SCARLETT 4

 

“Where is he?” I ask Brielle, it has been three days that I haven’t seen Cassius. Since the day he left with Bion for the meeting that he hasn’t been back to see me. Everyday Brielle comes to help me, all the women have been here to introduce themselves and they seem great. Some of the guys have come to welcome me, but Cassius hasn’t been back. I have a suspicion that he comes to see me when I’m sleeping at night because when I wake up in the morning his unique fragrance surrounds me.

“I don’t know, Celmund and Draco say he’s fine that he’s on a job.” She says

“Do you know when he will be back?” I’ve missed his presence, sometimes the memories overtake me and then I’m there all over again. Bion says that I can leave the infirmary tomorrow if everything keeps on going as well as it’s going. Aria mentioned that Cassius had asked them to buy new furniture for his room so I can feel more comfortable when I move in. Therefore I know that he wants me here, but why is he keeping away when he was by my side every single day while I was in a coma.

“Doesn’t he want me?” I murmur, if he doesn’t want me as his mate I don’t know what I’m going to do. Only his presence calms me, without him I will be lost. These last few days have been agonising, I constantly fight my memories but sometimes they have a way of revealing themselves no matter how much I fight them.

“It’s not that, you see when Elemental’s mate it’s forever, there is no going back no getting out of it once it’s done. Bion says that he’s adamant that he doesn’t want you stuck with him because he’s broken.” Brielle says with sadness in her face, “Scarlett, there is a constant fight within that man. When the women went into his room to take measurements and see what furniture he needed they were shocked to say the least. His room was destroyed, his furniture broken so bad that it was irreparable.” There is a catch in her voice before she continues. “He’s been sleeping on a matrass on the floor.”

“Why?” I can feel my heart constrict at the thought of his pain.

“He was tortured by the Keres for months on end. Bion says that when they got him back he was a shell of what he had been before.”

“But he can’t decide what is best for me without talking to me first.” I rage, “He doesn’t even know if I want him like that or not. How dare he think that he can make this decision for me?” I state angrily

“He doesn’t come to see you because he knows that it will be nearly impossible for him to keep away from you like that. He knows that once he’s near his willpower is weak.” Brielle confesses.

“Will you help me.” I ask, I need to make him see that he won’t break me like he thinks he will. How can he break me when I’m already broken?  If anything, he mends me when he’s close.

“Of course, but I don’t see how.” She states with a questioning look.

“I need to get him here to talk to him.” I persuade, Brielle looks at me for a few minutes and then she smiles.

“You know, our men can’t keep away from us if we’re in danger or if we need them. Maybe all we need to do is get you to phone him and tell him that you need him.” She says with a smile.

That wouldn’t be a lie, I do need him, but will he listen to me if he’s so adamant on not bonding with me? “Are you sure that will work?”

“No, but it’s worth a try.” She suggests.

“Okay, let’s phone him.” Might as well get this over with, if he doesn’t come then I will just have to think of another way. Brielle pulls out her phone and dials his number passing the phone over to me. As soon as I take the phone my stomach starts to cramp nervously, what if he refuses to see me or worse yet what if he refuses to talk to me.

“Brielle!” his voice is a deep vortex that can suck me in with its potency. With just that one word I can feel peace finally return again to my being. “Is everything okay, is Scarlett okay?” I hear concern in his voice.

“Cassius” I murmur and hear his intake of breath at my voice.

“Scarlett?” he asks, “are you okay?” at the tone of tenderness in his voice I feel all my muscles relaxing.

“Why haven’t you come to see me?” I whisper, but I know that he heard me when I hear his intake of breath.

“Haven’t the women been there, and Kade?” he asks

“It’s not the same, you keep the memories away.” I whisper, telling him the truth. I know that I’m not playing fair, but he’s not playing fair either trying to make this decision without consulting me.

“Oh baby, I’m sorry” I can hear the anguish in his voice and I feel the prickle of tears behind my eyes. “I will be there as soon as I can.” He promises.

“Thank you.” I say and then disconnect the call before he can say anything else. I don’t want him to hear me choked up and worry.

“So?” Brielle asks excitedly

“He says he will be here as soon as he can.” At my words she claps, and does a little jig.

“Hopefully he will forget all about his nobility now or we will have to take out the big guns.” She suggests

“What are the big guns?” I ask curiously

“Oh, that would be Nova. That girl can come up with the weirdest ideas.” I smile at her silliness but my stomach is clenching knowing that Cassius is coming to see me. I’m about to ask Brielle about Nova when I see someone from the corner of my eye. Turning my head I see Cassius walk into the infirmary. My breath catches at his presence, I wasn’t expecting him so soon but now that he’s here I’m nervous.

“Cassius” I murmur as he approaches.

“Scarlett, you’re looking better.” He says as he comes to stand next to the bed.

“Well, that’s my cue.” Brielle says as she starts to walk away, “I’ll come to check up on you later”

I don’t reply as my concentration is centred on Cassius, the width of his muscles in his tight black t-shirt is impressive. The tattoos that adorn his arms and I see peeping at his neck make me want to trace them with my fingers.

“Thank you for coming.” Now that he’s here I don’t know what to say. His presence engulfs me, the peace that I’ve only ever felt when near him returns and I breath out serenely.

“I’m sorry baby, I didn’t mean to upset you.” He murmurs a disturbed frown on his face.

“Why were you keeping away, don’t you want me as your mate?” I have always believed in having things in the open and especially now that my life is in the balance I’m not going to change. He closes his eyes at my question, pain evident in his posture. I want to sit up and hug him close to try and lighten this burden that this man carries around.

