The Cowgirl Rogue

Chapter 35

After getting Hailey and myself checked out and then settling Hailey into her new room, I followed Clemson into a room by himself followed by the curious glances of the royal family, Corbin, and Clemson's mate.

Once we were alone, Clemson took a deep breath and let it out with a small whoosh, and he seemed to shrink under my gaze, showing me again that he was only half human, gifted with powers that helped him lead a whole group of Wolves. He moved his hand through his hair and shook his head while he faced me, pressing his lips into a thin line.

I stayed silent and raised an eyebrow in question while I waited for him to say something silently wondering again if someone tried to control him or not, which was why he was trying to be under my control instead of Tally's.

"I guess I have to explain why I called you here," he said, and I nodded in confirmation while I pressed my lips into a thin line. He cleared his throat and shifted on his feet while he looked anywhere but me. "I want to be under your control," he said bluntly, and I blinked and stayed silent. He looked at me, and I could tell that he was serious.

I raised an eyebrow and again, wondered why he wanted to be under my control when he had a Vesper as his mate by his side. I knew that Tally would be able to protect him, especially since she was his mate and she was powerful.

"You're powerful," Clemson said as if he knew where my thoughts were going and moved a hand through his hair while he let out a breathless chuckle and shook his head with a small grimace on his face. "You're more powerful than Tally, and I know that I will be safe under your control than hers."

"But your mate is a Vesper, also," I said. "Besides me being more powerful than Tally and you feeling safer, why do you want to be under my control?"

"Because I have seen how you work with others," Clemson said, talking about people that have been under my control. "I know that you make sure that the wolf and the person trusts you completely before you do something. I know that you think of things to add if needed and also remove commands quicker than others if the needs change. Hell, I know that Tally can't control someone over the phone, but I know that you can."

"Well, aren't you worried that I'd tell you to kill the king?" I asked and raised an eyebrow.

Clemson shook his head no, biting back a small snort. "Because you've sworn to protect him and have protected him time in and time out. You make sure that he stays safe and able to do his work without interfering too much." He moved a hand across his face and cleared his throat, biting back a small sigh and looked at me. "I've seen how your powers affect him when others try to control him as safety practices, and with this new threat..." He shook his head and grimaced, trailing off.

I pressed my lips into a thin line and narrowed my eyes. "Have you asked Tally about this?" I asked and raised an eyebrow in question. "She's older than me by years, and she's been practicing with her powers more than me."

Clemson bit back a grim smile and shook his head. "But you are stronger than her as a Vesper," he said, "and even she admits it, and I know that it worries her, which is why I haven't told her that I was considering this."

I pursed my lips in annoyance and narrowed my eyes while I looked at him. "She needs to know this before I do it," I said, after I weighed the pros and cons about putting him under my command and going with it. "That's the only condition that I have."

"N-"

"Clemson, she is your mate. She is protective of you just as much as you are of her. If she finds out that I have put you under my control without her knowing, then I know that she will be pissed and not trust me ever again. Corbin doesn't need to know. The king doesn't need to know, but she needs to know."

"And what if she vetoes it?" he asked and raised an eyebrow. "What if she doesn't like it?"

"She's going to be hurt, that's a fact, but I don't think that she will veto the fact that you want to be under my control," I replied. "She knows that I won't make you do anything stupid and will protect you with all of my might."

Clemson sighed and moved a hand through his hair before he shook his head, grimacing. "I've been debating it," he said, finally. "What if she does get upset that I am under your control and not under hers? What if she does veto it? What i-"

"It's the ifs that are going to kill you," I said, interrupting him and blinking when he scowled and narrowed his eyes, "and the best way to get your questions answered is to actually talk to your mate. You need to let her know your fears and everything. She'll understand. As you've stated, I'm stronger than her, even though I don't understand how, but it will help settle your fears and hers."

Clemson hesitated before he finally nodded, and I had a feeling that he understood why I wanted him to tell her that he wanted to be under my control. "Ok," he said softly and cleared his throat while he moved a hand across his face. "I'll contact her and have her come here."

"Let her know about Ryott," I said, "and your worries that something like that could happen to you. If she doesn't want to come or is nervous."

He nodded, and his eyes glazed over while he contacted his mate.

I stayed silent and folded my arms across my chest while I watched him. I was nervous, anxious even, and prayed that she would understand why we were doing this and what we wanted to accomplish.

I knew that he was scared that he would somehow hurt the packs or the king if he was under another Vesper's control, and I knew that he wanted to make sure that he was fully protected, which was why he wanted me to do it and not someone else.

"She's on her way," Clemson said and blinked so that he could focus on me. "Hailey is down for a nap, right now, and I think that is why she is happy to leave so soon."

I pressed my lips into a thin line and nodded. "Did you tell her about Ryott?" I asked, and he shook his head no. I raised an eyebrow in question and pressed my lips into a thin line, annoyed. "Why not?" I asked, not hiding the annoyance in my voice. "I thought we-"

"I think it'd be best if I did it in person," he admitted, interrupting me, while he rubbed the back of his neck, sheepishly. He cleared his throat and shifted on his feet while he looked at me. "Also so that she can hear it from you, too. I want to see if you can't get her to keep an eye on him."

I bit back an annoyed sigh before I slowly nodded and rubbed the bridge of my nose while I pursed my lips in annoyance. "Then, I hope we don't have to wait too long for her because I wanted her to be prepared about the pros and cons about you being under my command and what could happen to the two of you if we do this."

Clemson nodded and stayed silent while we waited for his mate, and I held back an eye roll because it looked like he didn't care and wasn't as worried as me.

However, that could be a ruse, and he was just as worried as me, if not more...

Thankfully, we didn't have to wait too long because there was a knock on the door, and Clesmon walked over to the door and opened it.

Tally was silent when she walked into the room, and her eyes were filled with concern and worry. She looked between us before she looked at me, the happy go lucky girl gone and replaced with the warrior that I knew she could be when she needed too.

"What is it?" she asked while her mate closed the door and stood in the spot he had resided in before she came into the room with us, placing his arms behind his back. She looked between us and furrowed her brows while she cocked her head and studied us, pressing her lips into a thin line. "What happened? What's wrong? And who do I need to kill?"