Damon

　　I frantically paced around the corners of the room, my mind racing. Still, I raged within myself. My anger had only simmered down a bit. Around me, several objects lay broken all about the floor – a plate, a decorative vase, several other ceramic objects. I had thrown a lot of them at walls in anger.

　　My knuckles also felt bruised, an unwitting result of my punching the walls ceaselessly. It did not matter; nothing mattered when compared with the burning inside of me when I thought of the guard’s confession, and of Carlisle’s reply to me when I had queried her.

　　Yet, as I still felt the fire of fury within me, I recognised how desperate I felt right then. The feeling threatened to make me lose focus, because the object of every waking thought I had since I found her, was driving me mad. I was on the edge of sanity with her, and I could not get through to her, no matter how hard I tried.

　　I picked up a crystal tumbler, filling it with whiskey and downing it in one go, dropping the cup with a loud thud on the table. The heat of the alcohol was soothing, and I exhaled, before beginning to pace once more, feeling the heat pool in my gut.

　　Why did Carlisle keep doing this? Why did she try to do everything in her power to push me away? Did she not see how much I loved her? Did she not know how much I wanted her, my mate, beside me? Or did she just not care?

　　I let out a sigh, running my hand through my hair. I was desperate, I admitted that. I wanted Carlisle to fall in love with me. time was not on my side either.

　　But even then, somewhere inside me, I had a feeling that she already had feelings for me. She was just trying to hide it, trying to do things to make me push her away or let her go. Carlisle always tried to be strong and stoic whenever I confronted her.

　　Memories of the kiss that took place not too long ago filled my thoughts. She had given in to me then. She had enjoyed that kiss as much as I did. However, just as quickly as it had begun, she had pushed me away again. But I would not give up. I would break through those walls she tries to put up. I would get through to her, no matter what.

　　It was then that I remembered the guard still in the cell, where I had ordered him to be locked up. I sighed again, this time in frustration. Then I made my way out of my room, and quickly moved towards the direction of the cells. There was something I needed to do, with regards to my final order.

　　The guard at the door of the prison cells straightened as he noticed my arrival, murmuring in respectful greeting. I did not respond except with a brief nod, brushing past him and to the person that I came to see. The guard in the cell was sitting when I approached, but as soon as he saw me, he stood.

　　“Alpha,” he greeted me before falling to his knees, his hands in a gesture of supplication. “I beg for forgiveness, Alpha. What took place should not have happened. I should not have fallen for her seduction. I beg of you, please have mercy on me,” he pleaded.

　　“Enough,” I commanded, and he stopped talking. “Your pleas make no sense to me, as what is done is done. Should you have fallen into bed with my mate, would you have blamed her for it as well?” I clenched my hands into fists at my side. He flinched, shaking his head. “I do not joke with my mate, remember that.”

　　He nodded, “Yes Alpha,” he muttered pitifully. I grit my teeth at his reply. Pathetic, I thought, wanting to punch him in the face. He falls for my mate’s seduction and that is all he can say?

　　Huffing in frustration, I pinched my nose, wishing right then that I had taken some whiskey or bourbon before I came down here. But I was here now, and I had to do what needed to be done.

　　“You are lucky, you know,” I growled, making him look up at me in curiosity, but quickly lowered it once more once he saw the look on my face. “You escaped one of the greatest punishments you could have ever had. Fortunately for you, I will spare your life,” I finished.

　　“Thank you, Alpha,” the guard seemed to tear up at my declaration. I did not care, because inside, I felt stony and cold. After everything that had happened, there was nothing else I could feel at that moment.

　　I beckoned to one of the guards stationed by the door. When he came over, I ordered, “Release him. Inform my beta that he is to be demoted to the lowest ranks. Kieran will take charge of his punishment and report back to me.”

　　“Yes Alpha,” he acknowledged my command, moving to open the cell for the guard to pass through.

　　I did not waste any time after that, and went back up to the main floor. I called a maid who was nearest to me, ordering her to bring me a tray of food for Carlisle. She obliged with a bow, and I moved up to the door of Carlisle’s room, unlocking it with my key before I went in.

　　She was now sitting on a couch, her feet dangling in the air. Her expression was pensive. As soon as she noticed my arrival, she huffed and looked away.

　　“I don’t have time to deal with you right now,” Carlisle said, “What do you want?”

　　“You,” I replied, and she rolled her eyes, crossing her arms and snorting at my reply.

