Chapter Nineteen

Cassius' P.O.V

I pace back and forth nervously biting on my lip and fidgeting with my hands. Without a doubt, I can say he has brought out all these unfavorable emotions out of me all within a month's time. I can truly say he drives me absolutely mad.

My eyes look across the vast amount of trees looking for any indication of Pierce's arrival. There is none. All I hear is the ever present sound of the birds chirping, leaves tussling, and the scattering footsteps of many forest animals.

Is he ever going to come? He must come. He has to. My eyes lower and I continue my pacing until I feel my face bump into something solid with the smell of a manly, forestry musk bouncing off it. As soon as I look up I'm greeted by his smiling green eyes which causes a deep blush to go straight across my face.

I notice I've been doing that more and more often as of late. It's embarrassing and really reveals just how small I am compared to him. I come up to only his chest.

A fake cough comes from me as I distance myself from him. "Sorry, I did not. . .sense you there." It's strange just how well he can hide his scent and presence. Usually only Alpha's has that sort of ability. It's rare that he has it.

"It's fine." He gives me a quick look over before focusing his attentions on a near by tree. It causes me to me to become a little more than a little self-conscious.

I look myself over before my eyebrows furrow in confusion. I'm not wearing anything too formal so. . .My mouth opens as it dawns on me making me smile a little. He can't help it I suppose.

"Let's. . .take a walk." I look up waiting to hear his response to my suggestion. Instead of saying anything he just starts heading in the same direction I was planning on us heading in.

I decide to walk by him unsure of his reaction to me being this close to him, but he doesn't say anything. All I hear is the silent, rhythmic crashing of water over the banks and sides. I can even hear his silent breaths.

". . .You know. . .I had a brother. He was everything a successful heir to the throne should be. He was kind, compassionate, patient, understanding, forgiving even. He was everything I'm not." This causes him to look at me but I continue on.

"I was never meant to inherit the throne. . .especially not at fourteen but it happened.

. . .As you know my father died at the hands of your old Alpha. It left me very bitter up until I met you. I was on the verge of enacting the plan to kill off your Alpha, but you somehow changed my mind. No, It probably wasn't even that. All my time and emotions were spent on you versus that and soon I just didn't really have to motivation to go through with it."

"So you didn't. . ." I shake my head and look at him. "If I would have done that the entire family of them would be in the ground right now. When I do things I always do it thoroughly." He stops abruptly making me sigh inwardly at my tactlessness. Sometimes, I can be just too honest and blunt.

"The reason why I'm saying all of this to you now is because I want to be as open and as honest with you as possible. I want to regain your trust. I never meant to hide anything from you Pierce. Circumstances just wouldn't allow it and I'm truly sorry."

I grab his hand in mine forcing him to look at me. ". . .Forgive me."

He slides his hands away from my grasp causing me to become even more disheartened than before. I don't know what else to do. I don't want to lose him. . .but obviously he just can't stand the thought of being with someone. . .like me.

"Why didn't you tell me any of this sooner?" He asks as he continues walking which makes me silently trail behind him. There is only so much pride and dignity I'm willing to part with before I become angry.

"I said I couldn't."

"Why?"

"Pierce, I still can't tell you." I mumble out reluctantly causing him to scoff and my eyes to narrow.

"Why do you find it whereas I have to tell you everything about me and none about yourself? You think you're the only one entitled to answers?" This causes him to stop in his tracks and face me with a glare.

"I am an Alpha. I am a King of a place you want nothing to do with. You cannot expect me to be able to tell you everything. You're being nothing but unreasonable," I surmise before walking pass him with anger of my own. Before I can get an arms length away from him he grabs my arm and pulls me towards him.

"Cassius, the idea of us is unreasonable."

"Then let go of me! Don't bother with me any longer. If you want nothing to do with me then I have to accept that." I pry my arm away from his tight grip, however he just captures it again and tugs me even closer to him.

"I don't understand why being with me is such a hard concept to understand? Why is it so difficult for you to accept? Minus the title, minus the land I was born in I am very much the same person as before!" I yell becoming noticeably upset.

"Goddess Cassius." He pulls me into his arms making the sparks reignite between us almost instantaneously. "You're my mate. . .we both very well know that. . ." I hear him mumble into my ear cooling down my temperament down within seconds. The power he has over me is truly...scary.

