Chapter 19: The Following Morning

Vanya awoke with the most terrible headache imaginable. She blinked her eyes open slightly, happy to discover that her surroundings were no longer spinning and that she was no longer in the bathroom, one of her last memories from the night before. 
For a brief while, she struggled to recall anything from the previous night that didn't involve her puking her guts into a cold toilet bowl. Selene had come to her room and told her about Alpha Callum's intention to send her away to The Capitol to be one of Lady Katarina's ladies-in-waiting. She was so angry and heartbroken that she ended up drinking with her sister. But then, halfway through their second bottle of vodka, Selene abandoned her, and she ended up knocking on a door and throwing up.
Hopefully, she didn't say or do anything stupid that reached her father, or worse, Alpha Callum, that would worsen her current situation.
Vanya spent the next ten minutes groaning, tossing and turning in her spot, unsure whether she should sleep the rest of the day or get up. She eventually decided that sleeping all day wasn't something she could afford right now, especially since she was about to be sent away.
Dragging herself out of bed, she slipped out of the blanket and headed over to her dresser when...
"Where the hell are my clothes?" she asked, staring at the shirts and pants hanging in front of her.
*Wait a minute.*
She gasped as she took a quick look around the room. She wasn't in her room.
*Where the fuck am I?*
Her stomach churned, and her head began to spin. She ran out of the room, looking for a bathroom, and puked the moment she saw the toilet.
"Are you all right?" Cassian asked, peering through the half-closed bathroom door.
"You!" Vanya stared at him in shock; even with her hair stuck to her forehead and bags under her eyes, he had to admit she was still breathtaking.
"In case you don't remember anything from last night, you knocked on my door, threw up on my toilet, and fell asleep on my bed."
She closed her eyes, then opened them, wiped her lips with the back of her hand, and sat carefully on the toilet. "Shit."
"Are you okay?"
"Define okay," she mumbled as she sniffed.
Cassian entered his bathroom, knelt beside her, and began caressing the back of her neck in a soothing manner.
"Come on, let me get you something to eat and drink for your hangover."
She got up with his assistance after flushing the toilet.
Then they were back on his sofa, like they had been the night before.
Everything felt more awkward between them, to say the least. But now that she was sober, Cassian wanted to ask her about her plan to go to The Capitol. He scratched the back of his head, opening his lips to ask, but she beat him to it.
"I'm so sorry," she gasped, a flush growing on her cheeks as she saw he was wearing nothing but his boxers.
She took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes, keeping her cool. It was better than staring at his bare midriff. 
He smiled at her with a crooked grin. "It's truly not a problem."
She smiled back at him. "No, seriously. Who the hell knocks on someone's door—wait, what time did I bother you?"
"2:35." He recalled. "And don't worry, I've been fantasizing about you banging on my door at 2 a.m.," he quipped. "
Vanya's cheeks turned bright red. "Well, um, wow." She licked her lips. "So, I hope I didn't say something crazy. Or maybe you did something... "
"No, we haven't had sex. If that's what you're trying to say."
Her blush deepened.
"Though I was very up for it, and you were kind of up for it, but... well, you were drunk. It just didn't feel right."
*I've seen you please yourself, and there's nothing I wouldn't have wanted to do but please you myself,* Cassian reflected.
Vanya grunted. "You're really straightforward, aren't you?"
"I am open and direct, yes. And you did say something, although not crazy, but a little odd."
"Oh, really?" She fidgeted in her seat. "What is it?"
"You asked me to accompany you to The Capitol so you could speak with the Royal Council."
That seemed to set her off a little. "Did I? Yes, I did. Oh, yeah!"
"And you were willing to go to any length for me to take you to The Capitol," Cassian smirked.
"Oh, no. Please stop. I don't want to know what else I did or said." Vanya frantically ran her fingers through her hair. "Please disregard whatever promises I may have made to you."
"You were practically throwing yourself at me..."
She laughed, rolling her eyes. "Are you serious?"
"Hey, I'm just trying to help you *remember*," he said with a grin.
"Well, I don't want to think about that," she reddened even more. "Please forget everything that has happened. And forget about the fact that I knocked on your door and puked in your bathroom. And don't even think about the fact that I slept in your bed. Please?"
