Chapter 143
Elowen's POV
I took a slow, steadying breath, trying to organize the chaos of the past hours into something coherent. "After Ethan got hurt, I went to find Drake. I thought—I thought maybe he'd know something about the drugs, or an antidote." The words tasted bitter on my tongue. "I found him with my mom. They were... talking. Plotting, maybe."
The memory sent a fresh wave of nausea through me. My own mother, conspiring with the man who'd poisoned my best friend's mate. The betrayal cut deeper than any physical wound.
"Then Alpha Kade showed up," I continued, my voice dropping.
Casper's eyes flashed dangerously, the amber in them burning brighter. "Kade was there?"
"Yeah." I swallowed hard, my throat tight. "He dragged Drake off me, slammed him into the ground like he weighed nothing. Ronan pulled me back before I could do something stupid, and Alaric—" A small, bitter smile tugged at my lips. "He got in my mom's face when she tried to insult me. Called her out right there."
Cassian's jaw tightened, a muscle ticking beneath his skin. I could feel the tension radiating off him, hot and dangerous. "We saw that part. Through the bond."
The bond. That invisible thread connecting the three of us, letting them feel my emotions, my pain, my fear. It should have terrified me, this lack of privacy. Instead, it felt like safety.
"Yeah." I looked down, fidgeting with the hem of the oversized shirt that hung off my frame. It smelled like Casper—woodsmoke and pine. "Anyway, they helped me. Kade and the others. They said they'd 'extract' information from Drake." I made air quotes around the word, though I had a pretty good idea what kind of extraction they meant.
"And you told them about the drugs?" Casper asked, his voice carefully neutral, but I could hear the edge beneath it.
I nodded quickly. "They were pissed. At Drake, not at you two. They said they'd help, but I don't know why." My brows furrowed in confusion. "It doesn't make sense."
Cassian's gaze sharpened, those ice-blue eyes seeing right through me. "Why would they help you?"
I shrugged helplessly, suddenly feeling very small. "I don't know. Maybe because they felt sorry for me? I mean, one mate went insane, the other's been through hell—"
"Don't," Casper interrupted, his voice rough and fierce. He grabbed my hand, his fingers wrapping around mine with a possessive intensity. "Don't talk about yourself like that. Don't you fucking dare."
The rawness in his voice made my chest ache. I squeezed his hand back.
Cassian sighed heavily, rubbing his face with his free hand. When he looked at me again, his expression was grim. "Kade, Alaric, and Ronan don't pity anyone, Elowen. They don't respect anyone either. They do what they want, when they want, and they don't give a shit about the consequences."
Casper nodded in agreement, his thumb stroking the back of my hand absently. "We traveled with them once, years ago. Alaric's dangerous—he smiles while he's tearing you apart. Ronan's unpredictable, wild in a way that makes you question if he's more beast than man. And Kade..." He paused, his expression darkening. "Kade's the worst. He's smart, ruthless, and he always has an angle. Always."
A shiver ran down my spine, goosebumps rising on my skin despite the warmth of the room. "So why are they helping me?"
"That's what we need to find out," Cassian said firmly. "But we're not letting you go alone."
"I wasn't planning on it," I said, meeting his gaze steadily.
Casper leaned in close, his breath hot against my ear, sending electricity shooting down my spine. "Good. Because if you try to run off again, I'll tie you to the bed and fuck you until you forget your own name."
Heat exploded through my body, my cheeks burning crimson. "Casper!"
Cassian smirked, that infuriating, sexy smirk that made my knees weak. "He's not joking."
I shoved Casper's chest, but he just laughed—that low, rumbling sound that made something deep in my belly clench. He grabbed my wrist, pulling me close against his hard body. His other hand slid under my shirt, fingers brushing the sensitive underside of my breast. I gasped, my breath catching.
"Casper, we need to go," Cassian said, his voice strained with barely controlled desire.
"I know." But Casper didn't move. Instead, his thumb circled my nipple through the thin fabric of my bra, and my knees wobbled dangerously.
"Now," Cassian growled, the dominance in his tone making me shiver. "Today, Elowen!"
I bit my lip hard, forcing myself to step back on unsteady legs. "He's right. We can't keep them waiting."
Casper groaned but finally dropped his hand. "Fine. But later—"
"Later," I agreed breathlessly, my pulse racing like a drumbeat.
Cassian grabbed a hoodie from the chair and tossed it to me. "Put this on. I can see your nipples through that shirt, and I'll kill anyone who stares."
I caught the hoodie, unable to suppress my grin. "Jealous much?"
"Damn right." He opened the door, glancing back at me with those intense blue eyes. "Let's go."
I slipped the hoodie on, zipping it up halfway. Casper's gaze immediately dropped to my chest, lingering hungrily, and I smirked. "Eyes up here, cutie."
He grinned wolfishly. "I like what I see."
Cassian rolled his eyes, though I caught the hint of a smile. "Move."
We headed toward the door, but before Cassian could step out, I stopped. An idea hit me—reckless, stupid, absolutely irresistible.
I grabbed the hem of my shirt and yanked it up, flashing Cassian my bare chest.
His eyes went wide, shock and desire warring on his face. "Elowen—"
I dropped the shirt immediately, pulling the hoodie back down. "Yes, sir!" I said sweetly, brushing past him with exaggerated innocence.
Behind me, Casper laughed, low and rough and full of promise. "You're trouble, little freckle."
Cassian's hand shot out, catching my wrist in an iron grip. He pulled me back against him, his lips crashing into mine—hard, possessive, claiming. The kiss stole my breath, made my toes curl. When he pulled away, his eyes were molten.
"You're mine," he said, his voice a growl that sent shivers through my entire body. "Both of ours. Don't forget it."
I grinned, my heart pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat. "Wouldn't dream of it, babe."