Chapter 92
Elowen's POV
Time seemed to freeze as I stood in the center of the ballroom. My heart hammered against my ribs so hard I thought it might burst through my chest. Casper—my sweet, protective Casper—had just driven a shard of broken champagne glass into Drake's shoulder. Blood stained Drake's pristine white shirt, spreading like spilled wine across fabric.
"Let him pay!" The voice that came from Casper's mouth wasn't his—it was deeper, rougher. "No one insults our mate!"
That's when I realized with horrifying clarity—this wasn't Casper anymore. Leo had taken over completely.
I'd heard stories about Leo from Cindy. Once, she'd told me how Leo had "torn apart a trespasser who'd bullied some pack members, ripping him to shreds like he was nothing but paper." At the time, I'd thought she was exaggerating. Now, watching gold eyes blaze from Casper's face, I knew the stories were true.
My mate carried a feral beast inside him.
"Elowen, come here right now!" My mother's sharp voice cut through the chaos. Beta Jessica stood across the room, finger pointed at the space beside her, face tight with fury and fear.
Casper's mouth twisted into a dangerous smile that didn't belong to him. "No," Leo's rough voice growled. "She's mine! She doesn't want to leave her mate!"
The scent of blood and rage filled my nostrils as I took a step toward Drake's crumpled form. Leo's growl deepened, a primal warning that sent shivers down my spine. My instincts screamed to obey him—to submit to my mate's demands—but something stronger pushed me forward.
I couldn't let Casper become a killer. Not because of me. Not because of Drake.
I dropped to my knees beside Drake, pressing my hand against his bleeding shoulder. Blood seeped between my fingers, warm and sticky. Drake's face was ashen, his eyes half-closed as he groaned in pain.
"Don't... leave me," Drake whispered, grabbing my wrist weakly. His eyes held that familiar manipulative gleam, even now.
"I won't let you die," I said calmly, leaning close to his ear so only he could hear. "At least not today. But if you ever provoke Casper again, I might not be able to stop Leo next time." My voice was ice cold, my eyes fixed on his.
Luna Ella's hand extended. "Elowen, dear, you need to come away from here. It's not safe."
Before I could respond, strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind. The scent of pine and smoke engulfed me, but it was tinged with something predatory and untamed.
"Little freckle..." The voice was deeper than Casper's usual warm tone, his lips pressing against the back of my neck. I felt the brush of teeth against my skin—too sharp, too eager.
"Casper," Cassian's calm voice broke through the tension. "You love her. Let her go."
I felt the muscles behind me tense. "Put. Me. Down." I grabbed a fistful of his red-brown hair and yanked. When he raised his head, I no longer saw the warm amber eyes I loved. They were pure gold now—Leo's eyes, not Casper's.
Leo licked the mating mark on my neck. "My kitten! No one takes you from me!"
Despite the intimate gesture, fear pulsed through me. This wasn't Casper. This was Leo—unleashed, savage.
"Everyone out!" Alpha Austin's voice boomed across the ballroom. "Clear the room immediately!"
The ballroom erupted into chaos. Guests scattered toward the exits, their fancy clothes and perfect hair contrasting sharply with their panicked expressions. Crystal chandeliers sparkled overhead, illuminating the bizarre scene—a formal ball turned battlefield, with me trapped at the center of the storm.
Cassian approached carefully, trying to reach me, but Leo growled, "Mine!" and suddenly shoved me toward Cassian with such force that we both tumbled to the floor. Cassian instinctively wrapped his body around mine to cushion the fall, his eyes flashing icy blue—Zero emerging.
My head spun as Cassian helped me up, his grip tight on my arm. "Run! Get out of here now!" he urged, his voice tight with urgency.
I shook off his hand. "No! I'm not running anymore!" I pushed him away and turned to face Casper—or rather, Leo. "Casper is my mate! I can't let him keep hurting people!"
I turned inward, reaching for my wolf. Juno, listen to me. If Leo hurts anyone else, you have to help me stop him!
I felt Juno stir inside me, awake and alert. My vision sharpened, and I knew my eyes had flashed gold in response.
I faced Casper, his features contorted with rage. He had just bent down to Drake's level, smearing his fingers through the pooling blood before dragging those same bloodstained fingers across his own lips—a primal display of dominance. Drake's blood now dripped from the corner of his mouth as he straightened, eyes never leaving mine. Cassian shouted something that sounded like, "Leo...no!" but I barely heard him.
I took a deep breath. It was time to face reality instead of cowering in fear.
I stepped toward my mate, toward the beast and the man I loved. "Leo," I said firmly, holding his golden gaze. "You need to give Casper back to me."
Leo's lips curled back, revealing teeth that seemed sharper than before. "He wants blood," he growled. "Drake insulted you. Threatened you."
"And you protected me," I acknowledged, taking another step closer. "But this isn't protection anymore. This is revenge. And Casper wouldn't want that."
Leo's golden eyes narrowed. "You called us monsters." His voice was hurt beneath the growl.
"I didn't mean you. I meant this—" I gestured to the blood, the chaos. "Violence isn't the answer, Leo. Please."