ARTEMISIA
My brain has barely clicked on what he said, making my heart do a backflip as he disappears into thin air.
I scan the room, finding him leaning against the wall as the door opens and Cayden walks in.
“How are you feeling, my Love?” he starts before turning towards Hendrick standing on the other side of the room. “Oh, Hendrick, hi.”
“Brother,” Hendrick says quietly, and Cayden walks further into the room.
Scooting more into the middle of the bed with a giggle, I make enough room for Cayden to sit down next to me.
He clicks his tongue as he cups my chin, steering my face to inspect the wound on my cheek. “Isn’t your wolf healing you?”
“I guess she just wanted to let you see it,” I answer, and if acting on cue, Cassy stirs, and my wound heals immediately.
Cayden pushes out a relieved breath as he lets me go and smiles at me. “I’m glad. How are you two coping with the removal of the mark?”
The question gets Cassy to roar in pain, making me close my eyes for a second.
“Maybe it’s better if we don’t talk about this right now,” I force a smile, pushing down the urge to touch my burning mark.
“Okay,” he whispers, looking at me with a sad expression just as Mirella comes back out of the kitchen.
“Oh, hello, Alpha Cayden,” she does a small curtsy, making him grunt in response.
“Did you eat?” he asks directed at me.
Hendrick clears his throat, taking a step forward. “She didn’t. I brought her the food she had been cooking but I guess the maid had to throw it away for some reason.”
“Ah, yeah,” Cayden nods, looking at him over his shoulder. “We had a few cases of poisoning attempts, so we decided that she should cook her own food as soon as we haven’t found out what was going on and who engaged the culprit.”
I purse my lips as Cayden caresses my leg.
“There was what?” Hendrick shouts, materializing in front of Cayden. “I beg your fucking pardon?!”
Cayden sighs, squeezing my knee. “Relax. We have it under control. But she can’t eat anything that has been unattended.”
“And how do we know this tart is trustworthy?” he glares at Cayden, pointing to Mirella over his shoulder.
Mirella and I gasp practically in unison as she protests. “Hey!”
She stomps to stand next to him, blowing air through her nose. “I would never harm Missy! I grew up with her!”
“Sure,” Hendrick sneers, showing his fangs. “You better be saying the truth.”
“Stop it! Both of you!” I sigh, leaning against the headboard of my bed.
Cayden moves his hand around my leg, holding my calf. “Mirella, Ramona and Alberta are currently the ones who are entrusted with her care.”
He turns towards me, leaning in to kiss my cheek. “Don’t worry, we are going to find who is behind all this. Fynn and Matthew are currently with Logan, trying to get something out of him. Unfortunately, as the mark was ripped out of you, he went into a state of shock and he isn’t responsive anymore.”
“Fynn will get him to talk,” Hendrick snorts, making Cayden shake his head.
“Let’s hope so.”
Hendrick takes a deep breath and looks down at Mirella, who glares back.
I guess that she distrusts him even more than he distrusts her.
“What about we go out to find something to eat for your lady?”
“That’s actually a good idea,” Mirella says, still squinting her eyes at him.
Hendrick grins, bowing theatrically before gesturing to Mirella to the door. “I know the perfect spot.”
I laugh as they walk out of my quarters while bickering lowly.
Cayden sighs, letting his shoulders slump and I reach out to caress his back. “Is everything alright?”
“How can you ask me this after what I have done to you?” he chuckles, pinching the bridge of his nose.
I shrug, driving my hand up into his hair. “You just wanted to protect me, and I know that it wasn’t easy for you either. On top of that, how much pain of mine did you feel as they removed the mark?”
“Goddess, I hope I got to feel every bit that you felt equally,” he whispers, making me smile at him.
Moving his hands up, he lays down, putting his head on my lap. “This is just exhausting. And the fact that he did this to you… And that we still aren’t able to keep you safe makes my blood boil.”
“Don’t. It’s all going to be alright and you are keeping me safe. You are already doing everything that you can,” I say as I caress his hair softly.
He closes his eyes, pushing out a deep breath, “Did Cassy say something as you met Hendrick?”
