Cass’s POV

As the eerie silence hangs over the clearing—everyone kneeling in stunned reverence—I shift back to my human form. Colt and Ezra follow suit, both of them gasping, battered, and bleeding. My eyes lock onto Ezra, burning with icy resolve.

"You were going to forcibly mark me? That was your brilliant plan?"

Ezra staggers to his feet, trembling. "If I mark you, the bond strengthens! You are my fated mate, Cass! Not his! This is insanity, and you know it!"

"You don't deserve her!" Colt shouts, nursing his wounds. "Not after everything you’ve done!"

"Shut the fk up!" Ezra snaps at his brother. "You are not supposed to steal my woman! You had your own mate, and she left you! You’re just scavenging my scraps!"

"I didn't want her until she wasn't yours anymore!" Colt retorts. "That is the logic of a coward! If you wanted her, you should have treated her like a person instead of a trophy!"

"Enough!" Warrick’s voice cracks like a whip, silencing the forest.

I step forward, my voice cold as flint. "Get this through your thick skull: I. DON'T. WANT. YOU." I scream the words. "I REJECT YOU, EZRA BEAUFORT! I REJECT YOU!"

The rejection hits him like a physical blow. He collapses to his knees, clutching his chest, his face contorting in agony as the bond snaps. "I... I will never get through to you, will I?"

"No, Ezra. Move on."

He looks up, eyes brimming with poisonous hatred. "I hate you both for this. I'll make sure you never find happiness." He rises, looking weary but dangerous. "I accept your rejection, Casseopea. But mark my words: I will live just to cause you pain."

Before I can respond, a warrior sprints toward us, panting. "Alpha! They’re escaping! The commotion distracted the guards!"

"CATCH THEM, YOU SONS OF BITCHES!" Warrick roars. He vanishes into the forest, shouting orders for my brothers to watch me.

I turn to Colt. "Are you okay?"

He smiles weakly. "I'm alive."

"You should run, Colt. Warrick is going to be furious, and he’ll use you to punish me."

He caresses my face, his thumb tracing my lower lip. "I'm not going anywhere, Angel."

"He could kill you."

"Not if we are mates." He smiles. "You are officially free to be mine, Cass. The bond with Ezra is shattered."

A surge of wild, reckless joy takes over. I grab his hand and sprint toward the house, both of us naked and laughing, dodging my brothers like children playing a dangerous game.

We hide in my father’s office, the forbidden nature of the room adding to the thrill. I pull him onto the desk, my heart racing.

"Can I?" I whisper.

Colt looks at me, his eyes softening. "You want to mark me first?"

"Yes."

He tilts his head, baring his throat. I bury my nose in his scent—sandalwood and iron—and sink my fangs into his skin. He groans, his hands gripping my neck to pull me closer. As the blood beads, a new, golden warmth floods my chest: a true mate bond, born of choice, not coercion.

The door suddenly crashes open. Warrick strides in, followed by a wide-eyed Victor and Garret. He stops, eyes widening as he takes in the scene.

"Enough!" He looks like he’s losing his mind. "You’re acting like fking teenagers!"

He tears Colt away and shoves him into a chair. "Don't you dare move." He snaps his fingers at Victor, who tosses his jacket at me. I wrap it around myself, defying Warrick with a glare.

"You are chaos incarnate!" Warrick shouts at me.

I start to laugh—a sharp, rebellious sound. I should be terrified, but I’m not. I’m electric.

"That's funny to you?" Warrick’s vein pulses on his forehead. "Your brothers never dared to pull this kind of crap."

"That’s because they’re afraid of you," I say bluntly. "I'm not. Not anymore."

His expression shifts from rage to a strange, dark admiration. "Do you know what makes me the angriest? It’s that I’m not even upset. What you did out there... that wasn't just power. That was royalty. You made an entire pack kneel."

"Then why rule with tyranny?" I challenge. "Why be cruel?"

"This is who I am. I’m the villain, Cass. I have a sadistic streak I don't care to suppress." He pauses, staring at me. "You have that same darkness deep down. I want to see you let it out."

"Did anyone escape?" I ask, changing the subject.

"Yes. Many. And your pathetic ex-mate ran off too."

"Good."

Warrick sighs. "Guess he’s my only leverage left. He’s my only link to his pack." He looks at Colt. "If you take your training seriously and obey me, I won't kill him. But hear me clearly: you are not fully mated until I say so. You need to remain 'available' for political alliances."

"No!" I protest.

"You ruin this alliance, he dies," Warrick says, his voice a lethal whisper. He leans into Colt’s face, his eyes glowing with hypnotic command. "You are not allowed to finish the mark until I tell you to. Understand?"

"Yes, Alpha," Colt drones, his voice flat and zombie-like.

I gasp. "Did you just use your power on him?"

"I did. And I mean it. Leave."

I stomp out, Victor trailing behind me.

"That was ballsy," Victor mutters in the hallway.

I laugh, feeling the lingering gaze of my father on my back. Does he have a soft spot for me, or is he just grooming a monster in his own image? Either way, the game has changed—and I’m finally playing to win.