Grym stood before his small house, his hand hovering above the handle. He hated this house. Ryfon had given the place to him a couple of days after Grym had agreed to join the Devil's Footprint. Grym pressed his forehead against the door and looked down at himself. He hated the man that he had become. It had been a month since his father had blackmailed him into joining his cult. Grym would do anything to protect Melione, and becoming Ryfon's killer was the only way to protect her.

Grym took a deep breath before turning the handle and entering his house. The darkness inside the house reflected what he was feeling inside. He didn't think he could hate his father more than he already did, but his hatred had grown. Every night, the images of Melione being pinned down on the table before him haunted his dreams. He always woke up drenched in sweat.

Grym closed the door behind him and picked his head up. Through the eye slits in his mask, his eyes met Melione's. Every day, she would wait for him a couple of feet away from the door. Today, she wore a long black dress with a plunging neckline stopping at the bottom of her sternum. His hands itched to reach out to her, but he couldn't bring himself to move. Melione was the first one to move every time. Her eyes never left his as she stopped in front of him. Her hands moved around his head and unclipped his mask, pulling it away from his face. She placed the mask on the side table and removed his black robe, hanging it on a hook beside the door. Grym couldn't stop staring at his mate as he stood in just a pair of trousers.

Melione's eyes traveled down his body, her fingertips brushing over his chest. A small sigh blew out of her nose as she noticed the dried-up drops and speckles of blood painting his bare chest. Her eyes met his once more as she took his hand. "Come on," she whispered. Melione led him into the washroom, where a tub was filled with water. "Strip," she gently ordered him as she turned to dip her hand in the water.

Grym had learned in the past month not to argue with her about taking care of him. He did as she told him and settled into the warm water. Grym watched as Melione took a cloth and began to wash the blood off of his chest. His eyes moved over her face before dropping down to her neck. The sides of his mouth dipped down as his fingers moved over the metal collar around her neck. This was another thing he hated his father for.

The collar that was around his mate's neck controlled her light. Grym felt helpless as he was forced to sit and watch his father's men put this collar on Melione. For the past month, he watched her skin pale as she had given up on fighting the collar. Grym knew that he had failed as her mate. He wouldn't blame her if she considered breaking their bond and leaving him. The only time he has seen his mate's light is when she looks at him.

"Get in this bath with me," Grym asked her. He didn't want anything sexual from her. He only wanted to touch her skin with his. She made him calm. She brought happiness to his messed-up life.

Melione looked up at him and gave him a small smile. "As you wish, my mate." She stood up, removing the dress from her body. She stepped into the bath and leaned back against his chest.

Grym wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. His head dropped to rest against hers, breathing in her scent. He had promised Melione that he was going to get them both out of this mess, but a month had passed and he was no closer to any kind of plan.

Melione brought his fingers to her lips. "You need to stop, Grym." She moved so she was straddling his waist. She took the cloth and continued to wash the blood that had stained his skin. "Stop putting yourself down."

Grym's arms tightened around her. "I can't help it, Melione. You are mine to protect and I've failed you." His eyes dropped to the collar.

Melione placed the cloth over the edge of the tub and took his face in her hands. Grym's eyes snapped up to hers. "You have not failed me, Grym." He started to open his mouth, but she interrupted him. "This is how you protected me and you've continued to be a wonderful mate."

Grym shook his head. "You're stuck in this fucking house while I'm out torturing people for my father's sick cult."

Melione shrugged. "I would love nothing more than to stay by your side. Hell, I hate being here by myself waiting until you get home, but I'll do it every day if it means that I'm nowhere near Ryfon and his men."

Grym wanted to kill every single one of them that had laid their hands on Melione. He prayed that there would be a perfect time for him to get his own revenge on them. He closed his eyes and dropped his head back against the edge of the tub.

Melione's hands moved up and down on his chest. "I can distract you, my mate. At least for this moment." Her hips rolled against him, causing his body to harden even more than it already was.

"Melione," her name fell with a groan out of his mouth. His hands tightened against her hips. He loved the way she could control his body. While she would often let him take control of her, he absolutely loved it when she controlled him, ordering him to do whatever she wanted. "Take what you want, mate. My body is yours."