The Touch of Demise │18+

41: A Mate's Loyalty

GRACE

She didn't let Demise cuddle with her until she fell asleep that night. She forgave him, but she was still upset. He needed to suffer more. The next day, she go up got dressed, and as her routine mandated, she went to the gym.

"Gave them hell?" Rosalie sat on the mat, tying her sneakers.

Grace sat beside her and shrugged. "It was a dick move on their part."

"Yeah, it was." She stood up and held her hand out to Grace. "I was going to go for a run. Want to  join?"

She took Rosalie's hand and stood. "Yeah, need to think anyway."

The two took off out of the gym. As required whenever Grace left the palace, gammas followed behind them as they ran around the perimeter of the capital. They ran the first lap and then took a break at the local bakery.

"Ah, Prima, Gamma Rosalie - how are you today?"

Grace smiled as she neared the counter. "Cadoc! How is Micah?"

"Very well," the baker exclaimed. "The usual today? Red velvet and chocolate bliss?"

"You know me so well, Cadoc."

"And what for you, Rosalie? Lemon cake?"

She nodded. "It's addictive."

Cadoc smiled as he opened the glass case and picked out the desired desserts. "Oh, Prima, how did you like the Royal Guard ring Demise made for you? He worked with the jeweler for weeks."

Grace didn't understand, but she didn't want to make Cadoc feel like he said something he shouldn't have. "He did?"

"Oh, yes," he chuckled.

"What's the importance of it? He gave it to me but he didn't explain why."

"It's the ring that all the gammas wear when they're inducted into the guard."

"Wait, but you said he had been working on it for weeks."

He set two paper boxes on the counter and grinned. "Must have been sure you'd pass."

As Grace took the boxes from him, she and him her money, and the women left the bakery.

"We aren't finishing our run, are we?"

"It doesn't make sense," Grace said. "Goliath said that Demise said that he thought I'd fail. If he thought that then why would he have the ring commissioned weeks in advance?"

"Unless he didn't have the ring commissioned and Cadoc is speaking from his ass."

"No, Cadoc wouldn't do that."

"Then it sounds like Goliath told you that to light a fire under your ass - hey, can I have my lemon cake?"

Grace handed her the box. "You think he lied to motivate me? Why would Demise go along with it?"

Rosalie needed a second to chew before she spoke. "Because he probably knew why Goliath said it in the first place. There are three things that motivate a person to kick ass: love, revenge, and proving bitches wrong."

"I have to go. I'll finish the run with you tonight?"

"I have a feeling you're going to be preoccupied."

»»————-　　————-««

Grace found her mate on the training grounds beside Goliath. His expression softened as he saw her and the warriors parted like a sea for her to walk to him.