His strong, careful arms bind around my waist making feel like some kind of damsel-in-distress. I'm not used to being held like this by anyone and I do not plan on getting used to it either. . .But. . .I don't mind if it's him.

My cheek lays against his rampant beating heart causing a small smile to appear on my lips. It's beating so fast I thought it would burst out of his chest at any given moment. The power I have over him... I know he must feel the same way too.

". . .I don't expect you to give me all the answers I ask you. It's a bit unfair to ask of you. However, I was only trying to get you to see why this can't be possible."

All I can think about is the smell bouncing off of him that I love so much intermingling with my own. I hug him even tighter like he would change his mind if I did not. It has felt like it's been so long since we've been this close together. Centuries even.

I know keeping our relationship a secret is impossible and that's also something I no longer wish to have. Cecilia means nothing to me. But I can't expect him to know that. I have to prove it.

"I understand." I quickly mumble out against him. "You came so it's fine." After a couple seconds I push away from him. He's only trying to be "reasonable" as stubborn as he is. Sensibility of things means absolutely nothing when it comes to matters of the heart.

But he's Pierce.

As we reach The Canopy I've never had this much feelings of nervousness nestled in the pit of my stomach before. The place, itself, is something special to me. Besides my brother, no one has ever come here. It's a little nerve-wrecking.

I watch a curious expression come onto his face. He gazes at the small house I call The Canopy. Its roof is made of nothing but glass and sheer curtains are looming around the walls. The little rays of sunlight left illuminated the glass house making it look almost ethereal.

"I call it the Canopy. . .no one knows of its existence besides me and well. . .you now. I told you I want to be completely honest with you from here on and out, so I want to start with this." I walk inside and smell the scent of lavender and vanilla hits my nose almost instantly.

"We can speak freely here without worry. . .or interruption." I say the last one with a hinted double meaning. It's only natural to want to be a bit more intimate with someone I have yet to mark. It's the only sure way of claiming him and keeping other people who try to impose away.

Such as his Alpha.

I stop abruptly at this thought and whirl around to face him before we can get to the main room. It was killing me not knowing. "Your Alpha. . .shows you a good deal of affection does he not?" His eyes fall to the corner of his eyes causing mine to narrow. I notice whenever he diverts eye contact away from me he feels guilty about something or is hesitant to say.

"Cassi-"

"I don't care whether he is your Alpha or not. You will not allow him to touch you." He sighs at this making me bite down on the inside of my lip.

"Any past relations you had with him ended when you met me," I say close to losing my temperament. He should know by now just how possessive I am over him. It shouldn't come as a shock to him. I'm an Alpha for Goddess sake!

He closes his eyes before looking at me. "Since we are being honest with one another, we did have. . .some form of a relationship when we were younger. But you have nothing to worry about. Mates or not, you are the most gorgeous, most interesting person I ever laid eyes on. The Lunar Goddess, Avatea, chose you specifically for me. How can I possibly ever want someone else?"

My rebuttal crashes and burns at his comment and causes a streamline of blushes to go across my face. He grabs my hand gently in his before placing it on his fast beating heart. "You make my heart beat like this. You make my hands feel like this." I notice the slight shakiness of his hands causing my eyebrows to furrow.

". . .You make my body feel like this." He places my hand against his neck and I feel his skin burning. My eyes drop instantly.

"There is no one for you to worry over." His hands clasps mine tightly into his causing my heart to feel like it just stopped and then restarted.

"I'm all yours." I watch his greenish, blue eyes stare into mine and I honestly feel like melting under the burning sensation going through me right now. I've waited for so long for him to say those words to me.

"Right," I say trying to fight off a shy smile and continue to head into the main room which consists of nothing but a long plush sofa, a kitchen with a small island, and a very large king sized bed canopied with the colors of my territory, maroon and gold. I'm not going to make it that easy for him.

Before I can make it all the way into the kitchen, I feel his hand on my wrist and soon I feel my back hit the wall of the kitchen with a hard thump. I wince at the slight pain coursing through me, but it quickly fades away under his gaze. With his hands, he pins both my wrists against the side of me causing me to become more aware of the power struggle blooming between us. However, I don't mind being a little submissive once in a while.

"Cassius." He says with a slight bite to it making me bite down on my lip before locking my eyes onto his now blueish, green ones. "You mean more to me than you think." My eyes widen as another blush begins to set on my face.

