EVANDER POV
I had walked straight into Cassian chamber. There were few guards at the entrance. Immediately, they saw me—they bowed their heads.
"All hail the alpha, your majesty," simultaneously, they spoke fixing their eyes to the ground.
I walked past them, like they were pieces of shit. I stood at the entrance of his room. I was about to break in, when I heard him offer— ember a deal for her freedom.
I froze for a moment. Not because I was surprised at his request— but because I wanted to hear her response. Throne look at me with anger he could tell I was upset, he said:
"Your majesty, should I break in and drag him out" he asked with his gaze fixed on my boot.
"Wait a moment" I stood behind the door listening to ember defend me and cursing cassian.
"She's loyal to you even in her anger," my wolf whispered in my ears. I felt a sense of joy erupting from within but then it was gone with the sound of a slap.
Everything happened so fast"…,, before I could swrap my head a fight broke out …. I hate to admit; but I had stood there still a bit because I wanted to see how Ember would defend herself.
Then I heard her struggle with the window so I rushed there and luckily I got her in time. She was closing her eyes so tight with her body curved like she was anticipating the worst.
I looked at her and she didn't seem like the brave girl from earlier she was filled with fright and her arms were cold.
"Are you okay?" I asked holding her face , then loosely using my finger to remove her hair from her eyelid.
But she didn't respond, she pulled herself from my embrace.
"Your majesty, the prince is still inside" throne ran towards me.
"Hold her," I growled. My voice sounded like a dog about to bite. "If she moves an inch toward this circle, you're gonna have to deal with me."
Throne grabbed her by the shoulders. He wasn't being rough, but he wasn't letting go either. His eyes were huge, looking at me like I was a ticking bomb. No word uttered.
"Smart move," I mumbled.
I walked in to the room. Cassian was standing there, chest heaving and sword hanging low. He looked like he wanted to argue but his hands were shaking.
"You forgot the first rule, Cassian," I said, stepping back into the dirt. I didn't bother picking up a practice blade. I didn't need one to mess him up. "You never lose sight of what you're fighting for. And you never let your steel get anywhere near what's mine."
"It was just a slip," he mumbled.
"Let's see how much you slip when things get real."
I moved fast. I didn't give him a chance to breathe. I was on him in two steps, grabbing his wrist and twisting until his sword hit the stone with a loud clang. Before he could even yell, I buried my fist in his gut.
I didn't stop there. I kept moving him back, hitting him hard and fast. It wasn't a spar anymore. Every time he tried to scramble away, I caught him. I shoved him against the cold stone wall and grabbed his collar, pulling his face close to mine.
"Our majesty, please spare him," his mistress cried; as they rushed in kneeling before me.
"Is this the man you are crap you were bragging about?" I spat.
"Please forgive him , your majesty," they kept begging simultaneously.
I could smell the sweat and the fear on him. "You put her in danger because you're full of yourself."
I threw him into the dirt. He stayed there, coughing and clutching his ribs. Nobody else in the yard even moved. They were all too scared to breathe.
"You can have your weak doggie!!!, he walked out.
Then I looked over at her and Throne. My heart was still pounding, but the anger cooled just a bit when I saw she was okay.
"Throne," I barked. I didn't take my eyes off her. "Get him out of my sight. Take him to the doc, then throw him in a cell. He stays there until I decide if he ever touches a sword again."
Throne didn't waste time. He moved off to deal with the mess, leaving us alone in the middle of the quiet courtyard.
Then I looked at her from a distance . Then I walked close to her.
She was shaking. I could feel the tremors through my fingertips on her skin. Her eyes were wide, darting all over my face like she was trying to figure out if I was gonna snap and go after her too. She had no idea I'd been standing behind that door. She didn't know I heard every word she spat at Cassian to defend me.
"You're freezing," I muttered. My thumb brushed her jaw, feeling the soft skin against my rough callus.
"I'm fine," she whispered, but her voice was thin. She tried to pull back, but I didn't let her. I stepped even closer, my chest almost brushing hers.
"You're not fine. You almost went out a window because of that idiot." I looked down at the ruined silk of the dress I'd given her. It was torn at the shoulder, showing a patch of pale skin that was covered in goosebumps.
I felt a weird surge of something in my gut—not the madness, but something else. Pride, maybe? Knowing she stood up for me when I wasn't even in the room. I kept my face like stone, though. I wasn't gonna tell her yet.
"Come on," I said, grabbing her hand. Her fingers were tiny in mine, and cold as death.
"Where?" She stumbled a bit as I started walking, pulling her toward the heavy oak doors of the East Wing.
"My chambers," I growled. I didn't look back. "I'm not letting you out of my sight tonight. The council is gonna be howling for blood by morning, and I need to know exactly where you are."