Page 35 of The Alpha's Pretend Mate

Crimson eyes gleamed in the fading light. Vampire.

Terror clawed at Alysa's throat, but she pushed it down. She had to protect Aurora.

The vampire lunged, teeth bared. Alysa rolled, narrowly avoiding its grasp. She scrambled to her feet with Aurora clutched tightly to her chest.

"Cassius!" she screamed, backing toward the far wall.

The vampire advanced, a predatory grin stretching across its face. "Hand over the child, Wolf," it hissed. "And I might let you live."

Alysa's eyes darted around, searching for an escape route. There was none. They were trapped.

"Never," she snarled, her own wolf rising to the surface.

The vampire's eyes narrowed. "Then you die."

It sprang forward. Alysa braced herself for the impact, turning to shield Aurora with her body. But the attack never came.

A furious roar shook the treehouse. Cassius burst through the entrance, his eyes blazing with rage. He slammed into the vampire, sending them both crashing through the wooden wall.

Alysa gasped, clutching Aurora tighter as splinters rained down around them. She rushed to the gaping hole, heart pounding.

Below, Cassius and the vampire were locked in a brutal fight. Cassius's clothes were torn, his skin already marred with cuts and bruises. But his eyes burned with a fury Alysa had never seen before.

The vampire was fast, but Cassius was stronger. He caught the creature's arm as it swung at him. With a sickening crunch, he tore it clean off.

The vampire's howl of pain echoed through the forest. Cassius didn't hesitate. He didn’t stop. His eyes glowed with the intensity of his wolf, his hands unrelenting as he chained the vampire to a nearby tree, securing it with silver restraints.

Alysa exhaled shakily, her knees buckling as the adrenaline coursing through her veins started to wane. She slid to the floor of the treehouse, cradling Aurora against her chest, whispering soothing words into the baby’s hair as she watched Cassius secure the vampire. Her mind raced with the events that had just unfolded, her body still trembling.

Slowly, Cassius turned to look up at her. The rage in his eyes faded, replaced by concern.

"Are you okay?" he called up. "Aurora?"

Alysa nodded, unable to find her voice. Aurora, miraculously, had fallen asleep during the chaos.

Cassius climbed back into the treehouse, his chest heaving and his face set in grim lines. There was blood on his hands, and his blue eyes were darker than she’d ever seen them. Without a word, he knelt beside her, his gaze softening as he reached out to touch Aurora’s cheek, making sure she was okay.

"She's fine," Alysa managed to croak out. "Not a scratch."

Relief washed over Cassius's face. He pulled Alysa into a fierce hug, mindful of Aurora between them.

"Thank God," he murmured into her hair. "If anything had happened to either of you…"

Alysa melted into his embrace, the adrenaline slowly seeping out of her system. She was safe. They were all safe.

“Let’s get out of here.” Cassius stood and helped Alysa to her feet, his touch gentle yet firm. They made their way down the ladder, and Alysa’s legs felt unsteady beneath her, her body still rattled from the attack.

The walk back to the car was tense, the silence between them filled with unspoken words. Cassius held Aurora now, his hand gripping Alysa’s as if he needed to reassure himself that they were both safe.

When they reached the car, Cassius carefully placed Aurora in her seat and closed the door with a soft click. He turned to Alysa, his gaze intense, searching her face. “I should’ve been here sooner.”

“It’s not your fault,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “You saved us.”

But even as she said the words, Alysa could feel the weight of everything that had happened settling on her. The attack, the fear, the realization that she was starting to care about Cassius more than she should—it was all too much.

I’m falling for him.

The drive back to the house was tense and silent. Cassius's knuckles were white on the steering wheel, his jaw clenched tight. Alysa kept glancing in the rearview mirror, half-expecting to see more vampires chasing them.

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