Chapter 212

Chapter 212
CASSIAN

I hated malls. The crowd, the stench of perfume and fried food, the constant chatter, none of it belonged to my world. But Derek had chosen the place for our “pickup,” and I wasn’t about to let Wren walk into his trap.

Derek thought he was getting Wren that he'll get to see her alone but he was wrong. The minute he didn't pick any of his safe locations, we knew he was up to something. I wasn't going to risk Wren's life anymore, so I decided to come into the mall myself in her stead. We had taken extra precautions to make sure that Derek didn't find out about the switch.

So I stood there, hands in my pockets, with the fairy standing just a few feet from me. She was small, fierce-eyed, with her wings hidden by a glamour that shimmered faintly under the fluorescent lights. A glamour only people I could see.

Then Derek walked in. Calm as ever, dressed like a man who didn’t have blood on his hands. His gaze swept the mall, lingering on me before dropping to the fairy. Disappointment hardened his face.

“You’re not Wren,” Derek said flatly, his voice carrying across the food court.

I smirked. “Sharp as always. Did you really think I’d let my pregnant wife walk into a trap alone?”

His eyes narrowed, fury flashing for a moment. “So you admit it, you stopped her.”

“I protected her,” I said, my voice low, steady. “That’s what mates do. Besides you asking her to come here was shady enough."

Derek’s jaw worked as though he was chewing glass. “Then the two of you broke your end of the bargain.”

The fairy stepped closer, her tone sharp. “Where is my brother, wolf?”

Derek laughed, cruel and mocking. “Why would I show him to you? The deal was Wren, not her guard dog husband.”

“You’re lying,” I said, stepping forward. “You never intended to bring him here, did you? Where the hell is he anyway

Derek’s smile widened like he enjoyed every second of this. “Maybe. Maybe not. But one thing’s certain, since you didn’t keep your word, I won’t keep mine.”

He turned his head slightly, speaking to the shadows where his men lingered. “You can kill this one too."

The fairy bristled, her power buzzling in the air. “You won’t touch me,” she hissed. “You don’t even have him, do you?”

Derek’s face hardened.

She laughed, bitter and sharp. “I can smell it, you don’t carry his scent. You’ve been lying from the very start."

I took a step forward, fury coiling hot in my chest. “You played us.”

Derek sneered at me. “Don’t act surprised, Alpha. That’s what you get for double crossing me."

The fairy crossed her arms, eyes blazing, she turned to me. “You’ve wasted my time. If my brother dies because of you, I'll make you pay for it!"

She turned on her heel and stormed away, vanishing into the crowd in a ripple of magic.

I snarled, turning back to Derek. “This isn’t over.”

“On the contrary,” Derek said, calm as ice. “It’s already over. You lost the moment you didn’t bring her.”

He pivoted sharply, striding off with his six men flanking him. None of the humans in the mall seemed to notice, they were still laughing, shopping, chewing on fries. Completely blind to the war moving in their midst.

I pulled out my phone the moment Derek disappeared from sight.

“Reed,” I said, my voice rough. “Talk to me.”

“We’ve been watching from outside,” Reed answered. His tone was clipped, all business. “Derek brought six men, like we suspected. But here’s the thing, he’s not heading back the way he came.”

I clenched my jaw. “He's being careful. He knows something. Do you think he knows we're on to him?"

“Looks that way,” Reed said. “He’s already leaving by another route. Too fast for us to block him without drawing attention.”

“Then cut him off before he crosses back into his territory,” I ordered.

There was a pause. Then Reed said, “We can try. But I’ll be honest, might not work.”
“Do it anyway.”

“Understood.”

I shoved my phone back into my pocket and headed for the car where Wren waited with some of my men. My gut twisted the whole way there.

She looked up the second I opened the door, her face full of hope. “Did it go well?”

I slid in beside her, trying to keep my expression even. “Not exactly. He was never going to bring the fairy. It was a trick from the start."

Her eyes widened. “Then… what happens now?”

“We go home,” I said firmly. “Reed and I have another plan, but I’m not risking you here.”

She frowned, her hands twisting in her lap. “Cassian…”

I reached over, catching her hand in mine. “I’ll fix this. I swear to you.”

Before she could reply, my phone buzzed again. Reed.

“Cassian,” Reed said quickly. “We lost him. He took another road we didn’t anticipate. Slipped out clean.”

I slammed my fist against the dashboard, the guards jumping in the front seats.

“Anything?” I barked.

Reed’s voice lowered. “Maybe. Locke just called me. He says he managed to arrange a meeting with Lucky alone. I’m heading there now.”

“Send Alexander the location,” I ordered immediately.

“I already did. She's on her way."

“Good,” I said, forcing my tone steady. “Don’t engage until I get word from him. Do you understand me, Reed? Don’t.”

Reed hesitated. “…Got it.”

I ended the call, shoving the phone back into my pocket.

Beside me, Wren touched my arm gently. “Cassian. What’s happening now?”

I turned to her, my chest tightening. “We might finally have another lead. But right now, the only thing that matters is getting you home safely.”

She searched my face for a long moment, as if trying to see past the steel I was forcing into my expression. Then she nodded slowly.

“Alright,” she whispered. “But… promise me you’ll be careful.”

I reached up, brushing her cheek with my thumb. “I always am.”

The lie burned my tongue, but I held her gaze anyway.

The car pulled out of the parking lot, the mall shrinking behind us. My mind stayed locked on Derek’s smug smile, on the fairy’s words, on the knife-edge of betrayal that seemed to hang over everything.

long shot.

Do you want me to continue directly with the Lucky meeting scene next, or first show Wren’s perspective when they return home and she processes what just happened?