His Little Fae

Seraphic Truths (II)

Over and over,

I fall for you.
____________________

Livius wasn't in his office when I went to go find him. Instead, the pack wolf who'd entered to tidy up the room had bowed her head and explained to me that he had a board meeting at Artemis Enterprises. The sun had already set, and when I asked when he'd return, she'd shook her head.

"It seemed a bit important. It may go well into the night, my Queen."

I prayed she didn't hear my frustrated snarl as I strode back into the hall. I suppose not finding him was a good thing. I needed time to rearrange my thoughts, to come to terms with this new awareness, and what it meant.

Alexius was alive. There were thousands of Fae out there under his command. He wanted revenge. Livius knew. And never told me.

I spent hours pacing in our bedroom, and of all the times for Livius to choose to pull an all-nighter, he chose the one day I was waiting for him. When he arrived the next day, I was already in his office, his exhausted features be damned.

"Well, good morning, moon," was the first thing he said, a steaming cup of coffee in hand while he strode in, ever the workaholic. He'd spent the whole night busying himself with his company and was coming back home to cover pack business.

He'd clearly already freshened up, and wasn't even planning on sleeping. Good.

I said nothing while he shrugged off his coat and draped it over the couch. He was dressed in a snug turtleneck, the fabric clinging to his taut muscles as he ran a hand through his hair. "What are you doing up so early?"

"Waiting for you."

Only after unwrapping his scarf, removing his gloves, and discarding them both on the same couch did Livius finally glance up at me. When he came over to wrap an arm around my waist and pull me into his chest, I didn't protest.

"Should I be concerned?" He asked, and my fingers fisted his turtleneck as I inhaled his scent of lilac and snow.

"Maybe."

Was I angry? Yes, a bit.

Okay, perhaps more than a bit. Was I confused? Very. Was I uncertain? Definitely.

Livius towered over me, his eyes searching my own as I offered him a smile, my eyes closing for a brief moment.

He sighed in obvious concern when I brought my hand up to his chest, my fingers moving to trail over his broad shoulders while I followed the movement with my eyes. "I had an interesting conversation with Gabriel yesterday."

His gaze immediately darkened, his entire demeanor changing at the mention of that bastard. His own calloused hand came up to cup my jaw, those eyes glittering with warning. "Hm? And what did you two discuss while I was gone?"

There was a rising reprimand in his gaze. I knew he wanted me to stay away from Gabriel. It's why I never told him where I was going. Still, I played along even when his hand trailed down to my throat.

"Oh, yknow, just the things you deem too insignificant to share with me," I mused, my voice dropping as I wrapped my fingers around the soft fabric of his tie and tugged sharply so that I could lean forward and whisper into his ear. "Take my brother's survival for example."

Livius visibly stiffened, and I pulled back to stare into his eyes, this time allowing my anger to seep into my gaze. We remained like that for what felt like hours until he spoke.

"So he told you, then?"

My fingers tightened around his tie. "Well of course he fucking told me, Livius. Especially when it was clear that you lied."