After barricading himself in his mate's bed chambers, Jason decided to take a shower and go to sleep. After all, by now, he knew Killian wouldn't get to bed until the rising sun. It still irked Jason, though. Not having his mate at his side while he slept. After a warm shower, Jason crawled into the king-sized bed and stared up at the ceiling, waiting for another hour, hoping his mate would actually join him. But it never happened. Slowly, the world and all of its problems dissolved into darkness.

When Jason woke up, the incessant chirping of birds outside the windows was the first thing he noticed. The flying shit bombs had made their nest in a tree below his mate's bedroom. He grumbled while moving his legs, only to realize that Killian's trapped his. Two muscular arms tightened around Jason's waist as Killian pulled him further into his embrace. When did Killian arrive?

"Don't know and don't care... Let's enjoy the moment before the witch drags Killian away from us again," Cyron grumbled out.

Jason sighed, snuggling deeper into his mate's embrace. "True. One of these days, I'll kill her."

"Me too."

And so Jason spent the next hour laying in his sleeping mate's arms. But, as if Jason had summoned her, Ms. Bell knocked on the door and entered the room without permission. A growl escaped Jason's mouth as he glared at the governess. She halted in her tracks, clutching a stack of papers in her hands.

Before Jason could impale the bitch with his horned tail, Killian chuckled and said, "Down, boy." He reached down and kissed Jason on the lips. He then unraveled his arms around Jason before turning to Ms. Bell. "What can I do for you, Ms. Bell?"

Jason scowled at the loss of his mate's touch as Killian got up from the bed and walked over to the couch. Killian then picked up his robe, which hung over the backrest, and donned it.

Ms. Bell cleared her throat before saying, "We have several meetings scheduled for today. I've ordered that your breakfast be served while your highness meets with the rest of the Alpha Council."

Killian sighed while nodding his head. This made Jason's blood boil. Great! Another day without his mate. He shook his head while grumbling under his breath. He threw off the duvet cover and walked up to his own robe, pulling it on with a heavy tug. Jason had his back turned the entire time, while Killian and the witch talked. He could sense the smugness rolling off the bitch. He was seconds away from tearing the woman apart, but before he could accomplish his charitable deed for the day(if only), the bathroom door closed and the shower sprang to life. Jason then turned around to see that the witch had fled the room, leaving Jason alone in the room.

Seeing the bedroom's door open again, Jason choked down a growl. A servant quickly pushed in a cart with a single plate of breakfast before they scurried out of the room again. He glared at the food before deciding to flee from the room. Jason rushed over to the patio doors and yanked the doors open. An icy wind knocked into him, sending a wave of goosebumps rippling down his exposed legs. But he didn't care. Jason walked out onto the patio and clutched the banister, glaring off into the horizon. Taking a deep breath, Jason's anger slowly faded.

Before he even considered returning to the room, a pair of muscular arms wrapped around him. Killian's rock-hard chest enveloped Jason, earning a groan from him. Every day without his mate, Jason suffered. Most mates by a month's end had already mated, wearing their bite marks with pride, but it seemed at this pace he'd die before it happened.

Killian kissed Jason on the side of his head and said, "You shouldn't stay out here for too long. I won't be back until late, so don't wait up for me." Killian kissed him again before strutting off, leaving Jason with a raging inferno burning in his chest.

He needed to destroy something...

***

Combat dummies scattered under his onslaught, leaving their wooden bodies strewn all over the courtyard. As Jason unleashed his rage, dozens of frozen eyes stared at him. He didn't give a fuck. The more he attacked, the more he lost himself in his anger. Eventually, he started shifting into his monstrous form, scaring the denizens of the keep into a new religion.

As Jason huffed out, massive plumes of mist bellowed out of his jagged maw. He glanced around the courtyard to see all the warriors pressed up against the castle's wall, trying to avoid the miasma that flooded most of the courtyard. Thousands of small, black balls floated in midair.

With a huff, Jason turned his hulking back on the pussies and muttered, "Humans..."

Before Jason could finish off the last set of training dummies, a commotion broke out at the far end of the courtyard.

"What's the meaning of this?" A shrill voice rang out, accompanied by the clacking of heels.

Jason turned his head. A gluttonous growl escaped from his chest. Ms. Bell stood at the edge of the black lake of goo, too afraid to venture further. Why was she everywhere? Her blue eyes shot to Jason's behemoth form, hardening into a scowl.

"How dare you defile this place, foul demon!" she shouted. "Look at what you've done to the place. The King should never have allowed such a beast to taint these halls." She straightened her shoulders. "Once Killian sees you for the monster you are, he'll—"

Before she could finish her rant, a column of black ooze flung her into the brick wall. Ms. Bell's shrieks filled the silent courtyard. None of the guards had the balls to intervene, too afraid to die in the process.

"Shut your mouth, you wretched bitch!" Jason growled out. His footsteps thundered along the courtyard as he made his way towards her.