　　“Fat chance for that to happen right now,” She began to retort, but the rumbling of her stomach was so sudden and loud that it interrupted her oncoming rant. She looked at me with a venomous glare, saying, “You must be happy now, keeping me without food. What else would you take from me?”

　　“Nothing more,” I shook my head, sitting down on the other side of the couch. She made to turn away but my next statement stopped her in her tracks. “I thought you might be hungry.”

　　She hesitated, pursing her lips and looking down at the floor.

　　A kock on the door made us both get up. She watched me stride over to the door and open it, collecting the tray of warm food from the maid from before, who curtsied to us both and left the room.

　　I could practically see her mouth watering as I placed the food on the small table in front of the couch. But when she picked up a spoon, she paused at the look on my face.

　　“I don’t want it,” she suddenly said, pushing the tray away. “It will be another thing for you to hold over my head, and I don’t want whatever you give me.”

　　“Don’t be silly, Carlisle,” I replied. My frustration was beginning to mount up once more, and very quickly. “It’s food. Aren’t you hungry?”

　　“I refuse to accept anything from you. You clearly think this will help you in some way. I refuse,” she insisted.

　　I let out a growl, picking up the plate and spoon, scooping up some food and aiming it at her lips. She turned her face, but I persisted.

　　“Don’t be stubborn. Just take the food, Carlisle,” I ordered. She shook her head, not letting a sound pass from her lips. “It will be better for you if you do.”

　　“Go to hell,” she bit out through her teeth, practically hissing at me.

　　In frustration, I dropped the plate, holding the spoon to her face and grabbing her chin with my other hand. Gently but firmly, I tugged at her chin, making her gasp. As soon as her mouth was open, I shoved the spoon inside it, depositing the scooped up food in it. She tried to pull away, but I would not let her, keeping the spoon in her mouth and my hand on her chin even when I pulled it away.

　　She looked furious at me, and I withdrew the spoon, grabbing the glass of water and doing the same treatment to her by tugging her chin open. This time, she struggled with me, trying to grip my hand and push the glass away. But she was no match for me in strength. Even as she tried in vain to resist my attempts to open her mouth, I held on, while trying not to hurt her.

　　It proved a bit difficult, and as a result, the water sloshed around and spilled a bit on the couch and us both. But I finally managed to get some in her mouth.

　　I dropped the glass of water which was now half-full. I felt triumphant, and turned to look at Carlisle beside me, who looked curious.

　　All of a sudden, I saw her grab the plate of food, and as I tried to hold her back, she threw it at the wall, smashing the plate into smithereens. Then, Carlisle turned back to me, giving me a look as if to say, “Look what you caused now.”

　　I could not control myself then, “Are you insane, Carlisle? Does this make you happy, huh? Are you happy now?” I raised my voice at her, and she crossed her arms, trying to stand her ground.

　　“I told you, I was not going to eat anything you would dare to give me. You drugged me last time that I trusted you. You do not deserve to be trusted again! And so what if the plate is broken and food wasted?! You are the one to blame for it! You caused all of this, just like all the other times! You try again and again to antagonize me and it needs to stop! Just let me go, Damon!”

　　I did not know when I had picked up the glass cup and threw it on the marble tiled floor, watching it break into pieces. She gaped at me, stunned at my action.

　　“I have had enough of your behavior, Carlisle! I show you kindness and you spit in my face instead?! Is that in any way right to you?! Why are you always so antagonistic to me? Am I your enemy now? Or do you just want to blame me for everything that happens between us, hmm?” I snarled at her.

　　“You started it, Damon!” she screamed at me, pouting an accusing finger at me. “I need nothing from you! Nothing at all, but my freedom! Do you understand that? I will never let you get the best of me, not now and definitely not ever.”

　　The silence in the room was palpable after she finished her rant. Every part of me was tense, and the tension in the room had us looking everywhere but at each other. I looked down at the floor, where pieces of the glistening glass shards lay about in tiny pieces. The rest of the water had spilled as well, and it spread over the tile in a random pattern.

　　Inside me, I felt an overwhelming sense of despair and frustration. I also had to try to contain myself and take calm breaths, for my anger was too great.

　　With one look at her, I moved towards the door, opening it and calling in one of the guards.

　　“Take her to the cells and lock her up,” I noticed how her eyes widened in that order. I continued on, unmoved by her dazed expression. “She is to go without food or water until I say otherwise.”

　　“Yes, Alpha,” the guard gave a neck bow in acknowledgement of my order, before moving towards Carlisle, who now began to shake her head, taking steps back.