Furrowing my brows, I halt in my movements for a second but he doesn’t open his eyes to look at me. “Why? What should she have said?”
My heart does a strange twist as I add, “You mean because he is a vampire?”
“No,” he chuckles, increasing his hug around my legs as he buries his face in my thighs. “Not because he is a vampire.”
I gulp, probably understanding what he wants to get at, but how could he possibly know?
Did he feel what I felt?
“Cassy is still grieving, so she isn’t saying much at the moment.”
“Sorry about that,” he inhales, his muscular back flexing beneath the shirt as he moves his hands up to hold me tighter. “But I can’t imagine Hendrick could keep silent. Did he say something?”
I gasp, wiggling my way down in his arms until I lie next to him. He opens his eyes and we stare at each other before I finally speak, “He called me Beloved.”
“I knew it!” Cayden grins, burying his head in the crook of my neck to kiss my throat.
Taken aback by his reaction, I lay my hands on his chest, pushing him gently. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“You both were absolutely enthusiastic for each other’s scent, so I was just waiting for this to happen,” he says playfully, making me squint my eyes at him.
“You are way too excited about me finding another mate.”
He shrugs, leaning into me again to bite into my neck gently. “I just want to see you happy and satisfied.”
“You are an idiot,” I laugh, making him chuckle against my skin.
He distances himself from me, flashing me a smug grin. “Also, your brother will be absolutely fuming at this.”
I hit him jokingly, but can’t keep myself from laughing, and he kisses me, making me sigh against his lips.
Lowering my eyes onto my hands shyly, I play with the fabric of his shirt. “He calls you brother…”
“Yes, he does that,” Cayden nods, taking my hand to kiss it, making me look back up at him.
“But he isn’t your real brother, is he?” I ask further, trying to make a sense out of this crazy situation.
He laughs, shaking her head. “No. Well, I certainly see him as my brother. But it’s not that. As a vampire he has quite the strange view on packs. He is convinced that we act like some kind of cult, so he jokingly calls us his brothers and sisters.”
“You have to be kidding me,” I gasp, looking at him agape.
Lifting his hand, he takes a silent oath, “I swear. But don’t get fooled by his cheeky demeanour. He loves being one of us.”
I can’t believe how his vision compares to mine, even if we both love this unhinged pack.
Laughing, I link my fingers into his, getting him to kiss me.
He smiles at me, caressing my face as I notice how his expression darkens. “What were you fighting about that made Logan lose his mind like this?”
I scrunch up my nose, turning my face away, but he cups my chin, making me look back at him.
“Tell me,” he growls lowly, making me sigh.
“He was angry about Lisa losing her position as my Beta.” I distort my face, my heart getting another crack. “Maybe I should just give her the title, and get it over with.”
“You are joking, right?” He lifts his eyebrow, and I bite my lip.
“No, I’m serious. I can’t stand fighting with Logan anymore and it seems like Lisa is just sad. I guess that she has already lost her love, I don’t want to make it worse for her, so… Maybe she still is a good choice…”
Cayden hums, interrupting my rambling as he growls, “No, she isn’t. And I’ll ban her from fulfilling any task for you. She won’t be part of your entourage.”
“But…” I try to protest but he he shakes his head, shutting me up once again.
“If she says something, tell her it was my decision. And that I made you cross her off your list.”
A relieved sigh leaves my lips automatically, making a smile appear on his lips, “Thank you.”
Leaning in, he claims my lips with his, making me melt into his embrace.
“Promise me that you will fight for me and that everything will be alright,” I whisper as he breaks the kiss.
He entangles his fingers into my curls as his eyes burn into mine, “I promise! We will manage to convince the high council that your place is with us.”
Leaning in, he lets his tongue glide over my throat, making a shiver ripple through me. I moan as he kisses the spot beneath my ear, growling. “If not, I’m going to get you back by starting a war.”
My breath hitches in my throat as he moves his hand beneath my t-shirt, leaving pleasurable sparks on my skin as he moves his hands up to my breasts.
“You are ours!” he whispers huskily. “And no one could ever take you away from us.”