When they touch me (Shelagh Milano)

Chapter 96

ARTEMISIA

Descending the cold steps slowly, I can feel my heartbeat pick up with every step I take.

I start regretting having persisted towards Cayden that I wanted to face him all by myself.

Well, I guess I won't be alone as there are guards around.

I pass the tunnel and come to a halt as I reach Logan's cell.

He is sitting on a bench, leaning against a wall as he looks at me with a void look.

His face is bloody and swollen, his clothes tattered. Dried blood is sticking onto his clothes, enhancing the wounds that are decorating his chest, shining through his ripped white shirt.

A shudder passes through me, and I hug myself as if wanting to brace myself against the cold.

"Why isn't your wolf healing you?" I ask him, concerned about seeing him like this.

He scoffs, tearing his eyes away from me. "Fynn injected me with wolfsbane before beating me up. Ethan is gone for the moment."

"Goddess... I'm sorry about that," I say, making him look back at me.

He seems angered, but I could bet that it's not about me. "How can you be sorry after what I have done to you?"

"Why shouldn't I?" I ask, crossing my arms and lowering my gaze. "I love you, it's only normal that I don't want to see you hurt."

Throwing his head back against the wall, he chuckles sarcastically, "Don't say that! I fucking marked you against your will. And took away the joy of the marking ceremony you were looking forward to. Now Cayden will have to mark you to cover up my mistake. How can you still..."

He closes his eyes, clenching his hands together, seemingly not wanting to finish his own thought.

I observe him for a moment, but he falls silent, his void stare taking over once again.

"Is that all you have to say?" I finally ask, squinting my eyes. "That the way I'm reacting is the wrong one?"

His eyes regain a bit of light, moving to inspect my face. "I don't know what else to say."

"Okay," I breathe out, pressing my tongue to my upper teeth. "I'll leave you to it then."

I'm about to turn around to leave as he skyrockets out of his seat, leaving me astonished about how fast he is even without his wolf.

In the blink of an eye, he is at the bars, grabbing me through the gaps.

I can't help the fear taking over my body, and I hate it.

"Babe, no. Wait!" He shouts desperately, jerking me back to him. "Please forgive me! I don't know what got into me. My wolf was getting crazy because everyone got more of your attention than me. I've been stupid and I'm so sorry. I just wanted to be with you!" Wanting to get out of this uncomfortable hold, I try clawing his fingers off me. "Logan, you are hurting me. Again."

"I'm sorry," he sighs, letting go of me instantaneously. "I'm so, so sorry!"

Rubbing my wrist, I watch him lean his forehead against the silver bars, and I'm glad his wolf is already sedated.

As it triggers me anyway, I reach through the bars to touch his cheek gently, making him look up at me, separating him from the bars. He looks at me wide-eyed before he lays his hand on mine, turning his head to kiss my palm.

His touch feels unsurprisingly amazing, the mark on my shoulder buzzing pleasantly as if it were happy about us finally connecting.

"It's okay. I was just sad because of the ceremony, and the fact that you hurt me. But I'm not sad about the fact that I wear your mark. We will get through it."

"Oh, Goddess, thank you," he breaths out, lowering his gaze as he lets go of me to bury his fingers into my dress. "Thank you. Thank you!"

"Will you promise me that you won't freak out again when I will be wearing Cayden's mark as well in a few days?" I tilt my head, hoping to get him to look up at me, but his eyes remain fixated on the floor.

"Yes! Of course! I will never hurt you ever again," he promises, and I feel bad as something just doesn't sit right with me.

Clearing my throat, I keep myself from stepping backwards to get out of his grip. "Cayden wants to keep you down here until the ball. Maybe I can talk to him about letting you out sooner, but I guess he is afraid of you bursting into his room while he is marking me. Do you think I can vouch for you that it won't be awkward to have you freed for the ball?"

"Are you going to go to the ball with Cayden officially?" He asks, his eyes darkening slightly.

I shake my head, inhaling exhaustedly, "Logan..."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he says, taking a step back and lifting his arms in a defensive way. "I was just asking so I can already adjust to that."

My heart hurts at the fact that I feel a bit relieved at him letting go of me and I take a step back as well. "No, I'll go to the ball with Fynn. He asked me before we went on the trip with the pups."

"Did he ask you? Or is he forcing you?" he snarls, making me roll my eyes. "Did he threaten you?"

"He asked me."

"Of course," he scoffs, angering me. "That's why you were hurt and frightened after the night with him."

I open my mouth, feeling speechless for a second. "Well, then he just follows family tradition, doesn't he?"

"What?" Logan looks at me wide-eyed as I take another step backwards.

"What would have been your next

step if no one would have kicked in

Ket

the door? Or torn you off me?" I shrug, my throat tightening. "You had me lying there practically naked because u had ripped my dress

off me... So? What would have been your next move? Would you have listened to my pleading screams

after you had marked me?"

His face transforms into a grimace shortly before he catches himself. Lifting my hands lightly, I let them slump back against my thighs. "That's what I thought." Passing my hand through my hair, I push out a shaky breath. "I need to get out of here, forgive me!"

""No, babe, wait! Please!"

I ignore his calls and pleadings as I turn back around and run the stairs back up. My mark stings more with every further step I take and I cuss myself out for not having been able to recognise the danger of the

situation earlier to prevent such an outcome.

Hugging myself, I let my feet bring me to the warrior's quarter.

I push myself through the crowd of men hanging out in the wide hallways and finally burst into the room in which I know that Fynn has his bunk bed in.

Sighing, I wonder if he could send away all the guys in the room like the last time to grant us a second of privacy.

Such an idiot, living in a dorm room with so many other men!

As I reach his bed that is supposed to be his, I find myself looking into the eyes of a young man, who looks up at me questioningly.

I was so immersed in my thoughts, that I didn't even notice that everyone in the room was looking at me with the same look.

What do you want from me? I have to talk to my mate somehow.

"Erm... Can I help you?" the young man asks, getting my attention back on him.

"Yeah," I answer unconvinced. "I am looking for Fynn."

He smiles at me, and with a nod he makes me feel like I'm the most stupid being he has ever encountered. "Just the room at the end of the hallway." "What?"

"His quarters," he repeats patiently. "All the way down the hallway."

I shake my head, pointing to the bed, feeling like I'm about to go crazy. "Isn't this his 'quarters'?"

The men laugh, making me feel even more uncomfortable. "The higher in command have separate rooms, and Fynn surely wouldn't share his room with us. He has his own, quarters all the way down the hallway."

"You can't miss it," another man chimes in, as if he feared I wouldn't get it otherwise.

"Oh," I say, still confused. "Thank you!"

Hurrying out of the room without looking at anyone, I storm down the hallway.

I can understand what they meant by 'you can't miss it' as the hallway transforms the further down I go.

The interior gets more luxurious, the colours darker, until I find myself standing in front of huge double doors at the end of the hallway.

It is indeed hard to miss.

Rolling back my shoulders, I am just about to knock as the door opens and I get startled by a blonde glaring at me.