Ch. 10

Cassius

He fucking took her! Sage is my mate! Mine! She belongs to me! I may not want her but I get to decide what happens to my property. Nobody else! Not even the fucking Lycan King!

I’ve known she was mine since the day my wolf was born. Viper mooned over her for ages before I finally convinced him she’d never be ours. But for the longest time, he fought me on it, refused to let me show her the contempt I felt for her. How dare the Goddess saddle me with a wolfless omega!

Eventually, he’d accepted that she’d never have a wolf, that he’d never have his other half, and allowed me to reject her. But not before I had a little fun with her first. When I finally revealed she was my mate, I wanted her to feel how much I despised her, how much her own fated mate loathed her pathetic existence. 

I left a masterpiece of torn flesh on her back, carved my disgust for her into her skin. My rejection was to be the last thing she heard before she died. It was perfect! Until he came along and fucked it all up.

“Cass-, Cassius, please!” Daphne’s ragged pleas remind me of the woman lying bleeding at my feet. 

At least that’s some consolation, making her bleed, watching her grovel. “Shh. Such a good pet, taking your punishment so beautifully.” I crouch down next to her, stroking her sweaty hair, avoiding the clumps of dried blood on her back. “You pleased me, my pet. Don’t worry, you’ll be rewarded for your sacrifice.”

“Thank-, you,” she breathes out, her words fragmented. 

Her head lolls to the side, soiling my shirt with her snot and tears. I stand up, repulsed by her soured blood orange scent and body fluids, pulling a handkerchief from my pocket to wipe away the offensive emulsion. 

“You!” I snap my fingers as the guard nearby, “Take her to my room. Find an omega to clean and dress her wounds. They can leave her in my bed, but not until she’s clean!”

“Yes, sir!” He obeys right away, Daphne falling unconscious in his arms when he releases her chains. 

I watch as he lifts her up and carries her away, admiring my artwork in her flesh until she disappears. Now, to go have words with my father. 

Some days I wonder how the old fool could possibly be the same man who raised me. His drive and ambition has dwindled over the years until it’s nearly non-existent. 

But no matter, I have a plan to ensure our rightful place in this world’s hierarchy. One I plan to implement, with or without him. Most likely without. 

“Come in,” He calls when I knock on his door. He doesn’t even look up from whatever useless report he’s reading when I enter. “What can I do for you, Cassius?”

“You can tell me where you’re fucking balls are hiding, for starters!” 

That gets his attention. He huffs in exasperation, dropping the paper in his hand and gazing up at me with disdain. 

“No need to be so vulgar, son.” He scolds me, as if I’m still a child he can mold to his image. “I assume you’re referring to my decision to allow our illustrious king to take your rejected mate away against your fervently expressed wishes.”

“That’s exactly what I’m referring to! How could you cave so easily? Are you such a coward that you can’t stand your ground against him? She’s mine!” I snarl at him. 

“NOT,” he shouts, slamming his hand on his desk, “anymore! She’s his to do with as he likes now and you’d do well to remember that! What do you want with the girl anyway? She’s a wolfless omega, too poor and weak to ever be your Luna.”

“That’s not the point!” I shout back. “I never planned to make her my Luna! I was ready to sacrifice her for fuck’s sake. But her fate is my choice, not his!”

He throws his head back and laughs before shaking it off and staring at me with unveiled disappointment. “And that, my boy, is why I haven’t retired and passed the mantle to you. You’re too fucking pompous for you’re own good. 

“He is not only our king, which is reason enough in itself not to court his disfavor. But he is also no mere wolf. He’s a Lycan with unspeakable power, not to mention the support of an entire kingdom behind him. I’d be a fool to stand against him and so would you! If you want to lead this pack, you need to know what’s good for you, and for them!”

“He’s the fool if he thinks he can take what belongs to me and get away with it!” I slam the door on my way out but not before I hear my father’s disgruntled sigh as I walk away.

My father has become far too short-sighted, a problem I’ll have to deal with when the time is right. But for now, I need to find an outlet for the rage festering over today’s events. Fortunately, I know just the thing to take my mind off my spineless father allowing my mate to be stolen out from under me. I have just one order of business to take care of first. 

As soon as I’ve finished ordering my men to handle the “errand” I had for them, I head straight for my room where a certain she-wolf is waiting for me. It’s not the first time I’ve allowed Daphne to entertain me, but usually only when I’m desperate for release. She’s a little too obvious in her pursuit of me which I find exceptionally boring. 

But today is different. Today, she’s covered in the marks I left on her body, reminders of my power and her submission. It will take some ingenuity on my part to have her begging for me despite her painful wounds, but I love a challenge. 

I open the door to my room to find Daphne lying face down on my bed, blood already seeping through the freshly applied dressings. I revel in the sounds of her whimpers and moans as I lower myself to the bed, her body bouncing from the impact. 

“Hello, pet.”