I Don't Deserve Love: Alternate Ending

Chapter 39: Even if that Someone is a Dog

"I want you to sing for me again," he said as soon as I entered the room. I felt myself blush and I shook my head quickly.

"I only sing lullabies," I said self-consciously and knelt by the couch once more. Demon flopped onto the ground next to me and rested his head on my lap.

"Fine, then tell me a story," Castiel ordered gruffly and I blinked my eyes in surprise.

"A... story?" I asked and Castiel closed his eyes.

"Yah, you read all the time so you must know lots. Just don't tell me a boring girly one."

I chewed on my lip thoughtfully. What kind of story would Castiel want to hear?

"Ummm... Do you want me to tell you a fairy tale?" I asked and he snorted then coughed. After a quick drink he gave me a withering look.

"Is that all you know?" he asked hoarsely and I smiled.

"I think I might have one you will like."

I started rehearsing my favorite book for him. It was called A Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale and it was about a poor girl known as a mucker who came to live in the city as a lady-in-waiting to royalty after her mother died. When she finally got out of training she was sent to serve the third daughter of their kingdom, but the princess was refusing to obey her father and so she was sentenced to seven years bricked into a tower. The mucker girl agreed to serve her lady in her imprisonment and the story explains all of the trials they had to endure.

I had only barely gotten to the part of the story that explained why the princess had been locked into the tower in the first place when I heard the sound of a door opening and then slamming shut. Castiel winced at the loud sound and Demon raised his head but didn't move from my side.

"Kate?" Lysander called out.

"We're in here, Lysander."

I heard footsteps headed for us and moments later Lysander stood in the entranceway, taking in the scene before him. His eyes rested on me and then traveled to Castiel lying on the couch with a cloth on his forehead. He frowned and walked into the room.

"What are you doing, Castiel?" Lysander asked and Castiel huffed.

"Lying down," he stated sarcastically and I looked up at Lysander.

"He has a high fever."

Lysander looked down at me and I felt rooted to the spot by the intensity in his gaze.

"You missed Economics to help Castiel?" he asked and I nodded. "Did anyone see you leaving together?" he asked harshly and I blinked in surprise.

"I... don't think so, but why..."

"Come on, Lysander. You know me better than that," Castiel growled.

I turned to him in confusion but Lysander retorted, "I do. But most of the school doesn't. You shouldn't have put Kate in such a compromising situation."

It sounded like Lysander was scolding Castiel, but I was struggling to figure out what for.

"I told her to leave me alone but she wouldn't. What was I supposed to do?" Castiel asked gruffly and coughed. I gave him his water bottle and took the cloth, dipping it in water and wringing it out.

"What's his temperature?" Lysander asked, kneeling on my other side.

As he sat down Demon stretched, placing his forelegs and head onto my lap and effectively trapping me in place. I chuckled and rubbed his ear affectionately before looking up at Lysander.