Chapter 59

**MIHAI POV**

I hang back whilst Mae hugs her father, feeling the swelling of jealousy begin to rumble in my chest, and it does nothing but make me more furious with her, and myself. She has done nothing to show that she will betray me, but there are times when i am not there, and during those times she is always with Garne. Something must be happening between them.
I'll find out the truth, but i have to wait until the aging ceremony is over before i talk to Mae. She has enough on her mind right now and i don’t want to add to that. Not yet.
Perhaps i am overreacting, it could be just a friendship as she told me, but before i can allow Garne back into the house, i need to know that there is nothing more between them.
If he has touched her in any way, i will saw off his hands and tie them around his neck for everyone to see. She is MINE.
Mae glances at me for a moment, but doesn’t say a word. I can tell she is angry with me, but i don’t care. It is my job to keep her safe, and i will do that, but in return i want loyalty and respect.
“Are you ready to go inside?” Luthor asks his daughter, trying to be gentle with her.
He doesn’t realise that she is the furthest thing from gentle.
But he will learn.
“I’m ready.” She says with a nod.
I follow close behind them as Mae takes his hand, i can hear her heartbeat from here, she is frightened. But she won’t say it aloud. She doesn’t want anyone seeing her weakness.
She acts strong, but on the inside, she is vulnerable, and she feels alone. The people she cared about abandoned her, and now she is surrounded by Nati that she barely knows whilst entering the most important moment of her life.
I guess I'd feel frightened too, she is coming into a world she knows very little about, and she is doing it without the support of her family.
Maybe taking Garne away at this moment wasn’t a good idea, i should have waited. I should have found out the truth before i separated them.
I sigh quietly, it is too late to change what i have done, but perhaps i can make it up to her somehow.
I let my emotions guide my decision without considering the effect it would have on her. When did i lose my mind over my own feelings? I have always been in control, every second of my life since i had my own aging ceremony. I have never let myself get close to anyone, let alone have an emotional attachment to a woman.
But Mae is different from other women, and perhaps, she is worth sacrificing emotional control for.
She makes me crazy. But I'm not sure i hate it.
In fact, i pretty sure that i am growing quite fond of these new emotions, especially the warmth i feel when she smiles at me.
“Weren’t you bringing a friend?” Luthor asks, leading Mae into the old building.
My entire family have had their aging ceremonies in this building, the walls are soundproof and it is far enough away from the mortal world, the hunters have no idea it even exists. She should be safe here.
I hope.
She looks back at me, frowning, “He couldn’t make it, though i am sure he had a good reason.”
There is anger in her eyes, pure fury at what i had done, and a part of me, a small part, regrets my choice.
“That is a shame, but you will be fine here with myself and Mihai.” Luthor says, oblivious to the rage she is throwing at me. “Our combined power should make the pain more bearable.”
Mae's eyes widen around the edges, “What pain?” she asks.
I flinch at the clear accusation in her eyes as she looks at me, and she is right to be angry, i thought i was protecting her by telling her nothing. But i have brought her into this blind, and that is much, much worse than the truth.
Luthor glances at me, confused, “You haven’t told her what to expect?” he sighs, shaking his head, “I knew i should have done it myself.”
“She was terrified enough, i left out the parts she would fear.” I growl, everyone thinks i am wrong, yet i made the decision to protect her.
I'll give Luthor the control, for now. But soon he will need reminding exactly who she belongs to.
He ignores me and turns to his daughter, “The transition is agony, unlike anything you have ever felt before, but once you take the first drink of my blood, the pain will lessen, and the bloodlust will start.” his voice is calm, emotionless. “That is when the danger begins, you will get your power, and you will be unable to control it right away, not until you’ve had human blood.”
Mae looks like she might puke as she holds a hand over her mouth, “I have to drink human blood?” she gasps, finding it hard to breathe.
Luthor glances at me again, anger in his eyes, “you really should have prepared her for this, she has spent her life living as a mortal, she doesn’t understand much of our world.” he doesn’t give me a chance to respond before he turns back to Mae, “You don’t have to kill them, but you will need to drink from them. We have brought someone for you to use, someone willing.”
“There are willing humans?” she asks, slowly regaining her composure, “I find that hard to believe.”
Luthor looks down at his watch, “We should go to the moon room.”
“What is a moon room?” Mae asks, jumping when i take her hand in mine.
“The transition is much faster when you have a direct view of the moon.” i explain, pulling her along the dark corridor, small lamps at either side of us, carried by the guards Luthor brought.
Mae doesn’t look angry anymore, just sad and nervous, which i can live with. She is strong. She will get through this night, and then we can spend the next hundred years destroying the council and making us all free.
She tilts her head, biting her bottom lip, “Why?”
“No one knows, it is just knowledge that has been passed down through the generations of each family, right back to the first.” i explain, stopping for a moment to kiss the top of her head, “I am sorry for not preparing you, from now on, i will tell you everything, no matter how hard it is to hear.”
She smiles up at me, “Thank you.”
A smile is better than a scowl, and for now, it is the best i can hope for after taking away her friend.
We enter the moon room and Mae gasps, her eyes wide as she looks around, “It’s beautiful.” She whispers.
But to me, she is the most beautiful thing in the room, and I'm going to have to watch her scream.