretend he wasn’t livid just as he hadn’t been hours before.

As the dinner dragged on, his appetite diminished. His rage, on the other hand, hadn’t. It stewed so by the end, it had been at the cusp, his demon begging for release. He’d barely controlled himself, only done so not for the sake of his honor or breed or his mate’s brother, but for the sake of confronting her.

How could she? Why would she? Didn’t she realize the danger? Didn’t she realize she was no longer just herself—that she was a part of him, too? Didn’t she realize if anything happened to her, his life, too, would end?

Rage festering, by the time he bid farewell he had barely spared a glance in Olivia’s direction. He’d been too consumed with his anger to notice the somberness in her.

He dematerialized from the dining room only to appear in her room. Enraged, he waited for her to enter. It felt like eons when in fact only minutes passed.

Finally, she entered, somber and distraught. Her gaze scanned the room then landed on him, her face brightening immediately as she ran to him.

He didn’t smile, didn’t move.

Noticing, she hesitated inches from him. “You’re mad?” she whispered, so softly he’d barely heard.

He cursed then, cursed her innocence, her beauty and her. Why didn’t she know?

“I don’t—”

“You
know
, Olivia,” he snapped, letting his anger speak. “You know how much I love you. You know I don’t want you in the line of fire. You know I’d strike a fucking copper knife through my heart before I’d let anything happen to you.”

His body shook, shuddering uncontrollably. The change…began…The rage, he’d held back for too long. For months, he fought his need for her. He hadn’t touched her, kissed her, or loved her. For a week, he hadn’t marked her. He ignored his demon, his need to turn. Now it ended…She provoked him unconsciously, yet still there was nothing he could do.

His body morphed, tearing his shirt. His height stretched, towering over her at over seven and a half feet tall. His back broadened. His muscles expanded, his horns elongated, his fangs lengthened. All he could do was take a step away from her.

She didn’t flinch or cower. Holding her ground, unafraid of him, or the demon that possessed him, she gazed at him with that innate innocence of hers, yet with a determined glint in her eyes. “You hunt. Why can’t I—”

“Olivia,” his voice was rough, fighting with himself to control his anger. “Are you trying to
kill
me?”

She shook her head. “You know I would never hurt you.”

He growled. “Doesn’t look like it!” The words laced in rage. “Do you know how worried I’ll be? You’ll be a distraction in the field. I won’t be able to think of anything but protecting you. After five months of waiting for you, how much more do you want to torture me?” he asked, taking several steps toward her, closing the distance between them.

Her eyes went wide and round. “I…would never want to torture you. I…” She angled herself away from him. When she spoke again, her voice cracked. “You think it’s been easy for me all these months? Worrying about you while you’re hunting?” Then she faced him again.

That was when he caught sight of the tears streaking her face. His heart clenched; the rage that had conquered him moments before dissipated. His demon left him as quickly as he’d come, leaving guilt in his wake.

“You can leave me if you want, Cain, so you don’t have to worry about me,” her voice broke. “But I’m hunting.”

Leave her? Was she out of her damned mind!
Was that what she really wanted? For him to leave, so she’d be free to find a werewolf mate? As quickly as the thought came, his anger flowed once more.

He grabbed her elbow and pulled her toward him, his body shifting again. His demon unleashed. “My darling Olivia, I’ll
never
leave you. Even after there is no breath in my body, I’ll find a way to come back to you,” he said. “Is the thought of me leaving titillating? Would you prefer to be rid of your
unworthy
,
orphan
,
demon
male?”

Her eyes widened, welled with tears that fell, tainting her cheeks anew as deep hurt flashed across her face. That same hurt, the one he’d caused, sliced through him, her pain striking him.

It hurt. It hurt so much, like her heart had broken. He wasn’t sure how she withstood it, how she managed to stand there with tears flowing down her too pale face. With a pain that deep, you expected blood.

He’d done it. He’d gone too far. Deep guilt washed over him mixing with the ache of her pain. His demon vanished, then he released her elbow, and drew away, wondering why he continued to hurt her, the precious gift he was fated.

The demon who once had so much control was out of his mind. Unable to control his rage, he turned demon twice in a matter of minutes, near his fated, and in the process put her in danger. He couldn’t help it. His need to protect her, to keep her safe, overruled every action, every word, riling his demon.

“That’s never mattered to me, and you know it,” she said. “I’ve given you everything I have, my heart, my body and my soul—”

After what she said, nothing could have prevented him from pulling her body against his. Gripping the back of her neck, he crushed his lips against hers. If she’d planned to say anything more, she couldn’t now as his tongue delved into her mouth, parting her lips. His anger still lingered, subdued with desire and every ounce of love he felt for her.

