Love Me, Please

Chapter Fifty-Six

*Cassie's POV*
"I think we need to tell our counterparts. We can't just kill his brother without them knowing first," Nasyr sighs.
"Nasyr's right. I'm shifting back," Alexei mumbles, "Iso can explain it to them."
"Wait-" Iso starts but they all shift back.
Iso glares and looks at me.
"What?" I take a step back.
"You explain it to them."
"Why me?"

"They won't hurt you."
I turn to see the other four staring at me expectantly. I frown but roll my eyes.
"Your warlocks want to kill Ivan."
"What?" Kirill death glares me.
I take a side ways step, hiding behind Mikhail... but he steps back and turns to face me as well.
I let out a whimper, "I said it was your warlocks... not me..."

I look at Iso and their gazes shift to him. He explains everything again to them and all their eyes turn red.
"We aren't killing our brother, and neither are our warlocks," Nikolai barely contains his anger.
Iso nods, "Then he'll succumb to the darkness, killing him before it takes over me and kills me as well. He's got about three months left. I have four."

"Then we'll convince him to drop it," Anton snarls.
"But we won't kill him," Mikhail glowers at me.
When they all look away again, I sneak back inside. I'm in my wing but I take off running. I run out the back door and into the forest.

*Mikhail's POV*
"Fucking hell," I say as soon as I hear the door close.
I take off in a sprint after Cassie. I don't let her know I'm behind her but I continue to follow her. She finally slows down to a walk about five minutes in.

"Cassie..." I murmur as I walk up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist, "Hate me. Do it, please, but I never ever ever meant to be such an asshole to you. I was mad that Ivan needs to die, but I am not mad at you. I want you to ignore me for as long as you want. I want you to torture me for as long as you desire, please."

She turns in my arms, tears streaming down her face, "That would be torture for me as well. I'm happy with you, Miky, so so happy. I understand your feelings. I could never kill Daniel or want him dead, I can only imagine your anger and hurt. I just didn't want you to regret treating me a certain way, so I ran. I thought if I gave you space, you could think more clearly."

"I'm awful," I whisper, leaning my forehead on hers, "I promise I will never take my anger or negative emotions out on you ever again. You have my word for eternity."

She kisses me, "I believe you. You are always true to your word. No one could compare."
I feel heat rush to my cheeks and she runs a hand over them. I see nothing but love in her eyes and I know my eyes match that look.

~~~~~~~~

"I want to take Cassandra to the event of kings tonight," Kirill tells me as soon as I walk into his office.
"What?" I respond tiredly, running a hand down my face.
I couldn't fall asleep last night. I was so fucking anxious I'd do something in my sleep to mess up with Cass. I just held her the entire night.
"I need a date, and I want no one but her," Kirill continues.

"She's my mate."
"Please Mikhail? She's worthy. I just need to make the other kings happy."
"And what happens when they find out she's mine and you don't actually have a queen?"
"Then I'll convince them I don't actually need a queen, just tonight I want them off my ass."
"It's up to her."
"Will you go talk to her?"

"She's still asleep. We were up late last night."
Kirill sighs, "I wish I could say I want to find my mate, but I don't. I see and feel the love you two exhibit and sometimes I'm jealous of that... but most times I don't want it. I'm sure if I met my mate it might change my views, but I have a system. I enjoy doing things my way and not having to take care of someone else."

I chuckle, "If you ever meet her, it would change your views. I adore taking care of my printsessa."
"You also don't have the responsibilities of being king soon."
I frown, "I still have some responsibility."
"Yeah... you're right..." He sits down on his chair with a groan, "Sorry. I'm stressed as fuck for tonight."

I nod, "I'll talk to Cass. I'll see you in a few hours."
"Thank you."
I nod again and head back to my wing. I walk up to my room and Cassie's still asleep. I smile and lean down over her. I cover her face in butterfly kisses. Her eyes flutter open and she looks up at me, grinning.
"Good morning, precious," I kiss her lips.
"Good morning," She yawns, sitting up.
"Why don't you wake up some, I'll make breakfast, and then we can talk."

She nods, "Sounds like a plan."
I head out to the kitchen and start breakfast. As I finish it, she walks in. We sit down and start eating.
"So..." I begin, "There's a gala tonight for the current kings and kings-to-be as well as their queens or future queens. Kirill doesn't have one, but he's under a lot of stress and doesn't want anyone hounding him. He asked me to ask you if he can take you. Only for a few hours and it's just to save him the stress. He's going to tell them he doesn't have or want a queen later."

"Okay, I'll go as long as you're okay with it," She just goes with it.
"Just like that?" I chuckle.
She turns red, "I love an excuse to dress up. When is it?"
"Tonight."
"Will you help me get ready?"
I smile, "Of course printsessa."
"What time does it start?"
"At about six."

She nods and finishes up her food. She puts the bowl and spoon in the dishwasher. She takes my plate once it's done and puts it in the dishwasher as well. I smile, watching her the entire time. She comes around and takes my hand, leading me to the couch in the living room. I sit down and she straddles me. She kisses my neck and I groan. She starts sucking on the place where her mark is. She pulls back and traces my bottom lip with her thumb.

"Why do I have a mark and you don't?" She whispers, staring at my lips.
"I don't have a mark?" I stare at her eyes, panicking.
She looks at me confused and shakes her head. I stand up with her still in my arms. I hurry to the downstairs bathroom and set her on the counter. I look in the mirror and see nothing on my neck. I know it's been a few days since we mated, but I don't care for looking in mirrors. I never have.