Chapter 57
Elowen's POV
I tried to blink away the last of my tears as Cassian returned, tennis outfit draped over his arm. My heart was still pounding from the conversation with Casper about my mother's betrayal, but I forced a smile. The last thing I needed was Cassian sensing my distress and asking questions I wasn't ready to answer.
"Here," Cassian announced, holding up a pristine white pleated tennis skirt and matching top that looked straight out of Wimbledon. "I'll referee while you two play. Someone needs to keep score anyway."
"Actually," I said, feeling a genuine smile tugging at my lips for the first time in days, "it was my favorite sport growing up."
I took the outfit from Cassian's outstretched hand. "All the other sports felt too aggressive, too intense. But tennis..." I ran my fingers over the pleats of the skirt. "There was something elegant about it. Plus, I got to wear cute outfits without anyone giving me crap about being 'girly.'"
Both brothers chuckled, their eyes following me a little too closely as I headed toward Casper's en-suite bathroom.
"We'll wait here," Casper called after me, his voice carrying that hint of mischief I was starting to recognize.
In the bathroom, I quickly stripped, eager to escape my thoughts. The tennis outfit fit perfectly—not too tight, not too loose. I stared at my reflection, hardly recognizing the woman looking back at me. Despite everything that had happened, for a moment, with this outfit on, I felt like my old self again.
When I stepped back into the bedroom, both twins went silent. Their eyes darkened simultaneously, gold flecks appearing in their irises.
"Holy shit," Casper breathed, his voice rougher than usual. "You look like Maria Sharapova's sexier little sister."
I felt heat creep up my neck at the comparison to the tennis superstar. "Hardly," I mumbled, suddenly self-conscious under their intense gazes.
"Your hair," Cassian said, breaking his silence. He twirled a hair tie around his finger. "You should put it up. For the game."
"Oh." I reached for my hair, realizing I had nothing to tie it with. "I don't have—"
"Here." Cassian was already moving behind me. "Sit. I'll do it for you."
I blinked in surprise but sat at the edge of Casper's bed. Cassian positioned himself behind me, his fingers tentatively gathering my hair.
"I've never actually done this for a woman before," he admitted, his deep voice sending shivers down my spine. His hands were surprisingly gentle as they combed through my locks. "Your hair is fucking amazing, Elowen. It's not just brown—it's like honey in sunlight. And these golden strands..."
"They're natural," I said softly, closing my eyes as his fingers massaged my scalp. "I've had them since I was a kid."
"I remember," Casper said, watching us with hooded eyes. "Those assholes used to give you shit about it. Said you were dyeing it to get attention."
I frowned involuntarily at the memory. Being Jessica Hartley's daughter had made me a target for every bully wanting to prove themselves.
Cassian caught my expression in the mirror. "Did I hurt you, baby?" His concern seemed genuine, his hands immediately gentler.
I shook my head. "No, just... remembering those kids who used to tease me."
Cassian's hands stilled. One moved to cup my cheek, turning me slightly to meet his gaze in the mirror. "Anyone who hurts you," he said, voice dropping to a dangerous whisper, "I'll make them bleed if they tried it now."
My heart hammered against my ribs. I reached up, covering his hand with mine. His skin was so warm, almost burning against mine. His fingers were long, with prominent knuckles and veins tracing down to his wrist. I found myself unconsciously stroking my thumb across those blue lines, fascinated by the contrast against my smaller hand.
Heat pooled between my legs. Juno stirred inside me, practically purring.
Fuck, he smells so good.
Cassian's nostrils flared, obviously catching the shift in my scent. A slow, knowing smile spread across his face as he leaned closer, his lips brushing my ear.
"Do you want me to fuck you, little wolf?" he whispered, so low that even Casper couldn't hear.
Before I could answer—and God knows what I would have said with my brain short-circuiting—Casper clapped his hands loudly.
"Hey, hey! Enough of that," he said, eyes narrowed at his brother. "We agreed on tennis, remember? Sunshine. Exercise. All that healthy shit."
Cassian finished tying my hair with a smirk but didn't move away immediately. His chest pressed against my back for a moment longer than necessary before he finally stood.
Twenty minutes later, we were on the immaculate tennis court behind the pack house. The afternoon sun beat down on us, and I was already sweating after just a few rallies with Casper. He was good—too good—making me run from one end of the court to the other while Cassian lounged in the referee's chair, calling out scores and occasionally whistling when I bent over to retrieve a ball.
"Focus, baby girl!" Casper called out with a wicked grin after acing me for the third time. "Your ass looks fantastic in that skirt, but I'd like an actual challenge!"
I flipped him off, which only made both brothers laugh. Their scents had intensified with the physical exertion—pine and smoke from Casper, rose from Cassian—mingling with the heady musk of male sweat and something darker, more primal. It was intoxicating, making it hard to concentrate.
After a particularly intense rally that left me gasping for breath, I dropped my racket dramatically.
"Water," I panted, feeling sweat trickle down between my breasts. "I need water before I die on this court."
Both twins approached, their eyes roaming over my flushed skin with undisguised hunger. I couldn't help but inhale deeply, greedily catching their potent scents. My wolf practically whined with need.
Casper handed me a bottle, his hand casually brushing my ass as I turned to take it. Not to be outdone, Cassian squeezed my shoulder, his thumb caressing the sensitive spot where my neck met my collarbone.
"Sweating feels good, doesn't it?" I said without thinking, taking a long drink. "Gets all the tension out."
Casper's smile turned positively sinful. "Baby, sex makes you sweat too. Feels even better, I promise."
"Casper!" I scolded, nearly choking on my water. "Stop!"
But I couldn't ignore Cassian's intense stare. Unlike his brother's playful teasing, his gaze held something darker, more possessive. He wasn't just looking at me—he was devouring me with his eyes, cataloging every inch of exposed skin.
Juno howled inside me, practically clawing to get out and submit to the Alpha's son. I felt myself growing embarrassingly wet, the thin fabric of the tennis skirt suddenly feeling like torture against my sensitive skin.
This is going to be a long day, I thought, squirming under their predatory gazes. A very long, very uncomfortable day.