He freely explored her with his hands and materialized them in his room at the demon compound. Without sparing a glance around, he tore her clothes off, needing to feel her skin against his. When she was bare, he pulled away to admire her. Her eyes dazed with passion.

Embracing her once again, his lips slammed hers with the full force of his craving. He guided her toward his bed where they lay and made passionate love.

Hours later, soothed by her flesh, his anger had melted away, and he gained enough composure to speak.

Lying on his side, facing her, he caressed the side of her face. “I’m sorry, darling. I hurt you, again.”

“Next time, you should make love to me before you speak,” she smirked. “It seems to cool your temper.”

She’d forgiven him, that quick, that easy. She hadn’t rubbed it in or held a grudge, instead she’d made light of his faults, a stark reminder that he didn’t deserve her. And yet, he knew he’d never let her go because regardless she had been given to him and that meant he’d keep her.

****

Cain slept peacefully and soundlessly as he had for the past week. He woke content because Olivia lay in his arms. Her head rested on his shoulder, her arm slung over his stomach, one leg tangled with his. Drawing her closer, he smiled, then buried his face in the crook of her neck and inhaled her exquisite scent.

Then he begrudgingly spared a glance at his alarm clock, and realized it was six a.m. Past time he took her home, before her brother realized she wasn’t in her bed.

Groaning inwardly, he kissed her cheek and whispered, “Darling, we have to get you home.”

She mumbled incoherently and shifted, tugging him closer.

“Liv, it’s morning. We have to get you home,” he whispered, kissing her lips this time.

Her eyes snapped open. “What time?”

“Six,” he responded.

Shaking her head, she mumbled drowsily, “One more hour.”

He couldn’t deny her. They would stay in bed, but they wouldn’t sleep.

****

“Cain,” Lucas called from his office.

Cain walked the short distance, standing in front of his king, surprised to find him alone.

“Congratulations are in order, I presume,” Lucas said.

After retrieving their luggage from Santorini, Cain materialized in Olivia’s bedroom at the estate, kissed her one last time, then materialized on his king’s floor. He’d been gone a while, and needed to check in. He also needed some advice.

“Thanks,” he replied. “We’re holding off until we talk to her brother,” he added, noticing Lucas’s gaze lingering on his neck as if searching for Olivia’s mark.

“Five months you’ve waited to tell her. When you finally do, you hold off marking her for more than a week?” His eyes wide then he smiled. “I’m impressed.”

Cain knew Lucas enough to accept the praise for what it was. The demon king didn’t often compliment, then again, he’d changed since he found his mate, Jenna. He was content, even happy.

Lucas had marked her within a short period. It had been accidental, so to speak, and Lucas had been wracked with guilt over it—not that he’d admitted it, but Cain sensed it. Still, why Lucas would be impressed was still beyond him. Lucas may have marked his mate, Jenna, within a short period of time, but he’d been burdened with dreams of her for centuries before he found her. The dreams had never given him the knowledge of where to find her, so the king lived with glimpses of a woman just out of his reach. Centuries of dreams compared to Cain’s five months of waiting were nothing.

“There isn’t much to be proud of. I’ve barely held myself together.” Clenching his jaw to battle the anger that surfaced with just the thought, he continued, “I’ve nicked her several times, and I’ve lost my temper and lost control more than I’d like to admit. I don’t even know how or why she’s put up with me.”

Quirking a brow, Lucas asked, “Losing control? You hurt her?”

He glared. “I would
never
—”

“You proved my point then.”

“There’s nothing to prove. I’ve been…
rough
,” he admitted on an exhale.

“You deny your need to mark what fate destined as yours. The reason you lose your temper, and you’ll be rough, even after you mark her.”

He couldn’t believe he heard Lucas correctly. He’d hoped after he marked her he’d have more control. Eyes widening he asked, “What?”

“Desire is an overwhelming emotion, but what we feel isn’t just that. It’s an instant connection, love, even if we can’t understand why until much later. It’s maddening, desperate and uncontrollable, and sometimes that leads to being a little rough,” Lucas advised. “I
am
proud of you. I’ve carried guilt long enough because of the past. Finding Jenna has helped me. I think it’s time you leave your past in the past.”

Cain sensed where this conversation was headed. Right now, he couldn’t hide his emotions any more than he could stop himself from loving Olivia, and he knew Lucas read him like a book. Hating the thought of being read so easily, he shoved his hands in his pockets in frustration.