I didn't leave my room for the next two days. By the end of the second, it seemed to me it would be nearly impossible. My body felt as though it had been tossed from the steepest of the mountain slopes. Cerberus brought me my meals, sometimes Henry's cooking, others his own kills. The night previous, he dragged a giant stag to me. Its blood still stained the floor where it had rested, despite my maid's best effort. The room carried the stench, but I didn't care. After a few hours, I hardly noticed.

"It smells like death in here."

My head snapped up, only for a needle of pain to follow the movement. I was careful to suppress my cry to a light groan, hidden beneath Cerberus's snarl. The albino lycan leaned forward from where he rested on the opposite side of my mattress, ready to pounce upon the intruder. My light touch stopped him. Crimson eyes flicked toward mine.

"He hasn't actually entered yet," I muttered.

"Keh," Brennon scoffed, leaning on the door frame. "That's the second time you've failed to carry through with your threats. Going soft?"

"Don't mistake kindness for weakness," I growled. "Step through that doorway and you’ll find out how soft I really am."

The man lifted an eyebrow, then strolled into the room, as self assured as ever. My fingers clutched at the lycan's fur, holding him back. Brennon gave me a sideways glance. "I think you're right. I can see clearly now."

My lips pressed in a hard line. "I wouldn't mock the one who has just shown you mercy."

Brennon resumed his leaning position, this time on my bedpost. His eyes wandered to Cerberus, who was nearly drooling in fury. I wondered how much farther the human could go before the alpha lycan disregarded my wishes and tore the man limb from limb. I doubted it would take much, and yet the foolish man didn't seem concerned in the least. Perhaps, despite his insistence otherwise, he still believed I had complete control over the lycans.

"Why are you here?" I huffed. "Surely you have a better reason than just to test me."

"I do."

"And?"

His gaze switched from Cerberus to me. "And I will tell you… when the lycan leaves."

Said lycan snarled. I tugged at his fur while keeping my focus fixed on the human before me. "You can't come in here making demands."

He shrugged. "Yes, I can, because now you want to know."

I ground my teeth together. As much as I didn't want to admit it, he was right. What could he possibly have to say that Cerberus couldn't hear? Or perhaps he would make an attempt on my life. Such would be fool hearted. Even if he were to succeed, he would never escape the castle alive. Yet, it was also possible he didn't care, and simply wanted me dead. He did seem to have a desire to stop me from harming anyone else. Would he give his life for it? Maybe I was over thinking, and he simply didn't want the lycan to see him finally give in to the call of my drug.

I paused, not speaking for a moment as I weighed my options. My voice was quiet. "Cerberus, leave us."

"My lady-"

"Go." I repeated. "Now."

He hesitated. I felt the lycan's fur bristle under my fingers. Looking back, my eyes met his. For a moment, I thought he wouldn't heed my command. However, after much hesitation, Cerberus hopped from my mattress, landing on all fours and stalking from the room. Only once the lycan's footsteps faded from our hearing did Brennon move.

The man first made his way to the door, closing it before heading over to my bed and taking the seat my guardian previously occupied. I watched him, ever vigilant for any sudden moves that may indicate his intentions. I wore neither my gloves nor mask.

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He leaned back on the post, observing me with equal intensity. "Don't worry, I haven't come here to kill you."

"Then what have you come for?" I asked, suspicion remaining. "Cerberus is gone. Spit it out."

He didn't answer immediately. Tension grew in the air between us, until I felt one of us would surely break under its pressure. Thankfully, he was the first to bend. "I've... been thinking a lot these past few days."

I raised my eyebrows. "About?"

Brennon took a breath, then began, "Listen... I've had a lot of time to think and realize the truth. I can only imagine what I would do if I was born with your... condition."

"No, you can't."

He glanced up from the floor. "What?"

"You can't imagine what it's like to be born like me," I huffed. "No one can. How could you possibly know what it's like to be a living fix, passed around like an object for as long as you can remember? The only way you could possibly know is if you were."

"I didn't mean-"

"No, you didn't mean anything," I growled, annoyed now. "Because how could you know what it feels like to be chained to a wall, fed scraps and clothed in rags, watching your horrid captor ruin his life on your skin? How could you possibly fathom what it feels like to watch someone murder your hated jailer, the hope you feel that maybe, possibly, this one will be better, then find out they're worse? How can your stupid, sheltered mind comprehend just what it feels like for that to happen again, and again, and again, until you're thrown into the mountains to die?!"

I was furious, though I could hardly understand why. It was a simple comment, and frankly, the nicest he said to me thus far. But I continued on, letting my emotion take over my reason, "And even now, every citizen in this stupid country spits my name like a curse. Well, I don't give a damn about them either! So why don't you just spit out what you have to say before I call what little loyalty I have back here to destroy you?!"

"I forgive you."

"What?"

He met my gaze. "You're lonely and scared. I can see that now. I just want to let you know I forgive you." Then, without warning, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine.

He lasted only a moment, having tasted my poison only once previously. Yet, within that instant, I had relaxed, giving into the kiss as I hadn't any other. Too bad it was over quickly. Brennon collapsed to the side, landing on the mattress, unconscious.

I stared at the man and cried.

***

Brennon came to me every day after that, and every day I sent Cerberus away, despite the lycan's growing reluctance to leave. He didn't attempt to kiss me again, for which I was glad. I knew he was trying to break his addiction and touching me would only make it worse. He was kind to me, suddenly so different than the resentful man I captured. Every time we spoke, I felt a connection, like someone finally wanted me without the drug's effects. For the first time since I could remember, I had companionship. For possibly the first time ever, I felt truly happy. I didn't want to cause him any more pain than he was already suffering.

Still, some part of me wanted to repeat that moment. My less logical side wanted that simple, pure acceptance the kiss had conveyed.

We continued this pattern for a week, each day our talks growing longer. I awoke eager for his arrival and went to sleep smiling over what he said. He told me about village life. I showed him my books from the old world. Sometimes we just stared out the window, cursing how the world had crumbled. I even trusted him with knowledge of my growing pains. I trusted him, and he trusted me. It was all so perfect.

Until the day Red came to me with news of the approaching army, ten thousand strong. It was that day I summoned all the humans in my castle to me.

"There will be a war," I told them from my seat on my bed. I didn't know when I started trusting them enough to hold meetings in my chambers, rather than the hall as I normally would. The Lady of the Lycan Mountains ruled from her throne, not her bedside. Regardless, there were only four of them, so the group easily fit within my room. "You're all free to leave if you wish. Then, when it's over, you're free to return or not, whichever you want."

They all left me, including Brennon.

That night, Cerberus held me in his arms as I wept. His soot covered pelt stained my face black, but I didn't care. I cried into his fur until his entire chest was damp with my tears. Only once I quieted did he lean forward, his whiskers brushing my cheek. His wet nose was cold against my skin as he growled softly in my ear,

"I would never leave you.”