Cassian’s claws dug into Adrian’s chest, his massive frame pinning the vampire to the ground with ease. The sharp edges of his claws threatened to pierce flesh, the tension in his body radiating the barely restrained urge to rip Adrian apart.
A guttural snarl escaped his lips, reverberating through the clearing and silencing the rustle of the forest around them. His golden eyes burned with betrayal as they flicked to Lyra.
“You went behind my back, Lyra,” he growled, his voice trembling with anger and hurt. “After everything we’ve been through, after all this time, you chose him?”
Lyra stepped forward, her movements frantic, her silver eyes wide with desperation.
“Cassian, stop!” she cried, her hands gripping his arm tightly. The raw strength of his anger vibrated through her fingers as she struggled to pull him back. “It wasn’t like that! Cassian, please! Adrian doesn’t deserve to die.”
Her voice cracked under the weight of her plea, her emotions spilling out in jagged, uneven waves. “I went to see him for Eryon, for his baby—not for me. It wasn’t about us.”
Cassian’s amber eyes blazed as he stared at her, the tension in his jaw tightening with every word she spoke. His gaze shifted between her and Adrian, his fury mounting as the pieces of her betrayal slotted into place in his mind.
“It doesn’t matter,” he hissed, his voice low and venomous. His claws pressed harder against Adrian’s chest, drawing a faint line of blood that soaked into the fabric of his shirt.
“He’s a threat to you. To our pack. To our child. He’s always been a threat.”
Adrian lay beneath him, his crimson eyes locked on Cassian’s. Despite the searing pain and the imminent threat to his life, his expression remained steady, defiant even.
“If I wanted to hurt her, I wouldn’t be here like this,” Adrian said, his voice low and deliberate. “You’re too blinded by jealousy to see it.”
Cassian snarled, his claws twitching as he prepared to strike. “You don’t get to talk to me about trust, bloodsucker,” he growled. “Your lies have cost enough lives. I won’t let you cost me hers.”
“Cassian!” Lyra shouted, her voice sharp and desperate. She tugged harder on his arm, her strength paling in comparison to his. “Stop it! This isn’t what you think.”
His gaze snapped to her again, the raw intensity in his eyes enough to make her heart skip. “Why are you defending him?” Cassian demanded, his voice shaking. “Why are you risking everything for him?”
“I’m not risking everything,” Lyra whispered, her voice trembling but firm. “I’m trying to save it.”