Chapter 233 - House of cards

Russ let out a long sigh as he turned away from the railing, making his way back to the table and stack of books. "It's easy enough to say I want her to be happy regardless... I really do... but when I'm in her presence it's a completely different matter altogether." He shrugged, "Is it the wolf and his possessiveness for a mate because of the bite... is it the curse... I don't know. All I know is for every part of my heart that breaks seeing her with him, there are equal parts happy for her. Seeing how happy they are together... seeing and hearing the fractions of their past that I have... knowing how cut off she has always been my entire life... I believe that was half my attraction to her when I was younger. I saw a lot of my own feelings reflected in her." He flopped down at the table lifting a book on were-anatomy and physiology before tossing it back to the table away from him. "I've always felt like an outsider everywhere we ever lived. I've always shared in her sense of rejection and loneliness... maybe not to the same extent but still..." He met Ry's gaze as the hulking man sat down in one of the oversized chairs, still barely fitting it. "I know you guys find it childish and probably even gross to some extent that someone my age wants to be with someone like her, but I've never seen her as some old ass demi-god or killer supernatural creature. I've only ever seen her as the girl I grew up with. The girl that would hold mine and Shelly's hands as we walked to school each morning, who would cut the crust off our sandwiches at lunch... Looking back I see that my dependence on her always being there for us when we were younger caused a lot of the social issues I faced later, but she was all I needed... all we needed."

Ry studied the boy as he tried pouring his heart out to him for what seemed like the first time since they'd been working together. It was very rare when the kid's emotions weren't focused on either anger or withdrawal... Too bad he himself was so shitty with emotions. Ry leaned against the table, his focus on the stack of books. "I don't find it any different for you falling in love with her at your age as I did Arei falling for her at his... It's true she's a very... likable person... and maybe had things been different and I'd been a little more emotionally available I would have fallen for her as well." He leaned forward, searching through the books. "How about I tell you a story... then maybe you'll understand that sometimes it's better to walk away, especially if you love someone..." He plucked one out and began flipping through it as he continued to talk. "I'm not saying it's the easiest path or that it would be painless for either party, but sometimes the best thing to do for someone will hurt them as well." Finding the page he was looking for, he turned the book and set it in front of Russ. "Have you ever heard of the goddess Artemis? You should, she's a particularly important part of ceremonies within your pack... and because of that, there will come a time I'll have to leave you." He shook his head. "I can't trust myself in her presence and I'd rather us both bear the pain of separation and never seeing one another again than risk what would come of a brief encounter between us."

Russ studied the picture of the beautiful goddess as he read the main description provided on that page. {Daughter of Leto and Zeus, twin to Apollo, wolf-born gods, grew into the goddess of the hunt and moon child alongside 'sisters' Selena and Hecate, eternal maiden, only known male interest the giant demi-god Orion, tricked to kill forbidden lover Orion by her brother Apollo.} Russ's surprised eyes met Ry's. "You... you are this Orion? But you're not dead?!"

Ry nodded slowly, a dark cloud settling behind his stoic expression. "I am... She is the only woman I've ever loved... and I was the only man she'd ever loved more than her brother... thus spiking his rage and jealousy."

"There you two are. I brought you a visitor." Poseidon said as he walked into the cove. Looking around at the piles of books then from his son and the kid's faces, he arched a brow. "Find something of interest or just baffled at how anyone of supernatural origins could be quite as ignorant?" He asked trying to lighten his son's gloomy mood. Stepping over and taking a look at the page setting open in front of Russ, he cleared his throat and shot his son a worried look. "Oh... that... Yes, it is a downfall to being involved with the Mediterranean wolf pack for you for sure..." He bent and patted Shelly's head. "Just when I thought I'd be giving you a break from the depressing things." He let out a heavy sigh. "Oh, well... Maybe try to find a more upbeat lesson, for the time being, son? The sentencing will be starting in a few minutes and will last about an hour or so, I need the two of you ready to leave by then."

Ry nodded. "No need to worry. We'll be here waiting for you like good boys." He said sarcastically as he rolled his eyes.

"You better be. I can't have everyone in the palace down trot and depressed." Poseidon said as he straightened from the table.

"You really expect it to go that poorly?" Ry asked.

"You saw how the trials went. Even with just cause, the vampires were still pushing for more. I can't see that changing during the sentencing, especially where Marcus is involved... and whoever Zeus has in his pocket." He glanced down at the Hublot resting on his wrist. "I have to be getting back to the office, it's time. Be ready to leave when I return." He gave Shelly one more affectionate pat before leaving the library cove.

