Cassian
The sharp pounding against the wooden door reverberated through the small apartment, and I honed in on the entryway, narrowing my eyes as the scent of the male I now knew had once been my mate's lover filtered under the door. Inhaling sharply, I fought to control the rage bubbling in my gut.
I'd already been fighting a losing battle against my agonized terror after hearing everything Aelin had endured while we were apart - all while believing that her fate was sealed. The fact that she was still alive and whole was a miracle in itself, and all I wanted to do was wrap her in cotton wool and keep her locked away from the world - safe, secure and well-fucked - for the rest of her long life.
Not that Aelin would ever allow that, but it was a nice thought.
Still, after hearing about all the risks she'd taken, all the threats she was still facing ... my primal beast was entirely too on edge. Learning about this Captain could not have come at a worse time.
Was it rational to be filled with seething jealousy at the mere mention of another male who'd been romantically involved with my mate?
Absolutely not.
Did I care?
Not at all.
Aelin was ours, and I'd be tempted to murder any male who even thought about her in that way, let alone one who'd acted upon it.
The worst of it all though, was Aelin's face when she revealed what that useless fucker had called her.
A monster.
He had called my mate a monster.
And on some level, she had believed him.
My exquisite, selfless, flawless mate had believed that there was a part of herself, no matter how small, that was inherently monstrous. It was unacceptable.
I was aware enough to realize that it wasn't wholly the Captain's fault, but it was because of men like him. Weak-minded, sniveling fools who couldn't see the magnificent female beneath her facade of power. All they saw was the threat she posed, the destruction she could wreak.
And she was powerful. She was a threat.
But more important than that was every single other way she was absolutely incredible. All it took was a peak behind the curtain shrouding Aelin's true nature, and it was obvious that she was utterly remarkable.
And still, it barely scratched the surface of her full, uncensored story.
A child of a brutal war, she'd been orphaned at only eight to then be raised under the regime of a brutal assassin king. She'd earned her freedom only to be thrown into slavery and was then forced to serve the tyrant responsible for the decimation of her kingdom, her family. Lost loved one after loved one to brutal, vicious violence while the gods conspired to make her a pawn in yet another conflict.
Despite all of this, she hadn't lost her inner fire. Not only was she the strongest, most magnificent individual I'd ever encountered, but she still cared so cauldron-damned much. Still fought for the repressed, to protect the innocent, to save everyone other than herself. Was somehow still compassionate, warm and free-spirited.
She was the furthest thing from a fucking monster.
So while I still wanted to remove any body part of his that had seen, touched or tasted my mate intimately, it was that word that had solidified the soon-to-be-dead Captain's fate.
Although maybe I'll remove those body parts first ... just to be thorough.
I'm torn from my cheerful thoughts of death and dismemberment by my mate's small hand pressing into my chest. I look down, blinking when I realize I'm only a few feet from the front door. I hadn't even realized it, but I'd started walking towards the foul stench of the human, subconsciously intent on enacting my bloody promises.
"Stop," she commanded, eyeing me sternly. Looking around to include the rest of my brothers, she says, "I'm sure I don't want to know what the four of you are thinking, but I can guess. And the answer is no."
"But -" I began to protest.
"Chaol is our ally, at least for now, which means you will not attack him," Aelin cut me off sharply. I do my best not to pout.
But really, how important can the allegiance of one puny human be?
"I won't ask you to be polite, since I doubt you're capable of that," she continued with a roll of her eyes. "But there will be no violence. Understand?"
No. No, I did not understand. Anyone who looked sideways at my mate, let alone actually hurt her, deserved to be torn limb from limb.
She'd suffered through enough on her own in the long years following the fall of her kingdom, not to mention the miserable weeks we'd been apart. We hadn't been here to protect her, to support her, but we were now. And I'd be damned if I allowed anything, or anyone, to harm my mate under my watch.
My brothers grumbled alongside me, all of us clearly still affected by those long weeks apart, but it was evident Aelin would not be swayed. Half a minute of suffering under her fierce glare, and we're all nodding like the obedient fucking worms we are.
Rhysand is the last to fall, only acquiescing with a countered, "Fine. But he stays out of the apartment. Warehouse or roof only."
"You can't be serious," Aelin said flatly.
She looks entirely unimpressed, but honestly I don't blame him. Rhys is only doing what he can to obey her demand. I don't even want to think about how we'd react if we had to endure his scent intermingling with hers in her personal quarters, especially if he was that close to the bedroom where we'd finally reclaimed our mate.
"Warehouse or roof, otherwise I won't be held accountable for my actions." Rhys smiled cruelly, every inch the High Lord of Night.
Aelin huffed, but spun around, grumbling complaints under her breath that sounded suspiciously like, insufferable, egotistical, chest-beating neanderthal fucking fae males.
But I could be wrong.
Swinging open the door, she brushes past the silhouette of the man standing there and begins marching down the steps with nothing more than a sharp, "Follow me." Rowan followed behind her closely, shooting an approving glance over his shoulder as Az, Rhys and I hung back.
