CAIN

EIGHTEEN

not so happy with this chapter but i finally wanted to update !!

"What are you going to tell Alice?" Cain asked me as I sat very still in the study. Lucius had left us to mull over the information, promising to find me once more to call in the favour I now owed him.

I paused for a moment, "Can we tell her anything?"

"Not officially."

I stood up, pacing the room with my hand over my mouth trying to ignore the growing panic. "I don't know, I don't know," I found myself saying.

The lycan came before me, forcing me to stop to face him. He took my face in his hands, cupping it gently so my eyes could meet his. "Ana, it's going to be okay. This might not mean what you think it means."

"If he's not guilty of attempting to murder you, he's at least guilty of trading with the black market."

I watched him place his hand on my hair. "I didn't know I would be asking this much of you when I initially asked for your help. This is now my responsibility, Morgana."

I pulled away. "It's too late for that. I am going to find him, Cain. That way I know what to tell Alice."

"I can't let you do that."

"You're going to stop me?" I half jokingly replied, before realising that he wasn't smiling.

He pushed me against the wall, my back was now pressed against a bookcase, and as angry and confused as I felt, I was starting to recognise another feeling.

"Yes, Morgana, I am going to stop you."

Cain was gentle - he was always so gentle - but now I was beginning to understand why he was king. "I don't want you to do this alone," he said, his voice low, "It's not protocol. This is crown business."

I pushed against him, but he remained still, as if he could not feel me. "Nothing about this follows protocol, Cain. If you hadn't noticed already that our relationship has become the very definition of unconventional."

"Unconventional?"

I ignored his question. "I am going to Alpha Denver. I am going to ask him about the wolfsbane. And you are going to let me."

"Morgana, he is a potential murderer."

This time, when I pushed against Cain, he felt the burn of magic. The message was clear: I could protect myself.

"If I let you go," he said slowly,  "I would be willingly putting you in danger."

"I know what I am capable of. I am not a child, for Hecate's sake."

"I have never seen you as a child, Morgana," his honey eyes were now black, "Let me protect you."

What compelled me to kiss him was something I had rarely felt in centuries. Blind passion, the kind that undermines all reason. I put my hands around his neck, kissing him with force.

He froze and I pulled away. I turned from him, already apologising, but he pulled be back and kissed me once more. Despite his restraint, I hit the wall once again. This time, hard, still pushing against him with a desperation that had taken a hold of both of us.

He tasted at first a little like regret - what was I doing kissing a man that had pinned me against a bookcase? And then he tasted like I wanted nothing more but to turn around so he could take me against this bookcase.

"Does this mean we are in agreement?" Cain asked, teeth grazing my ear.

No, this just means I'm now horny for an overgrown mutt who I find very much disagreeable.

I only glared at him, "Are you truly going to physically restrain me? Ignore my wishes for myself" For Alice?

He frowned, finally letting me go. "Are you truly going to ask me to ignore the duties I bear as king?"

I wondered if he was going to admit the duties he held as mate, but he remained silent. We did not say anything for a while, simply observing the other's next move. "I will wait, then, until we are sure that Alpha Denver is the culprit," I told him.

Before he could finish thanking me, I stopped him once more, "There is no reason to worry Alice unnecessarily."

"Does this mean the deal is done?" my voice was quieter than I would have liked. Where do we go from here? was the unspoken implication. I wasn't going to date him, yet alone follow whatever mating rituals wolves followed.

"Yes, this is our agreement fulfilled."

Cain looked at me in such a way at I almost thought he would kiss me once more. The primal hunger in his eyes had turned into the most human longing I had seen in a wolf. But his face was solemn and he didn't so much as move to touch me.

Is this it? I almost laughed to myself. "Not going to invite me to dinner?" I smiled, but I was sure it did not meet my eyes which refused to face his for any longer.

"No, Ana," he almost sounded amused, "I think if I invited you for dinner I would never let you leave."

That doesn't sound too bad, I would have said, had we both known that this was a choice I would never be sure of.

"I should stay. It's probably best to repay this favour to Lucius sooner than later."

When he turned to finally go, I unknowingly called his name, suddenly unhappy by the sight of his back walking away from me.

"You'll protect Alice?" I stupidly smiled.

He nodded, "Yes, I promise you."

I sat once more after he had gone. "Why would Mister Denver attempt to kill the king?" I thought out loud, "Why would he mark a rune on the body?"

But the room was silent.

I'll have all of you, Morgana, or none of you.