A/N: I'm really sorry for the long update guys. College life has been pretty hectic for me, but I'll try to update this story every once in a week. I really appreciate your reviews, I'm so happy that many of you like this story. And also English is not my first language, so I'm very sorry for any grammar mistakes that I've made. For once again, thank you very very very much!

Present Time

After I've finished my business, I tiptoe back into the bedroom. I really hope that Cato has gone back to sleep, the last thing that I want is to be interrogated by him at the middle of the night.

Well, there goes my hope. In spite of the darkness in the bedroom, I can feel Cato's staring at me. Leaning on the headboard, his eyes look right into me. I cautiously sit down on the bed, trying my best to avoid his eyes. The moment my butt touches the bed, he quickly grabs my waist and pulls me right into his defined pecs. I remain as limp as I can, because based on my experience resisting Cato while he's in an aggressive mood will not end well.

Ten minutes have passed, but Cato still has not said anything yet. His right hand is holding my head while his other hand is currently resting on my back, dangerously close to my ass. As I lay on top of him, I can't help thinking about how different our bodies are. How my flat tummy is nothing compares to his eight-pack. How his big hands can easily break my neck if he wants. His massive arms are twice as big as mine. He towers over me at 6'4". No wonder people say that I look like a dwarf whenever I stand beside him.

"Are you mad at me?" I slowly ask him. My muffled voice breaks the silence in the air. Handling Cato at times like this needs extra care. One wrong move and he will drill my ass all night long.

His grip on my back tightens even more. He doesn't answer me for a long time, he just keeps stroking my hair. Now Cato is everything but gentle. He's brutal, possessive, and arrogant. He only acts all calm and tender when he's super angry.

"Just go back to sleep. I'll deal with you in the morning." His cold voice makes my poor heart beats frantically.

"N-no please d-don't punish me-"

"Go. Back. To. Sleep. One more word and you'll wish you'd never come to your mayor's house that day"

Great. His last words make me go back to that unfortunate day. The day when I met Cato for the first time. The day when he forcefully took everything that I had away. Sleep won't come easy tonight.

Flashback

At first, nobody noticed Cato's arriving since everyone was too busy gossiping. When they realized that the career was standing at the door, the room went silent immediately. Cato's cold demeanor intimidated everyone in the room. I could even hear someone dropped a glass somewhere in the back.

Then all hell broke loose. Everyone started talking at the same time, the tributes (except for me and Katniss) tried very hard to get Cato's attention, and Mayor Undersee did his best to barge through the crowd. Meanwhile, Cato just kept standing at the door and looked at us with a little disdain. Maybe he's starting to regret his decision to claim a tribute from District 12.

In spite of his fearsome presence, I couldn't lie to myself. Cato looked supermega hot. His blonde hair was spiked and messy. His cheekbones were like granite, and his jaw was so chiseled. His pale blue eyes looked beautiful and scary at the same time, it was like he could see right into your soul.

Finally, Mayor Undersee had succeeded to approach Cato. I couldn't hear what they were talking about because of the noise, but the mayor seemed so frightened of him. I didn't blame him. Cato looked frightening as hell even from far.

I suddenly felt Reed's arm wrapped around me. He gave a sharp nod to Wyatt and then they pulled me into the back door. I didn't know what they were going to do, but I just went along with them. I needed some air, the chaos inside the mayor's house gave me a headache.

"Okay, listen here kiddo. When Cato chooses a tribute to be claimed, please make yourself to be as invisible as possible." Reed told me after he made sure that we were the only ones in the backyard.

"Relax Reed. I don't even have to try, I am invisible. A career like Cato won't claim a tribute like me." I smiled reassuringly. I couldn't understand why my brothers acted strangely. I was the last person that they should be worried about. For once in my life I pitied Glimmer because I was sure that Cato would claim her.

My answer didn't seem to help them to calm down, in fact my brothers looked even more frustrated.

"Seriously Peeta, when did the last time you see yourself in the mirror? I'm pretty sure your blonde hair, your bambi eyes, and your pouty lips will tempt Cato to claim you." Wyatt said flatly while shaking his head.

"Eew, you're my brother for God's sake. Don't ever talk to me like that again." I grimaced. "Besides, I can't take care of myself. There's no way in hell Cato will claim me." I gave them my best toothy smile.

Reed knelt down and held my shoulders, he had his serious face. I was so confused, he rarely acted like this. The last time he went protective over me was when I accidentally fell down from a tree and broke my ankle.

"Promise me Peeta, don't let Cato claim you. That guy is very dangerous even our president is secretly scared with him. There are lots of things that you don't know about him, things that you can't even imagine." Reed's eyes bore into mine while he was telling me this. He looked relieved after I nodded once

"And what are you doing out here?" My mom suddenly rushed into the backyard, startling me and my brothers. Her shrilly voice brought back my headache. "Come on, get back inside. Cato is going to choose a tribute to be claimed in a few minutes." My mom said excitingly. She seemed so oblivious to my somber mood.

"Peeta!" Katniss yelled at me from across the room. She ran to me, her face looked sickly pale. "Peet, please promise me that you will save our district! Please!" She said frantically.

"What are you talking about?"

"I just heard from Madge tha-"

"ATTENTION PLEASE!" Before she could finish her answer, she was interrupted by Mayor Undersee's blaring voice. "For all the tributes, please form a line in front of the right wall."

I couldn't ask Katniss any more questions for in that time Cato came back into the living room. He stood in front of the tributes, and holy shit he looked even hotter up close. The suit that he was wearing hugged his body in all the right places. Oh my God, what am I thinking? Focus, Peeta, This guy is about to snatch away someone's freedom.

"Are you ready to choose your claim, Mr. Hawke?" Mayor Undersee asked in a quiet voice. I knew that deep down in his heart Mr. Undersee felt guilty, it was his responsibility to protect the tributes in District 2 from getting claimed. For most of the time, the tributes would completely refuse to be claimed, but it's different in Cato's case. I could see many tributes fighting each other to get Cato's attention.

Cato didn't speak for a long time, he just stood still like a statue. I was too scared to see into his direction for a long time, so I stared into my shoes instead. For once again, the room fell deadly silent. I suddenly heard heavy footsteps approached me. Not me, not me, please not me.

I kept looking into my shoes, but then I also looked a pair of expensive looking leather shoes. I slowly lifted my face and it was Cato right in front of me.

"What's your name?" His voice sounded so cold it made me shiver.

"P-Peeta." I stuttered quietly.

His big hand clasped onto the back of my neck and he spoke loudly, "Well then I guess I have found my claim."

Fuck my life.