Zeus stood there fuming. He did not move to come near me and I didn't move to go near him.

"Explain." He demanded with a low growl.

"Zeus, I had no choice."

He scoffs, "No choice my ass. You chose not to tell me. That's a choice, Lily."

I looked down at my the ground, "Look, I'm sorry you're hurt, but I had to do this."

"I wasn't hurt...I'm not hurt," He said, "I was worried out of my fucking mind. I was scared because I thought I lost you. I thought he took you from me."

I could see the bags underneath his eyes. His face showed the turmoil he had been through.

"I'm sorry, Zeus," I apologised, "I truly am."

"No you're not." He growls. He sighs harshly, "You're stupid if you think that you had to do this. You didn't. And even if you did, I could've done it with you. Do you realise what could've happened if Nikolai caught you? Do you realise what he would've done?"

I stayed silent, but my nerves spiked as I saw Zeus take slowly steps forward like a predator, "He would've taken you as his own. Touched you. Make you his. Force a pregnancy. And you would be nothing to him, but a piece of meat he plays with."

I gulped as a sick and uncomfortable, disturbing feeling rested on my shoulders, "Stop," I growled, "You don't have to be so vulgar about it."

He laughs without humor, "It's the raw reality of what we are in, Lily! He would do all of that knowing it would torture me, kill me inside." He stops right in front of me. He grips my chin a little more firm than I was expecting to make sure I didn't, or more like couldn't look away, and then he growls, "Last night I pledged myself to you. I promised to earn your trust in me...but maybe you're the one who needs to earn my trust now."

"Zeus," I said in a breathless whimper, "I wanted to tell you. I didn't want to do this alone. You have no idea of the burden that I have to carry."

He frowns, "What're you talking about?"

"The Moon Goddess, she came to me in a dream, she told me to find the flower."

Zeus stood in a silence for only a moment, processing the information, "Esme's flower." He stated.

I nodded my head, "I was afraid that telling you would disturb the course of fate that the Moon Goddess has set out. I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to."

"Why has the goddess chosen you?"

"She said only I could find it and that it would somehow help us with this war."

Zeus yells in frustration and turns around. He grips his hair, "I don't care about the Moon Goddess, she has done nothing for me. She has more power than one could ever imagine and yet look at the mess we are in. We cannot reply on her."

I took a step forward, "She is not the only god, Zeus, she needs to keep the harmony throughout the cosmos or else there would be chaos in the heavens."

"Chaos?" He said with a laugh, "They will not know of havoc and chaos until they see me in this war."

I frowned, "Zeus, don't turn into-"

"What?" He growled, "A Hellhound? We are not getting into that right now."

Zeus marches toward me and said, "How long has this been going on for, Lily?" Zeus says in a calm voice, but even though it was calm...it scared me.

"A couple of weeks, possibly more." I said reluctantly.

His shoulders tensed, "Weeks?" He turns around his face still cemented into a scowl, "Weeks?" He repeated.

I gulped, "It wasn't your burden to bare, Zeus. I couldn't put this on you."

He just stood there and stared at me intensely. I broke the eye contact, I turned to walk towards Sozin and Ozai, but Zeus grabs me and pushes me up against a tree. My breathe hitched. His green eyes began to glow and his nostrils flared. He was tensing his jaw when he said, "I thought you were gone. I thought you had been killed or worse, taken by him. You will not be taken from me again, Lily, do you understand?"

I nod my head silently.

"You've told me everything?" He asked. I instantly thought of the handsome red eyed man, I wasn't sure if I should tell him or not. He would go crazy if he knew I let another man kiss my forehead like that. But I felt like it wasn't in a sexual or lustful way...he seemed sincere. I can't. At least not right now/

"You know everything now." I said.

He nods his head once and firmly, "Good. This means I'm involved now which means the moon goddess is just going to have to change her plans."

He turns around without looking at me and said in a hard voice, "We're going home."

The guys went and followed Zeus where I just stood there not knowing what to do. Am I supposed to stay? I have the flower in my bag, what else am I supposed to do with it? How do I even use it?

"If you're not following me in the next five seconds I'm throwing your ass over my shoulder whether you like it or not, Lily." Zeus said without turning or stopping.

I sighed. I guess this is a figure it out as you go along kind of missions. I followed them silently as we made our way out of the village. Yet we stopped suddenly. I looked at the front and saw Maikoh and my sister Gen, standing next to him.

Maikoh only glances at me for a moment before talking to Zeus, "I understand that Genevieve is under your protection since she is your mate's sister."

Zeus nods, "Yes."

Gen steps forward, "I want to stay," Her eyes connect with mine, "I want to stay, Lily. I've decided to...to get to know Maikoh," Her cheeks reddened slightly.

"You two are mates?" Zeus guessed.

Maikoh nods, "Yes we are. With you and your mate's permission, I want Genevieve to be under my protection and care until the war has ended."

Zeus shrugs, "You have my permission."

Maikoh finally looks directly at me waiting. I looked at Gen and she too was looking at me. I sighed, "You will take care of her?" I asked Maikoh.

He nods his head, "I will. She will be very comfortable. My tribe will treat her well."

"You'll protect her?" I asked.

"I would die for her."

I could see Gen stiffen slightly at Maikoh's intensity. Though Maikoh is very direct, I could see he took this very very seriously which calmed my nerves. I nodded my head, "I give my permission."

Maikoh bows his head to both Zeus and I. Gen came and gave me a hug, "I decided to give him a chance. He said he would let me go after the war if I don't want to be with him."