“Don’t ever think that, no matter what, know that you are the most important person in this world to me. You are my other half, all the time you were in a coma I prayed that you would awaken, that you would be okay.” He takes in a deep breath and then continues. “You won’t understand and this might seem sudden to you but to us Elemental’s it’s as if we have known each other since we were born. You are the light, the goodness to my darkness, to my evil.”

“Then why?”

“That is why; I won’t hurt you more than you already were hurt because of me. I want you to be happy, to be at peace and that you will never be with me.” He says in a growl, his beautiful green eyes alight with determination.

“But you the only one that brings me peace, you keep the memories away. You say that I won’t be happy with you because you have darkness in you, well so do I. These last three days I have been tormented with the things that I have gone through, but as soon as you walked in my body, by mind my very soul relaxed, I’m at peace.” I see the fight that he’s going through with himself.

“Those memories are because of me.” He growls

“No, those memories are because of evil men. And no matter what you say, you’re not evil.”

“Scarlett, I can’t be the man you need me to be. I am broken in so many ways.” He argues

“Stop trying to decide for me what I need and what I don’t need, I’m the only one that knows what is good or bad for me. You have no right to make this decision for me.” I argue angrily

“You wrong, as your mate I have every right to decide what is best for you. I will always keep you safe no matter what.” He declares with a lift of his defined chin.

“Well there’s one problem with your statement isn’t there. You’re not my mate yet.” I point out.

“Even if I don’t bond with you, you will always be my mate no matter what. So, don’t forget that” I can feel his anger as he snaps his reply.

“Are you saying that you won’t have me, therefore no one else can?” I enquire sweetly

“Yes … No, fuck” he grunts, his eyes a stormy green as he stares at me. His muscles on his arms straining with his ire.

“You know if you don’t want me, then you can’t stop me from getting it on with one of those drop dead handsome guys that have been coming here to visit me.” As soon as the words are out I can see that I’ve pushed him too far. His eyes turn a darker green, all his muscles are tensed as if he’s about to spring. His anger palpable as he glares at me.

“Who has been coming here, that you find so irresistible?” his voice when he speaks is a low guttural growl that if I wasn’t sure he wouldn’t hurt me would have me running in fear. “Who?” he asks again when I don’t reply. There is no way I’m going to get any of the guys that have come here into trouble when all I’m doing is trying to make him jealous enough to finally take me. Yes, all the others are handsome but none of them compare to Cassius. He has a roughness about him that calls to me.

When he realises that I’m not going to answer he turns and walks out of the infirmary, his back so tense that I can see his muscles straining under his t-shirt. “Cassius . . .Cassius” I call but he doesn’t turn around and continues walking.

I hope I didn’t ruin it, maybe I shouldn’t have tried to make him jealous, because it looks like I accomplished it way too well. What if he doesn’t come back? Maybe Elemental’s get put off when their woman looks at other men.

I should really have asked Brielle more about Elemental’s, all I know is that they are possessive and will do anything to protect those close to them.  I close my eyes in frustration but then I hear running feet approaching. I see Brielle and Nova run in both have worried looks on their faces.

“Scarlett, what happened?” Nova asks as they approach my bed, “Cassius stormed past us like a thundercloud.” I groan when I hear how upset he seemed.

“I might have made him jealous.” I grumble closing my eyes in embarrassment but then snap them open when they both burst out laughing.

“How?” Brielle asks with a twinkle in her eye. After I finish explaining to them what I did they both laugh again excitedly.

“You will fit in just perfectly.” Nova suggest with a huge smile adorning her face. “By the way what gift do you have?” she asks with a raised brow.

“What do you mean?” I have never told any of them about what I can do, unless Kade said something, but I doubt Kade would have said anything. How would they know that I’m different?

“Well, all of us women can do something. Brielle can heal, I can persuade, Jasmine can see events in the future by painting them, Gabriela can tell what’s happened or to happen with someone by touching them and Aria can hear people’s thoughts. What can you do?” I’m stunned at her revelation, I have never met anyone that could do anything like that. I have also never willingly revealed to anyone what I could do, as people tend to shy away from things like this.

“I can tell when someone is lying, and the truth comes to me.” I whisper and to my surprise Brielle leans down and hugs me tightly.

“That is so great, if Scarlett can tell when someone is lying we will be able to tell who’s our snitch as Aria hasn’t been able to hear anything productive out of Tina and Gloria and Sven apparently only thinks about bikes.” Nova grumbles, they must have noticed my look of surprise because both start to relay what has been happening in the last few years since Jasmine joined the Elemental’s as Wulf’s mate.

“The men are sure there is someone leaking information to the Keres, but they can’t tell who it is.” Brielle confesses. “Maybe you will be able to find the culprit.”

“I would be happy too, but I don’t think my gift is working anymore. Since I arrived here that I haven’t been able to hear any lies. Either that or no one has lied around me.” I state and both women smile at me warmly.

“Don’t worry, your gift isn’t gone. It’s just that we can’t use our gifts with the Elemental’s, it just doesn’t work. We did find a way though.” Nova smirks, “If two of us are touching each other and one is touching one of them we can use our gifts on them.”

“Yeah, Nova would know. She got into trouble for using her persuasion on her man.” Brielle teases

“It was so worth it.” She says with a wink at me that makes me laugh. We are still chatting when Celmund bursts into the infirmary, a worried look on his face. “What’s wrong?” Nova enquires, but Celmund ignores her question and looks at me.

“Sweetheart, are you okay to get out of here. We need you to come and try calm Cassius down. We worried that if we can’t calm him down soon he will turn. Nova maybe you can sing too” Celmund says hurriedly, my stomach cramps at the thought of him being so angry. This is all my fault, I’m the one that made him angry. What if he turns and I can’t stop it? What did I do?