Ivy's POV
It was suffocating. The air was heavy with the metallic tang of blood, the putrid scent of the rogue's hand clamped over my mouth, and the distressing pheromones of the omegas in the room, made my stomach roil with nausea.
My thoughts were a jumbled mess, but my eyes were fixed on my precious pup, clinging to me for comfort. The overwhelming urge to protect my child was the only thing that kept me grounded.
Just as I was spiraling into despair, Cassian's low, menacing growl snapped me back to reality. My mate stood there, his eyes blazing with fury, his alpha pheromones thick and potent, filling the cramped cabin with an almost palpable force. I instinctively pulled my baby closer, the primal urge to shield and defend my pup coursing through my veins as my motherly instincts kicked it.
Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, my wolf and I felt torn by the conflicting desires to shield our pup and surrender to Cassian's protective presence. But now, both my mate and child are in danger, and I couldn't do a fucking thing!
Cassian's snarl was a low, menacing rumble, “Get your filthy hands off her!” he snapped, but the rogue merely chuckled in reply, the sound sending a shiver down my spine.
“Relax, Alpha Cassian,” he sneered, his voice dripping with malice, as he removed his grimy hand from my face, allowing me to draw in a shaky breath. “I haven't hurt your mate,” But the relief was short-lived, as the cold steel of his knife pressed menacingly against my throat, “Yet,” the word slipped past his lips like a sinister promise, making my heart race with terror.
Cassian let out a low growl and he was only a second away from pouncing before my desperate scream broke the silence. “Cassian, no!” I pleaded, my voice trembling with fear.
His eyes blazed bright golden like fire, but as he met my gaze, he seemed to snap back to reality. I darted a glance at our pup, then back to Cassian, and slowly understanding dawned on his face.
I couldn't risk our pup’s life in a reckless bid for freedom.
The rogue's chuckle was a cold, mirthless sound, “Came to your senses now?” he huffed out, clearly relishing the power dynamic.
“It's almost...entertaining to see you like this, Alpha Cassian. Who would have thought I'd be the one to render the mighty predator so helpless?” His words dripped mockery, and I could feel my anger and frustration simmering just below the surface.
"What do you want?” Cassian spat, his patience wearing thin as the rogue's taunts dragged on.
The rogue's grin twisted into a malevolent sneer, “Oh, I want everything. Every last shred of happiness, every person you hold dear. I'll strip you bare, leaving you with nothing but the agony of loss and the slow, torturous crawl towards death. And I'll savor every moment of it.” His voice seethed with venom, the words dripping with a hatred so palpable it seemed to hang in the air like a miasma.
The rogue's anger boiled over, his hand trembling with rage as he pressed the knife closer, drawing a thin line of crimson from my throat. A searing sting sliced across my neck and I flinched as I drew in a shaky breath.
Cassian's eyes immediately flashed with instinctual fury, his body tensing as the scent of my blood hit him like a punch to the gut. But he reined himself in, his voice cold and even as he growled, “Leave my mate and pup out of this. Let's settle this like Alphas. You and I, one on one.”
The rogue only laughed coldly, the sound mocking as he sneered at Cassian's proposal. “I didn't come here to defeat you, Alpha Cassian. I came to annihilate you, to avenge every rogue you've brutalized. And I know you're all too familiar with the agony of losing a mate... but the pain of losing your precious pup? That's a fresh hell you've yet to experience.”
Fear coiled in my stomach like a living thing, its icy grip squeezing tight everything inside. My eyes flashed towards the rogue in a heartbeat, blazing with a fierce protectiveness. “You'll never lay a hand on my pup,” I growled, my voice low and menacing.
The rogue's expression turned cruel, his voice cracking like a whip as he snapped, “Shut up, omega! You're in no position to make threats.”
I clenched the sheets in a white-knuckle grip, my instincts screaming to protect my pup. If my pup wasn’t beside me, this dog would’ve already been dead at my feet.
Cassian's silence was unnerving, his dark eyes fixed on the man with an intensity that seemed to burn a hole through the air. I knew he was plotting something, building a plan as to how to approach this situation but time was running out.
He has to be quick! Our pup is in danger.
Liya turned to the rogue, her eyes wide with fear, her voice quivering like a leaf. “Silas, you promised you wouldn't kill...,” she whispered, the words trailing off as if she couldn't bear to say them aloud.
The rogue's gaze snapped towards Liya, his eyes narrowing. “Shut up, omega,” he snarled, his voice like a lash cracking through the air. “You thought I'd let the man who slaughtered my brother live a peaceful life? Never!”
Liya's gaze faltered, her eyes darting between Silas and Cassian as her face twisted in anguish, voice rising to a shout. “Then why did you lie to me?!” she cried, her grip on the gun trembling with rage.
Cassian's eyes narrowed and I could see the way his mind raced with calculations, while I remained frozen, my heart pounding in my chest as I watched the gun press against my mate's head. The rogue's voice boomed through the room, “Do you want to live with me, omega?! Then you'll listen to what I say!”
“I'm not a murderer!” Liya cried, her voice cracking with emotion.
The rogue's face immediately turned red with rage and his teeth clenched in a snarl. “Damn it, omega, shut the fuck up!” he growled, his words dripping venom. The man sneered at Liya, his contempt palpable. “I can't believe I'm stuck with a useless mate like you!” He clicked his tongue in disgust, and Liya's face crumpled instantly, her eyes welling up with fresh tears.
Mate? They're mates? Is that why she's doing this?