Chapter 170
Casper's POV
Just as my fingers were about to reach her, a force slammed into me—absolute and unforgiving.
I flew backward. My back crashed into stone. Pain exploded through my spine.
Blood dripped from my nose. Hot. Metallic.
Shit.
For a moment, I'd been free. Leo had broken through Raven's control. We'd almost reached her.
Almost.
Then this. Like hitting a brick wall at full speed.
I tried to move. Couldn't. My muscles locked in place again.
The restraints were back. Stronger than before.
"Did you really think it would be that easy?" Raven's voice echoed through the cathedral. "That a little burst of emotion would be enough?"
Fuck him.
Through the haze of pain, I saw Elowen running toward me. Her face twisted with fear.
"Casper!"
Raven appeared in front of her before she could reach me. One hand raised. She stopped.
"We don't have time for dramatics." His eyes glowed red. "Sit down, sweetheart. We need to talk."
"Let him go!" Her voice cracked.
"No." The red glow intensified. "He needs to listen. You all do."
The cathedral shook. Dust and small stones fell from the ceiling.
I wiped blood from my face with my shoulder. Watched Raven from where I sat slumped against the wall.
He loved this. Being the center of attention. Having all eyes on him.
Bastard.
Through the twin bond, I felt Cassian's pain. His anger. The helplessness of being stuck to that wall.
And underneath it all—his confusion. He'd felt Leo's surge of power too. Felt how close we'd come.
"Why do you care about Leo's descendant?" Raven turned to me. His smile was sharp. "What makes her so special to you?"
"Shut up." The words came out rough. My throat hurt.
Raven laughed. "You don't even know what Leo is. Do you?"
I felt Leo stir in my mind. Anxious. Afraid.
Talk to me, I pushed through our connection. What the hell is going on?
Leo stayed silent. But his fear was louder than words.
"I can show you." Raven walked closer to Elowen. "Would you like to see what really happened? When your mate crossed through my portal?"
Images flooded my mind.
Elowen running toward the swirling red portal. Cassian on the ground. Hurt. Bleeding.
I'd had to choose. Save my brother or save her.
Leo had chosen Cassian.
My chest tightened. That moment. That split second.
We'd let her go.
Why? I demanded through our bond. Why didn't you go after her?
Leo remained quiet. But I felt his fear deepen. Felt something else too—shame.
Not fear of Raven. Fear of something else. Some truth he didn't want me to know.
"Interesting, isn't it?" Raven's voice pulled me back. "The wolf who claims to love her. Who marked her. Let her walk into hell."
"That's not—" I started.
"Oh, but it is." He smiled. "Leo made a choice. And it wasn't her."
I tried to focus on Elowen. She was kneeling next to Ronan now. Checking his pulse. Her hands shook.
Cassian let out a scream. Still pinned to the wall. Still being tortured by whatever Raven was doing to him.
"Your love can't beat me." Raven spread his arms wide. "None of your bonds. Your marks. Your precious connection. It's all meaningless."
"Stop talking in riddles!" Elowen stood up. Her voice was steady now. Strong. "If you want something, just say it. Stop playing games."
"Games?" Raven's laugh was cold. "This isn't a game, sweetheart. This is your life. Your choices. Your consequences."
"Then let me make my choice!" She stepped forward. "But I need all the facts. Not your twisted version of the truth."
"Fair enough." Raven snapped his fingers.
The pressure on Cassian eased. He slumped against the wall. Still trapped but no longer screaming.
"Ask your questions." Raven looked at Elowen. "But be careful what you wish to know."
Elowen glanced at me. Then at Cassian. Her eyes were wet but determined.
"Start with the truth about Leo."
Raven's smile grew wider. "Which truth? There are so many."
"Why did Leo let me go?" Elowen's voice dropped. "When I went through the portal. Why didn't he follow?"
The cathedral went silent.
I felt Leo's panic in my chest. He didn't want this. Didn't want her to know.
"Because," Raven said slowly, "Leo isn't what you think he is."
"What does that mean?" Cassian's voice was rough. Angry.
"It means your father made a choice." Raven walked toward me. "A long time ago. When Casper was born."
My blood went cold.
"What choice?" Elowen asked.
"Alpha Austin couldn't have a son without a wolf." Raven's eyes met mine. "So he did what any desperate Alpha would do. He made a deal."
"You're lying." But even as I said it, I knew it wasn't true.
I'd always suspected. Always felt different. Like something was wrong with me.
"Am I?" Raven tilted his head. "Ask your brother. He knows. Deep down, he's always known."
Through the twin bond, I felt Cassian's shock. His confusion. And underneath it all—agreement.
He'd suspected too.
"What kind of deal?" Elowen's voice was barely a whisper.
"That's the question, isn't it?" Raven turned to Cassian. "Tell her, Cassian. Tell her what you think happened."
Cassian's face went pale. "I... I think Casper was born without a wolf."
"Correct." Raven clapped his hands together. "Very good. And what did dear old dad do about it?"
Nobody spoke.
"He couldn't let anyone know." Raven answered his own question. "So he made a deal with something. Something that would give his son a wolf. Something that would make Casper whole."
"Leo." Elowen's voice shook.
"Yes." Raven smiled. "Leo. The creature from my realm. The being that's been living inside Casper all these years."
The world tilted.
I felt Leo recoil. Felt his shame. His fear.
"He's not a monster," I said. My voice sounded far away.
"Isn't he?" Raven looked at me. "What do you think he is then, Casper? If not a monster. If not a demon. What creature from hell lives inside you?"