"Why? You're worried Ares will be furious if he finds out?"
"This has absolutely nothing to do with him."
Cassian smiled, shook his head, and stood up. "Wait here."
"Where are you going?"
"Get you something for your hangover, mate."
Mate?
"Please, stop it. I'm still feeling like shit," she groaned softly as she sank onto the couch.
When Cassian returned, he handed her a glass with white liquid in it. "Here you go." 
She looked at it for a few seconds before asking, "What is that? It smells like dog shit."
"Bottoms up," he said. "Come on. You'll thank me later."
She took the glass with obvious hesitation and discomfort and took a long breath before sipping the drink. "It tastes like cough syrup.Where did you get it?"
"It's a home recipe for a hangover." Cassian smiled proudly.
"Well, thank you, but I have to go."
"OK, mate."
"Can you not? Please?" She rose from her seat, crossing her arms.
"Not what?" He looked at her, clearly perplexed. She was a few inches shorter than him, her head tilted up to look at his face, somewhat expectantly.
For him, Vanya was, indeed, fascinating. She was determined and self-assured. And as his mate, he wanted to get to know her better.
Cassian's thumb flitted across her jaw. He drew in closer, his lips next to her ear. "Call you mate?" he continued.
Their gazes were locked. "Yes," she ultimately said, pursed her lips.
"I know you know, Vanya," he replied quietly.
"What are you talking about?"
"Stop pretending you don't know."
"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about."
Before Cassian could even say anything more, Vanya took a step back and walked to his door as if nothing had happened.
"Vanya," he called her before she went for the knob.
"Thank you, Cassian," she said, quietly opening and closing his door. Outside, she sighed and leaned against his doorframe. For a moment, she tried to grasp what had just happened. Then she smiled as she walked down the corridor to the opposite wing.
"Vanya! There you are!" In an instant, Ares' voice wiped the smile from her face.
She stormed out, and as she passed a corner, the young general ran his hand through his hair and turned to look at her, and she hurriedly fled. He looked down the corridor just in time to see her round a different corner.
"Vanya! Please, Vanya, wait! "he called after her.
After a moment, Ares finally caught up with her. He grabbed her shoulder, spun her around, and drew her to a corner. He was taken aback by how upset she appeared to be.
"What? What do you want, Ares?" Vanya yelled. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes. She only cried like this when she was very angry.
"I-I, what's the matter?" Ares asked, taking a close look at her. "Why are you going around in your nightdress?"
Before responding, she looked at the ground. "I don't think I can do this anymore."
"What? What's the matter with you? I went down to the training field this morning, and Lachlan said you hadn't come up since this morning.
"It's none of your damn business."
"Alright. Clearly, something has happened. Vanya, tell me what it is. What exactly is going on?"
"You very well know what the hell is going on! So quit acting like you don't."
She heaved a sigh, angry that it had to be this way. She knew what would come next would hurt Ares, but she was still hurting from the fact that they were going to send her away to The Capitol.
"Vanya, I honestly don't know what's going on. I wouldn't be asking you if I hadn't. I wouldn't be this freaked out."
"I'm your mate, Ares, and you can't fight for me, and I'm sick of it!" she yelled at him, more forcefully than she meant.
"I-what?"
"You always assure me you'll deal with it, that you'll deal with your father. But I don't think you're doing anything to deal with your father's disapproval," she paused before exclaiming, "And I'm simply done with this!"
"Vanya, trust me, I'm not going to let anything come between us," he said firmly. "Not even my father."
"Then why－"
"What?"
"You know what? Forget it! It’s over."
"Over?! Why?! Is this because of Cassian?"
"This has absolutely nothing to do with him."
"Nothing? Vanya, I see how he looks at you. And I know he follows you around. I know how badly he wants you."
"Stop it! Just leave me alone."
"You’re not being fair."
"So are you!"
"But I don’t have any fucking idea what you’re on about."
"Figure it out!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
Ares stood there watching Vanya storm off to her room up the stairs. He couldn't believe how upset Vanya was with him. He'd never seen her like this before.
He walked slowly back to his men, who were waiting for him to discuss Lord Alaric's departure that evening. There was no way he could avoid resolving whatever was bothering Vanya, but he might talk to her again later that night.