Chapter 22
Casper's POV
I gripped the steering wheel of my black Porsche, accelerating down the winding road toward Packhouse. Sarah's words about Drake's control over Elowen still burned in my mind. That asshole had been manipulating her for months, and I needed to make sure he wouldn't get near her again. The engine roared as I pressed harder on the gas, my thoughts focused on getting back and checking on Elowen.
As I pulled into the driveway, I spotted a sleek Mercedes parked near the entrance. A familiar figure leaned against it—Drake, his sandy blonde hair perfectly styled as usual. The sight of him made my jaw clench. His scent hit me—sulfur and something greasy that always made my stomach turn.
I killed the engine and stepped out, squaring my shoulders as I approached. "What the fuck are you doing here?" I demanded, not bothering with pleasantries.
Drake straightened, his lips curling into that smug smile I wanted to punch off his face. "Casper. Just the man I didn't want to see." He adjusted his designer watch, a move meant to flaunt his wealth. "I'm here to pick up my girlfriend. Jessica called and told me Elowen was here."
"She's not your girlfriend anymore," I said, stopping a few feet from him. "And she's definitely not going anywhere with you."
He laughed, the sound grating on my nerves. "Come on, man. We both know this little tantrum of hers will blow over. Elowen always comes back to me."
"Not this time." I took a step closer, my hands balling into fists. "I know what you did to her. Sarah told me everything."
"Sarah?" His eyebrow raised. "That bitch will say anything for attention."
"She mentioned how you manipulate Elowen. How you make her pay for everything while you pocket the cash. How you control every decision she makes." I felt my blood heating up, my vision sharpening the way it always did when my wolf pushed forward. "Is that what you call a relationship?"
Drake's face hardened. "Elowen is mine. She's always been mine. The pack laws recognize that."
"She's not your fucking property!" I growled, my voice dropping lower. I felt my eyes changing color, the amber deepening as my wolf stirred. "She's a person with her own mind, and she's done with your bullshit."
Two security guards approached, sensing the tension. "Mr. Thornwood, is everything—"
"Back off," Drake snapped at them. "This is between me and him."
The guards looked at me, waiting for confirmation. I nodded slightly, and they retreated, though they stayed within eyesight.
Drake stepped closer, his green eyes cold. "You think you can just swoop in and take what's mine? I've been with her for years. What gives you the right?"
"The fact that I actually give a shit about her," I snarled. "You've treated her like garbage, and now you're surprised she walked away?"
"Her mother and I have an agreement." His smile returned, more sinister now. "Jessica understands what's best for her daughter."
The mention of papers made my blood run cold. So the contract Sarah mentioned was real. Before I could press him on it, the main doors of Packhouse swung open.
My father, Alpha Austin, strode out, his powerful frame casting a long shadow in the afternoon sun. Even Drake straightened up at his presence, the arrogance in his posture slightly diminished.
"What's going on here?" My father's voice carried the weight of his Alpha status, making everyone stand a little straighter.
Drake cleared his throat. "Alpha Austin, I just came to pick up my—"
My father raised his hand, cutting him off. "Drake, this is Packhouse. You don't just show up uninvited." His voice was low, controlled, but I heard the warning in it. "And I'm told you've betrayed Elowen's trust. You have the nerve to come looking for her?"
"But Jessica has already—"
"I don't care what my Beta Jessica told you," my father interrupted again. "This is my territory, and I make the decisions here. I'm asking you to leave."
Drake's face flushed red, his hands clenching at his sides. He looked between us, calculating his odds. Even he wasn't stupid enough to challenge an Alpha on his own territory.
"This isn't over," he said quietly, his eyes fixing on me. "You can't protect her forever." With that, he turned and got into his car, the tires screeching against the pavement as he sped away.
My father turned to me, placing a firm hand on my shoulder. "Calm down, son. Aggression doesn't always bring peace."
I took a deep breath, trying to rein in my anger. "He mentioned papers, Dad. Some kind of agreement with Jessica about Elowen."
My father's expression darkened. "I'll look into it. No agreements involving pack members are valid without my approval."
I nodded, but my mind was already racing ahead. I needed to check on Elowen. "I need to make sure she's okay," I said.
"Go." He patted my shoulder. "But remember, she's been through a lot. Give her space if she needs it."
I hurried into Packhouse, the encounter with Drake still burning in my mind. As I headed for the stairs, I decided to reach out to Cassian through our mind link.
Cassian, Drake was just at Packhouse, trying to take Elowen. Dad handled it, but I need to make sure she's safe.
The seconds stretched out with no response. Just as I was about to try again, his thoughts came through, jumbled and breathless.
Not now... Elowen's with me... She's feeling better...
But it wasn't his words that stopped me cold. It was the background noise—Elowen's voice, making sounds I'd heard only in my fantasies. The soft moans and gasps that could only mean one thing.
My blood turned to ice, then boiled in my veins. Betrayal and rage exploded inside me. My own brother and Elowen? After everything that happened with Sarah drugging her?
I sprinted up the stairs, taking them three at a time, my heart pounding in my ears. The hallway seemed to stretch forever until I reached Cassian's door. I stood there, hand on the knob, as Elowen's pleasure-filled voice rang clear through the wood.
"Cassian, don't stop!"
My fingers tightened around the doorknob. Every muscle in my body screamed to burst in there, to tear them apart. But another part of me, a darker part, wanted to watch. To join. The thought shocked me, a vile, intrusive whisper from the possessive beast within. It was wrong, yet it coiled in my gut with a sickening heat, refusing to leave.