When they touch me (Shelagh Milano)

Chapter 104 CAYDEN

"Want some?" I ask with a grin, and he straightens back up, walking around my desk to sit down in one of the chairs standing in front of it. "Thank you, brother. But I guess you would bestow the most severe form of poisoning on me since the Black Death."

I flash him my canines in a broad grin, getting him to laugh again. "Anyway, if you have a few moments to spare for me, I can let you know what I found out in the most boring, still ongoing, trial of our kins' history." "What is it?" I ask, and he takes out a small notebook.

I have always asked myself where he got these from as they look as old as he is.

"They finally are getting that the wolfless woman was one of ours and that she was kidnapped and not exiled after having been tortured like the Saviano idiot was trying to convince everyone. And, finally, it was acknowledged that Fynn's trespassing into the territory of the Gray Shadow Moon Pack was to get her daughter back, and not in the intent of starting a war."

I chuckle at him calling Riccardo an idiot without knowing Artemisia yet. "Finally! Was about time."

"So, all charges against him were dropped," he sighs.

I close my eyes, hitting my fist repeatedly onto my desk. "Nice!"

"But as the idiot was still adamant about the fact that he or any other member of his pack wasn't involved in the kidnapping," he takes a short pause to inhale deeply. "The high court wrapped it all up again. Going through every single count again. It was like watching your Nan tell you about the war for the umpteenth time. But... at least we seem to be getting shoved back slowly under our true light... Very... slowly..."

"Which war did your Nan pester you about, Hendrick?" I ask him amused, causing him to lift his brows.

"Aaaaanyway, once they were going in the right direction, it got very interesting," he says with an amused expression. "There was a new Alpha. A big boy. I think it is the one who held the coronation ceremony you went to a few weeks ago." "Ah, yeah. Alpha Giorgio," I say with a smile.

"Whatever," he sighs annoyed, turning a page. "It seemed that the big boy and the alpha idiot were in together on everything. The big boy sometimes struggled to follow where his idiotic friend wanted to aim at, but he was always really supportive."

I scratch my chin, feeling troubled by this information. "He was supportive?"

"Yeah, sometimes I felt like trapped in a movie about a cute little bromance. But they were one in making their claims... You know, about you being the monster and us being the brainwashed cult followers ready to sacrifice everybody for the greater good. Then denied every possible involvement in the kidnapping and the torture and in the end, they rode into the sunset happily. I felt uncomfortable watching all this, but I would have been awfully sad if I had missed it."

Sitting up straight, I grab my pen, "Is there anything else that they said?"

"Yeah," he grins, obviously amused by my distress. "They hinted at the fact that you and your brothers got the big boy's sister off their territory with a scam."

"Oh, Goddess," I sigh, passing my hand over my face.

"Is that true? Are you holding a poor innocent girl as your hostage?" he grins wider, idiotically.

"She is my... our mate. Nobody is holding her hostage," I growl, baring my mark at him by pulling at my shirt.

He looks at the mark curiously before mocking me, "Sure, you tell yourself that."

"Jerk," I murmur and he leans back in his chair with a chuckle.

"Your favourite one, I may add."

I shake my head, tsking, "And where do we go from here?"

"Well, I guess that they will ask you to show up to give your testimony soon. And I'm afraid that you will actually have to go this time."

I groan, and he stands up, closing the button on his jacket. "But maybe you can bring your beloved to keep you in a good mood. I can show you the best clubs in town." "Mate," I growl, making him wave at me dismissively.

"Whatever you want to call her during your dirty talk is really none of my business," he jokes, making me shake my head with a laugh.

Standing up as well, I walk him out of the office. "At least promise me that all the women you... encounter... are consenting. At least act like it around Missy."

"Sure," he snarls, distorting his face in disgust. "Do you know how bitter blood tastes when it is spiked with fear and distress?"

He sticks out his tongue, expressing nausea, making me push out a relieved breath. "Really not my cup of tea."

Even if I would trust him with my life, there are a few things that I am afraid to ask to this day.

As soon as we stand in the hallway, he suddenly halts in his tracks and starts sniffing around with a strange expression.

"What is it?" I laugh, bumping into his shoulder playfully. "Are we dogs starting to have a bad influence on your noble essence?" "Uh," he hums, seemingly distracted. "It's just strange."

I look at him intently, lifting my brows at him and he frees himself out of his trance. "It is normally just one lovely stench when I get in here, but today something smellso fantastically good."

He shakes himself, regaining his grin. "Do you have a new cook?"

I laugh, clicking my tongue. "No."

"Anyway," he sighs, rolling back his shoulders. "I can't wait to meet your... our Luna. She must be very special if you wear her mark this proudly."

"She is," I puff my chest proudly, and he taps my shoulder.

"I'm glad you found her, my friend. You deserve it more than anybody else."

"Thank you," I smile, and he walks around to descend the stairs.

Just as he has started descending it, he halts again. His lean frame seems to be held back by some invisible force as he puts his hands into his pockets and stares up at me. "It's really strange."

"Missy is a doctor. I'll ask her to do a full check-up when you are back from your hunt," I mock, tapping the massive wood of the balustrade. "Might be time someone takes a look at your twisted brain."

"Ew, a doctor. Well, nobody can be perfect, right?"

I laugh as I return to my office and he disappears down the stairs.