Russ's gaze followed Ry's movements as he began fumbling through the stacks of books without saying anything else. Whatever it was he was about to say before his father interrupted must still be weighing on the gigantic man's thoughts. Frowning, Russ realized there was a lot he didn't know about the man sitting across from him... or the one now taking his place in Jos's arms... A deeper frown caused his brows to furrow and the lines of his forehead to crease. {That isn't quite true, is it... He's not taking my place, in the grand scheme of things what Jos and I had was just a tiny blip, barely a blink of the eyes in lifespans as long as the two of them both have.} Ry began talking and whatever it was seemed to hold Shelly's interest quite well, but he couldn't force his mind to concentrate on anything, but the dark void left by the final realization that he and Jos were officially over...

Jos was resting her cheek against the soft fabric of Arei's designer suit. His gentle voice rumbled melodiously through the quiet room as he rubbed soothing patterns against her back as they stood. He was in the middle of describing all the changes he and his brothers had made to the beach house over the years. "So, there will be plenty of room for Shelly and her baby for however long they plan on staying. Hell, we could even build on a guest house for them if she chooses to stay indefinitely." He kissed her head lightly as he continued to whisper against her hair. "We could turn your old home into an art studio for you to continue working as you'd like... until the council's demands become too overbearing that is..."

"You really think it will get to that point with them?" Jos asked. "Peg and Andy don't seem to mind working with them too much."

"Their current circ.u.mstances are fairly pleasant, but I promise you they only keep them happy to keep a close eye on Peg and to have him if the time may arise that they need him."

Jos tilted her head up at him slightly, "Need him as they've used you... you mean?"

Arei frowned down into her wide aqua eyes. "Yes, exactly as they've used me... Father too... it will be a never-ending pattern of being used and manipulated..." He released one hand from her back as he brought it up to her face. Running the pad of his thumb over her jaw as he studied her, he said. "I wish I could promise you more... offer you more... Treat you like the queen you deserve to be, but I fear it will never be in the cards for us."

Jos cupped a hand over his. "Stop worrying that you're not enough. I'm not asking for the world or all the wealth that's in it. If that was what I wanted, I could have obtained it many times over on my own." She shook her head as she tapped a finger against his chest. "You are enough, what is in here." She sent him the best smile she could muster at such a stressful time. "I have tried and tried to fight against you... against us... in fear that I would only fall head over heels in love with you once again and be crushed just like before; but honestly, the more I get to know the real you the more I realize everything you've done in the past was because of your own lack of self-worth." She shook her head. "You're worth more than the stallion you can shift into." Her hands traveled down the muscular arms she was becoming all too familiar with again. "You're more than the brute strength that has been beaten into you." She gave him a tender smile as she moved her hand up to the soft short beard lining his jaw. "You are so much more than you give yourself credit for being. I fell in love with that side of you all those years ago and it's that side of you I find myself unable to resist even now." She glanced away sadly. "I hate what these feelings mean for... others... but I can't change them..." Her eyes moved back up to his. "And in all honesty, that's for the best for everyone involved." She glanced out over the library, unable to see the one person she'd originally walked to the windows in the hopes of seeing. She placed her palm against the window. "In time I hope that he will understand that this is for his own good and the good of all those people who will soon rely on him. I hate that it seems like I've simply moved on like he never mattered... but I can't help it." She turned moist eyes toward him. "After getting all my memories back, I can't help but want to be right here... even if I wanted to still hide that fact, with our current situation it would only be delaying the inevitable." She rested her forehead against his chest still too shy to say her next words as she faced him. "I... I love... you..." She whispered; her hands pressed against his chest feeling the increase in his heartbeat at her words.

"And I, you." He said as he lifted her face up to meet his, placing a light kiss to her lips. Smiling warmly down at her as he cupped his left hand over her hand resting over his heart, he said, "I don't think there will ever be a day when those words from you don't make my heart race." He'd just lower his lips back to hers when a light knock sounded on the office door. He tightened his grip on Jos as she tried to step nervously away. "Come in." He called. He watched as Prometheus nodded toward the computer sitting center the desk, making indirect eye contact at them as he entered.

"It's about time, I'm sorry to say." Prometheus began adjusting the monitors and typing out commands on the keyboard below. Standing back up straight, he pulled over one of the chairs for easier access to the keyboard. "All finished. He nodded toward the screen. "Both parties are muted right now. As soon as Poseidon is back things can begin."

"Did I hear my name?" Poseidon called from the doorway. He set several bottles of water down on one corner of the desk. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out two protein bars and tossed them toward Arei and Jos. "Eat up, the two of you will need your energy and full focus.

Jos pushed against Arei's hold as she held the bar to her chest. "I do thank you, but I doubt I'll be able to eat even this much. My stomach is such a nervous mess."

Arei gently guided her toward the waiting seats. "There's not much to worry about. Father and I will see that all the important things are handled in a suitable nature..." He sent her a playful smile. "And if it isn't, I'll simply fly you away to somewhere they'll never find you... though I may do that anyway." He sent her a wink before bending and kissing the tip of her nose out of the view of the monitors. When they came into range, he released his hold on her and waited for her to take her seat before he followed suit. Nodding to Prometheus, he said. "We're ready."