Chapter 674: No one can escape Cass’ clutches

"Okay, so, we rushed off pretty quickly, right?" Lucian was beginning to explain everything that had happened after he had left. They had cleaned up, obviously, and now Cass was tucked against Lucian’s chest, Edgar’s jacket tucked around his waist to give him some decency since Lucian had ripped the crotch out of his pants.

Edgar and Gideon were cuddled up on the couch across from them, Lucian having spread out on the other couch. Sage and Ember had been allowed back into the room and while they were eyeing the four guys like they had never seen something so scandalous, they were working just fine.

They did ask if anyone wanted any treats with their tea, something that Sam would have just provided without question, but they were learning. Cass gave them a sweet reply that had Sage running off to fulfil his request and Ember staying behind to be available to them if they needed anything.

"Yes, I’m aware." Cass replied. He sounded tart, but the truth was he was actually rather content. Despite the well of rage that his favourite pants had been destroyed in the process, he was more than happy to be snuggled up in the arms of Lucian, the man’s chin resting on top of his own.

He did get a few hits in on the man after they had come down from their joint high of coming together, and after they dealt with the uh, issues the other two were dealing with. Lucian had taken the blows regally, aware after Cass had explained what he had done wrong.

He had apologised, unaware how dire Cass’ clothing situation was, and promised that he would help. Cass didn’t think he would be of much help, since the man could just wear whatever the hell he wanted as a dragon.

Lucian turned his head down and kissed the top of Cass’ head, squeezing him tighter.

"Don’t be too mad at me, sweetness. I promise to make it up to you." Lucian promised. Cass grumbled, mostly appeased, and Lucian let out a soft sigh. "Well, I’m thankful that despite everything, Byron’s den was nearby. I can’t tell you how close for his own sake, but we were able to get there in time." Lucian’s voice grew strained saying it out loud and Cass squeezed him where he held him.

As much as he was in Lucian’s lap, he had forced one of his arms around Lucian’s back just for this exact moment. Lucian was often the one hugging him and caring for him, and the others. This was the least that Cass could do for the man.

"I’m glad that was the case." Edgar murmured from the other couch. He had tucked his legs up under him on the couch and was pressed against Gideon’s side. Gideon was flushed, his arm around Edgar’s shoulder stiffly. He was still getting used to passive physical contact when it wasn’t related to sleeping together.

"Me too." Gideon echoed, his voice somber. "Was his different then yours?" He asked, curious and Lucian gave another small sigh.

"Yeah, it was. We’re different types of dragons, after all, and he’s years younger than me. It was a bit strange having to navigate it, but with Sam’s help through the mating bond, we were able to get him to a stable state." Lucian’s expression was grim. "Without it...I don’t think he would have survived." The words were like a bomb going off in the room.

Cass had intentionally not been thinking negatively. After all, there was no way his two henchmen could be wiped out by something like this. He hadn’t let it cross his mind at the time because he couldn’t. There was no way they were allowed to die. They meant too much to him, and were just starting out their lives.

But now, sitting with Lucian, hearing the words, Cass felt his eyes prickle with tears. He turned, pressing his face against Lucian’s throat to hide his watering eyes from the others. Lucian tsked, pulling Cass closer against his chest.

"Oh sweetness, don’t cry." Lucian said softly. "I’ll get even more emotional if you do." Lucian murmured and Cass sucked in, trying to control himself.

"S-Sorry. I just...I didn’t let the seriousness hit until now. When everyone was safe." Cass whispered tensely. Lucian groaned, pulling Cass tighter against his chest. "I had faith in you. That you would make it." Cass told him, giving him a squeeze as well. The tears teetered on the edge, threatening to spill over but Cass somehow managed to prevent it. Even as his eyes burned hot and his body trembled.

"Thank you for having faith." Lucian murmured, then gave a tight laugh. "I’m glad someone did." He said. Cass heard rather than saw the sound of the other couch shifting and then felt the weight of the other two on his back and side as they leaned in, hugging them both.

"Of course you were going to make it." Gideon rumbled, hugging them both. "You’re Lucian, the red dragon. There is no way you wouldn’t have succeeded." Gideon told him seriously. Edgar gave a small laugh.

"Fear is normal, isn’t it? But I agree with Giddy and Cass. You had our full faith, Lucy, and so did Byron. Byron trusted that you would be able to save him. I know it. When he comes out of this a few months from now, he’ll be happy and grateful for what you’ve done. I’m sure Sam was already falling all over himself to thank you before you left." Edgar suggested.

Cass heard how Lucian’s pulse quickened and Lucian sucked in deeply.

"I...thank you for saying that." Lucian murmured and Edgar squeezed him tighter.

"You’re welcome. You’ve done something that you should be proud of." Cass tensed. He knew what Edgar was saying was a good thing, he knew that, but he could almost hear the ’unlike me’ that Edgar wasn’t saying. Cass finally turned his face away from Lucian’s throat, coming face to chest with Edgar.

