Cassian's grip on the pipe faltered, his arms frozen in mid-air as our gazes clashed. He turned to me with a deep scowl etched on his face.
I swallowed thickly, my throat constricting with fear. His wolf was livid, its fury palpable in the air, and my omega instincts trembled in response. Our pup whimpered softly, sensing Cassian's displeasure, and I instinctively pulled the little one closer to my chest. Cassian's slow, deliberate steps towards me were like a ticking time bomb, each footsteps echoing through the silence, making my heart race with nervousness.
Cassian's golden eyes bore into mine, his gaze piercing as he stopped in front of me. “What are you doing here, omega? You should be resting.” I flinched when his bloody hand rose to touch me. Cassian froze for a moment, taken aback by my reaction. I saw a flash of hurt in his eyes before he caressed my cheek with a gentle touch, his fingers tracing the curve of my face.
Oh right, his wolf is in control.
Cassian's frown deepened as he leaned in, his nose twitching as he sniffed the air. A growl rumbled in his chest, and he pulled me closer, his face burying into the curve of my neck as he scented me. I knew he was probably pissed off by the rogue's scent on me, his possessive instincts on high alert. He repeated the same gesture with our pup, inhaling deeply before leaning back with a satisfied look on his face.
Alphas are alphas.
“Take our pup and go inside, little one. You're not safe here,” Cassian's wolf growled, his voice low and menacing, but his hand gentle on my cheek. I took his bloody hand in mine, pressing his palm on my cheek, and he didn't resist.
“Alpha, I need to talk to Cassian. Can you let him through?” I asked, my voice firm but laced with a hint of desperation.
“I have something to finish.” His gaze flicked back to the rogue on the ground, his eyes blazing with a feral intensity. “You can talk to him after that,” he snarled, his attention divided between me and his prey, his wolf's instincts still on high alert.
“No, please,” I begged, my voice laced with urgency. “I need to talk to him, and it's about this very issue. Can you please let him through?” I grasped his hand, holding it in place as he tried to pull away.
For a moment, his expression softened, and he looked troubled, his brow furrowed in concern.
“Talk to me, then,” he suggested, his voice a little gentler.
“It's something I need to discuss with Cassian,” I insisted, my eyes locked on his. “I hope you understand.” I nuzzled his hand, trying to calm him down a bit with my scent. His gaze lingered on mine and I could sense his struggle, his wolf's dominance wrestling with his human side.
He scrutinized me and our surrounding. For a moment, I thought he wouldn't agree, but then his attention shifted to the bloodied rogue on the ground. He drew a deep breath, his chest expanding, and then closed his eyes. The tension in his body seemed to ease slowly, and when he spoke again, his voice was low and smooth.
“What is it?” he asked, his tone calm and measured.
“Cassian?” I questioned, my voice laced with a hint of uncertainty, as I sensed the slight change in his demeanor. I needed to make sure it wasn't his wolf.
“Yes,” he replied, his eyes still closed, his face serene, a stark contrast to the snarling wolf that had dominated him just moments before.
I tightened my grip on his hand, my eyes darting to Liya before I took a deep breath and continued. “I want you to listen to me carefully, Cassian.”
He raised an eyebrow, his frown deepening, but surprisingly, he didn't interrupt or question my request.
“You shouldn't kill him,” I said, my voice firm but gentle.
Cassian's eyes widened in disbelief, and he snorted immediately, his expression incredulous. “What? Impossible!” he huffed, his voice rising. “Ivy, are you mad? If you think I'm going to let go of the man who tried to kill my mate and pup, then you are absolutely wrong.”
I held up a hand, my palm facing him as I tried to calm him down, “Cassian, hear me out, please.”
“Not this time,” Cassian said, his voice firm, his head shaking in refusal. “I value your opinion, Ivy, but not on this one. He's a threat to you and our pup, and I won't let him walk away.”
I held his gaze, my eyes locked on his, my voice unwavering. “I know he's a threat, Cassian, but we're not taking away one person's life like this. Not today, of all days. This is the first day of our pup in this world and I don't want it to be tainted by the memory of a murder.” I squeezed his hand, my grip tight. “Think about it for a moment, Alpha.”
“I'm sure our pup will grow up to understand the necessity of it,” Cassian said, his voice unyielding. “I'm not letting that dirty rogue walk away for a reason like this. Your safety is my priority, Ivy.”
Just then, a scoffing sound came from the rogue, causing us both to turn our attention to him. He let out a mirthless chuckle, his eyes gleaming with a mix of anger and disgust as he glared up at us. “I don't want your fucking mercy!” he spat. “I'd rather die!”
Cassian's face darkened, his grip on the pipe tightening as he turned around once again. “You damn sure will,” he growled, his voice low and menacing.
I cursed under my breath and closed my eyes.
Stupid alphas. It's a difficult task to talk sense into them.
One is about to die but still won't let go of his ego.
The rogue's mocks did nothing but enrage Cassian further. He raised the metal pipe and charged with a growl, making my eyes widen.
Before I could say anything, a loud cry filled the air.
“No!”