My Alpha Biker Mate

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 18

NOVA'S POV

Move.

Everything in my head is signalling for me to move. But I can't even do that. My eyes are fixed on the broker. On the man that is supposed to be in charge of selling me.

I notice the hesitation in Cassian's answer as well, and I can't even blame him. He wants to be okay as well. I don't even know that he has a curse.

But his answer ends up shocking me. The last thing I expect him to do, is agree to keep me. Or even pay for me. I am supposed to still be some kind of stranger to him. But he doesn't see me that way obviously.

“Nova!” Cassian screams, and his voice seems muffled, as more debris falls at our sides. It is getting harder to breathe by the second, but I don't even care about that, at that point. My feet seem rooted to the ground.

Jason and the rest are already making their way out, and Cassian is in front of me, while my eyes are still fixed on the broker. The way he slowly disappears into the cloud of debris.

Cassian cups my cheeks, making me look back at him. That is when I realize that I am holding my breath the whole time. I immediately take in a deep breath of dusty air, and focus on him.

“We have to leave!” He screams, so that I can hear him through all the chaos. “Can you walk?”

The words are at the tip of my tongue, but I can't force them out of my mouth. I can already imagine my aunt sneering at me.

“Zero survival skills,” she would have said. But she isn't here with me. So why does it feel like I am pausing here for some reason?

Cassian leans down, wrapping his hands around the back of my thighs and before I know it, he is carrying me out of the building, with me in his arms.

Just as he steps outside, more debris falls, blocking the door. He still doesn't put me down, and I don't even think I mind at that point. I can barely think straight.

He suddenly sets me down on the floor, before leaning down to look at me properly.

“Can you hear me?” He asks, and I blink twice before giving him a nod.

“I can,” I whisper.

“She can't even save herself,” Jason says, and Cassian shoots him another look.

“Not now, Jason,” he says. As he reaches down to touch me again, I don't even know what I am thinking as I yank my hands away from his. He doesn't argue. Not yet.

“What's wrong?” He asks, and his voice is calm. Too calm.

But beneath all that calm, I can see everything in his eyes. The worry, and the fear.

I suddenly want to get so far away from him, that I don't even know what I am doing as I manage to haul myself to my feet.

My arms are wrapped around myself as a sudden wind starts blowing. I don't know where I am going, but I am sure that I am going to be able to find my way to the pack. That is the only place I know as home.

Cassian doesn't bother reaching out to me, or asking where I am going. But by the time I turn around, he is right there, walking with me, and keeping a reasonable distance.

In my head, I am already replaying the hesitation that comes from him back in the warehouse. It is starting to feel like smoke in my lungs.

And I don't even know how to get rid of the thought. I slow down, bringing my hands to my face to rub my eyes. That is when I feel a larger pair of hands grabbing my wrists.

I open my eyes, taking in the sight of Cassian. He makes me turn around and face him.

I yank my hand away without even thinking, and Cassian's jaw tightens like I just slap him.

My bare feet take a step back, and I look up at him, tipping my chin.

“You thought about it, didn't you?” I ask, and he seems to narrow his eyes at me.

There it is again.

Silence.

He is probably thinking about what lies to tell. I find myself taking another step back, and a bitter laugh escapes my throat.

“You're selfish, you know?” I ask, with my hands extended. “You wanted to live so bad, that you were about to trade me for it. Tell me. What else would you trade me for?”

“Stop,” he says, but I am not even listening.

“Gold? Silver? The antidote to your curse? And an additional pack?”

Cassian grabs me, pulling me over to him again. This time, my breath catches.

“I would never do it,” he says, and I can feel his warm breath on my face.

My hand is pressed to his chest, and I can feel the mate bond pulse.

“But you wanted to,” I whisper. I am getting calmer.

I am watching his control snap in front of me.

“You think I would ever do something like that? You think I'd choose anything over you?”

“I don't even know what you'd choose yet,” I snap back, and his eyes seem to widen just a bit.

I can feel the heat flood our veins. Something inside me whines. Something that craves for contact more than anything.

Whatever Cassian is doing, I don't want him to stop.

No, no.

This is wrong. All of it.

I take a step back, licking my lips slightly. His eyes are still on me, and Jason leads the men right past us with a click of his tongue.

Good riddance.

“The least we can do is keep our problems to ourselves. The rest of the pack don't have to know about everything,” Cassian says, lowering his tone. “The pack isn't safe. Rivalry and all.”

I am listening to him. But at the same time, I refuse to be something that he can just trade when he feels like.

That is when my ears pick on something at a distance. I can feel it. Eyes on the both of us.

Someone is watching us.

“What happened? Are you sensing something?” Cassian asks, and I give him a small nod, ignoring the ache in my bones.

“They're not done with us,” I whisper. “And next time, I don't think they'll ask.”