Penance of Honor | BOOK 2 ✔️

Chapter: Five

Cassius' P.O.V

The first thing I smell is sweat and then the smell of forest masked in musk, his natural scent. I move from on top of him watching him as he sleeps. Despite how long it has been, all I can think of is Pierce. I told him...he would never be enough and he isn't. Being near him only makes it worse.

As if noticing my growing distaste, Isaac lets out a yawn keeping his arm loosely around my waist. I move it away from me and fully move from him causing his eyes to fall. 

"This is only making it worse," I murmur.

"But it does help, does it not?" My lips tighten as I go to look at him.

 "Why are my feelings so important to you now? You did nothing but try to tear me open with your nasty remarks and, in truth, you succeeded in some."

"Because I need you."

"You need my physical presence, not me emotionally."

"What is the point of having one without the other?" he mumbles his voice thick with sleep. Soon, I feel his arm back around my waist pulling me down onto him again.

"I have no interest in you sexually, so be at ease with me, Cassius."

I press myself against him finding some comfort of a warm body next to me. His arms wrap tighter around me in response. 

"However...your Beta seems to take quite an interest in you."

"He's a true friend, nothing more, nothing less." I say into his skin making him stiffen for half a second before relaxing again.

"Mmm...it's hard to imagine how he may have your best interests at mind when his feelings could cloud his better judgement."

"Stevens always has my best interest at heart because of those feelings he has for me." I tighten my grip around him not trying to give way to such thoughts he's implying.

"Wishful thinking."

"Not another word."

"I was in love with my Beta...and once...he was in love with me. You see what actions give way to such feelings." 

"I love Stevens. Strongly, deeply. But I am not in love with him as he knows I never will be. Enough of this talk." 

As silence loomed around us I take notice of his heart beat. Erratic at first, then slow beating as steady as a tremor. Truly, I must be insane to find comfort in a man like him, but he not without his good. His gentleness is his saving grace and I'm weak for it.  For once, I can forget who I am and find solace in that.

A knock comes from the door accompanied by some Eastern scents causing me to rise. "Alpha, some Northerners are looking for their King." 

"And what makes you believe I would know?" he states cooly. I get from the couch eyeing him like something unknown to me. He is unbelievably strange. His eyes meet with mine which makes me purse my lips and look away from him. They had gone from black to grey.

I go and open the door walking passed them in the process, not bothering to entertain their thoughts and questions. Soon, as they said, I find Stevens and a couple other of my pack mates waiting on me.

"What is it?"

"We found some humans...and we asked them questions on why they had done what they did. They told us that they knew nothing, that they were not apart of it." I push him aside and walk towards Stevens.

"Where are they?"

As if seeing the anger boiling inside of me, Stevens grabs my arm and shoos everyone off.