The Council Ch. 16

His brother in law smiled even though he was feeling worried inside. "World War III," he grinned back.

***** Cedar waited impatiently for Alexei to come home to her. She knew he was fine because Demetri had told her so but until he stepped through the door her wolf wouldn't settle.

She had planned what she would say to him. She knew he would be resistant but she was determined to have her way. She wasn't expecting it to be easy but it had to be done. She was prepared for the pain. At the end of it she would be able to mate fully with her vampire, she would be able to have the children she'd always dreamed of. It would be worth every second of pain she experienced.

Her heart thudded wildly inside her as the front door opened and Alexei stepped into the house. Her keen gaze took in that he had changed his clothes. He had most probably showered too to clean himself before coming home. The fight must have been pretty bloody to have prompted him to do so.

She stared at him silently, drinking in his intense expression, the sheer power and sensuality that rolled off him with ease. God, he was so spectacular and he was all hers, forever. Now they could truly be together.

Alexei let his gaze roam over Cedar's beautiful face. He was still pumped up from the fight, his feral side still close to the surface though he had worked hard to suppress it. He could see the determination in his mate's stunning blue eyes. He knew what was coming and he could feel the wolf part of his nature becoming agitated inside him.

His expression hardened instantly as he moved across the room towards his wolf, coming to stand in front of her. "No," he said quietly. He didn't need to say anything further, didn't need to elaborate what he meant. She knew and her expression set into an even more determined mask.

He reached for her as she opened her mouth to argue with him, as he knew she would, pulling her abruptly against his body and silencing her instantly with a hard kiss. The moment their lips touched he groaned deeply. She tasted amazing as she always did, her sweet scent wrapping around him, tempting him and teasing him until he was hard and aching for her.

He kept kissing her, sucking her deeper and deeper into her desire so she couldn't think straight about anything except the feel of his body against her, the touch of his hands roaming down her back to cup her ass and pull her hard against his straining shaft.

He groaned against her mouth, his tongue diving inside to taste every delicious inch of her. He wanted her. His lust was rising sharply, the need to lose himself in her beautiful body to escape the death and destruction that had occurred such a short time before burning through him. He had initially kissed her to stop her from asking the impossible of him, now he craved her to soothe the savageness inside of him.

Cedar tried not to succumb to him. She knew what he was doing, that he was ruthlessly using her passion against her but she was quickly sinking beneath the onslaught of his incredible sensuality. He fought so dirty when he was determined to win. For a moment she almost gave up the fight before it had even started but then she wrenched her mouth from his and pushed hard against his chest.

Her sudden movement surprised him and he took a step back, naked hunger still burning in his smoky brown eyes. "Alexei," she breathed unevenly also taking a step backwards to get more space. She watched the hunger die from his eyes to be replaced by coldness.

"I said no, Cedar and I meant it," he said harshly. "Don't even bother asking me to do it because I won't." Didn't she understand that he'd seen enough blood and pain already tonight? He took no pleasure from killing, well most of the time he didn't. There had been the odd time when he'd had a personal axe to grind and he had enjoyed the pain he'd inflicted on others. But mostly it was a necessary evil that needed to be done.

Tonight had been a culmination of both. The Council had to be taken down so they had done so. The only pleasure he had taken was watching Andrei take apart Roberto. He had felt his brother's agony at the thought of losing his child. Andrei had deserved to have his retribution for what had been done to Loretta.

Killing Daniel had been the only other pleasure he had taken but he had been merciful about it. He had done it for Loretta and for his brother. The Elder had hurt his family so had to die. It was a simple as that.

Now his wolf wanted him to hurt her. She wanted him to take her to the point of death so he could then heal her and he didn't want to do it. It wasn't that he didn't want to mate with her fully, that he didn't crave to taste the sweetness of the precious life's blood which ran through her veins. He wanted it as much as she did but he couldn't bring himself to cause her any pain.

He watched disappointment cross her face and then her expression settled into that stubborn look that he'd quickly come to recognise meant that she had no intention of losing this fight. He stifled down a groan and took a deep breath.

