Did it go beyond that

"I know you're not sleeping, Lyra," his hoarse voice brushed against her skin, sending a shiver down her spine.

Slowly, she turned to face him, her eyes locking onto his piercing blue ones. Her heart skipped a beat at the vulnerability she saw there—raw, unguarded.

A heavy silence settled between them, thick with unspoken words. Neither of them dared to break it.

Casian had spent the entire day running from the feelings Lyra's presence had stirred in him. He wasn't ready for her. He wasn't ready for this. But no matter how much he tried to distract himself, nothing made sense. His thoughts kept drifting back to her, and all his resolve crumbled like a castle made of sand.

Last night, he had barely made it to his chamber without losing control. But after a full day of resisting, he found himself here—beside her, drawn to her like a force beyond his understanding.

Her scent wrapped around him, soothing the turmoil inside him. It quieted the storm in his mind, dissolving his unwanted thoughts like fog fading with the morning light.

'What is the matter?' Lyra finally asked, her delicate fingers gripping the letter as she turned it toward him.

Casian inhaled deeply before speaking. "Those scars on your body… how did you get them?"

His voice was unreadable now, his expression blank—an eerie contrast to the emotions she had glimpsed moments ago.

Lyra's eyes widened in shock. The unwavering intensity of his stare made her stomach twist.

'W-why do you want to know?' She asked, her hands slightly trembling around the letter against her chest as she looked away.

She didn't want to talk about it. She didn't want to drag those painful memories into the present. But Casian wasn't letting it go, and the determination in his gaze made her pulse quicken.

"Because I want to know."

His fingers gently pinched her chin, tilting her face back toward him.

Something inside him burned—an anger he had no right to feel, yet he felt it all the same. The mere thought of anyone hurting her made his blood boil. He shouldn't care this much. He shouldn't.

But knowing she had endured so much in silence made him want to destroy those who had wronged her.

Lyra pursed her lips, hesitating. His presence was overwhelming, but strangely, it didn't suffocate her. If anything, his closeness offered a rare sense of security, erasing the usual discomfort she felt around others.

'My stepmother would whip me if I failed to take care of her children's needs,' she finally admitted, the weight of those words settling between them.

Casian's grip around her tightened.His expression darkened, his jaw clenching as fury flickered in his eyes.

"Did it go beyond that?" he asked, his voice tight with barely contained rage.

Casian wanted to know what had happened to her when she was with her family, but the more she refused to speak, the more infuriated he became.

'I am sleepy,' Lyra said, turning away from him, desperate to escape his interrogative stare.

She wasn't ready to share those painful memories. They weren't close enough for her to lay herself bare before him.

Casian's lips twitched as irritation flashed in his eyes. Watching her shut him out sent a surge of frustration through him. Without another word, he marched toward the door and slammed it shut behind him with a loud thud.

Lyra flinched at the sound, her body tensing as her eyes remained fixed on the now-closed door.

Slowly, she forced herself to sit up, her fingers tightening around the letter still clutched to her chest. Finally, she pulled it away and rested it on her lap.

She didn't understand why Casian was so determined to know more about her. He had made it clear that he wasn't ready for her—for this bond. And yet, his anger at her silence left her wondering if she had done the right thing by shutting him out.

Lyra continued to wait.A part of her, one she didn't want to acknowledge, secretly hoped he would return.

But he never did and that broke her heart.

***

Back in his chamber, Casian paced restlessly, his movements sharp and agitated. He was trying—really trying—not to let his anger consume him.

But the more he thought about Lyra's hesitation, the way she refused to open up to him, the more his temper flared.

"AHH!"

With a growl of frustration, he grabbed the vase from the side stand and hurled it against the wall. The ceramic shattered on impact, fragments scattering across the floor.

His chest heaved as he ran a hand through his hair, his jaw clenching.

"Why won't she just speak?" He snarled, his voice raw with frustration.

Casian wasn't sure what infuriated him more—the fact that she had suffered so much in silence or that she still refused to let him in. But one thing was certain—she was hiding something. And Casian was determined to find out what.

His jaw tightened as his thoughts churned, the anger simmering just beneath his skin. He hated secrets, and he especially hated the idea that Lyra was suffering in silence.

That she still feared them.

His hands clenched into fists. No. He wouldn't let this go.

"Darius!" he barked.

Within moments, the Beta barged in, his sharp eyes sweeping the room. His gaze flickered to the shattered vase, then back to Casian, his posture tensing.

"I want Norman and his family in my house by tomorrow," Casian commanded, his voice laced with quiet fury.

Darius stiffened, his throat bobbing as he processed the order. He hadn't seen this Casian in a long time—the one whose rage could burn down entire kingdoms.

A chill ran down his spine.

Casian narrowed his eyes when Darius hesitated, still standing in place as if waiting for an explanation.

"Now!" Casian's voice cut through the silence, sharp and commanding.

The Beta's trance shattered. Without another word, he spun on his heels and hurried out, leaving Casian alone once again.

His chest rose and fell with uneven breaths. His decision was made.

If Lyra wouldn't tell him the truth, he would drag it out of those who had buried it.

And if they had harmed her—they would pay.