Feeling playful, and punishing, Cass leaned forward and nipped at the skin there. Edgar let out a surprised yelp, pulling back just in time to see Cass licking his lips unapologetically. Edgar’s eyes widened, shock on his face.

"D-Did you just bite me? Why?" Edgar asked and Cass could feel how the other two, and Ember, were listening to their conversation, watching Cass as he huffed.

"Have any of the words or actions I’ve taken while Lucian was gone gone through one ear and out the other?" Cass asked coldly, and watched as Edgar paled.

"What are you talking about?" Edgar asked, but Lucian stiffened under Cass. It was clear that the others hadn’t noticed, just Cass, and that meant that Cass knew he had the dragon on his side. Good.

"You were thinking bad thoughts about yourself, weren’t you?" Cass asked and watched as Edgar swallowed.

"I wasn’t. I didn’t say anything like that." Edgar argued and Cass scoffed, loudly.

"Oh, you think I’m dumb and can’t read between the lines, huh? Who did you used to verbally spar with, Edgar?" Cass growled and watched as Edgar seemed to realise he was in trouble. Cass turned to Lucian. "These two idiots while you’ve been gone have been degrading themselves and thinking that they have to earn their spaces by my side." Cass said.

He was hopeful that Lucian would get mad at them with him so that they could tag team them together. He was tired of everyone else tag teaming him, he could do with someone being on his side.

However, he must have worded it wrong because Lucian didn’t seem as angry as Cass expected him to be. Instead, he’d relaxed, and he was nodding.

"Well, of course we have to earn our spaces by your side." Lucian murmured. "We fucked up for ages, and now we have to prove ourselves." Lucian said, and Cass realised he really had fucked up coming at it from the angle that he had.

Shit. Lucian was agreeing with them!

"That’s not-! Ugh! Don’t you dare take their side! I was trying to do something nice for them and they said that they hadn’t done anything worthy of receiving it! Edgar in particular has been bad for it, and Gideon just flees the room when I try to talk to him about what he’s doing because I can’t leave my rooms!" Cass exploded, his frustration boiling over. "We’ve gotten through the hard parts. We’ve dealt with all of my fucked up issues, my soul, and we’re working on making sure I’m healthy. Don’t we all deserve a damn fucking break? Why am I not allowed to reward you all for good behaviour and staying by my side while all of this happens?" Cass demanded, not sure if he was speaking to Lucian, all of them, or the gods.

It would probably be a resounding yes if he was asked by anyone for clarification.

Lucian’s face softened as he listened to Cass explode, while Gideon and Edgar paused. They had known that Cass was upset with them and that he was trying to reward them, but he’d foolishly missed a few steps when trying to explain.

"Oh sweetness, why are you shouting? There’s no need to get so loud when you’re upset." Said the dragon. Cass fumed, ready to flip his shit when Lucian pulled him against his chest tightly, hugging him. "Thank you for getting upset at them, for us. I agree, you’ve been through a lot. You are allowed to want a moment of rest. I just...my sweet Cass, you know we’ve transgressed against you. We do have to earn our rights to be by your side, right?" Lucian spoke softly and the anger inside of Cass had nowhere to go.

He did know that. He did. He actively bore the scar from when he’d fallen and been allowed to enter Cass’ body still. He also had the scar from when Lucian had bitten him, and there were probably many, many other marks on his body that signified times that the men hadn’t helped him or had neglected him. Or had been outwardly hostile to him.

Cass was just...he wasn’t trying to sweep that all under the rug, but he thought it was time that they all stopped dwelling on the past.

"I understand that, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t move forward. That we can’t be happy together. That you don’t deserve to be rewarded for all of the help you’ve given me, and how you’ve all grown. How we’ve all grown in the time that I’ve been here." Cass said. "I don’t want to be stuck in the past. I don’t want us to not be able to move past the bad things that we’ve done to each other. It’s not like I was a damn saint either." Cass muttered. "But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be rewarded or that you are undeserving of rewards." Cass told him, told them.

"Oh Cass." Edgar breathed. Lucian hugged him tightly.

"So, you tried to reward them while I was gone and they turned you down?" Lucian asked and Cass nodded.

"That’s slander. We didn’t turn you down." Edgar said nervously and Cass scoffed.

"You said you were undeserving and then broke down crying." Cass said.

"That’s not what happened!" Edgar defended and Gideon gave a soft chuckle.

"In my case, I was forced into bed and told that I must rest. That Sir Forsythe was worried about me, Cass was worried about me, and that he wanted to get us something equal to what he had perceived we had done for him. In Eddie’s case, it was creating him a new office off of Cass’ so that he could more easily help him with his work." Lucian nodded to Gideon, appreciating the clarification as Edgar stood there, flushed and humiliated.

"You are slandering my name to plead your case, Cass." Edgar muttered and Gideon reached for him, tugging him close and pressing a kiss against his cheek.

"Sadly, dear Eddie, it’s not slander if it’s very close to the truth."