Chapter 17

MAVROS' POINT OF VIEW

My brother had succeeded in ruining everything and there was absolutely nothing I could do because she refused to listen to me. She did not want to hear my side of the story, which led me to believe she believed my brother more than me. She trusted Aspro more than me because, well; I was always the bad guy. I had done nothing but hurt her, even when I was just doing my job as a god of destruction.

Aspro was always the good guy, so she would believe anything that came out of his mouth. I was the awful one who would always be perceived as a liar and a murderer. Might as well live up to what she saw me as.

After she left, I teleported myself to the eye of Irithra. I was on a mission there before I returned to check on the woman who never trusted me. The council asked me to get rid of the Irithra ruler, a ruthless half moonwalker, half demon, Zeyra Moon, since her reign was over. Torturing and killing her would help ease the stress I was feeling.

"Let me ask you," I sat across from Zeyra, who was being held still by my power in a partially lit room. "Have you ever loved someone?"

All I got was a growl and a wave of heat as she tried to burn me. Her deathly eyes stared at me with a disturbing need to get rid of me, and another growl burst from her mouth when I made the room brighter. She was not happy to see me again. Flickering fire adorned her head without burning the hair on her head.

"Release me." She growled out, trying to wriggle herself free.

"Have you ever loved someone?" I repeated, completely ignoring her request.

She breathed out smoke from her nostrils. "Yes. When I was a moonwalker."

"How did it feel?"

She was silent for a while. "It was confusing. One minute we would be happy and the next, we'd be fighting. Love isn't a straightforward thing."

Agreed.

She stopped struggling. "Are you in love?"

"No."

Her lips stretched into a smile. "You are in love."

"I am not." I tightened my fist to make it more uncomfortable for her.

"Then why would you ask me such a question?"

"For torture purposes."

"Is that so?" There was a slight tease in her voice. "If you say so."

We remained in silence for a while, with me thinking about Valeria. Why wouldn't she listen to me? Was I that much of an untrustworthy person? She wouldn't even hear my side of the story before siding with my brother—the perfect god.

"There's a mortal,"

"Aha!" Zeyra exclaimed, "I knew there was a reason you asked me that question."

For someone I would murder in some minutes, she was very relaxed. I ignored what she said and continued, "She doesn't trust me. Never has." Zeyra remained silent, attentively listening, probably hoping to get on my good side. "But it's different for my brother. It's easy for her to believe a word that comes out of his mouth. Today, she said she loved me, but I failed to tell her how I felt because my brother's words had gotten to her already."

"Is this the reincarnation of Zariya we're talking about? The werewolf queen?"

A nod. "She doesn't think I feel the same way she does because if I did, we would have been summoned by the council."

"Do you at least feel something?"

"I feel two things." I answered. "Confusion and," I paused. "Love?"

"Then why haven't you been summoned by those shit-faced council members? You know, those people are—AH!" I'd put more pressure on her neck. "Sorry." She choked out.

"Because it isn't solely love." I said. "Back then, my brother was not aware it was against the rules to love a mortal, so he loved freely. I know it is not allowed, which is why I cannot allow myself to love her completely. She doesn't understand."

"Then explain it to her."

"She doesn't want to talk to me. She's upset."

Zeyra rolled her eyes. "Keep trying until she agrees to talk to you. Women are like that. We need to see your sincerity, and I'm sure it's the same for her. Show her you are sincere and hopefully, she sees reasons with you."

Sincerity, aye?

"You have a point." I let go of her. "Maybe I'll have to fail a mission for the first time. I won't kill you. Not today, at least."

"Thank goodness." She got to her feet and two modest wings extended themselves fully. Spiky bones and feathers of flesh stretched upward as if just waking up. She came closer to me, her eyes never leaving mine. "Go get her."

I bit back a smile. "I don't know why you seem more excited than I am."

She stretched her neck from side to side. "Your brother annoys me."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He is too soft and it makes me angry."

Amused, I stood up and made my way to the door. "I'll see you in a few years, Zeyra. You keep doing what you do best."

"Gladly."

<<<>>>
When I returned to the mortal realm, Drake told me Valeria was in her study as I had expected. She'd go there whenever she was stressed. Working was kind of a stress reliever for her. Using stress to get rid of stress. Weird mortal. I knocked on the door and waited for her to grant me permission to come in.

"Go away." Came her response.

"Val, please talk to me."

If my friends in the Alynthi were to see me begging a woman, they'd laugh at me or make jokes about it.

"Go away, Mavros. I don't want to talk to you."

"I'm coming in."

"Go-" she let out a sigh when she saw me. "I didn't say you could come in, did I?"

I shut the door. "I need to talk to you."

"Not in the mood." She lowered her eyes to the papers that were before her. "So, go away and let me be." She looked at me. "Please."

"I didn't play games with you," I began, despite her lack of interest in speaking to me. "Maybe in the beginning, I did. That was the plan after all."

She clicked her tongue. "Congratulations, Mavros, it worked."

"V," I sat down. "It was for your own good, I promise."

