-Everest-

It didn't take him long to join me in the privacy of the bedroom. As soon as the doors clicked shut he rounded on me "how could you speak to me like that in front of my men?!"

"How could you leave without telling me where you were going?!"

"This is my business not yours!" He shouted.

I stood my ground, "well if you'd have taken even a minute to consult with me-"

He cut me off "you're my wife Everest not my

Mate, when it comes to my personal affairs I will do as I please." He said with a growl.

His words stabbed at my heart, "and there's the cold, ruthless Titus Graystone everyone talks about."

"Don't try and back out now love." He mocked.

"Do you want to know why I'm so concerned about this, whatever is happening with Caleb."

"How do you know about him?" He asked with fury in his eyes.

"I went into the basement, I was actually worried about you, I found the picture...but Titus I'll be damned if you think I'm going to stand by while you torture and then kill him."

"What are you going to do, leave me...you signed the contract just like I did."

"And I'd rather die than stay married to the man who's going to murder my mate."

Silence encased him.

"...yeah, Caleb is my mate, the same mate that fucked me and then tossed me to the side like garbage, but my mate none the less."

He remained silent so I continued while I had his ear.

"In the short time we've been together I have to admit that I've begun falling in love with you Titus, of course it scares me because two Weres who are not mates shouldn't be this happy but I am...so trust me when I say that it would hurt to walk away from you." I took a moment to see him now looking at me, confliction written plainly on his face.

"That being said, you kill him I leave, I don't care if your father tries to kill me, if I'm banished and have to become a rogue so be it...but if you let him go, I will forgive everything that has happened today, I will shift with your pack and become your Luna and furthermore I will willingly accept your mark becoming yours fully...I will give you as many babies as you want, I will serve this land by your side happily until I'm old and grey, just let him go."

"I can't, I'm sorry but I can't...this is revenge Everest."

"Killing him won't bring her back if that's what you're hoping...and not only will it not bring her back but because of him you will have lost a mate and a wife...essentially the choice is yours."

__________

-Titus-

I sat in my study, there on the desk was a picture someone had taken of Everest and I the night of her presenting when I had first introduced her to my packs guard.

It was a stolen moment of happiness as we were simply looking at one another, in the picture you could see a faint tint of pink in her cheeks, and I had this goofy smile on my face.

I looked at that picture for hours, before I pulled out the picture of Maggie, as I looked at the two girls it struck me as odd, now that I look at them side by side they didn't seem so similar to me anymore.

I put the portrait of Maggie back into the drawer and locked it for good. As much as I hated to admit it, Everest was right...killing this prick wouldn't bring Maggie back.

As I fought to keep my tears from springing forward a light knock sounded and I figured it was Everest.

"Not now Everest."

The door opened and Heidi walked through, "bad time?" She asked.

I always liked Heidi, she was Maggie's best friend and cousin, and when Maggie moved out here in preparation for our union to become husband and wife, Heidi came with her. When Maggie died Heidi remained strong while I crumbled and came apart at the seams, she's the one who reminded me that I needed to be a leader to these people and that I had to stay strong.

"Never a bad time for you Heidi." I said with a sad attempt at a smile.

"I know I'm being forward but whatever is going on with you and Everest...fix it!"

I looked at her.

"I'm serious Titus, that girl is in her old bedroom packing a suitcase and talking about leaving."

"I found the guy who killed Maggie."

She stilled. "Did you kill him?"

I shook my head, "I want revenge, he took something from me so in return I'm going to take something from him."

"So you're taking his mate?"

Once again I shook my head no, "he's human he has no mate...but he has a son, and I've got him downstairs, I'm going to make him watch as I slowly drain his son of life."

"But what does this have to do with Everest leaving?"

I sat back in my chair, "she want me to let his son go...the son his her mate, she met him before we had our union."

She took a moment to take everything in before she nodded, "kill the father, let the son go...tell him to never talk about this to anyone or we will kill him."

"What?!" I asked outraged.

She held up her hands delicately, "she was my cousin, my best friend...we were as close as two people can be, trust me I want revenge just as much as you do, but I also like Everest."

"So do I but-"

"Are you willing to lose her?" She asked as she cut me off.

"I don't want to lose her, but this is for Maggie."

She sighed, "Maggie is gone...nothing any of us do or don't do will ever make it less painful, it's a harsh reality but it's time for us to quit holding on to the past, get rid of her killer so we can move on with our lives and her spirit can finally rest easy."

At that another knock sounded on my study door before one of my men entered. "The son is still in the vehicle, should we bring him into the basement now sir?"

Both Heidi and him looked at me.

With a heavy heart I made my choice.