Neah

Cassandra glares at him. “You don’t want that.”

Klaus looks confused, he was the only one in here who didn’t know what I was, what Cassandra and I were.

I had no idea what Beta Eric was trying to achieve. She would show everyone what I would look like. She would show him the monster that I was.

Cassandra’s eyes settle on me. It suddenly dawned on me that she didn’t know. She didn’t know the mark from Alpha Dane had broken my binding.

That was why she was holding back.

Everything that Devon had said about keeping it hidden from me was starting to make sense. They didn’t want me to know the truth.

“I will come willingly.” She mutters

“Good.” Beta Eric and Klaus speak in unison.

“Klaus, I’m taking Neah with me. Clean up the mess in here. If this gets out. We will have even bigger problems

He nods his head. Grabbing hold of Cassandra. The smell of iron is still thick but I couldn’t see where it was coming from.

“She killed the shop assistant.” Beta Eric mutters quietly to me, like he was reading my mind. “What you are smelling is a large amount of blood.

Cassandra giggles as Beta Eric pushes her forward. The van was parked at the end of the alley in the opposite direction of the busy high street. Cassandra gets in willingly and something just felt off.

Beta Eric slams the doors, locking her inside.

“Come on, you can sit up front with me.”

“Some….somethings wrong.

He cocks an eyebrow at me and looks around. “What do you mean?”

I look up and down the alley, trying to make sense of my gut feeling. Beta Eric follows my gaze. “No one else is here.”

“Are you…sure?” My stomach ties itself up in knots. Cassandra hadn’t tried hitting me, which was a first for her. “They never left the pack without

each other.”

“What are you talking about? Cassandra was alone when she tried to poison us.

“At the packhouse. But when they left. it was always together.

Devon had fallen out of a tree. I look up to the top of the buildings. There was nothing

When the door to the bookshop swings open. Trey was dragging Klaus along the ground towards us by his long hair. “I will give you him in exchange for my mate.” He growls, his eyes locking on me.

Beta Eric’s hand is latched around my wrist again as he holds me by his side. “ls he even alive?

“Barely. But if you take him now, he might just recover.”

“Why?” I whisper. Looking at the trail of blood that had followed them.

He sneers at me as I ask him the question and refocuses on Beta Eric. “You have a decision to make and I suggest you make it quickly.” “Get in the van, Neah.” Beta Eric doesn’t look at me.

I do as I’m told and hear Trey mutter something about me actually following instructions. I wanted to say something and hesitate before opening the

door.

“Van!” Beta Eric calls out.

Reluctantly, I climbed in, closing the door, just wishing that I had a bit more of a backbone. The van rocks a little and a few moments later, Beta Eric gets in, sighing

“Did you hand her over?” I ask quietly

“I had too, we don’t abandon our own.”

“And Klaus, is he….is he alive?”

“Yes, just.

“I’m sorry. This is…this is my fault.”

‘No, you dén’t need to be sorry. None of rs expected Trey to be here. Dane thought it would be too public for him, especially with the area being a nrutral zone. ” ~~

“Why did you come?” I ask as moans come from the back of the van.

“Why do you think?”

I wasn’t sure whether to feel pleased or annoyed. But if he hadn’t turned up wherthe did, it might bea > completely different story anc might not be making my way‘back to-Alpha Dane. –

Beta Eric doesn’t speak the rest of the way back other than to confirm that Raven is already aware of what has happened Alpha Dane is waiting at the packhouse when we arrive. He waits for me to get out of the van when he grabs my face and forces me to look at him “Are you hurt?” He demands

“No.”

“Don’t lie to me, Neah.”

“She…she didn’t touch me.”

He pulls me in against his hard chest, locking his arms around me. “I should have trusted my instincts to not let you go. “You said….you said it was up to me.”

“It was, I should have known better with them both still out roaming the country.”

“I don’t think she knew.” I mumble against him.

“What do you mean?”

“Beta Eric challenged her to shift. She…she looked at me. I don’t think she knew that your mark broke my binding.

“She should-have scented you. Or ~~ maybe she was confused. It’s been a long. dime since you were first bound. Maybe she mistook your scent for Klaus’s.” Content.belongs t6 –

“Make sure Klaus gets seen too.” He calls to Beta Eric. “Raven won’t be back for a while, but there will be someone else over at the hospital.”