Matias' POV:

Everest is still pretty tired, as he is finishing his heat. Even though the scent has lessened, it still made Anthony and his guards fidget a bit, so I'm glad I got Everest away before their own scents came out and made him feel shaky.

After our argument, he fell asleep. Before fully allowing sleep to take him, he warned me that he'd bite my dick off if I tried to cuddle with him while he slept. That little wolf is fierce, so I have no choice but to believe him.

So, I'm settled with a few inches of space between us, watching him sleep. He's much less tense when he sleeps, and he is beautiful as ever. My heart quickens in my chest as I watch him, and I feel the desire to hold him, but I won't disrespect his wishes.

I know that Cody would want me to be happy and to move on, but I can't do that. I can't put Everest at risk the same way I let my first angel down. So, I'll settle for these moments when I can watch this little wolf before I get him home and never see him again.

There's a knock at the door and I let out an audible growl so whoever is out there leaves us alone.

"It's me," Anthony says in Italian. "We will be landing soon, and it is a bit windy, so you should come out here and sit in the seats."

"Fine," I say, scooping Everest up.

His eyes fly open and he glared at me. "Are you trying to encourage me to snip your pencil dick off?!"

"No, I'm trying to keep you from rolling around and getting a concussion," I respond, ignoring my inner wolf who's extremely offended that Everest called my dick small.

Everest huffs as I make him sit down in one of the seats and buckle the belt for him. "I can do that myself."

"I know, but now you don't have to."

He stays silent after that, looking to the window and watching our slow descent. There are a few times where he shifts awkwardly and I see him look over to Anthony and his two guards, who all seem to be focused on Everest. It must be the scent, which I don't like, because he's clearly uncomfortable.

I reach over and begin to gently rub my wrists on his neck, which gets him to slap my hand away.

"What are you doing?" he asks, his upper lip curled back, showing off his canines. "Fuck off, Matias."

"Would you rather my scent be on you or would you prefer them to stare at you like predators because of your heat scent?" I ask, not pulling my hands back all the way.

Everest sighs, and it's obvious he's irritated. It doesn't stop him from slowly scooting toward me and rolling his eyes as he pulls down his shirt a bit to show off his neck.

"I'm trying to keep them from eye fucking you," I murmur as I cover most of his sweet, enhanced heat scent. "It should keep them from looking at you a bit."

He scoffs. "Like you care."

"I do care."

"Keep telling yourself that."

I keep my arm around him once I've finished scenting him, and Everest doesn't complain or growl at me. It's a nice change of pace, and I can guess he hasn't been on a plane before since he tenses when we begin to land. I take my arm out from around him and grab his hand, leaning my head against his.

It seems to relax him a bit, which makes me smile. I'm pretty sure he sees my smile because he looks up at me with poison in his eyes before he looks down at our joined hands.

Once the plane is on the ground, I recognize the landing strip as the one that is about an hour drive from the mansion where my family lives.

Anthony shows us off the plane once it has fully stopped, but I know he's not doing it out of respect. It's mainly because he's supposed to ensure that we're unable to run from the guards, who are in front of us.

With Everest being in heat and neither of us having identification on us, it'd be too risky to run anyway. It's much safer to stay until I can find a way to bribe the pilot and get us home.

We're escorted into the car and we sit between the two guards with Anthony across from us.

"Are you hungry? Thirsty?" he asks politely.

Too politely for my taste, especially knowing what he's capable of.

"I have to pee," Everest says. "I can just go outside real quick before we leave."

Anthony chuckles. "Do you think me foolish, Omega?"

"I have a name. Besides, aren't I technically your superior?" Everest asks, which makes Anthony's face harden.

Especially since he's right.

"There is a restroom in that building. I will escort you," Anthony says.

I unbuckle my seat. "I will be going, too. Don't act like you have not been eyeing my mate since he woke up."

Anthony shrugs. "Fine, but all of my guards will be going then."