I smiled, "I'm happy for you, Gen, but let me tell you something."

She stood there listening.

"This won't be easy, being with someone you hardly, but its good. Jut forget about there being an end to this. Make an effort to know him and to also have grace."

My sister frowns, "Grace? Why?"

"Because, without grace, we can never forgive. Maikoh is a strong man, a good man, but just because he's a good man doesn't mean he won't have a past."

"What if it's too much? What if I can't get over it?" She said a little worried.

I smiled, "If you know he loves you, and you may possibly develop feelings for him, you learn to forgive because you know he's changed and that he is sorry for it."

"What if he isn't sorry for it?"

I give my sister a cheeky wink, "Then you make him wish he was sorry."

Gen laughs, "Okay. Thank you, Lil." She gives me a last good bye and then we temporarily part ways. I turn and saw Zeus, he was already staring at me with an intensity I couldn't read.

He silently leads the way home. Once we arrived back in Arcanus, I shivered as I had forgotten this place was forever snowing. Zeus silently took his jacket off and laid it around my shoulders. I sighed. He hasn't said a word this whole time. His face showed he was deep in thought. None of the boys made an effort to speak and I didn't either, but I felt a tension in the air, mainly caused by Zeus and I not talking.

When we walked inside the castle, everyone dispersed. They went off doing their own thing. I went to the bedroom. Zeus did not follow nor did he make any indication that he would, instead he walked into the darkness of the hallways without glancing my way or saying a word. I didn't like him being like this, ignoring me. I wanted to go and talk to him, ask what was going through that head of his, but I was afraid that it would do more harm than good.

I was tired from this whole day. I put the bag under the bed before having a shower. I let the hot water cascade down my body, hoping for it to wash the tension out of my body, but it doesn't. But at least I'm clean.

I do my nightly routine which consisted of washing my face, brushing my teeth and hair, then getting into my comfy clothes which were shorts and a singlet. I put my damp hair into a bun to stop it tickling my neck.

I walked out of the room, but stopped when I saw Zeus standing there. He did not say anything, but he was looking at me. I stood there frozen.

Zeus slowly walked toward me, like a predator, afraid that it's prey may run away. He stopped right in front of me, looking down at me. He raised his hand and tucked a hair behind my ear. Electric sparks coursed through my nerves when his hand slightly brushed my ear. His hand ran from my ear and down my neck. My skin raised in goosebumps as his calloused hand trails down over my collarbone and down my arm.

"You are a very...very beautiful woman, Lily," Zeus's first words for me. I wasn't expecting him to speak such a way with me. I was preparing for hi to shout at me. His eyes followed wherever his hands were touching, "You are kind and gentle, yet you have a hidden strength within you. A lamb with a lion's heart. Your eyes are soft, your voice is soothing to me. I have seen many beautiful things in my lifetime, have experienced many incredible things, seen the most extraordinary things. I have more wealth than any man could imagine, more jewels than any queen or king owns, more treasure than that of the human world...but you...you my dear, my flower, my Lily...you are my most greatest treasure."

His jaw clenched as his eyes finally met mine.

"Zeus-"

"I was so afraid," Zeus said. He cupped my cheek with his one hand and ran his thumb over it, "I have never experienced such fear in all my years when I found that you were gone. I had thought the worst had happened. I thought I lost you forever."

I laid my hand over his, "I never meant for you to be so worried. I promise when I tell you that I wish I could have told you everything. I didn't want to do this alone."

Zeus said in a firm voice, "Don't do that ever again, Lily."

"Are you still angry with me?" I asked.

"Of course I am," He said while shaking his head. But then his eyes soften, "I'm just glad that you're safe."

I stepped closer to him and I wrapped my arms around his waist, "I'm sorry, Zeus. I'm sorry I scared you like that."

He doesn't make any move to hug me back but I didn't care. He looks down at me and released a defeated sigh. Zeus wraps his arms around me and leaned down. His soft lips press firmly into my own, he grips the back of my head. Our lips dance together passionately. I felt his hands run down my body and grip my hips firmly. My hands ran through his hair. His kisses became much more hungry and ravenous. My heart was beating fast as he picked me up and threw me on the bed, he climbs on top of me, his hips resting between my legs.

He growls frustratingly, "No...this is wrong."

I breathlessly look back up at him as he stares down at me with his glowing green eyes, "You deserve a soft and caressing touch. A slow and memorable night. Not this. I won't disrespect you like that."

I sigh, "I really wish you weren't trying to be good right now."

Zeus chuckles, "Trust me...my thoughts are definitely not one of a good man right now. And as much as I want to taste your sweet skin, you deserve better, Lily."

I gave a small grin, "Well now you've gotten me all...riled up. I'll be looking forward to a slow and memorable night...once this war is over and done with."

Zeus leans down and pecks my lips, "Oh don't you worry, my flower, it will definitely be a night of memories," He leans down and whispers in my ear, "We'll probably still be...making memories until the early morning."

I raise my brow cheekily, "You're very confident in your skills."

He chuckles, "Oh baby...after I've performed my skills on you...you won't be able to walk the next morning."

I smack his shoulders, "Zeus!"

He laughs and shrugs his shoulders, "Just warning you."

Our laughs died down and we were left in a peaceful silence. Zeus gathered my in his arms and held me throughout the whole night. I think he was assuring himself that I was there and that I was safe. His grips didn't weaken one bit and every time I would move he would wake up, making sure I was okay. And everything was okay...until the next morning.