"You won't?" Cedar echoed in a dangerously quiet voice. "So, you think this a decision that only you get to make, Alexei? You don't think that I get to have a say in what happens in my life?" Her hands came to her hips, her head tilting slightly to the left as her eyes narrowed with irritation.

Alexei snorted loudly, frowning at her. "This isn't about who's being the most dominant here and you know it, Cedar, so don't even try that one on me," he ground out, a hint of anger creeping into his voice. He could feel his temper sparking and worked to contain it. Losing their temper wasn't going to make the situation any easier.

"I am not going to hurt you and that's the end of the matter," he continued in a more even tone, moving away from her to sit down on the large sofa. Maybe if there was some distance between them they'd be able to calm down a bit before things escalated into a real fight. He knew his wolf wasn't going to let it go so he had to ensure he maintained control.

Cedar watched him silently for a moment, struggling with her own temper and also the deep feeling of disappointment washing over her. She tried to dampen it down. She had known this wasn't going to be easy. If she was too confrontational with him then she'd only anger him and they'd get nowhere. She could see that he was already struggling with his temper as it was.

"Alexei, you know what this means to me," she finally said in a quiet tone. "What it means for us. We both know it's not going to be easy for either of us but the trade off is so worth it." She kept her tone reasonable, moving to stand before him.

"I know you crave to taste me," she said softly. "Every time we make love you have to hold back your very nature when all you want is to taste me in your mouth. You'd be able to do that, Alexei. No more abstaining, no more bottled blood. I'd be able to give you what you need, what you crave so badly."

Her words were like a siren's song. They tempted him unbearably, teased him with his heart's desire. She deliberately appealed to his blood lust, using it as a weapon against him. He wanted to curse at her as he fought to stop his mouth from watering at just the thought of sliding his fangs into her fragile skin, of feeling her hot blood flow into his mouth and down his throat.

"Enough, Cedar," he growled softly, his eyes burning with fire as he looked up at her. "I can control my urges. I don't need you offering yourself as food to me." His voice was harsher than he intended it to be but that was because he was fighting hard with the need she had suddenly stirred inside him. She was very good, his wolf. She knew just where to hit him where it would tempt him the most.

"What if it's what I want, Alexei?" she breathed softly kneeling down between his legs, placing her hands on his upper thighs and stroking him gently. "What if it's what I crave too? I'm a wolf, love. Biting is second nature to us, being bitten the greatest aphrodisiac. Do you know how much I long to feel you bite me? How much I long to join with you as you bite me that first time and mate completely with me?" She teased him mercilessly, rubbing her hands closer and closer to the rigid hardness in his jeans.

With a muffled groan, Alexei grabbed her hands, peeling them away from his body and bending down until he was eye level with her. "I will not do this," he said firmly, spacing his words to get his point across. "No amount of tempting will make me change my mind so just drop it, Cedar. I've had a hard night and I don't want to fight with you. I need some peace, sweetheart. I need the peace that I can only find when I'm with you."

His voice dropped an octave or two, a slight plea in it as he touched her cheek gently. He needed her to stop now while he was still able to hold onto his temper. His feral side was slow to abate tonight and anything could set it off. He truly did need the peace she could bring to him.

Cedar was torn. She could see the effects the night had had on him. She could only imagine what had happened in the Council chambers. She knew he would have been in the thick of it, that he would have stood beside his brother unflinchingly. But their mating was equally as important. If they didn't do it soon, before he could really think about it and harden his heart against it then she was certain that it would never happen.

"I want to mate with you," she breathed softly. "I want what the others have. I've been willing to give up everything for you, Alexei. My pack, my chance of having children, my family. Everything that I've ever loved I've been willing to turn my back on so I could be with you. This is all I ask of you, Alexei. Please don't refuse me."

He felt his heart wrench painfully in his chest. He couldn't deny her words because he knew they were true. She had been willing to give up everything for him. But he still couldn't give her what she wanted. He couldn't even make his talons come out thinking about hurting her. It was an impossible situation. He couldn't grant her request and it cut him deeply that he couldn't.

