Page 31 of The Alpha's Pretend Mate

Is that how she felt? Is that how he wanted her to feel?

As the night wore on, Cassius found his thoughts in turmoil. He'd entered into this arrangement to protect Alysa, to keep her safe from Marcus's advances. But now, holding her close, breathing in her scent, he wasn't sure who he was protecting her from anymore.

This is dangerous

He thought about his actions even as his thumb traced circles on her hip.

But every time Alysa looked up at him, her honey-brown eyes filled with warmth and trust, Cassius felt his resolve weakening. The line between pretense and reality was blurring, and he wasn't sure he wanted to redraw it.

"You two are so in love," Zara Moonsinger's dreamy voice cut through Cassius's thoughts. "It's beautiful to see. When's the official mating ceremony?"

Cassius froze, panic rising in his throat. They hadn't discussed this far ahead. He opened his mouth, not sure what would come out when Alysa squeezed his hand.

"We haven't set a date yet," she said smoothly. "We're just enjoying being together for now."

Cassius nodded, grateful for her quick thinking. But Zara's words echoed in his mind.

In love.

Was that what this looked like to others? Was that what it felt like?

Before he could ponder it further, Cassius felt Alysa tense beside him. He followed her gaze to see Marcus approaching, a predatory gleam in his eye.

No. Not now.

Without thinking, Cassius pulled Alysa closer, angling his body to shield her from Marcus's view. He felt her surprise, but she melted into him, playing along.

And then, without warning, Alysa was turning in his arms, her hands sliding up his chest to link behind his neck. Her eyes met his, a silent question in their depths.

Do it, they seemed to say.

Time seemed to slow as Cassius lowered his head, his lips meeting Alysa's in a kiss that started soft but quickly ignited into something more. Her lips parted beneath his, a soft gasp escaping her as he deepened the kiss.

The world fell away. There was only Alysa—the softness of her lips, the warmth of her body pressed against his, the intoxicating scent of her skin. Cassius lost himself in the kiss, his hands spanning her waist, pulling her impossibly closer.

It was Alysa who finally broke the kiss, pulling back with a soft gasp. Cassius blinked, reality crashing back in as he became aware of the hushed silence around them. Every eye in the room was on them, expressions ranging from shock to approval to knowing smirks.

What have we done?

Cassius cleared his throat, fighting to regain his composure. He kept Alysa close, hyper-aware of her rapid heartbeat, the flush on her cheeks.

"Well," Marcus's voice broke the silence, thick with barely concealed anger. "I suppose that settles any doubts about your… relationship."

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd. Cassius nodded, not trusting himself to speak. His lips still tingled from the kiss, his body humming with an energy he couldn't quite name.

As the crowd began to disperse, whispered conversations breaking out, Cassius felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to find Aleksander, his expression unreadable.

"Can we talk?" Aleksander's voice was low, his eyes flicking between Cassius and Alysa. "Alone?"

Cassius nodded, reluctantly letting go of Alysa. He followed Aleksander to a quiet corner of the room, his mind racing.

He knows. He has to know.

"What the hell was that?" Aleksander hissed once they were out of earshot. "That kiss… Cassius, tell me you are still pretending."

Cassius ran a hand through his hair, his thoughts in turmoil. "I… I don't know, Aleks."

"You don't know?" Aleksander's eyes narrowed. "Cassius, this is my sister we're talking about. If you're playing with her feelings—"

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