Cassian's POV
I woke up to an empty bed and the smell of cheap perfume that made my wolf snarl in disgust.
Good. She'd left like they always did. No awkward morning conversations. No expectations. Just the way I liked it.
Except I couldn't remember her name. Or her face. Or why I'd brought her home in the first place.
Because all I could think about was her.
The girl in the hallway. Sable's little human friend with the wild auburn hair and defiant green eyes. The one who'd looked at me like I was dirt on her shoe, even while her heartbeat went crazy and her pupils dilated.
The one who smelled like wildflowers and summer rain and something else. Something that made the dead thing inside my chest roar to life for the first time in five years.
Impossible.
My wolf had died with Lydia. The mate bond severed when rogues tore her apart. I'd felt it snap like a rubber band pulled too tight—excruciating pain, then nothing. Emptiness. For five years, I'd been half-alive, going through the motions, feeling nothing.
Until last night.
One look at that girl and my wolf woke up. Demanded. Claimed. MINE, it had growled, so loud I nearly shifted right there in the hallway.
I'd forced it down. Forced myself to smile and flirt and pretend she was nothing. Just another human who didn't belong in my world.
But I'd dreamed about her all night. Her scent. Her fire. The way she'd run from me like prey, making every predatory instinct I had roar to chase her.
I dragged myself out of bed and straight into a cold shower. It didn't help.
My wolf paced inside my mind, restless and hungry. Find her. Claim her. Make her ours.
"She's human," I growled out loud. "And she's Sable's best friend. Off limits."
My wolf didn't care about limits.
I got dressed and headed downstairs, following the sound of Sable's laughter to the kitchen. And then I smelled it again—wildflowers and rain, stronger now, making my mouth water and my hands clench.
She sat at the kitchen island next to Sable, wearing tiny sleep shorts and a tank top that showed too much skin. Her hair was messy from sleep. No makeup. She looked young and innocent and absolutely furious when she saw me.
"Morning," I said casually, heading for the coffee maker.
Sable beamed. "Cassian! You're up early. This is Elowen—Ellie—my roommate from college. Ellie, this is my brother."
Elowen's glare could have melted steel. "We've met."
The temperature in the room dropped ten degrees.
Sable looked between us, confused. "You have?"
"Last night," Elowen said, her voice sharp. "In the hallway. With his... guest."
My wolf preened at the jealousy in her tone, even though her face showed nothing but disgust.
I leaned against the counter, letting my eyes drag over her slowly. "Enjoy the show, little human?"
Her cheeks flushed red. "I wasn't—I didn't—"
"You were staring pretty hard."
She stood up so fast her stool nearly tipped over. "You're disgusting."
"And you're in my house." I stepped closer, watching her pulse jump in her throat. "So maybe be nice to your host."
"Nice? You want me to be nice?" She grabbed the orange juice carton from the counter. "Here's me being nice."
She threw the entire contents in my face.
Cold juice dripped down my chest. For a second, I was too shocked to react.
Then Sable burst out laughing. "Oh my god, Ellie! You did NOT just—"
But I wasn't listening to Sable. I was staring at Elowen, who looked terrified and thrilled and defiant all at once. Her scent spiked with adrenaline. Her eyes flashed with something wild.
My wolf surged forward so hard I had to grip the counter to stay in control.
MINE, it roared. OURS. MATE.
No. No, this wasn't possible. My mate was dead. The bond was broken. This was just... attraction. Lust. Nothing more.
Elowen backed toward the door. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"
"Don't apologize," I said, my voice coming out rougher than intended. "I deserved it."
She blinked, surprised by my honesty.
Sable grabbed paper towels, still giggling. "You two are ridiculous. Ellie, he's always like this. Just ignore him."
But Elowen couldn't ignore me. I saw it in her eyes—the same pull I felt. The same confusion. The same hunger neither of us wanted.
She ran from the kitchen.
My wolf howled in frustration.
"What is wrong with you?" Sable demanded, throwing towels at me. "Why are you being extra terrible? She's my best friend!"
"I wasn't—" I stopped. How could I explain that everything inside me was screaming to chase that girl down and never let her go? "I'll apologize later."
"You better." Sable's eyes narrowed. "And stay away from her. I mean it, Cassian. Don't you dare pull your player crap with Ellie. She's not one of your toys."
Too late. My wolf had already claimed her.
I cleaned up and went to my office, trying to focus on pack business. But I couldn't concentrate. Couldn't think. Couldn't breathe without her scent in my lungs.
Finally, I gave up and went to find Merrick, my Beta and best friend.
He took one look at me and cursed. "What happened?"
"I think..." I couldn't say it. Couldn't make it real.
"Cassian. Talk to me."
"Sable's friend. The human girl." I ran my hands through my hair. "I think she's my mate."
Merrick's jaw dropped. "That's impossible. Your bond with Lydia—"
"I know!" I slammed my fist into the wall, making it crack. "I know it's impossible! But my wolf won't shut up. It wants her. Needs her. And I can't—I don't—"
My phone buzzed with a text from my father.
Emergency pack meeting. Conference room. NOW. We have a rogue problem.
I showed Merrick the message. His face went pale.
"Rogues? Here? On our territory?"
We raced to the conference room where my father and the pack elders waited, their expressions grim.
My father didn't waste time. "Three rogues were caught on our eastern border last night. They were tracking a scent." He pulled up security footage on the screen.
My blood turned to ice.
The rogues were circling the exact spot where Elowen's bus had dropped her off.
"They're hunting someone," my father said. "Someone who came onto our territory yesterday." His cold eyes locked on mine. "Your sister's human friend. The question is—why would rogues hunt a human?"
Unless she wasn't human at all.