"I can go on my own. I seriously just have to pee," Everest says once we're out of the car.

Both he and I know he's planning on trying to escape, and I try to dissuade him with my eyes, but he just rolls his. When we get to the bathroom, he sighs and enters the room before reappearing a few minutes later.

He looks even more pissed than when he went in.

"Not even a window in there," he grumbles as we get back to the car.

I wrap my arm around Everest when we sit back in the car, pulling him so he's almost on my lap so he doesn't have to sit against either of the two guards. He must be annoyed by the awkward position because Everest eventually just scoffs and slides onto my lap.

I don't mind him there, but he clearly doesn't enjoy it. It's more about getting away from the others and probably trying to get me turned on to frustrate me.

It's working.

"Will you stop moving around?" I whisper harshly in his ear.

Everest leans his head back on my shoulder. "There's a lot of bumps in the road."

"Liar," I scold him, gripping his thigh and making him squeak. "Not so fun, huh?"

He huffs. "Don't touch my thigh. You're the reason I'm in this mess."

Anthony is smirking at our bickering. "He does remind me a bit of Cody."

"Don't say his name," I growl.

"Yeah, fuck you," Everest adds. "Do you have a mate?"

Anthony nods. "Yes, she is at the mansion."

"Remind me to kill her before I go home," Everest says, making Anthony freeze. "Yeah, not so fun to feel that threat, huh? Fuck you."

I like his spirit.

"You dare threaten my mate?"

"I hope she gets an STD and gives it to you."

Oh goddess, please keep me from laughing.

Anthony lets out an aggressive growl. "How could she get one? She is healthy!"

"I mean, if you were my mate, I'd definitely be prone to one because I'd be cheating on you every night." Everest shrugs, and I can see that he's not afraid at all. "I'm going to do everything in my power to escape and make you fail your job with the hope that they kill your mate as a punishment."

I didn't expect Everest to go that far, but there is pure anger dripping from his mouth and I've never felt someone defend me like this. Even though I'm the reason he's stuck in this situation.

Anthony is seething silently, and when we finally reach the mansion, he opens the car door for us. Everest shyly takes my hand and curls into my side, looking at the looming mansion before us.

I never thought I'd be back here.

Not after what the owners of this home did to me.

Anthony opens the front door. "Your room is as you left it," he tells me. "Your parents will be home later tonight. They are attending an event."

"My siblings?"

"With your parents," Anthony says, eyeing Everest disdainfully. "I will be down here if you need me. The windows are all locked and have alarms, so don't get any ideas."

I pull Everest with me and guide him up the stairs.

"No tour?" he quips as I pull him into my room and close the door.

My parents didn't allow us to have locks, which was really awkward when I went through my first rut with Cody helping me.

"I can't stand this house," I say, laying on my bed.

The maids must have changed the bedding because it no longer smells like me or Cody. It's a bit frustrating but it's probably for the best that I don't smell the love of my life. I'd end up crying all day.

Everest steps toward me and wipes his thumb under my eye. "Are you alright?"

Apparently I can't stop myself from crying.

"Yes, I will be fine," I say, sniffing and trying to shake off my wave of depression. "I feel horrible for not protecting him... Goddess, I miss him."

Everest surprises me when he hugs me. "I'm sorry, Matias. You didn't deserve that fate. Neither you nor Cody."

"Thank you," I whisper, holding Everest close to my chest. "Your ex-mate is some kind of CEO, right?"

Everest hums. "Yeah, he's pretty powerful in New York. Runs some stupid construction company that works globally. I hope he didn't find another mate and he regrets getting rid of me," he mumbles.

"I'm sure he does," I respond. "You're something special, Everest."

Everest looks at me, almost as if he's unsure of himself. "You're pretty special, too, Matias."

I run my hand down his back and kiss his forehead chastely. "Thank you, Everest... it does mean a lot coming from you."

A smile comes to his face as he makes himself comfortable and closes his eyes.