Chapter 22

Peace. For the very first time in six hundred years, I was able to sleep without any nightmares. My eyes faintly awoke to the morning rays and Zeus's warmth emanating from his chest. There he was sleeping peacefully. I still felt his arm around my waist, our legs intertwined beneath the bedsheets, our chests against each other and of course, the momentary tingling sensation.

I pulled away from his embrace, giving me space to properly review his room. Apart from his drawings, there was nothing much. Just a wardrobe and a desk close to the windows. I wondered what kind of life he lived here before meeting me. My mind wandered to his family; they weren't perfect like mine probably worse. I stared at his handsome face again as a question sprung up in my head. Didn't a part of him wish to kill his them? After all they killed his parents. Perhaps they were too powerful for him.

I heaved a light sigh, and then reminisced on last night again.

“Mark me." A voice pitched in my head. My eyes exclaimed as realization struck me. I said this same words yesterday, I remembered now. Zeus had marked me. My heart started racing as my hand darted to my neck on impulse.

“Oh no!" I pitched causing Zeus to jolt awake.

“What's wrong?" His brows arched in a frown as he sat up. I alighted from his bed, pulling the bed sheet along as stormed to his bathroom just to confirm I wasn't dreaming. And there it was, a small crescent mark bestowed on my neck reflecting on the mirror.

My breaths began to storm out unstable. My chest heaved up and down, anger burned slowly like a splinter, but I was certain I was going to explode soon. My palms were slowly curling into a fist as rage became the only thought I entertained in my mind. This wasn't what I wanted. Yes, I might have craved him last night but that didn't mean our first time had to result to me being claimed. Being marked as someone's beloved.

“Zeus!!" I yelled as I flung his door open, but he only donned a confused look.

“Are you happy now? Are you happy now?!" I pitched as I inched closer to his bed.

“You've finally gotten what you wanted right, to mark me. How dare you?" I growled. "How dare you Zeus?!" I bellowed.

“What happened yesterday was purely consensual Green,” he returned in the calmest tone.

“And did that give you the right to mark me? To claim me as yours?!"

“You asked me to mark you Green and you did same to me too. See!" He pointed to his neck, but I huffed.

“Even though I asked you, must you be a fool to have yielded to that request?! I wasn't thinking clearly thanks to the pathetic mate bond.

Just because we had sex didn't give you any right to take advantage of me Zeus!"

He frowned. I could sense anger and disappointment rising within him.

“Take advantage of you?" He questioned. "If anyone has been taken advantage of, it's me not you,” he retorted. "Or have you forgotten when you used me to complete your tasks?"

“I own you." I pointed my index finger towards him. "I own you and I can do whatever pleases me to you!"

He wriggled his head and then heaved a sigh.

“This is seriously not how I expected our conversation to be,” he toned sadly.

I scoffed whilst opting for my clothes scattered across the floor.

“So, you thought we're going to have that useless morning sweet talks and kisses and whatever it is they do in movies." I mocked.

“Well, this mate here isn't exactly your fairytale mate." I toned before heading for his bathroom. Perhaps his shower would be able to cool my steam off, but it failed horribly. My anger only kept growing by the minute. Being marked sealed my fate to his completely whether I liked it or not. I didn't want this, I didn't want the world to know I had one, I didn't want the world to know my one weakness but apparently that plan had gone down south.

I wore my dress in a jiffy before storming out on my heels. He remained on the bed confused and disappointed at the same time. But I cared less, I already had lots of problems to deal with.

“If you know what's good for you," I toned devilishly as I reached his doorknob.

“Report to my clan before the sun sets, if not, I'll burn this place to the ground."

“A mate's mark is supposed to be something mates should be proud of. But you," he pursed his lips.

“Well," I turned slightly in his direction. "I'm not proud of you by my side." I retorted before easing through his door.

***

As she slammed the door, I just stared at my door dumbfounded. I didn't even know how to feel. On one hand, a part of me loved seeing the beautiful crescent mark on her. And on the other, I was broken. Unable to comprehend why she was back to square one. I really thought yesterday would have changed everything all but, in the end, I was wrong. I made things worse. She was right, I should have known it was her lust speaking yesterday. She wasn't ready yet.

“I'm not proud of you by my side,” her voice whispered in my head and my palms ruffled the sheets instantly. I felt a pang of pain and guilt hit hard in my chest. I heaved a heavy sigh. Knowing Green for who she is, my suffering was definitely going to increase tenfold. My body would do just fine handling her physical torture. But for the emotional torture, I wasn't too sure my heart could withstand that one.

My door opened again but not for who I was expecting.

“Hey man." Peter chattered but I just maintained my gaze on the bed.

“I need to be alone for a while." I retorted. He joined me by the bedside with an endearing smile.

“I know everything," he said. "You guys were pretty loud yesterday," he added in a jovial note.

I smiled.

“And from your arguments minutes ago—”

“My goodness, you were eavesdropping!" I exclaimed in disbelief.

“It wasn't my fault man. Werewolves have super hearing remember."

“So? You could have gone Far away from us."

“Okay I messed up but just forget about me and let's focus on you,” he responded, and I sighed.

“I marked her." I mumbled. He nodded, his gaze on me as if he were finding the right words to say.

“Well, I think you should have taken things slow with her."

“I know." I whined. "But yesterday was pretty intense for us. Yesterday was our first heat period, I just couldn't handle the situation well." I sighed feeling another pang of guilt surge in me.

“Wait it's only been two weeks you guys met so how come it came that early. I thought it usually came in three?" He frowned.

“Well, I thought so too but it appears the mate bond I share with her is somewhat unique and unbelievably strong at times." I responded with another sigh.

“Now She's definitely going to kill me." I returned to my pillow, covering my eyes with my right arm.

“I don't think so,” he said in an affirmative tone. "I mean if you could survive two weeks with her, then she definitely has a liking for you."

“I know." I mumbled in a tired tone. "But Green can be quite stubborn sometimes."

“And here we were, worried about you for the past two weeks not knowing you were busy enjoying your life with her."

I scoffed.

“I wouldn't call it enjoyment." I muttered while my mind slowly recounted all I encountered within the past few days.

“Just be careful. I'm sure you know about the war she waged against the Witches. Rumors have it now, that Vera can no longer perform magic," he said in a worried tone, and I couldn't help but open my eyes.

“I was there." I muttered, he frowned. "I fought by her side. I helped her retrieve the Witches gem."

His jaw dropped.

“Then I'm sure you also know Green declared war against the other communities too."

I frowned at the same time realization struck me. I never really knew the reason why she took the gem. Of course, she tricked me to believing a lie but then, what was the reason?

“Our sources say she wants the Werewolf Hide and Dragon stone too." He pursed his lips, but my confusion only worsened.

“Do you have any idea why she wants these artifacts?" I wriggled my head.

“But whatever she needs them for, I hope it's not something up to no good." I mumbled in oblivion. She used me to retrieve the Witches gem who knows how she plans on getting the others.

I gulped down my saliva. I had been too busy trying to win her heart and forgotten completely we were at war. At the same time, I wondered what my mate was up too. Why did she need these artifacts? There was only one person that could answer me—Martha.