Ms. Bell's eyes widened in shock, but they quickly morphed into hatred. She clenched her right fist before throwing off a fireball, which hit Jason in the chest. A thunderous bang caused all those in the courtyard to flinch. After the fire had died down, Jason chuckled while wiping the soot off his scaled chest.

"Ouch," said Jason mockingly. A grin spread across his wolfish face. "Is that all you got, witch?"

Once again, the witch's eyes widened. Fear saturated her aura. She began squirming against the hold Jason had on her. She even flung a few spells off, trying to destroy the black miasma that had her pinned against the brick wall.

"Stupid witch," Jason growled out. "Your magic is useless. Since you like playing with fire,"—Jason lifted his claws into the air. A ball of black fire rose from his palm—"I'll show you what hell fire can do to a meddlesome bitch."

Jason flung off a torrent of fire at the witch. She clenched her eyes shut, waiting for the inferno to reduce her to dust. Ms. Bell disappeared from view as the flames finally reached her. Jason expected her to shriek out in agony as she disintegrated into dust, but she never did. When the black fire dissipated, a shimmering gold shield stood in the path of Ms. Bell.

Jason turned his head to the culprit, who dared to stand between him and his prey. Ishmael. But not the man he knew as a friend. The man before him pulsated with power, which even gave Cyron pause. Cyron quickly retreated into the depths of Jason's mind, leaving him alone with a pissed-off warlock. The glare laced into Ishmael's gray eyes shook Jason to his core. He fucked up big time.

"What's wrong with you, Jason?" Ishmael shouted. "You do not attack one of your subordinates."

Mallory and the rest of the gang stared at Jason with such disappointment in their eyes, which threatened to swallow him whole. He quickly diverted his gaze to Ishmael. He would have rather faced Ishmael's wrath than his friend's disappointment.

Jason huffed out and said, "The bitch had it coming!" He clenched his fist. His claws dug into his palms, drawing blood that slowly dropped to the ground.

"It doesn't matter, Jason." Ishmael glanced around the courtyard with a heavy heart. "You mate's trying to convince his subjects that you aren't a threat, and this is what you do?" He pointed to the witch, who lay against the brick wall.

"What does it matter? It didn't help. They still fear me because of her!" Another growl rumbled from Jason's maw. "Her constant interference, her whispers in the ears of the servants and alphas alike. All she does is spread rumors about me, based on baseless accusations. All because of what? That I'm a hellhound?

"You may have imprisoned the Queen, but her corruptive claws still wreak havoc at the behest of that bitch!"

All the eyes of those present fell on Ms. Bell as she stumbled to her feet. "Lies, Demon! The only corruption seeping into this castle lies beneath your feet. I'm but a humble servant of the King."

Jason couldn't stop himself from laughing. He clutched his stomach. "Oh, you're good, Ms. Bell. The Queen has taught you well..."

"Jason," Ismael said, stepping forth. The miasma that covered the ground drew away from his feet. "You can't accuse her without evidence. She's been a loyal servant--"

"And the Queen was a benevolent ruler until the mask on her face fell off. Are you so taken by beautiful women that you can't see through their deception?" Jason asked. "As I said before, you can't deceive a demon, and she reeks of it. Why don't you ask the servants and these guards," Jason pointed to the men and women who littered the courtyard, "where they heard the stories that have been circulating about me? The juicy one of how I killed innocent people and devoured their souls. Or the other one in which I had enthralled the King with my demonic magic.

"Let me tell you something, Ishmael... Every lie has its origin, and their poisonous threads come from her mouth." Jason pointed to the witch, who faked her gasp. Wow, another actress...

"Is this true, Ryla?" asked a voice.

Everyone in the courtyard gasped as the King strode into the courtyard, accompanied by his father and younger brother. Ms. Bell's eyes widened once again before she clutched her chest.

She staggered forward and stuttered out, "No, my King... I would never do such a thing?"

"Try again, witch. Without lying this time. Everyone can hear your heart deceiving you," Jason said, chuckling, but when he saw the scowl on his mate's face, he lowered his head in shame. The lake of miasma slowly retreated into Jason's body.

"Enough, Jason," Killian said. "You're not innocent in this. Losing your cool in a situation like this... it's disappointing. I expected more from you."

Killian's harsh words stabbed him in the chest. Did he go overboard? Maybe? But who wouldn't have? If they were kept away from their mates, they would have reacted in the same way. For fuck's sake! Most mates mated soon after they met each other. Fast, much? True. But that's the way their world worked. And no one fucked with tradition. But then came a high-and-mighty witch and did just that: fucked with tradition.

Jason sighed and stomped off toward the castle's interior, ignoring his mate's call. He slowly reverted to his human form before he entered the lone corridor which led him to their bedroom. Jason had enough. If no one wanted him in the castle, he would grant their wish. He was foolish to think that he deserved a bit of happiness.