The wolf within him howled. His feral side rebelled. The two sides fought within him, the feral side the victor as it strove to protect him from the duality going on inside him. He felt it rise up sharply and he struggled to maintain some control.

"This subject is over, Cedar," he bit out. "Drop it now or I won't be responsible for my actions. I won't hurt you!" His voice was harsh with the strain of holding onto his temper. He shouldn't have come here. He knew what was waiting for him and he knew he was still too pumped up from the fight. He should have stayed away until he was in better control of himself.

He watched disappointment cross her face and then he saw her eyes flare with anger and he growled loudly, standing up abruptly. He had to get out of there before things escalated any further. Cedar wouldn't stop, she would keep pushing at him and he needed to put distance between them.

Cedar couldn't believe the autocratic stance he was taking. She knew he was angry but she was starting to feel angry too. If she didn't know any better she would have thought Alexei didn't want to fully mate with her. She couldn't believe that was the case because she had no idea how her wolf would react to that.

At the moment she was irritated deep within her but not particularly concerned. But if her wolf started to believe that their mate didn't want to complete the mating? The prospect was frightening.

It hadn't been an issue before because neither of them had thought a complete mating was possible but now that they knew it was...her wolf could conceive this as their mate rejecting them and the possibility of turning Rogue was suddenly going to become an issue.

Cedar's heart thumped painfully hard in her chest, a little shiver of fear taking root. It was now doubly important that she convince Alexei to mate with her as soon as possible but everything she had tried so far had failed. She swallowed hard as she felt her wolf stir again in agitation.

"Alexei, you can't refuse me," she whispered a hint of panic creeping into her voice. "You can't refuse the mating. Remember what you researched about Weres!" She saw fury blaze across his face and she reached for him but he pulled out of her grasp, heading towards the front door.

"You should clarify what you meant about not hurting me, Alexei," she called after him, desperation in her voice as her wolf howled loudly at his retreat. "You meant you don't want to hurt me physically. You don't appear to mind hurting me emotionally." It was a cheap shot and she knew it the instant she said it but she stood her ground tilting her chin up defiantly.

"Fuck!" Alexei roared furiously, his control snapping. He couldn't believe she'd said that to him, that she'd even think that he would do anything to hurt her in any way. He glared furiously at her before turning to leave the house. The wildness within him was unbearable. He had to get out of the house immediately

"Running away?" Cedar taunted, her pain ruling her in a way she'd never experienced before. She wanted to be with him so much but he didn't appear to want the same as she did. Her wolf howled mournfully. "Is that what you do when situations get too difficult for you to deal with?"

She was tumbling backwards before she knew it, being pressed hard against the wall by her furious mate. He hissed loudly in her face, his eyes sparkling wildly for a moment before his expression smoothed out and he leaned down to scent the side of her neck.

"No, I usually just kill whoever's pissing me off," he whispered in a deadly tone, his breath hot against her ear as she shivered against him. "But I can't do that with you, Cedar so I'd rather walk away until I calm down." He released her immediately turning to leave once more.

"Alexei, don't go," she called after him as he reached the door. "We need to talk about this!" There was a hint of a plea in her voice but he continued out the door slamming it hard behind him.

He didn't go far. He prowled angrily around the side of the building, staying within hearing and scenting range. His thoughts were in turmoil, his feelings hurt. The wolf within him paced in agitation. He growled loudly when he realised he was pacing in unison with the imaginary animal within. The wolf was a mental beast not a real creature as Weres possessed. The wolves the Weres turned into were living, breathing creatures, all animal instincts and vicious when challenged.

He paced up and down, listening to Cedar move about within the house as he struggled for control. He kept replaying everything in his mind trying to work out a way around the problem. He couldn't hurt her, that was a given. Not physically anyway, his feral side whispered to him. He had seen a wildness enter her eyes. He knew his refusal was hurting her emotionally. He cursed at himself for being so weak.