"How'd that turn out?" She reclined in her seat. "I fell for you, Mavros. How did that help me since everything was just part of a plan to you?"

"Things changed." I said. "A lot changed. I..." the words stuck in my throat, refusing to come out. "I..."

"You what?" she pressed, impatient. "Spit it out already."

"I love you."

When I said those darn three words, I felt as though some sort of burden was lifted off of me. I felt better; I felt free.

"Oh, common." She stood up. "Stop lying to me already. You may have fooled me before, but it won't happen again."

I also got to my feet. "Valeria, will you at least hear me out?"

"No."

Without sparing me another glance, she walked out of the study. I quickly followed her, only to stop in my tracks when I saw my brother. The way he looked at me made me feel like I had dirt on me. It made me feel as though I was too flawed to love and I was not as perfect as he was. Was perfection a criterion to love?

"I thought you left." Aspro had both arms crossed over his chest.

I ignored him and went after Valeria. Talking to him would only aggravate me.

"Mavros." Aspro latched onto my arm, stopping me. "Let her be."

I took some steps back to look at him. "What was that?"

"Let go of whatever it is you think you feel for her. She deserves better. Anyone else would be perfect for her. Anyone but you. All you'll do is hurt her and I don't want that. She's been through a lot already."

I shoved his hand off. "And who are you to tell me what to do and not do? Do you think you are Selene?"

"I knew you'd react like this."

"What do you mean, you knew I'd react like this?" I eyed him wearily. He'd done something. I was certain of it. "What did you do?"

"Mother wants to see you."

Well, fuck.

"And," he continued. "She'll be with the council."

"Tell them I won't come."

Aspro lifted a brow. "Are you certain about that?"

"Yes."

"Then they'll do something to Valeria."

Had he lost his mind or was this all part of a heartbreak phase? What nonsense was he spilling? He wouldn't get Valeria involved with the council, would he?

"You're blackmailing me." I stated.

"I realize that already. Go to them or I'll involve her."

"If something happens to her, I'll so fuck you up and I won't mind paying the price."

<<<>>>

Realm of the gods (Alynthi)

When Aspro said the council wanted to see me, he wasn't kidding around. The members were seated when I arrived, patiently waiting for me to settle down. Selene sat in the center as she was the one who called for the meeting, probably after my brother said something to her.

"Mavros," she began. "Your brother came to me today to inform me of something you did with the Alpha queen and I must say I am not quite pleased with it. Secondly, it has come to our attention that the mortal in question is in love with you. Do you know that?"

"Yes." I answered.

"And we also know that you feel something for her as well even though it is not completely love. Guilty?"

"Guilty."

"Why is that?"

I put both hands behind me—a sign of respect here. "What's not to love about her? She's beautiful, she is strong-willed; a fighter. She's everything a man wants."

"Do we have to remind you that you are not a man?" Another member said. "You, Mavros, are a god. A god of destruction and nothing can change that."

"Doesn't mean I cannot love someone who isn't."

"You cannot." Selene. "It is against the rules. You know it."

"What happens then?" I inquired, annoyed. "You'll punish her for something I'm responsible for?"

"No." Selene said. "Since the both of you are on a path to destruction, we have decided the best thing to do is keep you in Alynthi until everything subsides."

"You're joking." I tried to open a portal to the mortal realm. It didn't work. "You cannot be serious."

"Until everything becomes normal, you'll remain here."

That Aspro was an ass. How could he tell on me? Now, look what he's done. I couldn't leave Alynthi and it was his fault. He caused this.

"What about Aspro? He shouldn't be there either."

"He will spend six days with Valeria. That is, he will be there until Zariya's time in the mortal realm is over. After that is over, he will come home. That mortal will have no other choice but to mate with someone in her world. A werewolf."

"But-"

"Case closed."

All except Selene disappeared. She advanced toward me and took off her cloak, revealing shiny black hair and glowing eyes. Sometimes, I wondered how a goddess as pure as herself had a god like me. I was nothing like her.

"Son, I can sense anger in your heart."

"I'm upset, Selene. I don't know what you expect to feel if not anger."

"Your brother is only trying to ensure things don't go out of hand."

"No." I corrected. "My brother is a selfish bastard who wants Valeria to love him even though she doesn't and would never feel anything for him."

"You have it all wrong, son." She made Valeria and Aspro before us. The pair were walking into the hospital. "They are doing nothing wrong."

I rolled my eyes. "Of course they are not. You see nothing wrong in Aspro."

"You're both my sons and I love you both equally. No one is better than the other. You're equals."

"Doesn't seem like it."

"It is true."

"Then bring him here. Bring him to Alynthi."

She shook her head and the mirror disappeared. "He needs to be there for Valeria. She will need all the help she can get just in case Zariya loses it. Leaving her alone would result in awful things happening."

"I was helping her before your pals asked for me."

Selene covered her hair with the cloak once more. "The more you stay around her, the more she is in danger. The moment you love her completely, we'll split her again. This time, Fitia will not be able to help you or your brother. She'll be gone for good."

"You don't understand."

Her voice went low--a way she often ended discussions. "It's final."