As soon as Aelin is out of earshot, we exchange meaningful glances. We haven't spent centuries on the killing fields together to not immediately know what the others are thinking, even without our usual mind link.
"Aelin may have clipped our wings," Az murmured, "But that doesn't mean we can't ensure Chaol is aware of the bloody consequences of insulting our mate."
"Oh, no. After today, he'll understand the wrath he'll incur if he even thinks about Aelin with anything but the utmost respect," Rhys chuckles wickedly.
Three sets of fangs flash in the afternoon sunlight, sealing our ominous vow. As one, we turn and stalk down the stairs into the first floor warehouse after Aelin. Though we'd trust Rowan with any of our lives, all of us want this so-called Captain within eyesight during any interaction with our precious mate.
A quick scan of the floor found Aelin rooting around in a cabinet on the far side of the room. Rowan stood at the large door opposite of the staircase, eyes fixed on the middle of the space.
And there he was.
Standing before one of the many crates in the cavernous warehouse stood the male who could only be this Captain, this Chaol - stupid fucking name, if you ask me.
He was tall, for a human, but still several inches shorter than any fae male I'd ever met, his brown hair unremarkable. He looked strong enough for a human, I supposed, even if all of them had an inherent frailty to them I could never overlook.
Aelin had been the only one I hadn't immediately thought of as weak, back when I had believed her to be Celaena. But then again, she had always been exceptional, no matter what form she took.
When we reached the base of the stairs, the man turned to look at us, and I wanted to snarl and laugh in equal measure.
This man had been Aelin's lover?
He was so incredibly ... average. Not exceedingly handsome, not a hint of extraordinary intelligence shining through his dull, copper-colored eyes. I wouldn't think twice about him after passing him on the street, and I would certainly never consider him a threat.
But based on the way his eyes widened, his pulse beginning to hammer wildly beneath his skin, the massively unimpressive Captain had clocked us as one.
Which was good.
Because we were a threat. Especially to him.
At that moment, Aelin sauntered back into the center of the room, clutching several large scrolls to her chest. She narrowed her eyes at us suspiciously, but still offered stilted introductions.
"Chaol," she said dryly, "meet Rhysand, Cassian and Azriel."
Oh, so that's how she was going to play it?
Bold choice, little mate, bold choice.
"I prefer High Lord, actually," Rhys said smoothly, "I'll allow my General and Spymaster to dictate their own titles. I'm sure you understand ... Captain, wasn't it?"
By the cauldron, I'd never enjoyed his arrogant High Lord persona more.
I tried to control the smirk that threatened, but based on Aelin's scoff and pointed glare, I'm not sure I succeeded. Oh well, the human needed to understand who his superiors were.
"All in addition to the Prince?" The human turned to Aelin, huffing an incredulous laugh that turned condescending as soon as he bitterly added, "You sure know how to collect powerful friends, don't you, Aelin?"
I did not like the sound of my mate's name on his lips.
Not at all.
But Azriel, it seemed, had been paying attention to the more important part of that little statement.
"Friends?" Az asked, his voice deceptively soft with feigned curiosity. "Is that what they call mates in this realm? From what Rowan told us, I thought it was closer to another term amongst the humans ... husband, perhaps?"
The Captain's face paled at remarkable speed.
Part of me wondered how well educated a country that had been devoid of magic and the fae for decades could be on the mate bond. If the stupid man had even an inkling of the amount of danger he was in, all due to his past relationship.
"No, you're correct, Az," Rowan said smoothly, purposefully not using his title, "Considering Aelin accepted the mate bond with the four of us, we're considered good as married, even in this backwards cesspool of a country."
We all pretended not to hear Aelin grumbling and swearing under her breath.
The Captain's eyes jerked between the five of us, doing his best impersonation of a gaping fish - too astonished by our revelation to even catch Rowan's blatant insult to his beloved homeland.
He opened and closed his mouth several times before saying, his nose scrunching in a combination of confusion and disgust, "Excus- What? The five of you, together? Five? That-"
If he was about to insult my mate bond, not even my promise to Aelin would hold me back.
"Before you say something you might regret, Captain, I should warn you -" I interrupted the bumbling man, "The fae are incredibly protective of their mates, and will not suffer any disrespect to them, real or imagined. And we wouldn't want me to accidentally rip out your tongue, now would we?"
He snapped his jaw shut with a satisfying click. I appreciated the way he gulped nervously at the sight of four fae warriors watching him as if he might be dinner. I almost wished I had a fae form like Rowan, one where that wouldn't be too far from the truth.
"Enough," Aelin said, her voice edged with steel.
We stilled, but didn't look away from Chaol, cataloging his every reaction, down to the most minute twitch. He was frozen in fear, a helpless bunny faced with a pack of ravenous wolves.
"Apologies, Princess," Azriel purred in a seductive promise, and oh - that got a twitch out of the Captain. "Please, continue your meeting. We're only here to offer our support, as always."
The unlike others was left unsaid, but Chaol still ground his jaw at the implication.
Aelin let out an exasperated sigh, but I know I didn't miss the affection glittering in her eyes. Stalking towards a large crate, she rolled out one of the scrolls on top of it, using it as a makeshift table.
