Page 33 of The Alpha's Pretend Mate

“I get it,” she muttered, keeping her voice steady. “But the longer we keep this up… the harder it’s going to be.”

Cassius didn’t respond immediately, his blue eyes locking ahead. There was a tension in his jaw she hadn’t noticed before.

Was he feeling it, too?

As the days wore on, Alysa found herself slipping deeper into the charade. It was the little things that got to her. Theway Cassius's hand would find the small of her back when they walked together.

The soft smiles he'd shoot her way when she made Aurora laugh. The late-night conversations that stretched into the early hours of the morning, filled with shared hopes and fears. But each day, it felt less like a performance and more like she was genuinely connected to him.

Alysa hated it. She hated how her heart skipped when Cassius smiled at her or when their hands brushed and she caught his scent—a mixture of pine and something warm, comforting.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

She stood by the window one morning, watching as Cassius trained his warriors outside. He moved like a predator, sharp and precise, every shift of his muscular frame calling to something primal inside her. Her chest tightened at the sight.

Stop. You’re being ridiculous.

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t turn off her feelings. They were growing, seeping into the cracks of her resolve like ivy creeping over stone.

That evening, as they sat on the porch watching the sunset, Aurora asleep in her playpen nearby, Cassius turned to her with a serious expression.

"Thank you," he said softly.

Alysa blinked. "For what?"

"For all of this. For helping with Aurora, for going along with this crazy plan. I know it can't be easy for you."

If only you truly knew…

She shrugged, forcing a laugh. "What are friends for, right?"

Cassius's eyes lingered on her face, and for a moment, Alysa thought she saw something flicker in their depths.

Pain?

But then he looked away, and the moment passed.

"Right. Friends."

The word hung between them, heavy with unspoken things.

Alysa began to notice subtle changes in Cassius's behavior with each passing day. He seemed more attuned to her presence, his eyes following her movements when he thought she wasn't looking. Sometimes, she'd catch him staring at her with an intensity that made her breath catch.

Saturday afternoon, as she was playing with Aurora on the living room floor, Cassius walked in and froze. Alysa looked up, confused by his sudden stillness.

"What?" she asked, self-consciously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Cassius shook his head, a soft smile playing on his lips. "Nothing. It's just… you're really good with her, you know that?"

Warmth bloomed in Alysa's chest. "She makes it easy. She's a great kid."

"Yeah, she is." Cassius's voice was thick with emotion. He crossed the room, kneeling beside them. His hand came to rest on Alysa's shoulder, and she felt the heat of his touch even through her shirt.

Oh God.

"I don't know what I'd do without you," he murmured.

Alysa's heart raced. She turned to face him, their faces inches apart. For a breathless moment, she thought he might kiss her. But then Aurora let out a happy squeal, breaking the spell.

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