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean? Just say it. Tell me," I press. Yet, nothing but silence fills the air.

"I can't quite answer that myself." He lets go of my wrists, but still continues to stare at me waiting on a response that will never come. I can only push so hard from someone who thinks more with his head than his heart. Maybe instead of waiting until later, I should just ask him now.

I walk away from him and the kitchen. Soon I find myself standing beside the large glass window covered with sheer gold curtains near the bed. I wanted to wait until I was more sure of his feelings but. . .time isn't on my side. Instead of walking near me I see him plop on the bed from the corner of my eye. He is an obstinate one. . .

After a long moment of silence he says something to break the growing tension. "I also had a brother who was older. He went missing when I was ten. After a while he was presumed dead. . .I was never meant to be a Beta. . .but I suppose it happened as well." I turn my head and face him my heart thumping loudly against my chest.

"I want to tell you everything you would like to know about me. I want you to know me. . .for me. . .and I want to know you. . .for you because I. . .I cherish you." I make my way over to him and before he can open his eyes I shift my weight onto him, swinging one leg to the left and the other to the right of him.

I want to make sure what he is saying true and the only way to know that is to look into his eyes. Most Alphas can't do this. It's something uncommon and long forgotten through wars and burnt texts. He looks at me as I bend a little further onto him making him shift uncomfortably.

"You cherish me?" I ask not fully believing him. He had been so resolute once before and now he's just caving in without me even having to say much at all.

"As upset and annoyed as I get with you, I can't fathom a life without you apart of it. I had a slight taste of what it would be like and it was bitter...and cold. "

I blink at this not knowing how to feel about this exactly. Suppressing my smile is close to impossible right now. Those words were the words I've been dying to hear since I first met him or at least. . .close enough.

"Cassius I-" My lips cover his words, wanting to hear nothing, but the tantalizing moan that comes out of him from each expressed gesture of love. I strategically place my hands against his pushing him further into the bed as I feel his moan vibrate through me like the sparks that come with every form of contact, just much more sensual and provocative.

My hands go through his soft, black locks of hair as his goes around my waist. I lower my head getting a better angle before I feel his tongue dancing along with mine. His hands skims my skin after my shirt rises a little causing me to pull onto his.

I can feel myself melting into him. My body only grows hotter and hotter with each passing moment, with each touch on my body. A shiver wrecks through me the instance I sense his hands venturing further. He makes me want more; he makes me want to feel more.

That thought only causes me to push him harder against the bed with my weight and take away every last bit of breath he had left until he has to turn away for air. A shudder full of need goes down my spine making me pine for his closeness once more. Without wasting another second, I press my body and lips against his until every part of him could be felt by me.

I feel his hand inside my hair and his other hand pressed against the skin on my back now becoming sticky with sweat. Soon, I notice just how labored my breaths has become and the constant sound of my heart thumping loudly against his chest.

The Goddess only knew how much I missed the feel of his lips on mine, his body close to mine. All I can think about is how right this feels. The thought of ever thinking this was wrong completely disintegrates at the feel of his fingers wrapping and coiling my hair into his hands.

"Pierce. . .I want to feel more than just your hands inside my hair." I say with nothing but lust found in my voice.

"I want to feel more than just your hands around my back." His eyes look at me trying to figure me out, but I continue on.

"I want. . ." My head ducks into his chest for a second before I raise it up once more and look at him again with a very, very present blush on my face. I bite down on my lip a little after letting out a nervous laugh.

"Pierce, I want all of you. Your heart, your mind. . .your body. I want it all to belong to me. In return. . .well. . .in return I promise I'll give all of myself to you." His eyes widen as mine falls away from his. I gather the resolve nestled deep within me and stare at him with an adamant look playing on my face.

"Marry me."

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Isaac's P.O.V

"Aemilius."

"Alpha?" Tristan looks at me confused by the name.

"That's the late brother of the King. He was an attractive man." I toss the picture over to him and he takes it without hesitation.

"He would have been twenty-eight if he would have lived. . .much like Pierce's older brother Aaron." His green eyes look up at mine with even more heavy amounts of confusion laced in his eyes and body language.

"What's more uncanny is the fact that King Cassius' father had died right along the time when Aaron went missing along with the untimely death of his dear brother. Years down the road. . .Pierce's father is presumed dead." I look at him as he looks at the picture then back at me.

