Chapter 66
# Casper's POV
Leo, my wolf spirit, prowled restlessly in my mind. Let me out. Let me hunt Drake down. Let me tear his throat open.
I closed my eyes, fighting back the rage. Not now.
When? Leo demanded.
Soon.
I reached out, running my fingers through Elowen's hair. Her eyes met mine, and for a moment I saw it again—that flash of fear, that memory of Drake's hands on her. It made my blood boil, made Leo howl in fury.
"You know we're going to protect you tonight, right?" I murmured, keeping my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me. "At this masquerade thing."
"I know." She nodded, but her voice trembled slightly.
Cassian shifted behind her, his arm tightening around her waist. "We need a plan, though. We can't just walk in there blind."
I sat up, trying to focus on strategy instead of the murderous thoughts swirling in my head. Leo wanted blood. I wanted Drake's head on a pike. But for Elowen's sake, I needed to be smart.
"First, we need to look the part," I said, running a hand through my hair. "This is a high-class event. If we're gonna blend in, we need to do it right."
Elowen sat up too, pulling the sheet around her. "I've already called Sophie. She's bringing options."
Cassian said with a faint smile, "Good call, babe."
"When did you call her?" I asked, impressed by Elowen's foresight.
"This morning, while you two were still sleeping," she replied. "She said she'd be here around noon with everything we need."
We spent the next hour discussing what we knew about The Moonbleed Taproom and its connections to Drake. Just as we were finishing our coffee, the doorbell rang.
"That must be Sophie," Elowen said, slipping into a robe.
Sophie was a whirlwind of energy, breezing into the room with garment bags and accessory cases. "Okay, darlings! I've got exactly what you need to make an entrance at The Moonbleed Taproom's grand opening!"
She laid everything out on the bed, opening bags with flourish. "For Alpha's twin sons and their mate, we need to make a statement—without revealing your identities, of course."
I watched as she pulled out the first outfit—a deep crimson suit for me with a black shirt underneath. But it wasn't just any suit. The material caught the light like liquid fire, and the cut was designed to emphasize my shoulders and narrow at the waist.
"For you, Casper," Sophie declared, "a suit that screams power but lets you move if things get... physical." She winked knowingly. "And this mask..."
She revealed a half-face mask in matching crimson with gold flame details around the edges. It curved up at the temples like actual fire was licking at my face.
"Damn, that's perfect," I admitted, running my fingers over it. The craftsmanship was incredible.
For Cassian, she produced a midnight blue suit with silver thread that caught the light like ice crystals. His mask was silver-blue with frost patterns etched into it.
"The cold to your heat," Sophie explained. "Together you two will command attention without even trying."
But it was when she revealed Elowen's outfit that my mouth went dry. The dress was a shimmering silver-blue that seemed to flow like water. The neckline plunged dangerously low, and the back was practically non-existent. A high slit ran up one thigh, promising to show a dangerous amount of leg when she moved.
"Too much?" Elowen asked nervously, fingering the material.
"Not enough," I growled, already picturing her in it. "You'll be the most stunning woman there."
"And the most protected," Cassian added firmly.
Sophie grinned, pulling out Elowen's mask—a delicate silver piece adorned with moonstone chips that would highlight her eyes while concealing her identity.
"Try them on," Sophie urged. "We need to make any final adjustments."
I grabbed my suit and headed to the bathroom, allowing Elowen privacy to change in the bedroom with Sophie's help. When I returned, Cassian was already dressed, looking like an absolute model in that blue suit that made his eyes even more piercing.
But when Elowen stepped out from behind the changing screen, I literally forgot how to breathe.
The dress hugged every curve like it was painted on, the silver-blue material catching the light with her every movement. Her shoulders were bare, her collarbones on perfect display above that plunging neckline. The slit showed her leg nearly to her hip when she walked, and when she turned, the backless design revealed the perfect curve of her spine.
