Page 49 of The Alpha's Pretend Mate

The pattern repeated itself over the next few days. Cassius would leave before she woke, returning long after she'd gone to bed. On the rare occasions when their paths did cross, he was unfailingly polite but distant, never meeting her eyes for more than a moment.

Night after night, when he got back, Cassius continued to retreat into his study, the door locked and silent. Alysa counted the hours, her heart growing heavier with each one that passed.

Alysa felt like she was going crazy. The contrast between the passionate, tender Cassius of that night and this cold, aloof version was giving her whiplash. She switched between anger and despair, wanting to confront him but afraid of what he might say.

On the third night, she found herself unable to sleep, pacing the guest room she'd retreated to. The memory of Cassius's touch, his kisses, haunted her. How could he act like nothing had happened between them?

Maybe that's exactly what it meant to him, a small, cruel voice whispered in her mind.

Nothing

Tears pricked at her eyes, and Alysa angrily wiped them away. No. She refused to believe that. The connection they'd shared had been real. She'd felt it in every fiber of her being.

So why was he pushing her away?

In the quiet hours of the night, she would lie awake, recalling the way he’d held her, the way their laughter had danced together in the dim light.

As the fourth day dawned with still no change, Alysa's hurt began to crystallize into anger. She was tired of feeling confused, tired of being avoided like she carried some contagious disease. If Cassius wanted to pretend nothing had happened between them, fine. But he owed her an explanation, at the very least.

That evening, after putting Aurora to bed, Alysa made a decision. No more hiding. No more waiting for Cassius to acknowledge her. It was time to force the issue.

With determined steps, she made her way to Cassius's bedroom. She knew he had a late Pack meeting tonight—it was the perfect opportunity to confront him without interruption.

Alysa settled herself in the armchair by the window, her heart pounding. Minutes felt like hours as she waited, her heart pounding against her ribcage, an incessant drum urging her to confront him.

Alysa's fingers fiddled with the hem of her shirt, the fabric soft and familiar against her skin, but it offered little comfort now. Was she making a mistake? Should she just let it go?

No, I deserve answers.

The sound of a key in the lock made her sit up straighter. This was it.

Cassius stepped into the room, loosening his tie. He froze when he saw her, his eyes widening in surprise. "Alysa? What are you doing here?"

She took a deep breath, steeling herself against the sudden tension crackling in the air. The warmth of his presence engulfed her, but the distance between them felt insurmountable.

She stood, squaring her shoulders. "We need to talk."

His jaw tightened, a flicker of something… Regret? Fear?—passing through his eyes before they went carefully blank. "It's late. Can't this wait until morning?"

"It's always tomorrow, or later, or when you're less busy," Alysa shot back, her frustration mounting. "But tomorrow never comes, does it, Cassius? You’ve been avoiding me for days. Do you know what it’s like to sit here and wonder if what we had meant anything to you at all?"

Cassius turned away, his shoulders tense. "It’s not that simple, Alysa."

"Then explain it to me," Alysa said, her voice stronger than she felt. "It can't. You've been avoiding me for days, Cassius. I think I deserve an explanation."

Cassius shifted, and for a moment, the room was thick with unsaid words. He stepped further inside, shutting the door behind him with a heavy thud.

Cassius sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I haven't been avoiding you. I've just been busy with Pack business."

"Bullshit," Alysa snapped, surprising herself with the vehemence in her voice. "You can't even look me in the eye. What happened? Was I… was I that disappointing?"

The words hung in the air between them, charged with hurt and vulnerability. Cassius's head snapped up, his blue eyes blazing. "Disappointing? Alysa, no. That's not—”

"Then what?" she demanded, taking a step closer. "One minute we're… we're connecting, and the next you can barely stand to be in the same room as me. Did it mean nothing to you? Was I just a convenient warm body?"

Cassius flinched as if she'd struck him. "How can you think that? You know me better than that, Alysa."

"Do I?" she shot back, angry tears pricking at her eyes. "Because the Cassius I thought I knew wouldn't treat me like this. He wouldn't use me and then toss me aside like yesterday's garbage."

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