Red Riding Hood | BoyxBoy | COMPLETED

Restless

Alexander's POV

I could never, would never accept losing my mate. Watching the succubus leap over me to get to Cassidy was one of the most terrifying things I'd ever experienced in my life.

In the confusion of petrified yelling and the haze of Cassidy's sadness and acceptance through the bond, I panicked.

Moving faster than I'd ever had, I reached for the feral monster, terrified that I wouldn't get to her in time. My fingers closed over her thin neck from behind, claws digging in the sides.

Cassidy's eyes were closed. As I yanked my arm back, I was overcome with relief that he wouldn't see me do this, because I knew that she would join her brethren in death by my hand.

Her body stopped short, arm pulled back and ready to claw my mate. But it was too late for her. Trapped in my claws were the remains of a spinal cord. The body dropped to the ground as Cassidy's feet. Blood dripped from my hands.

I was breathing hard, fear replaced with overwhelming relief. I locked my knees when they trembled.

Cassidy hadn't moved. My wolf growled at the guards that had finally shown up. Someone must have called for them. One of them howled for extra manpower. Another one acquired a large sheet to cover the dead body.

I wanted very badly to reach for Cass, but I was torn between comforting him and not touching him with my bloodstained hands. Fawkes poured his water skein over my hands to wash off the blood. I looked at him gratefully.

"Go back to the dens," he said lowly. "I'll deal with this."

I nodded and did as he said. I took my mate in my arms and scented him, quietly comforted that he got away without a single scratch. "Let's go back, quickly," I say softly. He nods into my chest.

Only Fawkes had accompanied us out and he was staying in town to help handle the situation. It wasn't a long walk back to the dens, but I was still worried because the Succubus had been far more powerful than I was able to handle. And without Fawkes, if anything happened again...

I glanced at my best friend who was talking steadily with the guard. He glanced at me before turning back to the guard to say something. I couldn't focus enough to hear what he was saying, too busy listening to Cassidy and our child's heartbeat.

A female shifter dressed in the greens of the royal guards came over. "I'll escort you back to the dens, your highnesses. Please follow me."

My arm remained around Cassidy the entire time as we made our way back. Cass was leaning very heavily into me, fingers twisted in the fabric of my shirt. No one spoke.

~

We were taken to see Healer Trish immediately. And there wasn't much fussing about letting her check us over. Not from Cass anyway. I was a little more reluctant to let her treat my scratches because it meant letting go of my mate who had almost died right in front of me.

Cassidy had to hold my hand the entire time because my wolf would growl very unreasonably each time our skin was not in contact, even though we were already safely ensconced within the royal dens. Cass didn't complain and I was secretly grateful he was here anyway. Although my appreciation wasn't a secret to him at all.

By the time Trish was done with me, Cass had dozed off, fingers limp in my grasp. I picked him and carried him back to our quarters and tucked him in. I wanted to take a nap too, mentally drained from the ordeal, but my mind was buzzing.

Cuddling Cassidy only stopped me from fidgeting slightly, but I felt far too tense to relax into the soft mattress. When Cass frowned in his sleep from my tossing and turning again, I gave up and got out of bed, packing pillows in the space that I left behind, so Cass didn't feel left alone.

In the empty space between the door and our bed, I pace. Striding back and forth, brain whirring with thoughts that flash too quickly for me to analyse them properly. But I kept coming back to the words that were spoken before the Succubus died in my hands.

"You killed my brother", "you were supposed to be an easy target." I couldn't stop thinking about the things she said.

Restless, I send for Fawkes, requesting he come to see me. He'll know if I'm thinking too hard about everything.

I am physically incapable of leaving the room right now. Even sticking my head through the door to make my request gave me some anxiety with Cassidy out of my eye line.

Fawkes comes quickly and I tell him my worries in the privacy of the room. Cassidy sleeps on.

"Listen," I say to him. "I need you to tell me I'm crazy, that I'm overthinking again."

"You're overthinking," Fawkes says obediently. "What are you overthinking about?" he adds.

"The succubus," I admit.

He pats me on the back. "She was crazy. There's nothing to it. You can stop fretting."

I nod half-heartedly. "You're right." I nod to myself some more. "Of course."

Fawkes was silent for a moment. Finally, he says, "There's something more, isn't there?"

He made me meet his eyes. Whatever he saw there turned his scent serious and considering.

"Sit down," he instructed, pushing me to the chairs at the side.

I went, turning the chair so I could still see Cassidy.

"What happened?" he prompts. His body language is attentive.

Reluctantly, I tell him what really bothers me. "You heard what the succubus said about her brother, right? That I killed him?"

He nods, eyes bright and sharp.

"Look," I glance at Cassidy's sleeping form. "I don't know if it really was her brother, but there was an incubus that I'd killed in self-defence. In Cassidy's self-defence. He targeted my mate."

Fawkes reaches for my hand. I look back at him, startled at the sudden contact.

"I need you to tell me everything." His features are severe in the light, expression tight and grave. "Start from the beginning."