Chapter 209
Elowen's POV
I woke up to an empty bed.
My back cracked when I stretched. The sound echoed in the quiet room. I sat up. The sheets were cool where Cassian should've been.
"Juno?" I called out in my mind. "Can you feel him?"
My wolf stirred. She yawned. "No. He's not close."
My heart kicked up. I hated waking up alone. Not after everything.
The bathroom door opened. Steam rolled out. And then Casper walked through it.
Holy shit.
He wore a towel. Just a towel. It hung low on his hips. Water dripped down his chest. Down his abs. His red-brown hair was darker when wet. It curled at the ends. His amber eyes found mine.
"Morning, cutie."
I forgot how to breathe. My eyes traced the V-lines that disappeared under the towel. The tattoos on his ribs. The way muscles moved under his skin.
"Where's Cassian?" I asked. My voice came out rough.
Casper leaned against the doorframe. He crossed his arms. His biceps flexed. He was doing it on purpose. He had to be.
"He went to get us food."
My stomach chose that moment to growl. Loud.
Casper's grin widened. "Hungry, baby?"
I bit my lip. "Maybe."
He pushed off the doorframe. Walked toward the bed. Every step was deliberate. Predatory. The towel shifted with his movements.
"Your stomach says yes," he said. His eyes dropped to my lips. "But I don't think you're hungry for food."
Heat rushed to my face. To other places too. I couldn't help it. He looked like something out of a magazine. Like someone who shouldn't want me.
"How is he mine?" I whispered to Juno. "How are they both mine?"
"Shut up, you sexy bitch," Juno shot back. She sounded like she was rolling her eyes.
I dragged my gaze back to Casper's face. His smirk told me he knew exactly what I'd been looking at.
"So what are you hungry for?" he asked. His voice dropped lower. "Sausage maybe?"
He raised an eyebrow. His meaning was crystal clear.
My mouth went dry. "Sausage..." I breathed. I slid to the edge of the bed. "Multiple sausages."
I let my eyes travel down his body again. Over the tattoos. Over the hard planes of his stomach. Over the towel that was barely holding on.
Casper's eyes flashed gold. His wolf was close to the surface.
"Take off your clothes, angel," he said. His voice was soft. But it wasn't a request.
I remembered our first night. When he'd been so commanding. When I'd pushed back.
I smiled. "Beg me, Casper."
His laugh was low. Dark. He shook his head. The towel dropped.
Oh god.
My eyes went straight down. I couldn't help it. He was—
"Eyes here, baby."
His fingers touched my chin. Tilted my head up. But my gaze was stuck. I couldn't look away.
"I said eyes here." His voice was firmer.
I finally met his eyes. His pupils were huge. His amber irises were just thin rings.
"Please, Elowen Thornwood," he said. His voice was rough. "Please take off your fucking clothes before I lose my mind."
"Thornwood?" I blinked. "We're not married."
The words came out before I could stop them. It was true. In the human world, I was still Elowen Hartley.
Casper's expression changed. His jaw clenched. His eyes flashed full gold for a second.
"Fuck the humans," he growled. "Fuck their laws. You're mine. You're my mate. You're carrying my child. You're the mother of my future. The only woman I'll ever love. If you don't take my name, I'll go fucking insane."
His intensity made my breath catch. He meant every word.
Before I could respond, he grabbed my ankles. Yanked me to the edge of the bed.
I yelped. My hands flew out to catch myself.
"Mrs. Thornwood," he said. He leaned over me. Caged me in with his arms. "I'm begging you. Take. Off. Your. Fucking. Clothes. Or I will rip them off."
His fingers hooked into the waistband of my shorts. Pulled me closer. The heat of his skin burned through the thin fabric.
"You rip my shorts and I'll punch your pretty nose," I warned.
But my hands were already moving. Betraying me. I wanted to obey. Wanted to feel his skin on mine.
"I'm not doing this because you're controlling me," I said. My fingers grabbed the hem of my shirt. "I'm doing this because I want you."
I pulled the shirt over my head. Tossed it aside.
Casper's eyes locked onto my chest. I wasn't wearing a bra. His breathing got heavier.
I pushed my shorts down to my waist. To my thighs. Then I stopped.
His eyes flicked to my face. There was hunger there. Raw need. It made butterflies explode in my stomach.
I lifted one foot. Pressed it against his chest.
He raised an eyebrow.
I lifted my other foot. Let my ass leave the bed. Wiggled out of the shorts.
They stayed bunched around my thighs. I smiled at him.
The laugh that came out of him was half groan, half disbelief.
"You're killing me," he said.
"Good," I breathed.
His hands closed around my ankles. Gentle. Not grabbing. Just holding.
"You're so fucking beautiful," he said. "Do you know that?"
My chest tightened. I didn't feel beautiful. Not most days. But when he looked at me like that...
"You make me feel beautiful," I whispered.
His eyes softened. Just for a second. Then the heat came back.
"Now finish taking them off," he said.