Claimed by the Beta fate

Chapter four

Cassian POV

Something was wrong. I couldn’t work out what the f**k it was, but there was something off in the Pack bonds.

“Cassian, are you listening to me?”

I glanced across the table at my brother Derek. What was he babbling on about? “What?”

“The Bridgetown Pack, they’re recruiting again.”

We were “out” to the humans, but we weren’t supposed to draw attention to ourselves. The Bridgetown Pack had turned their town into a top tourist destination, with humans flocking there hoping to see and, more often than not, sleep with a Shifter. They were up to something, though. The humans never saw behind the screen that Michael, the Bridgetown Pack Alpha, wanted them to see, but it wasn’t an adult Disneyland over there. They’d been recruiting humans and wolf Shifters for the last year. I couldn’t help the feeling he was building an army.

“Any intel on what their end game is?” I asked Derek. At twenty-three, he and his twin Sam were the youngest of the four of us Cassian brothers, but he’d risen up the ranks quickly. His time in the army had taught him skills we’d needed in the last year.

“No, but I’ve got an asset inside. We should know more soon.” I grunted, that feeling of unease sweeping over me again.

“You alright? You’ve been acting funny since yesterday.”

I leaned back in my chair and tapped the desk absentmindedly. “You don’t feel anything? In the bonds?”

Derek went still for a moment, and I knew he was paying attention to his bond to the rest of the Pack.

“I don’t pay much mind to it these days, not with Hayley causing trouble,” he said softly, though I could tell his mind was still elsewhere. He was right; I knew most of the Pack tried to block the bond these days. The sooner we came up with a solution to Hayley, the better. It weakened us as a Pack.

Derek shook his head. “No, I don’t feel anything. You think something’s wrong? Well, more wrong than usual?”

I nodded. “I can’t shake this feeling. It’s a warning; something dangerous is coming. It’s pulling me, getting more urgent.”

Derek’s expression turned serious as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “Alright, let’s assume something is wrong. What’s our move?”

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. “I don’t know.” I could hear the frustration in my voice. “I can’t pinpoint where it’s coming from. Is it Hayley? The Bridgetown Pack? Something new?” I resisted the urge to stand up and start pacing. I knew it would make Derek worried.

Derek looked at me for a moment, and I knew he was weighing up what I’d just said. He was always the thoughtful one of us four Cassian brothers. It was why he’d been so good in military intelligence.

“I’ll double the patrols. As for the Bridgetown Pack… We need to gather more intel on what they’re up to.”

I nodded in agreement. “We can’t let them build up an army without knowing their intentions.”

Derek nodded, standing up from the table. “I’ll call in the asset and see what they’ve got. In the meantime, listen to your Pack bonds; see if you can narrow it down. If you get anything, let me know.”

I watched my brother leave the room, feeling a slight sense of relief knowing we were taking action. But the unease was still there, gnawing at me. I tried to focus on the Pack bonds, reaching out with my mind to feel for any broken currents.

That’s when I felt it. A sudden jolt of pain, like a knife to the gut, followed by a need so urgent that it took my breath away. My wolf was howling inside of me, demanding release. He wanted out. He needed

something that was vital to his very essence. He hadn’t been this agitated since Seraphine left.

Wait, what if.

“Cassian!”

I turned to see Jem in the doorway. He looked tired, more so than usual, but there was a fierce light in his eyes.

“Have you found her?” Jem barked at me. I frowned, confused. “Who?”

“Seraphine! She’s back.”

And just like that, the bottom dropped out of my world.

*********

Seraphine POV

jerked awake to someone banging on my door. For a moment, I was back in Cocrane, Seth drawing his foot back to kick me in my ribs again. I took short, shallow breaths, the panic coursing through me.

Safe, I was safe here.

I looked around at my old apartment, the familiar scents settling me. Seth had never been here, so there was nothing to remind me of him. My eyes focused on a dent in the wall, made when Jem tried to do a 360 jump on his skateboard off the couch and instead rammed into the wall.

The door slammed open. I tried to get up, but my knee buckled, and I collapsed onto the floor.

Fuck!

Sofia marched into the room and stood over me. “I always thought you’d come groveling back and apologize for the way you just upped and skedaddled out of my life, but this is taking it a bit far, Seraphine.”

I glared up at her. “You’re hilarious. Now help me the f**k up, would you?”

As she bent down to pull me up, I noticed Jase coming into the apartment with a box full of food. He switched the box to one hand, then shut the door.

“How did you get in, anyway?” I asked Sofia.

“Dude, you think you’re the only one who knows that lock jigging trick on the door? I’m pretty sure Jem has refused to get it fixed all these years, just in case you came back.”

I groaned in pain as Sofia tried to place me as gently as possible down on the couch.

She crouched down in front of me and looked me straight in the eyes. “You gonna tell me who we’re killing?”

And that was why I loved Sofia. It didn’t matter that four years had passed since I’d last seen her or that I hadn’t been in touch since then. She had my back, no matter what.

“He’s not relevant. I escaped, and I have no intention of ever seeing that motherfucker again.”

She stared at me for a beat, then nodded. “Okay, but you just say the word, Seraphine, and I’ll bring the shovel.”

God, I’d missed her. My eyes started to well up, and I looked away before I embarrassed both of us.

“So,” Sofia said, as she stood up and glanced around my apartment, “this is still the same shitpit.”

“Yeah, I guess Jem moved out and didn’t look back.”

Sofia shook her head. “No, Jem moved out, and he and Cassian threatened the Pack with instant death if anyone touched this place. They wanted it to be just like you left it in case you ever came back. Man, they are gonna blow when they find out you’re here.”

“That’s not going to happen,” I said, breathing through my mouth and wishing the pain would f**k off already.

“Seraphine, you’re delusional. Cassian has been looking for you for years. He’ll find out you’re here sooner or later. You need to prepare yourself; you can’t run from him. Not again.”

I scoffed, “Wanna bet?”

“Jase told me your plan. Stay off the radar, right? Heal up, then ship out again. That’s a dumb-ass plan, and you know it.”

“Really? Seems like you and Jase just brought me enough food to last a month. I have everything I need right here; I don’t need to leave the apartment. No one but you two know I’m here. As long as neither of you snitch, they’ll be none the wiser, and I can clear out in a couple of weeks.”

“Brilliant plan. Except you forgot one thing, Seraphine,” a deep voice said from the doorway.

I turned, and all the breath left my body. Cassian was here.