Promised to the Alfa's Son, Fated to Another

Chapter twenty two

Casey entered the room, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor. She was late, but calm, almost too calm. The moment she stepped inside, the air shifted. Riley’s silver eyes flicked to her instantly, sharp and protective. Neil, on the other hand, lit up like a man who had just spotted prey.

His gaze dragged over her as if she were a vision, and Casey forced herself to smile politely, masking the unease that stirred deep inside her wolf.

“Mr. Layton,” Riley said with clipped formality, his jaw tight as he shook Neil’s hand.

“Mr. Satton. Miss McRory.” Neil’s lips curved, his tongue wetting them unconsciously.

Riley noticed. His wolf growled low inside him, demanding he stand closer to Casey, shield her from that look. Without hesitation, he pulled out a chair—not for their guest, but for her. Placing it beside him, he gestured firmly. “Sit.”

Casey arched a brow but obeyed, slipping gracefully into the chair. Neil’s nostrils flared. The subtle message was clear: she was under Riley’s protection.

Business talk began. Riley laid blueprints across the table, explaining structure and design. Neil forced himself to focus, but his eyes kept drifting to Casey. And when she finally leaned forward, brushing her hair over her shoulder, and began to speak, Neil forgot the drawings entirely.

Her voice was steady, confident. “We can adjust the exterior to blend into the old part of the city, making it look like a restored relic. Inside, nothing changes—capacity and strength remain. The effect is elegance without compromise.”

Riley’s chest swelled with pride. She wasn’t just talented—she was brilliant.

But Neil? He was captivated by something else entirely. Beauty. Grace. And something darker—lust that burned too hot behind his false smile.

Casey raised her eyes from the blueprint, and that’s when she saw it. A flicker of red in Neil’s gaze. A scent reached her, faint yet painfully familiar. Her breath hitched.

Her hand trembled as she touched the edge of the table. No. It couldn’t be.

But the scent grew stronger, clawing at her mind. Her vision blurred.

And suddenly—she wasn’t in a meeting room anymore.

She was back on the cold floor. Hands tied behind her back. Voices laughing, mocking, negotiating her worth. Her clothes ripped, her wolf screaming in powerless fury. The heat that didn’t belong to her flooded her body again, forcing her into a nightmare she thought she had buried.

“No…” she whispered, her face draining of color.

Riley turned immediately. “Casey?” He caught her hand in his, panic shooting through him when he felt her trembling. Her green eyes were empty, hollow, staring into something he couldn’t see.

“Casey, look at me!” His voice broke with urgency.

Neil leaned back, faking worry, but Riley caught the faint gleam of a small vial in his hand. A bottle. Open. And the scent of herbs…

Herbs meant to suppress a mate bond.

Casey gasped, chest rising and falling in frantic bursts. Her eyes widened as if she couldn’t breathe. “Please…” her voice cracked, raw and terrified. She wasn’t looking at Neil anymore. She wasn’t looking at Riley. She was trapped in her memory.

“Please make them stop…” Tears welled as her body shook violently. “Don’t let them do it again. Don’t let them…”

Riley’s blood turned to fire. He pulled her into his arms, his wolf ready to tear apart anyone who dared touch her. “I’ll stop them all, Casey. You’re safe. I swear it.” His voice shook with fury and desperation.

But she wasn’t hearing him. She was trapped in the past.

“Them!” she cried, clutching at his shirt. “Riley, don’t let them do this to me one more time. Please…”

Ethon burst through the door. His eyes widened at the sight of Casey collapsing into Riley’s arms. “Sir—hospital, now!”

“Call my father!” Riley ordered, scooping her up as if she weighed nothing. His heart pounded, but his grip was steady. “Tell him she collapsed.”

Neil stood near the door, feigning worry. But when Riley’s gaze cut toward him, sharp as steel, Neil froze. For a moment, he swore the second son of Satton might kill him then and there.

“If this has anything to do with you…” Riley’s growl vibrated like thunder, “you’re already dead.”

He stormed out with Casey, his protective fury filling the hall like a storm.

Neil remained behind, hand trembling as he pulled out his phone. His mask cracked the second Riley disappeared. His smile was gone, his eyes cold. He dialed a number he had hoped to never use again.

The line clicked, and a voice answered.

Neil’s roar shook the walls. “I told you not to touch her! Why the hell did you do it?!”