Chapter 223
Elowen's POV
"Oh, you didn't think that far ahead?" I laughed bitterly. "When an Alpha takes a new mate, Casper, what's the first thing that happens to the children from the previous bond?"
"We would never—" Cassian started, but Casper cut him off, his voice barely above a whisper.
"They're hunted down. Killed. To make way for the new heir."
"Exactly." I looked between them, seeing the realization dawn in their eyes. "And Sarah doesn't know this is all an act, does she? As far as she's concerned, she's just landed herself two powerful Alpha mates. You think she's not going to want to secure her position? To make sure her children are the only heirs to Thornwood Pack?"
"We won't let her get pregnant," Cassian said firmly, but even he didn't sound convinced.
"Really?" I challenged. "And how exactly are you going to explain that to her? 'Sorry, Sarah, we just want to fuck you for show, but no actual mating'? She'll figure it out in a heartbeat. And the second she does, she'll know something's up."
Casper made a choked sound, his hand coming up to cover his mouth.
Tell them the rest, Juno urged. The part they're still not seeing.
"And then there's me," I continued, my voice dropping lower. "The discarded former mate, pregnant with twins who have a direct claim to the Alpha title. You know what happens to women like that?"
"Elowen—" Casper's voice cracked, but I held up my hand.
"We become liabilities. Targets." I met Cassian's eyes. "Unless we're under the protection of a powerful pack, we're fair game for anyone who wants to eliminate potential threats. Our children become leverage—tools to control their father, to destabilize the pack leadership."
"We won't let that happen," Cassian said, his voice hard as steel. "Anyone who tries to touch you or our children will die screaming."
"You can't protect us if you're pretending to be with Sarah!" I shot back. "The whole point of this plan is that you're supposed to be too busy with your new mate to care about your old one, remember?"
The silence that followed was deafening.
"She's right," Casper said finally, his voice hollow. He sank down onto the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. "Oh god, she's right."
"So what do you suggest?" Cassian asked, but there was no challenge in his voice. Just... defeat. "We can't stay together. Selene made that clear. If you don't reject us—publicly, convincingly—the twins disappear."
"I know." I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly cold despite the warm room. "But I can't... I can't stay here and watch you pretend to love someone else. I can't do that, Cassian. It would kill me."
"Then you leave," he said quietly. "You go somewhere safe. Somewhere we can't follow."
My heart clenched. "Where? Back to my mother?" I laughed bitterly. "We both know how that worked out."
"The royal pack," Casper suggested, lifting his head to look at me. "Ronan said—"
"No." The word came out sharper than I intended. "Absolutely not."
"Why not?" Cassian frowned. "It's the most powerful pack in the region. Even Selene would think twice before—"
"Ethan." I met his eyes. "Cindy's mate. He's not exactly my biggest fan, remember? And now that I'm pregnant with children who could potentially challenge his future claim to power..." I let the implication hang in the air.
Casper's eyes widened. "You think he'd hurt you?"
"I think he'd arrange an accident," I said bluntly. "Something tragic but believable. A fall down the stairs. A car crash. Complications in pregnancy." My hand moved to my stomach again, protective. "He wouldn't even have to get his hands dirty. Just... fail to provide adequate protection at the right moment."
"Jesus Christ," Casper breathed.
"So let me get this straight," I continued, my voice shaking now with the full weight of what I was saying. "Your plan to protect the twins ends with them dead anyway. Either Sarah kills them to secure her position, or Ethan arranges an accident to eliminate future competition, or—" my voice broke, "—or I miscarry from the stress of watching the men I love pretend I mean nothing to them."
The words hung in the air like a death sentence.
"You're right," Casper said finally, his voice thick with tears he was trying to hold back. Red rimmed his amber eyes as he looked up at me. "You're both right."
Cassian just stood there, his jaw clenched so tight I could see the muscle jumping. His ice-blue eyes had gone dark, stormy.
"There has to be another way," I whispered, but even I didn't believe it. "There has to be—"
"Have you considered," a voice suddenly spoke from the shadows near the window, smooth and dark as midnight, "that there might be another option entirely?"
All three of us whirled toward the sound, my claws extending fully as Cassian stepped protectively in front of me and Casper moved to flank my other side.