"Holy fucking shit," I whispered, my body instantly responding.
Elowen blushed, those adorable freckles standing out against her flushed skin. "Is it too revealing? I don't want to look—"
"You look perfect," I interrupted, moving toward her like I was being pulled by a magnet. "Too perfect, actually. Every asshole in that place will be staring at you."
"That's the point," Cassian said coolly, adjusting his cufflinks. "She'll be the distraction while we gather intelligence."
"Wait, what?" Elowen's eyes widened. "What exactly is the plan here?"
We moved to sit on the edge of the bed, Sophie excusing herself to get accessories. Cassian leaned forward, his expression calculating but troubled. I could see the conflict in his eyes.
"I hate to even suggest this," Cassian began, his voice lower than usual. "It's risky, and after everything you've been through..." He paused, running a hand through his hair. "But we need a strategy that gives us an edge."
I nodded reluctantly. "What if... you arrived separately from us," I suggested carefully. "Make it look like there's tension between us. That would give Drake and his people a false sense of security."
Cassian's jaw tightened as he continued, clearly hating each word. "We could create a scenario where they think you might be... vulnerable. Conflicted about us."
"You could hint that you're having second thoughts about us," I continued, hating the words even as I said them. "Make them think you might be open to reconciliation with Drake."
Elowen's face instantly darkened. "No. Absolutely not."
"It would just be an act—" Cassian began.
"I said NO!" She stood up abruptly, fury radiating from her. "I'm not pretending to want that monster back. I'm not getting anywhere near him. Not even as bait."
She pushed away from both of us, trembling with rage. "I won't do it! I'd rather walk in there and tell everyone what he did to me!"
I saw gold flecks appearing in her eyes—Juno was close to the surface. This was bad.
"Elowen—" Cassian tried again, grabbing her wrist.
She jerked away violently. "No! I refuse! I love you both! I won't pretend otherwise, not even for a second!"
Her outburst stunned us into silence. She stood there shaking, tears in her eyes, chest heaving with emotion.
I got up slowly, approaching her like I would a wounded animal. "Hey," I said softly, wrapping my arms around her. "Hey, you. I've missed you."
It was something I used to say to her when we were kids, whenever she'd been away too long. A simple phrase that always made her smile.
She looked up at me, confusion replacing some of the anger. "I haven't gone anywhere, dummy."
"There she is," I murmured, wiping a tear from her cheek. "We're not asking you to get close to Drake. I'd kill him first."
Cassian moved to her other side, his hand gently touching her shoulder. "We just need to make them think we're vulnerable. Divided. That's when they'll get sloppy."
"We go in together," Elowen insisted. "I'm not pretending anything."
I exchanged a look with Cassian over her head. He nodded slightly.
"Together," I agreed. "But we still play it cool. Arrive fashionably late, around 9:30. The party starts at 8, but the real action won't begin until midnight."
"We'll wear earpieces," Cassian added. "Stay in constant contact. And if anyone says 'red moon,' we leave immediately—no questions, no hesitation."
Sophie returned with jewelry—a ruby pendant for me, a sapphire pin for Cassian, and a stunning moonstone choker for Elowen that would sit just above her mate marks.
"These aren't just beautiful," Sophie explained. "They contain tracking devices."
I watched as she fastened the choker around Elowen's neck, the stones sitting perfectly against her skin. My mark—our marks—visible just below it. Mine on the right, Cassian's on the left. The sight of them made Leo purr with satisfaction.
Mine. Ours. Protected.
Suddenly, all three of us tensed. A familiar scent was approaching—amber and anxiety, mixed with expensive perfume.
"Jessica," I growled, recognizing Elowen's mother's scent instantly.
Elowen paled, her hand instinctively reaching for mine.
"Don't be scared, baby, I got you," Cassian said softly.
Elowen squeezed my hand once before releasing it, schooling her features into a neutral expression as a knock sounded on the door.
"Come in," she called, her voice impressively steady.