CASSIE

I woke up wet and naked, my body still tingling from our love session early this morning and I smiled as I got up, Daniel left at some point and I stripped our bed because everything was wet and I hopped in the shower quickly.

Getting dressed, I pulled on a pair of khaki shorts and a dark blue tank and walked out of the room to find Daniel, I'll deal with the sheets later.

Reaching his office, I hear him talking faintly and I knocked, "come in" I hear him say and I walked into the room, Patrick and Angela sitting at the desk pouring over paperwork and Daniel was on the phone.

"Jared... I need the contract locked tight when I make the offer and I don't want any loose ends, this has to be completely free of the council's reach and influence" he said as I sat on his leather couch, listening intently,

"Yes I would like this in place before the New Year… time is of the essence," he said finishing up his call and then looked at me, "Im glad you are here, Im getting ready to break the news to Kate," he said on a grimace and I raised my eyebrows in question, "what news would that be?" I asked and he heaved a sigh,

"I made a pact with Kate that she can choose a mate from a list I made when she turned twenty five, if she doesn't find her mate, but due to recent events there is only one option," he said reservedly.

I haven't known Kate long but I am pretty sure she will put up a fight, "Oh, Boy," I replied and then there was a knock at the door, "come in Kate," Daniel said and she strolled in only to freeze at the door, "what's going on" she asked, looking around suspiciously.

Daniel gestures to a chair and she reluctantly walked to me, lifting my legs and sitting under them as we all turned to look at her,

"Ok, guys... Your acting strange," she said looking over everyone and I felt bad for what's to come, "Kate... I know we made a deal for you to choose your own mate, but something big is transpiring and I can't give you that choice," he finished reticent and Kate's eyes got big.

"What! Who?" she demanded sitting up and Angela piped in, "My brother Michael, he is a good man and he would be good to you," she assured her and Kate's face said she wanted to argue, but out of respect she didn't say anything,

"Why?" she whispered, not understanding the reason and Daniel sighed, "This is how we are going to separate ourselves from the supernatural council," he stated and Kate gasped, staring at her brother "What? How does this change that, are we losing our sanction?," she said concerned.

"We will not lose our sanction, but we do have to keep this all hush hush, till it's complete" he assured her and Kate look defeated, dropping her shoulders, hands in her lap looking at them.

"When?" she asked sadly and Daniel stood up, coming over to his sister and kneeling down in front of her, taking her hand in his, "we have time," he said softly, "he will come up for the winter hunt and you can meet him before we make it official," he said and that appeased her as she half smiled.

"ok…," she said getting up, "if you excuse me, but it's a lot to take in," she said and she walked out the door.

"Well… that went well" I said, "better than I thought," Daniel concurred, mirroring my thoughts and I get up myself, "well I don't know about you, but I'm famished," I said kissing Daniel and walking out the door, this past month has been an emotional rollercoaster, but I would not change it for the world.

Heading down the stairs I think back to the market in the 2nd Realm and how little they have compared to modern earth, with a new mission in mind, I walked out of Daniels office and headed down the stairs, stopping at the third floor.

'Maybe I should go check on Kate first.' I thought, turning down her hall and I walked up to her door, nocking softly,

"Kate?" I said, "come in," she replied and I opened the door to her sitting on her bed, hugging her legs with her face towards me and I walked up to her, giving her a hug,

"Are you mad?" I asked and she shook her head no, "Are you sad" I pushed a little more and a stray tear fell, that made me want to cry.

"What if I can't take Olivia with me" she cried and I hugged her a little tighter "what if he accepts me, but says she can't come" she asked a little more erratic and I had to calm her down, "Kate I doubt he would deny you anything" I said assuredly, "Angela said he is a good man," I reminded her.

"Do you really think she would let you go if her brother was a bad man?" I asked logically and she laughed a little, "Your right" she agreed, she loved Angela immediately and calls us hers sisters, hugging her again, "look at the bright side, Angela will officially be you sister" I said with a smile and that brightened her day, "your right" she said wiping her tears and hugged me back.

"Thanks, Cass" and I got up, "anytime Sis, now I'm hungry and need food" I said and she laughed, "im hungry too, why don't I join you" she said getting up and we both walked out arm and arm, heading down the stairs. We entered the dinning hall and my mouth waters, "does the insatiable appetite ever die down, I eat twice as much since Daniel and I mated" I said as my stomach growls.

Kate laughed, "You get use to it Sis" she said and we grabbed a plate, "I could live on breakfast" I said piling it high with hash browns and eggs, pancakes and whatever else I could fit and Kate agreed wholeheartedly as we found our seats.

We were talking about the week and what we had planned when Olivia came in, "K!" she said and Kate brightened at her friend, "Liv!" she exclaimed back as she walked out way.

"My brother found his mate and my parents want us home for Christmas" she said excitedly as she sat down and Kate's eyes welled up with tears and she burst out crying.

Olivia eyes went wide as saucers, looking at me and then back to Kate. "K… what's wrong?" Olivia asked worriedly, hugging her and Kate latched on, "I can't go" she said bawling in between and Olivia tried to soothe her.

"Why the tears babe" I hear her whispering and Kate explained the alliance with the Rocky Fork Pack Alpha and her not getting a choice. Olivia just kept soothing her and assuring her this was a good thing and that this was already part of the plan, "Angela is like a sister to us already" she said, relaying what I said and she would not let her go to a cruel man and Olivia finally sat up.

"This is important to you, fuck my parents" Olivia said and Kate looked up at that, surprised and

wiping her tears, "What! You can't do that" Kate said on half laugh half cry, "I'm sorry Liv" she said hugging her friend and pulled away, grabbing her hands, "You have to go I'm being a big baby," Kate said, "I'll call you ever night" Olivia assured her and Kate smiled, feeling better already and while in the moment, I reach over and gave them both in a hug and we all laughed.