Fallen From Grace | BOOK 1 ✔️

Chapter Eighteen

Pierce's P.O.V

I watch Tristan pace back and forth in timed intervals. Somehow, I kind of knew why he was feeling the way he was. He had slept with someone other than his mate and now he must feel guilty. But he shouldn't. Gabriel, should mean nothing to him.

My eyes linger on Gabriel's tied up form on the post a couple feet away from the grass I decided to sit on. Soon, I grab Tristan's hand forcing him to stand still. "Enough of this. You should feel no guilt. You weren't even mated, nonetheless, together. He's made that clear."

His grey-green eyes fall as he nods. He gazes at Gabe's blonde figure before looking back at me. "Can you allow him reprieve? Just talk to him and get him to understand." I shake my head causing a panic look to go through his eyes. "He's changed. He is nothing more than a threat to us now."

"Pierce." He pleads but I continue to shake my head. "Carry on with your duties Tristan." I say not giving way to his emotions.

I admit the anger from the trip up to the North has carried down here. Usually, I would listen to him. I don't feel like doing that. Especially if it involves that traitorous piece of shit I used to call a good friend.

After I notice he's gone, I decide to get up and walk over to him with a gaze that can rival the sun. He looks up and scoffs before chuckling. "So you're back? How was the-"

My fist collide with the bottom of his jaw and my other one connects with his nose causing blood to run out of it. All he does his spit and smirk at me, completely unfazed by it almost as if it was expected. "I'm guessing it went as well as I expected it to."

"Why didn't you tell me?!" I yell angrily which only makes him shake his head.

"Because of this. Look how you're acting. My loyalty is to him, not to you or Isaac. If he wanted it kept secret I made it whereas it was so." I glare daggers at him but it doesn't move him. "You cannot say I did not try to warn you. You just ignored me and branded me as a traitor because of love."

". . .So I suppose that makes you a traitor as well." My eyes widen before they narrow resisting the urge to land another connection to his swelling face.

"I have nothing more to do with him. I gave up my rights to him the moment I stepped out of that cursed place." I spit angrily before his eyes show some other emotion other than indifference. He looked sad and. . .distraught.

"You could not have possibly. . .rejected Cassius because of his title?"

"Title? Gabriel, I am a Beta. I'm tired of everyone trying to trivialize the issue as if you see absolutely nothing wrong with it! It is bad enough he's a Northerner. . .but an Alpha. . .my behavior was treasonous whether I realized who he was or not. And you knew."

"Of course I knew. He truly is in love with you, Pierce. Regardless of titles, he still wants you as a mate." He stresses causing my eyes to narrow to the floor at his confession. Love?

"Then why wouldn't he have told me personally instead? Why would he wait and allow me to find out about who he truly is along with his engagement to some Western wench at a Feast?!" I shout furious with dormant anger. "There is no love there. Only lies."

His eyebrows furrow before shaking his head. "There's a reason for everything he does. If only would ask him-"

"I'm not pursuing anything more with him than Alpha/Beta relations." I state matter-of-factly. It's bad enough the blonde wench eavesdropped and now knows of our past relations with each other. Things can only get worse even if I decide to hear him out.