Chapter 220
Elowen's POV
I stood outside Casper's bedroom door, my heart hammering against my ribs like it was trying to escape my chest. Something was wrong. The bond between us had been... off all evening. Muted. Like they were deliberately keeping me at arm's length.
Girl, just knock, Juno whispered in my mind, her tone sharp with irritation. You don't need to skulk around like—
"We have to do this, Casper." Cassian's voice filtered through the door, low and urgent. "There's no other way."
I froze, my hand halfway to the doorknob.
Or we could eavesdrop, Juno amended, suddenly very interested. I like this plan better.
I pressed my ear against the wood, holding my breath. My wolf senses picked up every word with crystal clarity, but I couldn't help myself—I needed to be closer, needed to hear what they were saying about... what? What were they planning?
"I hate this," Casper's voice cracked, rough with emotion. "I hate everything about this plan."
You have wolf hearing, dumbass, Juno pointed out. You don't need to press your ear to the door like some human spy.
She was right, but I couldn't help myself. My hands were shaking.
"We don't have a choice," Cassian said, his tone cold and logical—the voice he used when he was forcing himself to be practical. "If we don't—"
"Cheating on Elowen, even if it's fake, feels wrong," Casper interrupted, and my blood turned to ice. "Making her think we're—God, Cassian, I can't—"
Cheating? Making me think they're...?
Oh hell no, Juno snarled, her rage flooding through me like liquid fire. Those bastards. Let me out. I'll rip their fucking throats out.
"Listen to me," Cassian's voice dropped even lower. "We need to buy time. If we can fool Selene—"
"By hurting Elowen?" Casper's voice rose. "By making her believe we've chosen—"
"Keep your voice down!" Cassian hissed. "And yes. That's exactly what we have to do."
The world tilted sideways. My stomach lurched, and I had to put my hand against the wall to steady myself.
Bastards, I thought, the word echoing in my mind. Lying, scheming bastards.
"I can't do it," Casper said, and I heard something crash—probably him throwing something against the wall. "I won't. Not to her. Not after everything—"
"You think I want this?" Cassian's control finally cracked, his voice rising. "You think I don't know what this will do to her? But if we don't—"
I'd heard enough. More than enough.
Let me handle this, Juno growled. I'll make them regret—
"No," I whispered aloud, my voice trembling with fury. "This is mine."
I didn't knock. Didn't announce myself. I just shoved the door open so hard it slammed against the wall, and both of them whirled around to face me.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" The words ripped out of my throat, raw and jagged.
For a split second—one beautiful, terrible second—I half-expected to see Sarah already in here with them. Already curled up in Casper's bed or draped over Cassian's lap. But the room was empty except for my two mates, both of whom looked like they'd been caught with their hands in the cookie jar.
No—worse. Like they'd been caught planning to burn down the whole damn bakery.
"Elowen!" Cassian's eyes went wide, his usual icy composure shattering. "How long have you—"
"Long enough," I snarled, and I felt my eyes flash gold as Juno surged forward. "Long enough to hear you two planning to fuck me over. Literally or figuratively, I'm not quite sure yet."
Casper took a step toward me, his hands raised like he was approaching a wild animal. "Cutie, let me explain—"
"Don't." I held up my hand, and he stopped dead. "Don't you dare call me that right now. Don't you dare stand there and try to—to—"
My voice broke. God, I hated that it broke.
Don't cry, Juno commanded fiercely. Make them bleed first, cry later.
"How could you?" I whispered, and the betrayal in my voice made both of them flinch. "How could you even consider—whatever this is? Behind my back? After everything we've been through?"
"It's not what you think," Cassian said, but his voice was strained, desperate in a way I'd never heard before.
"Really?" I laughed, and it sounded broken even to my own ears. "Because what I think is that you two were just discussing how to cheat on me—fake or otherwise—to fool Selene. Was I wrong? Please, tell me I misheard."
The look that passed between them—guilty, anguished, defeated—told me everything I needed to know.
I told you, Juno hissed. Males. Can't trust any of them.
"Elowen, please." Cassian took a step forward, and I saw the muscle in his jaw tick. "We were trying to protect you—"
"Protect me?" I barked out a laugh that had nothing to do with humor. "By lying to me? By planning to—what, exactly? Make me watch you two pretend to want someone else? Make me think you've chosen Sarah over me?"