Chapter 4

Cassius

“Silence!” My voice thundered through the meeting room, my hand hitting the table as hard as my anger could not be contained any longer.

The entire council flinched, their eyes darting everywhere but away from my darkened ones as my wolf threatened to replace my rather calm demeanor compared to his. He was tempted to turn the white carpets red with their blood for their trespasses.

“But your highness—” Councilman and warrior Lucas began, but a growl from my chest shut him up before he could continue.

“I said, silence!” Slamming the table one more time, I pushed my chair away as I got up on my feet. “How many times have I told you never to bring that topic up again?!”

My claws dug into the solid wood beneath my fingers, splintering the edge with a sharp crack. The air in the room grew heavy and thick as my wolf pushed forward, my alpha command forcing every single member of the council to drop their eyes.

“You think because my Luna is sick, my throne is empty?” I snarled, stepping around the table. “You sit in my hall and dare threaten to replace my bloodline if I don't give you an heir on your timetable?”

“Alpha Cassius, please!” Elder Thomas choked out, his head pressed against the cold table as my pressure weighed down on his spine. “The elders are restless. The pack needs stability! If the Luna cannot give you an heir, the council has the right to step in.”

I crossed the floor in a split second.

Grabbing Thomas by the throat, I lifted him clean off his feet and slammed him into the stone wall. My claws lengthened, pressing right against his jugular, drawing a bead of blood. The room filled with the sharp smell of his terror.

“I will rip your throat out before I let this council touch my seat,” I growled, feeling my wolf clawing to finish the job.

“Cassius.”

The quiet voice cut right through my rage.

The anger drained out of me instantly. Standing by the open doorway connecting our private quarters to the council hall was my wife, wrapped in a thick robe.

She was leaning heavily against the doorframe, looking so drained and hollow that she seemed ready to collapse under her own weight.

My wolf pulled back, ashamed.

I dropped Thomas like a piece of trash. He hit the floor, coughing and gasping for breath.

“Get out,” I said coldly, not even looking back at them. “All of you.”

The councilmen scrambled to their feet, dragging Thomas out with them as they rushed through the main double doors, leaving the room in dead silence.

I crossed the room in two strides, catching Selena just as her knees gave out. I lifted her light frame into my arms and carried her through the adjoining doors back into our master bedroom, setting her down gently onto the bed.

She pulled the blankets up to her chest, her breathing shallow and rough. But when her tired eyes met mine, a faint smile touched her lips.

“You’re terrifying the elders again, Cass,” she murmured.

My heart sank all over again. I dropped to my knees beside her bed, taking her cold hand in mine and kissing her knuckles.

“They deserve worse,” I muttered, resting my forehead against her hand. “How are you feeling, my love?”

“Tired,” she breathed, her fingers weakly brushing through my hair. “Cassius, we need to talk about the proposal.”

My jaw set hard. “No.”

“We have to,” she urged quietly, tears welling in her eyes. “You know what the council will do if you don't secure an heir. They will challenge you. They will tear down everything you built, and when I'm gone, they will leave you with nothing.”

“I don't care about the throne!” A low, frustrated growl tore from my throat. “I care about you. I will not bring another woman into this house. I will not disrespect you.”

“It’s not disrespect,” she whispered, holding onto my hand with what little strength she had left. “It’s keeping your power. A surrogate, Cass. A contract. A business deal. Please, do this for me. Let me rest easy knowing you will keep your seat.”

I hated it. I hated every word of it, and I hated being backed into a corner by my own council while my mate was dying in front of me.

“Fine,” I said, the word heavy and bitter. “I will sign the contract.”

“Thank you,” she said softly, leaning forward to press a quick kiss to my lips.

I looked away, forcing down the burn behind my eyes. Nothing compared to the helplessness of watching your mate waste away.

“Please Cassius, do this for us. It would be so quick, you wouldn’t even notice it’s not mine.”

A pang of pain shot in my chest.

“Rest now, Selena,” I said quietly, tucking the blanket around her shoulders until her eyes drifted shut.

I stepped back out into the study, pulling the heavy bedroom doors shut behind me.

A knock came from the council doors. My Beta, Drew, pushed them open and stepped inside, keeping his gaze on the floor.

“Sire, a word?”

My anger flared right back up the moment I saw the gouges in the oak table.

“Tell me you have an update from Hollow Vale,” I said coldly, walking behind my desk. “And make it quick.”

“We found a few women who are willing, but we are leaning towards her,” he said, pulling out a printout of a face.

Before he could hand it over, I snatched it and tore it apart.

“Let me make something clear, Drew. I don’t give a damn what she looks like,” I growled, letting the torn scraps of paper scatter across the floor. “I don’t care about her face, her name, or whatever pathetic sob story brought her to our feet.”

Drew kept his eyes down, standing dead still under the weight of my glare.

“Whoever passes your screening is not a guest in this house,” I snarled, my voice flat, cold, and final.

“She is a vessel. A reproductive tool with a price tag, hired to do a job and nothing more. She stays out of my sight, she stays out of my way, and she will never step foot near my mate.”

I walked up to Drew, grabbing him by the collar of his jacket until his eyes met mine.

“The second that child takes its first breath, pay her what she was promised and throw her out of our territory,” I warned, my wolf baring his teeth behind my words.

“If she thinks for a single second she can use a pregnancy to crawl into my bed, claim my status, or tear down what Selena and I built, I will tear her throat out myself. Make sure she understands that before she signs.”

Drew swallowed hard, nodding once. “Understood, Alpha. The medical screenings begin tomorrow morning. I’ll make the terms clear.”

“Get out,” I said, releasing his collar.

He turned and slipped out of the room, shutting the double doors with a soft click.

I stood alone in the quiet study, staring at the shredded picture on the floor. A piece of blue eyes stared back at me, and anger rose in me as I stared back.

I didn't care who was desperate enough to sell their body to me. All I knew was that no stranger would ever touch my heart, and no surrogate would ever replace my Luna.