Chapter 64
# Casper's POV
My blood boiled in my veins like liquid fire. The golden glow of her wolf had faded from her eyes, leaving only the terrified, tear-filled amber I knew so well. Leo's presence, newly awakened in my mind, intensified every emotion coursing through me. My hands trembled with rage as I watched Elowen collapse into herself, her small frame shaking with sobs. I couldn't stand it another second.
I lunged forward, pulling her into my arms, crushing her against my chest. Her scent—vanilla and honey now tainted with fear and shame—filled my nostrils. I pressed my lips to hers, desperate to erase every trace of that bastard Drake from her memory.
"I love you!" I growled against her mouth. "I'm not going anywhere, do you understand me? Not ever!"
Elowen trembled in my arms. "You don't mean that," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. "I can feel your anger, your disgust—"
I gripped her face between my hands, forcing her to look at me. Her amber eyes swam with tears, those beautiful freckles stark against her pale skin.
"I'm not angry at you, Elowen," I said fiercely. "I'm absolutely furious! But not with you. Never with you."
"He touched you," Cassian snarled from behind us. I felt his rage through our twin bond, a mirror of my own. "That piece of shit touched what's ours."
Elowen flinched at his words, and I shot him a warning look over her head.
"Reporter situation handled?" I asked, never loosening my hold on Elowen.
"Temporarily contained," Cassian replied, his jaw clenched tight. "But that's hardly the priority right now."
I nodded, turning back to Elowen. "Your mother should have protected you," I said, my voice breaking with emotion. "You deserved a mother who cherished you, not one who sold you like a bargaining chip to that monster!"
"Don't," Elowen cried, her fingers digging into my arms. "Please don't."
"We have to," I insisted. "She failed you. She was supposed to protect her daughter. She betrayed that sacred duty!"
"We all failed her," Cassian roared, smashing his fist through the wooden wall panel. The crack of splintering wood echoed through the room as dust and fragments showered the floor.
Elowen jumped at the sound, pressing closer to me. I wrapped my arms tighter around her, my heart pounding against my ribs.
"We can't just react blindly," I said to Cassian, stroking Elowen's hair. "We need to destroy him—not just hurt him. We need to take everything from him, just like he tried to take everything from her."
Cassian's ice-blue eyes glittered dangerously. "We crush him. His reputation, his business, his standing in the pack world. Everything."
"We build our strength and protect what's ours," I agreed, feeling Elowen's tears soaking through my shirt.
My phone rang suddenly, cutting through the tension. I almost ignored it until I saw Jake's name flashing on the screen. The timing couldn't have been worse, but Jake rarely called unless it was important.
"What?" I barked into the receiver.
"Boss!" Jake's cheerful voice filled the line. "I brought goodies! That new place next door to The Red Wolf—The Moonbleed Taproom—they're doing some killer BBQ tonight. Grabbed some for you, Cassian, and the lovely Elowen!"
I froze, meeting Cassian's eyes over Elowen's head. His gaze sharpened instantly.
"The Moonbleed Taproom?" I repeated slowly. "When did this place open?"
"Just today! Fancy timing, right? Since Red Wolf is closed for a bit. Want me to bring it up?"
"Yeah. Give us ten minutes." I hung up and looked at Cassian. "You hearing this?"
"A new bar opening the exact moment ours needs to close?" Cassian's voice was deadly calm, his ice-blue eyes glittering with suspicion. "That's not coincidence. That's a declaration of war."
Elowen pulled back slightly, her brow furrowed. "What's happening?"
I wiped the tears from her cheeks with my thumbs. "A new bar just opened next door to The Red Wolf. Right when mine had to close because of that staged scandal."
"Drake," she whispered, her face paling further. "He mentioned something about his father's plans... expanding their business holdings in town."
Cassian crossed the room in three long strides. "That confirms it. The Reids are making their move—trying to take over our territory while we're dealing with personal shit."
"We need to find out what they're up to," I said, anger giving way to cold determination. "Tomorrow, we check out this new bar."
Elowen stiffened in my arms. "No! You can't just walk into their trap."
"We won't be walking blind," Cassian said, his expression calculating. "We'll scope it out first. Gather intel."
"Promise me you won't do anything reckless," Elowen pleaded, her eyes darting between us. "Drake isn't just talking when he makes threats. He means it."
I kissed her forehead, inhaling her sweet scent. "We're not going to be reckless, cutie. We're going to be very, very deliberate."
"No impulsive moves," she insisted, gripping my shirt. "Promise me."
"We won't be impulsive," Cassian said, his eyes flashing gold briefly. "We'll be methodical."
I watched Elowen's face as she registered what Cassian had just said—and what he hadn't promised. She understood the distinction; I could see it in her eyes. She wasn't asking us not to hurt Drake. She was asking us not to get hurt ourselves.
She opened her mouth to argue further, but a knock at the door interrupted us.
"Your barbecue delivery!" Jake called through the door.
Elowen quickly wiped her face, composing herself as I moved to let Jake in. She stood straighter, shoulders back, chin up—the very picture of strength despite everything she'd been through. My chest swelled with pride and protectiveness.
Jake entered, arms loaded with takeout containers, his usual goofy smile plastered on his face. The mouthwatering smell of smoked meat filled the room, but all I could think about was how the Reid family had hurt Elowen—and how they were now encroaching on my territory.
"Special delivery from the new competition," Jake said, oblivious to the tension.
"Thanks, Jake," Cassian replied smoothly, taking the bags. "We'll check it out."
As soon as Jake left, we exchanged looks. None of us reached for the food.
"Tomorrow," I said quietly to Elowen, "we see what the Reids are up to."
She nodded reluctantly, her amber eyes filled with worry. "Together," she whispered. "We face this together."