Chapter 0064
A Dangerous Bargain
Neah
Cassandra's glare sharpens. "You don’t want that."
Klaus looks at her, confusion is evident in his eyes. He’s the only one here who doesn’t understand—doesn’t know what I am or what Cassandra and I share.
Beta Eric’s expression remains unreadable. What is he trying to accomplish? If Cassandra shifts here, she’ll expose me—show him exactly what kind of monster I truly am.
Cassandra’s gaze flicks to me, and in that moment, realization dawns. She doesn’t know. She has no idea that Alpha Dane’s mark severed my binding. That’s why she’s holding back.
Everything Devon said about keeping the truth from me suddenly makes sense. They never wanted me to know.
"I’ll come willingly," Cassandra mutters, her voice subdued.
"Good." Beta Eric and Klaus respond at the same time.
Eric nods toward Klaus. "I’m taking Neah with me. Clean up this mess. If word gets out, we’ll have a much bigger problem on our hands."
Klaus gives a curt nod and grips Cassandra’s arm. The sharp scent of iron lingers in the air, thick and suffocating.
"She killed the shop assistant," Beta Eric says quietly as if reading my thoughts. "The blood you’re smelling—it’s his."
A giggle slips from Cassandra’s lips as Beta Eric shoves her forward. The van is parked at the end of the alley, away from the crowded streets. She climbs in without resistance. Something about her compliance makes my skin crawl.
Beta Eric slams the doors shut, locking her inside. "Come on," he says, nodding toward the front. "You ride with me."
A deep unease settles in my chest. "Something’s not right."
Eric raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" He scans the alley, following my gaze. "No one else is here."
"Are you sure?" My stomach twists. Cassandra hadn’t so much as swung at me—a first. "She never left the pack without backup."
Eric frowns. "Cassandra was alone when she tried to poison us."
"At the packhouse, yes. But outside of it? They never went anywhere without each other."
Devon’s fall from the tree replays in my mind. I glance toward the rooftops, searching. Nothing.
Then, the bookshop door bursts open.
Trey emerges, dragging Klaus by his long hair, his body limp and bloody.
A cruel smirk tugs at his lips. "I’ll trade you," Trey growls, eyes locking onto me. "Him—for my mate."
Beta Eric’s grip tightens around my wrist, holding me close. His voice is steady. "Is he alive?"
"Barely," Trey sneers. "But if you take him now, he might survive."
My gaze falls to the blood trail behind them. My throat tightens. "Why?" I whisper.
Trey’s sneer deepens. He ignores me, focusing on Eric instead. "Make your choice. Quickly."
Eric doesn’t hesitate. "Get in the van, Neah."
I freeze for a split second before obeying. As I open the door, Trey chuckles. "For once, you actually follow orders."
I hesitate, gripping the edge of the door.
"Van!" Beta Eric barks.
Swallowing my unease, I climb in and shut the door behind me, wishing I had more courage.
The van rocks slightly. A few moments later, Eric slides into the driver’s seat, exhaling heavily.
"Did you give her up?" My voice is barely above a whisper.
"I had to. We don’t abandon our own."
"And Klaus? Is he—?"
"Alive. Just barely."
Guilt crushes my chest. "This is my fault."
Eric shakes his head. "No. None of us expected Trey to show up. Dane thought it was too public, especially in a neutral zone."
"Then why did you come?" I ask as a muffled groan comes from the back of the van.
Eric glances at me, his expression unreadable. "Why do you think?"
I don’t know if I should feel grateful or frustrated. But if he hadn’t come, things would have ended very differently.
The rest of the ride is silent, aside from Eric confirming through the radio that Raven has been informed of what happened.
When we arrive at the packhouse, Alpha Dane is already waiting.
The moment I step out, he grabs my face, forcing me to meet his gaze. His eyes are sharp, searching. "Are you hurt?"
"No," I murmur.
"Don’t lie to me, Neah."
I swallow. "She… she didn’t touch me."
Without another word, Dane pulls me against his chest, his arms locking around me in a fierce embrace. "I should’ve trusted my instincts. I shouldn’t have let you go."
"You said it was my choice," I remind him.
"It was." His jaw tightens. "But I should’ve known better, with both of them still out there."
I hesitate. "I don’t think she knew."
His grip loosens slightly. "What do you mean?"
"Beta Eric challenged her to shift. She looked at me—really looked at me. I don’t think she realized your mark broke my binding."
Dane exhales sharply. "She should’ve scented you. Or maybe… maybe she was confused. It’s been a long time since you were first bound. She could’ve mistaken your scent for Klaus’s."
Turning to Eric, his voice hardens. "Make sure Klaus gets medical attention."
"Raven won’t be back for a while, but there’s someone at the hospital," Eric assures him.
Dane nods, his hold on me tightening once more. "I won’t make the same mistake again."
This time, I don’t argue.