Profound Devotion

Chapter 24

July 30th
Cassius

As I supported my weight and admired the soft grooves along Mona's undisturbed features, an unfamiliar warmth flamed in my chest that made me want to close the little distance between us and never let her go.

What was this feeling? It was overtaking even my awareness of the wolves that I had insisted on training, yet I could not bring myself to care.

To make it worse? She seemed not to mind; her body unconsciously calling out to me with a valiant sigh as her hooded eyes fluttered and made no move to draw away from my own.

I could have remained there forever if given the chance, but we were deliberately compelled to stand by a glowering Alpha male, one whose glare kept Mona frozen in place.

The visitor seemed familiar to me. His cold stare was engrained in my brain, but from where? Even the warriors that had only minutes ago been lively and eager to participate now seemed like they would rather be anywhere else.

My Lycan placed me in a state of alarm. I have seen him before. I know it. He radiated danger, and I hated how scared Mona was of him. Every move he made, she flinched further and further into my side.

I would get to the bottom of things soon, but for now I will pretend to be someone I am not to protect the wolves that had let us hide away in their land.

My gaze remained glued to Mona as she scurried off, her haunted expression replaying over and over again in my mind. Raian took his place at my side, watching her as well until she disappeared within the trees.

"That was strange." He mumbled, folding his arms over his chest. I hummed and forced my attention away from her path.

She would be fine. At least, that is what I had to tell myself to stop the constant worry.

"Now what?"

My eyes narrowed, and I rolled the tension from my shoulders. If I cannot confront the situation head-on, there was one thing I knew how to do.

"For now, we continue with our training."

********

The beta's home was cozier than the modern mansion Atticus had built. Similar in style to a log cabin, the wooden walls and plaid curtains were a nostalgic comfort from the northernmost village I had grown up in within the mountains.

Raian and I were each given a single bed within a shared bedroom, not that I minded—there was little chance I would be sleeping until the pack's guests were gone and I could remove these damned contacts.

My brother laid on his back across one of the beds, his legs nearly dangling off the end. If he barely fit, there was no chance in hell I could lay comfortably.

"It is not that bad." He mumbled, adjusting and readjusting the pillow underneath his head. "It is a cute little house."

I grumbled under my breath and leaned against the wall next to the doorway. "Why did we agree to this? We could have been gone by now." Our original situation never called for something like this. It was only extended until he was better. Now, as he only complained of a faint ache, I asked myself why I still put up with these wolves.

"Are you just going to stand there all night? The bed is not as bad as sleeping on the floor." He nodded to the mattress that had been dressed for me, under the assumption that I had been sleeping in that makeshift area in Atticus' house the past few days.

Hell, I was not going to tell him any differently. Instead, I pushed off from the wall and popped the door open with my hand.

"Where are you going?" He frowned, propping himself up on his elbows.