"The coincidences are unbelievably uncanny don't you think? What's even more daunting is the fact that I believe Pierce. . .may be infatuated with one of those Northern wolves and who better it to be than the King himself. They share so much in common as is."

Tristan gets up angrily at this before setting down the picture of the amber eyed, auburn haired beauty and eyes me like I accused him of treason. "Pierce would never do such a thing!"

"Mmm. . .I would like to believe that as well. But love. . . however. . ." I take the picture back and look at him one more time before narrowing my eyes at nothing in particular. "Can make you do unfathomable things."

"What you are accusing him of is treason, Isaac!"

"Ah, yes. I am very well aware of that. You see Tristan you seem to be a little slow. Pierce had slowly changed right before our eyes. He would never question my decisions before, even when we were pups! He would just listen and obey.

Now. . ." I throw the picture away from me. "He does neither of the things."

"That's a far cry from treason!"

I shake my head and look at him. "Enough, I did not bring you in here to listen to your thoughts on the matter. I asked you to come in here to ask you some questions. You will answer me or so help me Goddess, I will force the answers out of you!" He tenses at my rising voice.

Soon enough I simmer down and give him a small smile. "Forgive me. The whole situation is a little more than stressful for me. He is my Beta after all. His life had belonged to me the moment his brother passed away. The relationship we had was a special one and now I am inclined to believe he would throw it all away for some pretty face," I seethe leaking nothing but jealousy full of malice.

I watch him move around in his chair uncomfortably. He didn't even give me the proper eye contact established for Alphas, however I ignore it.

"Did he ever tell you about his. . .doings there at the Northern territories?"

"No. Because he hasn't done anything." He spits lowly causing my eyes to narrow.

"Do you know who this person may be?"

"No."

"You're one of his closest friends and you're telling me you don't have any answers to these questions?" I ask in disbelief but he only shakes his head.

"I'm not his only close friend." The bite in his voice grows more apparent, which is beyond disrespectful, but, once again, I ignore it. He had said something interesting. . . Kenzie is also a very close friend of his. If not Tristan, she would know.

"Ok. You're dismissed." He looks at me with wide eyes before I shoo him off.

Before I can call for Kenzie, Archer opens up my door and allows a stranger inside my room. His blonde hair and green eyes reminded me of a majestic beast much like Pierce. His careful, calculated steps towards me did not go unnoticed. He walked with prowess and technique. I can tell he is from the Western lands just from his demeanor alone.

"Forgive me Alpha, This is Cecil from the Western Lands. He has news of the Northerner's doings!" I give him a wave of my hand causing him to leave and shut the door behind him.

I take another look at this regal man who leaks authority and power which makes me smirk. Most weres from those lands are small and insignificant little things. Just a simple kick would get them to run away with their tail between their legs. However, he seems a little different.

"Well, Cecil from the Western Lands. What is it that you have to tell me that is so important you would risk your life to come here for?"

". . .The Beta of your father is still very much alive." My eyes widen causing me to stand up. "And what of my father?"

"He. . .I have no word of. But the Beta is currently in the Northern territory being kept as a prisoner as we speak."

My fists ball up in anger as a scowl sets in on my face. ". . .And how long has he been kept there?"

"My intel reports says a little over three weeks."

I bang my fists against my desk full of rage. "Those wretched, deplorable LIARS! They had our Beta imprisoned as we ate their food and celebrated their niceties!" I compose myself again as quickly as the burst of anger escaped me. They made me into a fool!

"You. . .what exactly do you expect from me for giving me this information?"

"Nothing. Just a peace of mind is all." He gives me a small smile and all I can muster is another scowl. The Northerners will pay for this. . .with blood. I have no time to worry over the weakling Westerners.

"Archer!" He comes into the room quickly and gives me a slight bow before raising his head again.

"Alpha."

"Be ready to dispatch the squads immediately. We'll be having blood after all."

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[A/N] I really believe characters begin to turn into people you never expected them to become! Cassius is by far one of my most fun characters to write! He is so unpredictable and goes where ever his heart tells him to. He asked Pierce, of all people, to marry him! (It was unexpected even for me guys)

So guys, who is your favorite?

AND

What do you think Pierce will say to this proposal? Things truly are beginning to become a little more than just complicated.