Chapter 40:

"Why did you say that?" I ask as we walk back to the car.

The path is uneven, pebbles crunching under my shoes. The air is thick with tension, but I'm not sure if it's coming from me or from him. 

My heart still hammers from what just happened back there. From hearing Rowan speak about me like I'm a stain on his pack. 

From Caspian standing up for me like it was the easiest thing in the world.

"Say what?" His voice is deep, casual, as if he doesn't already know.

"That we're mated."

"Aren't we?" He casts a glance down at me, his face unreadable, his tone final. Like he's already done with this conversation before it even starts.

"No we're not. You'll be mated to Eden. Your parents have decided it," I want to say, but the look in his eyes tells me he's not ready for smart replies.

I look away, pressing my lips together. I don't know what I expected him to say. I don't even know why I asked.

We reach the car in silence. People pass by, throwing me glares, but they don't last long. The moment their eyes land on Caspian, the hostility vanishes. 

Their heads bow, bodies shrinking in submission. It's a jarring shift, one I can't ignore.

Even after all these years, they still hate me. But they're too afraid of him to show it for long.

We get into the car, and I stare out the window as he starts the engine. The air between us is heavy, but I don't know what to say.

The silence stretches until he finally speaks.

"When I brought you to Goldencrest—"

"Kidnapped me to Goldencrest," I cut in.

He shoots me a glare before continuing, "When I brought you to Goldencrest, you mentioned how you were treated here. I thought it was dramatic for you to choose to be an Omega when you're the daughter of a past Alpha."

I let out a humorless laugh. "Dramatic?"

He ignores me. "You talked about your mate rejecting you. I didn't really get the full picture of how they treated you."

He stops speaking and focuses on the road, his fingers tightening around the steering wheel.

I exhale. "No one ever really does. No one ever believes it."

I expect him to let it go, to drop the subject the way most people do. But he doesn't.

"Now that we're here, I see it all now." His voice is calm, but there's an edge to it. "They aren't even remotely relieved to see you alive after all these months. And your uncle? 'No humans allowed in his office?' They despise you just for being you."

His words hit hard, the weight of them sinking into my chest. I press my nails into my palms, willing myself to keep it together.

"Theo claims to care, but he just has a conscience. That's all. You haven't done anything wrong to them. Hell, all the wrong you do is nag."

I turn to him, arching a brow. "Excuse me?"

His lips twitch, but his expression remains serious.

My throat tightens. He sees it now. The way they look at me, the way they speak about me like I'm less than nothing. 

For so long, I thought I was imagining it. That maybe I was being too sensitive. But no—he sees it too.

"Why did I say that we're mated?" he repeats, his voice quieter now. "Because I want them to believe that their fate is in the hands of the human they hate. If Rowan doesn't swear his fealty to me, I'll take him out and put an Alpha in place who will. That's on the accord that we can't prove he murdered your parents. If we do…"

His fingers flex against the steering wheel. "He's a dead man."

I swallow hard and look away, blinking rapidly. I don't want to cry. Not here. Not now.

A moment later, his hand lands gently on my thigh, his fingers warm, firm. A small, reassuring squeeze.

"It's okay to be human. It doesn't make you any less of a person."

A breath shudders out of me, and before I can stop it, a tear slides down my cheek.

"I've wanted to hear that my whole life," I whisper.

"Hey." His tone shifts, teasing now. "What did I tell you about crying?"

I let out a choked laugh, quickly wiping at my face. "Shut up."

He smirks, clearly pleased with himself.

But the warmth in my chest lingers, even as the car rolls out of Moonhaven's borders and into a smooth highway.

The trees blur by until they give way to civilization again. It's not particularly a long drive and soon we arrive at the second hotel Caspian talked about.

The hotel is better than last night's motel. Classier. Bigger. The lobby is sleek, polished marble gleaming under the chandelier's glow.

It's more Caspian's speed, although it's nothing in luxury compared to the pack house at Goldencrest. It's just an upgrade from the motel.

True to his words, there are more wolves than humans here. In fact, the only humans in sight are female escorts, drunken with liquor and solely at the mercy of the irresponsible wolves by their side.

Caspian checks us in with ease, and soon we're walking into the room. A single glance tells me all I need to know—it's a double bed.

I'm a little relieved, but there's a pang of disappointment in my chest. Well, it's not like we would both have shared the bed if it was single anyway.

Caspian tosses his bag onto one of the beds, unpacks his laptop, and immediately goes into work mode.

I sigh and kick off my shoes, collapsing onto the other bed. I stare up at the ceiling, but my mind is spinning too fast to rest.

His words keep replaying in my head.

"It's okay to be human. It doesn't make you any less of a person."

I turn my head, watching him. He's focused, typing something, his brows furrowed in concentration. 

He looks so different from the man who used to snap at me every other second back in Goldencrest.

And yet, I remember how he spoke to me then. The way he made me feel small, insignificant.

I bite my lip. "You've changed a lot."

He doesn't look up. "Have I?"

I nod, even though he's not looking. "You used to treat me like I was worthless."

He stops typing. His fingers hover over the keyboard for a moment before he exhales and leans back. "You weren't worthless. You were just a nuisance."

I huff. "Wow. That's so much better."

His lips twitch. "I'm being honest."

I sit up, crossing my legs. "You thought I was weak."

His eyes meet mine. "You were."

I pout.

"But not because you're human." He tilts his head. "Because you let them get to you."

My throat tightens. "I didn't let them—"

"Didn't you?" He closes his laptop, watching me now. "You let them define you. You let them make you think you were nothing, so you became nothing. You hid away. You let yourself fade into the background because you thought it was the only way to survive."

I swallow hard. "It was the only way."

He studies me for a long moment. "Maybe. But not anymore."

Something in his gaze softens. "You're not weak now. You're stronger than any of them."

I look away, staring down at my hands.

"You really believe that?" I whisper.

"Yeah," he says simply. "I do. I just told Rowan we were mated and the news is sure to spread. Even though it's not real, they believe it is and that gives you more power and authority than even Rowan himself."

Yes...it's not real.

"He hates me more now."

"Which is what we're going for. We're pushing him to the wall to see what he does. Maybe he might want to attack you and that would be all the evidence we need."

"So I'm bait?"

"You want proof, don't you?"

"Yes, I–"

"Perfect," he cuts me off. "I would love to see how you exercise authority. Trust me, it's fun bossing the people that bossed you around, around."

I smile at the thought. He's asking me to be an Eden to them and rightfully so. But I don't think I have it in me to bitch people around.

"Before you say you don't have it in you, you do."

Huh? Did he read my mind?

"No I don't," I protest weakly.

"Yes you do. I saw a glimpse of that at the motel last night. You know, with the receptionist?" He wiggles his brows a bit and I feel my face heat up.

"Oh shut up," I toss a pillow at him. It hits him square in the face even though I know he could have very easily dodged it.

"Assult on your prince?" He chukles. "I told you you have it in you."

The warmth in my chest spreads, seeping into my bones.

I'm supposed to pretend to be his mate for the next three days. It's going to be hard, pretending because I'm already hopelessly in love with him.

I mean, who wouldn't fall in love with someone that started out as mean to you, but all of a sudden, he's

letting his guard down more frequently around you?

I know you will, just as I have done.