If he hadn't let her bite him then he would still be the way he used to be. Hurting her then wouldn't have been an issue. He would be able to do so without any problems.

Liar, the wolf barked inside his head. He hadn't been able to hurt her in the meadow last year and he had been fully vampire then. He had been his normal self then, not this confused mixed up hybrid he now was.

Alexei groaned and leaned against the building. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to make this right and he felt afraid. Would he lose his mate? Would his beautiful wolf leave him if he couldn't give her what she needed. He didn't think so. Wolves mated for life, he remembered reading that.

He stiffened suddenly, going completely rigid. Cedar's words tumbled over and over inside his head. What had she meant when she'd told him to remember what he'd researched about Weres? There was a hint of panic in her voice when she said it. What was it she was so desperate for him to remember. He closed his eyes and wracked his brain for the answer.

"Shhhh," Cedar whispered to her wolf, trying to soothe the agitated beast. "He does want to mate with us. He just doesn't want to inflict the pain that's required to do so. He loves us and wants to be with us. You know that."

She was resting her head against the sofa as she talked her wolf down, calming her until she settled once more. She swallowed hard as her wolf subsided back into a more even temper, rising slowly from the floor. She could scent Alexei close by.

A shudder of relief went through her that he hadn't left completely. They needed to resolve this but she was starting to think that maybe she should have waited to do so. Until they could come up with some way to get around the need for him to hurt her before healing her, nothing could be achieved.

She wandered into the kitchen area, intent on getting herself a glass of wine but her gaze fell on the wooden knife block instead. She froze as she stared at the sharp implements, her mind whirling. Alexei couldn't bring himself to hurt her but what if she was already hurt? He would have no choice but to heal her then.

A few steps was all it would take to reach the knives. Was he watching her? Would he be able to guess what was going through her mind right now? She swallowed again and took a tentative step forward.

Alexei's eyes opened his expression frustrated. He was still no nearer to figuring out what Cedar had meant about the Weres. The sudden silence within the house unsettled him. What was she doing? Had she gone upstairs and he just hadn't noticed it? He moved silently until he was in sight of one of the kitchen windows. His blood froze in his veins.

"Cedar!" he roared furiously moving so fast he was at her side before she had successfully managed to pull the knife out of the block. Fear pulsed through him, fear and then unimaginable fury.

"You stupid bloody fool," he yelled, shaking her hard as he pulled her away from the knives. "What do you think you were doing, Cedar? Are you so bloody intent on dying that you want to do it yourself?"

"One of has to do it," she yelled back at him, her face red with anger though her eyes were haunted. "You won't so that leaves only me, Alexei. You are my mate. I want to be with you fully. I want your babies! I want to feel you taste me and know that I'm nourishing you with the very essence you need to exist! I want to be joined with you completely."

A muffled sob escaped her as the sudden anger drained from her and she collapsed limply against him. "I need you," she whispered forlornly. "I need this."

Alexei held her tightly fear still racing through his stunned mind. If he had been a fraction of a second later. If he had been even a little bit further away than he had been. She could have died. The fear replaced his fury and he shook as he clutched his stubborn mate tighter.

"Promise me you won't try that again," he ground out hoarsely, unable to keep the fear out of his voice. "Promise me, Cedar. Please!"

His fear transmitted to her and she realised how foolish she had been, how pointless it was to try and force him to fully mate with her. She had to accept the fact that there was a high probability they would never mate. Her wolf howled loudly inside and she shivered. She would find a way to come to some compromise with her wolf. Turning Rogue wasn't a given. She usually had good control over her.

"I promise," she echoed, her voice sounding dull and lifeless. "I'm sorry I frightened you, Alexei. I won't do it again."

Cedar swallowed hard and pulled out of his embrace keeping her gaze averted from his. She swallowed again to try and dampen down her pain and disappointment. She had to accept that what they now had was all they were going to have. She had to be content with having what she could with him. If she pressed any harder then he could walk away forever. She walked out of the kitchen and headed upstairs.