Selfish Desires Fulfilled

"You really didn't think of this?" Lyrica asked as she doused the magical metallic items with water, which allowed them to be visible for a little bit.

"Earth elements can reveal magic. Aren't you guys like, earth warriors or whatever? I'm not too up and up on your history, but in some books I've read - you're blessed from Gaia, the earth goddess. You can't see things that lack elements from this realm. Orichalcum is pure magic - it's not mixed with anything from earth. Got it?" Lyrica asked impatiently.

"I suppose?" Jess replied as she mulled over what Lyrica had said. "If we wrap them in cloth or leather, we can see them much easier, and they can't get lost or hurt us from our inability to see them."

"Oooh, that one is smart. You can even coat them in whatever metal you want to keep them visible. Whatever you want. Now can I please, please stay?" Lyrica asked and batted long eyelashes from her one exposed eye towards Metas.

"Am I your Alpha and King?" Metas replied.

"Always, sire." Lyrica replied with a wide grin and bowed towards him.

"You may stay here if you want, but you are bound to protect the forest for as long as you live here. You may hunt once a night, but eating anyone of my clan or lineage is off limits. Our deal stands for as long as you abide by the terms. Do not invite others. This is a deal between me and you." The sturdy alpha replied as he nodded to her with approval.

"Yesssss!" Lyrica celebrated and pumped her elbow in towards herself. "You won't catch me disrespecting you, Alpha Metas. You have no idea how excited I am. I've gotta go build something for myself with the stuff I stockpiled. Byeeeeee!" Lyrica trilled and swooped upwards into the sky with a childish whim.

Jess just blinked in confusion, but everyone else seemed to dismiss the female creature that flew off. Something about her felt weird, and she didn't like it. She also didn't like the fact that Veltar was stuck inside that cave with Cassandra. Given the rumors about the female, Jess didn't trust her alone with the mate she had just met and hadn't even had time to truly bond with thanks to her brother.

"May I return to Veltar? I was helping him with a medicinal paste," Jess lied in hopes they'd just let her return.

"Sure thing, Jess." Myranda replied and gave her a smile.

"Thank you, my Luna."

*************

Silas couldn't believe the letter he had read....and re-read...and re-read, and just once more to make sure what was on the paper was indeed what he thought. His hands crinkled the paper the longer he stared at it. Why would Cassandra write such a thing?

One more time, he had to read it just one more time. He just knew that he read it wrong. Even her handwriting felt sharp and swift. Each word and looped letter sliced at his heart.

'Silas,

I have done everything in my power to support you. I've loved you when you haven't deserved it, and I have given you all that I had left. I wanted to tell you two things in person last night, but you were so absorbed in your own head that you didn't listen.

You made me feel worthless, and unwanted. I do not deserve that. Unlike you, I don't beg at the feet of my father. Harbinger is my father, and he's been using you your entire life as a puppet. Anything he asks of you, you do without question, including lambasting me for wanting to share in the happiness that I am expecting a baby. Your baby, a child you will never meet and are not welcome to be around.

I'd rather raise them alone than with a monster like you. I was so happy. I thought I had found the one who would love and cherish me. The one to protect me...

Instead, you followed in my father's footsteps, and completely ignored me as a living being to demand that I go to dinner for your pride.

That's all my father has done to me, too - set me aside for pride. I can't live like this anymore. I feel trapped, I feel smothered. I've done nothing but play the role of a good daughter, and a supportive mate, and in return - you have given me nothing. You have however, taken everything from me.

Don't come looking for me. I reject you. I'm leaving and I'm going to find someone to live with in the neighboring villages. I don't want to be a part of your life. I don't want you to be a part of mine.

Good luck with having everything you've ever wanted. My father's approval is never won for long, and mine cannot be won back. No matter what you do, or how hard you try, I will never ever forgive you and I will never accept you as mine.

Forever free, and never yours,

Cassandra'

Silas sat there stunned and finally let the letter drop to the ground. What would Harbinger say now? His praise would be revoked if he found out Silas caused his daughter to leave the mountain. Why didn't she just say something in the first place!?

Had he known she was Harbinger's daughter, he'd have married her immediately. Instead, he honestly just thought she was some palace servant. He had no idea until this moment that he was not the gem she had lucked out on -- she was the treasure he had discovered.

Why hadn't she just told him? Did she want something to hold over his head, or use as insurance?

..Syrana would have never done that to him... Syrana would have stood up for him...

He missed her so badly. Even if she wasn't his true mate, and he had cheated her both from life with Veltar, and with infidelity - he still longed for her. Cassandra had been a band-aid, anyway (or so his ego going into defense mode suggested to his hurt pride).

The only way out of this situation was not to get Cassandra back, but to make it seem like she had been kidnapped by Metas. He had already lost his companion, he didn't want to lose the father he worked so hard to get love from on top of that.

He went to the bathroom and used a small crystal to light a candle near one of the sinks, and put the paper over the fire and let it burn.

With no evidence, there was no crime. Silas was sure that he'd be able to craft something in his head that would make it seem all to real that the enemy captured his pregnant Luna.

No, that was what he would craft - and it was what he would believe.

.....Starting now.

What a devious thing for Metas to do! He must have sent someone to kidnap her when she stepped out last night to get some air. The guards who let her go unattended would have to be punished, too.

How could they let his fragile mate out into the night without protection? Now they had put the royal baby in danger as well.

Silas was grateful he was so easily able to swallow lies. It was the only way he knew how to survive, and it was the only way he knew how to thrive; pin it on someone else, take the role of the victim, and watch it all fall into place.

...but he was the victim here. I mean, that letter doesn't exist anymore, and so therefore the truth could be erased in the twisted wolf's mind and replaced with a better reality.

The reality where he was safe, and everyone else was in the fire.