Not looking up from the parchment, she said, "I've marked these with everything I know from my time in the castle, but anything you or your contacts can fill in regarding these gaps in the defenses would be appreciated."
Silence greeted her.
She looked up, amusement flooding her gorgeous face when she realized that Chaol hadn't moved a muscle, still trapped under our bloodthirsty stares, eyes flicking warily between the four unknown predators he found himself faced with.
"They won't bite, you know," she crooned, and I had to stifle a laugh.
Because we most definitely would.
Chaol jolted towards her voice, startled, before leveling her with an unbelieving stare. At least he wasn't entirely moronic, clearly smart enough to recognize the threat we posed.
That was good.
It meant he would be more likely to take our planned ... words of caution seriously.
Moving towards the crate, Chaol looked over what I assumed were maps, careful to keep a respectful distance between himself and Aelin.
Good.
"What are these maps for?" he demanded. "You to bring down the clock tower?"
"Maybe," Aelin hummed.
Chaol's jaw twitched, and I wanted to crow in victory at how she guarded her plans from the useless fuck.
But instead of expressing his irritation, he said, "I haven't heard from my contacts within the castle guards for a few days. I'll make contact soon."
Aelin nodded, handing off a smaller version of the map for him to take with him. She was calm, unfazed.
At her silence, Chaol said, "When do you make your move?"
"Soon."
Again, it wasn't an answer, and I could barely repress the smug smile that threatened.
The Captain ground his teeth, but said, "Is there anything you're willing to tell me?"
"I'd start avoiding the sewers," Aelin retorted glibly, "It's your death warrant if you don't."
Ah, yes. The wyrdhounds. I felt my irritation peak at the reminder of one of the many ways Aelin put herself at risk while we'd been apart.
I couldn't wait to tear the stone demons into pieces with my bare hands.
Chaol stared at Aelin for a long moment, before he said, "That's it, not going to explain why?"
Aelin shrugged, unrepentant. "It doesn't matter, as long as you don't go down there."
I could see his jaw clenching at the pure dismissal dripping from her tone, but something about the way his eyes sparked at her consternation had my hackles raising.
This little tete a tete couldn't end sooner.
Miraculously, at that moment, Aedion shouted down the stairs to request Aelin's presence. At his words, she shot a wary glance at the four of us, but ultimately swallowed a groan of acceptance, and began moving towards the upstairs apartment.
At the foot of the stairs, she turned back, telling Chaol brusquely. "I'd apologize for what's about to happen, but I've already saved your sorry ass so, just know - you'll be fine."
Once the last wisps of her sun-blessed hair vanished into the apartment doorway, I turned my attention towards the current person of interest.
My brothers and I converged on the Captain, drawing closer until we surrounded him entirely, no more than a foot apart.
The delicious scent of fear perfumed the warehouse, and I took a greedy inhale. It was time to show the sheep where they belonged.
"You're lucky, you know," Rhysand began conversationally.
"E-Excuse me?" Chaol stuttered, eyes wide and fearful.
"Lucky," Rowan said, "because Aelin, our mate, already forbade us from harming you."
I couldn't help the low growl of displeasure that crept up my throat at the reminder. If I had my way, Chaol's head would no longer be attached to his body.
"I," Chaol straightened, attempting to regain his nonexistent authority, and said, "What is that supposed to mean?"
I laughed darkly. "What is that supposed to mean?" I mocked. "Did you think that you could call Aelin, call our mate, a monster - and get away with it?"
He blanched, and I reveled in his terror. I was glad he was afraid.
He should be.
"Pathetic," Az scoffed, "You're utterly pathetic."
"I should kill you for the audacity of daring to lay a finger on her," I hissed, "Let alone for acting as though your worthless self is in any way superior to her."
The human had begun to tremble. I had never enjoyed the innate threat of my physical presence so much.
He should be trembling.
He should be frightened. He should be fucking terrified.
Because if I had my way?
He'd be fucking dead.
Rhysand cocked his head. Even without his powers, I had never seen him appear more sinister than he did in this moment.
"This is your only warning," Rhys said, his voice smooth and unbothered, "You insult her again, we kill you. You look at her with anything other than respect, we tear your limbs off. You dare to fucking touch her?" He smiled, and it was the furthest fucking thing from friendly. "And I promise you, you'll wish you were dead long before we tire of torturing you."
Chaol was now paler than a corpse, looking around wildly for an escape that didn't exist.
I made sure his eyes were fixed on mine for my next words.
"You even fucking breathe wrong around Aelin ever again, and you'll wish you'd never been born," I swore. "I don't care what kind of insanity possessed her before, but you don't deserve to kiss the ground she walks on. She is a gods-damn queen and she. Is ours."
Rowan smiled, if his terrifying grimace could count as such, as Azriel added, "Ignore our warnings, and I'll be more than happy to demonstrate why no captive has ever held up against my interrogations. Please, try to test us, I'm dying to discover how humans hold up once their skin has been peeled from their body."
The sharp stench of piss clouded the air, and I smiled.
At least he finally knew who he was dealing with.