Page 22 of The Alpha's Pretend Mate

The drive to Cassius's estate seemed to take both an eternity and no time at all. Aleksander was uncharacteristicallyquiet, lost in his own thoughts. Cassius's hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turning white.

What have I done?

The question echoed in his mind, a relentless refrain that grew louder with each passing mile.

As they pulled up to the house, Cassius caught sight of Alysa through the window. She was in the living room, curled up on the couch with a book, completely unaware of how her life was about to change.

His heart clenched at the sight of her. At that moment, all his rationalizations about brotherly protection crumbled. The truth hit him like a physical blow. He claimed her because he wanted her to be his. Because the thought of her with anyone else was unbearable.

Cassius took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was to come. He and Aleksander approached the front door.

I’ve faced down rogue Alphas, vampires, and werebears, but none of that feels as dangerous as this.

Cassius's hand hovered over the doorknob, his heart pounding in his chest. Beside him, Aleksander shifted impatiently.

"Are we going in, or are you planning to admire the door all night?" Aleksander's voice was tight with tension.

Yes, I could go for a werebear right now.

Cassius shot him a glare. “Easy for you to say. You're not the one who has to explain why you claimed a friend as your mate.”

Taking a deep breath, Cassius pushed the door open. The scent of lavender and vanilla—Alysa's scent—washed over him, simultaneously calming and unsettling.

Alysa looked up from her book, her warm honey-brown eyes widening in surprise. "Cassius? Aleks? What are you both doing here?"

Cassius's throat tightened at the sight of her. Hair tousled, cheeks flushed from the warmth of the fire, she looked utterly beautiful. And utterly unaware of the bomb they were about to drop on her life.

"We need to talk," Cassius managed, his voice rougher than he intended.

Alysa's brow furrowed, worry clouding her features. She set her book aside and stood, unconsciously smoothing her clothes. "Is everything okay? Did something happen at the meeting?"

Aleksander cleared his throat. "You could say that."

Cassius shot him a warning look.

Let me handle this.

"Alysa, maybe you should sit down."

Her frown deepened, but she complied, perching on the edge of the couch. Cassius and Aleksander took seats across from her, the coffee table between them feeling like an insurmountable barrier.

"You're scaring me," Alysa said softly. "What's going on?"

Cassius leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. "The meeting with Marcus Redwood… it didn't go exactly as planned."

How do I even begin to explain this?

Alysa's eyes darted between the two men. "Okay… What happened?"

Cassius swallowed hard. "He made an… unexpected offer. In exchange for the territory we wanted, he suggested…" He trailed off, the words sticking in his throat.

"He wanted you," Aleksander cut in, his voice tight with barely contained anger. "As a mate."

Alysa recoiled as if she'd been slapped. "What? But… that's not… We don't do things like that anymore. Do we?"

The hurt and confusion in her eyes made Cassius's chest ache. "No, we don't," Cassius said firmly. "Which is why I… I told him you weren't available."

Alysa's shoulders sagged with relief. "Oh. Well, thank you. Both of you. For standing up for me."

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