Eden Grace POV
Eden snatched the phone from Bella's hand, her pulse kicking into overdrive the moment she heard his voice.
"You… How did you get my number?"
A low laugh rolled through the speaker, "Shouldn't you say hello first, Eden? It's been years, hasn't it?"
Eden's grip on the phone tightened. "Cut the crap, Cassian. How did you get my number?"
Bella's eyes widened as she heard the devil Alpha's name. "Ca..Cassian? You mean Cassian Blackthorn!?"
Cassian however replied smoothly, as if the answer should have been obvious. "I have my ways. You should know by now, I always get what I want, my little lamb."
"Stop calling me that. I'm not your anything." Eden snapped, her voice sharper than she intended.
However Cassian's chuckle was low and amused, "You're whatever I say you are, sweetheart. Doesn't matter what you think. You're my little lamb, always have been, always will be."
Eden's stomach dropped. That voice, that arrogance, it was exactly the same as she remembered but more sharper now, honed by years of power and whatever dangerous world he'd been running.
"Where are you?" Cassian's tone was smooth, but there was an edge beneath it. "Let's meet."
"I'm not meeting you." Eden snapped.
A slow laughter crept into Cassian's tone. "That's fine. If you're not coming, then I'll come to you."
Eden's breath caught in her throat, a sudden chill running down her spine despite the noise around her.
"No, you're not coming. Even if you come you won't find me." Eden warned him firmly, trying to keep the panic out of her voice.
There was a pause, then Cassian's voice dropped low, almost amused. "But I already did, sweetheart."
Eden froze, "What..?"
"Look outside."
Eden's heart pounded hard as she peeped through the window. And there he stood. Cassian Blackthorn was leaning against a sleek black Rolls-Royce Phantom.
"Hi.." He waved at her, appearing smug.
Eden felt dread the moment she saw him, how did he reach so soon here!? No, Cassian was capable of this. He was a monster when it comes to situations like this.
All her memories were coming back in. Her school bully was back!
"Oh my god! Is that really Cassian Blackthorn!? What is he doing here!??" Bella's eyes widened as she peeped through the window.
Eden's chest tightened, panic rising like a storm. "Fuck, we need to run. Now!"
"What? Why? Maybe he's here to say thank you…!? Plus he's so handsome." Bella looked amazed as she stared at the tall, handsome Alpha.
"No, Bella! It's never that simple with him. He doesn't do 'thank you.' We have to go. Now." Eden panicked.
Bella shrieked, catching up to Eden. "Why are we even running? It's not like you offended him or something. You saved his life, his precious life. He must think you're his God now."
Cassian laughed through the phone. "Your friend has more sense than you."
Eden had forgotten that Cassian was still on the phone.
His dark eyes locked onto hers from far, his wolf instinct burning with something unreadable and far too intense to be mistaken for gratitude.
"Stop running, Eden. You are surrounded. There is nowhere left to go. So be good, little lamb and come to me."
Eden's blood ran cold. They have been surrounded..?
"Choose one, Eden. Either I come to you and drag you out or you come yourself respectfully. I don't want to make a scene you see."
Eden's jaw clenched. "You…why can't you just leave me alone? What do you want?"
Cassian chuckled lazily, "Isn't it obvious…I want you."
"Listen to me, Blackthorn. I am not something you can just decide you want."
"Little lamb, you still do not get it. It is not about deciding. It is already done. Come to me this instant or you'll regret it."
Eden's pulse spiked, the air in her chest tightening. "In your dreams."
"In my dreams and in reality," he said, his tone dipping into that dangerous calm, "Run more if you want. It will make catching you much more enjoyable."
This psycho! This guy is an absolute maniac!
She gripped the phone tighter, "You really don't know when to quit, do you? But sorry to disappoint, I'd rather die than give my secret to you. Go back to whatever hole you crawled out of and stop wasting my time."
"You are the one wasting my time, Eden. I'll give you one last chance. Walk to me on your own, or I will come find you. And I promise you, it won't be pleasant when I do."
His words hung heavy, filled with a dark promise that sent a cold shiver down her spine.
But Eden had to protect Ishira no matter what. "I will never surrender to you. Just like before."
Cassian smirked, "Then you leave me no choice, little lamb."
Before Eden could take another step, the door exploded open with a deafening crash. Wood splintered. Glass shattered.
"Hey, my door!!" Bella yells in disbelief.
But soon a pack of wolves stormed inside like a living storm, their eyes glowing gold and silver, their claws scraping against the floor, their raw power flooding the room and crushing the air from Eden's lungs.
Bella screamed.
Fear slammed into Eden like a wall.
"Bella, run!" Eden cried, grabbing her hand.
But the werewolves moved like shadows given flesh, fast and merciless, their eyes glowing with predatory light.
One of the wolves lunged forward, blocking the exit in a blur of movement, another circled to the side, another positioned itself behind Bella, their instincts sharp and precise.
Bella clutched Eden's arm in terror. "E-Eden… what is happening…?"
Before Eden could answer, the temperature of the room shifted.
The air itself grew heavier, thicker, charged with authority and danger.
Then he walked in.
Cassian Virelli Blackthorn. The dangerous Alpha.
Cassian stepped through the ruined doorway as if he owned the world beyond it, tall, broad shouldered, dressed in black clothes that clung to his powerful frame, his silver eyes burning with something far more dangerous than anger.
The invisible pressure of his presence had already wrapped around her like invisible chains, making her breath hitch.
Run.
Run now.
She turned sharply and bolted. Almost.
And a massive blur slammed into her side, knocking the air from her lungs as she stumbled.
She tried to scramble away, panic clawing at her chest, but before she could move, the shadow grew bigger.
Before her was a huge magnificent wolf with jet black fur, silver eyes towering over her, powerful, magnificent.
Rael...!
"Mine," Rael snarled.