Kieran
The room was silent.
But the words still hung between us, sharp and unrelenting.
"I would rather be with my kind than trapped with a beast."
I had heard many things in my life.
Threats. Challenges. Declarations of war.
But nothing had ever settled under my skin like that.
Because it hadn't just been anger in her voice.
It had been truth.
Or at least, she believed it was true.
And that—
That was what made something inside me snap.
---
Cassidy was still breathing heavily, her body rigid with fury and exhaustion.
She had been fighting for so long—against me, against the pack, against a world that refused to let her go.
And now she had nothing left but rage.
I should have let her calm down.
Should have walked away.
But I didn't.
Instead, I stepped closer, my voice low and even.
"Say it again."
Her eyes flickered. "What?"
"Say it again," I repeated, my wolf stirring beneath my skin. "Look me in the eyes and tell me I'm nothing but a beast to you."
She clenched her jaw, her golden eyes burning. "You are a beast."
I nodded slowly. "Good."
She hesitated.
Like she hadn't expected me to agree.
Like she had been waiting for me to deny it.
I didn't.
"You think I don't know what I am, Cassidy?" I asked quietly. "You think I don't know what I've done?"
Her throat bobbed.
"Then why—"
"Because I don't regret it."
Her breath caught.
"I would do it again," I said, my voice rough. "I would pull you from that council chamber. I would take you from Garrick. I would bring you here. And I wouldn't hesitate."
Cassidy's hands curled into fists. "Even knowing that I'd hate you for it?"
"Even then."
Her breath shook.
Because she knew.
She knew she could hate me all she wanted.
It wouldn't change anything.
"You don't get to decide my life for me," she whispered.
"I already did."
Her eyes burned. "I don't belong here."
"Then why haven't you left?"
She flinched. "I—"
"You had your chance," I continued, my voice measured.
"You left. You had a whole day to run, but you didn't. Damon sent me videos, of you smiling, joking around, being 'Cassidy'. You should have left."
Her lips parted slightly, like she wanted to argue.
But she couldn't.
Because I was right.
She could have disappeared.
Could have vanished into the city.
But she stayed.
She had let herself belong, if only for a moment.
And that—
That was why she was truly angry.
Not because I had taken her back.
But because she had wanted to stay, just for a little while.
And now, she didn't know what to do with that.
---
Damon cleared his throat from the doorway.
I had almost forgotten he was still here.
His golden eyes flicked between us, unimpressed. "Well. That was dramatic."
Cassidy turned sharply, her cheeks flushing with frustration. "Leave."
Damon smirked. "Not a chance, little human."
Her glare could have burned through stone.
I exhaled, rubbing my temple. "Go, Damon."
He blinked. "What?"
"Please."
Damon frowned slightly, clearly debating whether or not to argue.
But in the end, he just sighed and pushed off the doorframe. "Fine. But for the record? You two are a mess."
The door closed behind him.
Leaving just us.
Cassidy exhaled, her shoulders tense and exhausted.
She wouldn't look at me.
But she didn't move, either.
The room was still thick with tension long after Damon left.
Cassidy stood by the fireplace, arms crossed, her breath uneven.
She was still angry.
But beneath the anger—
She was shaken.
And for the first time, she had no one left to fight but me.
---
"Are you going to stand there all night?" I asked, voice low.
Cassidy let out a sharp breath. "Why? Do you have somewhere better to be?"
"No."
She clenched her jaw. "Then stop pretending like you care."
I exhaled slowly. "If I didn't care, you wouldn't be here."
Her eyes flashed. "That's not caring, Kieran. That's owning."
My patience thinned. "Is that what you really believe? That I dragged you here just to own you?"
"What else am I supposed to believe?" Her voice cracked, her golden eyes burning. "You say I'm free, but I'm not! You say I have choices, but I don't! You've taken everything from me!"
I stepped closer, my wolf bristling beneath my skin. "Everything?"
"Yes."
"Then why didn't you run?"
Cassidy flinched, just slightly. "I—"
"You had all day, Cassidy," I murmured. "No one stopped you. You could have disappeared into the city, but you stayed. Why?"
Her hands trembled at her sides. "I didn't stay! I just—" She exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "I didn't know where else to go."
I stepped closer. "That's not true."
"It is."
"No." I held her gaze. "You stayed because you didn't want to be alone."
Her breath hitched.
Because she knew I was right.
"Jonathan saw me as a human," she whispered, her voice shaking. "As an equal. Until you ruined it."
A growl rumbled in my chest.
Not loud.
Not intentional.
But there.
I didn't like hearing his name.
I didn't like the way she softened when she spoke about him.
Didn't like that she had spent the day with him—laughing, smiling, being free—
While I had been left behind.
I clenched my jaw. "I didn't ruin it," I said, my voice tighter than before. "I reminded him of the truth."
"That I belong to you."
"That you belong somewhere."
"And that somewhere just happens to be with you?"
"Yes."
Cassidy inhaled sharply. "You don't even see how wrong this is, do you?"
"I see what you refuse to."
"And what's that?"
"That you're afraid," I murmured. "Not of me. Not of the pack. But of what it means if this is real."
Her breath caught.
And for a moment—just a moment—
She looked like she was about to break.
But then she hardened.
"You're wrong."
"Am I?"
"Yes."
She turned away.
Not because she was finished.
But because she wasn't ready to say what she was really thinking.
I let out a slow breath, dragging a hand through my hair.
"Go to bed, Cassidy," I murmured. "We'll talk when you're ready."
"I'll never be ready," she said quietly.
"We'll see."
She hesitated.
Then, finally—
She turned and walked away.
But this time—
She didn't slam the door.
And that—
That was something.
____________________
I hadn't meant to say it.
Not like that. Didn't mean to call him a beast
Not with so much anger.
But the words had spilled out before I could stop them—
And now, I couldn't take them back.
I barely slept that night.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the way Kieran's expression had shifted when I called him a monster.
He hadn't lashed out.
Hadn't growled or threatened me.
He had just looked at me.
And for the first time, I hadn't seen an Alpha.
I had seen a man.
A man who I had hurt.
I pulled my knees to my chest, staring at the firelight flickering across the stone walls.
I had meant what I said.
Hadn't I?
He was a wolf. A beast.
That was what I had been raised to believe.
So why did it feel so wrong?
I spent the night brewing, I hated that everything he said was right. Hated that underneath my stubbornness I had already accepted him. I mean what choice do I have?
He wouldn't hurt me, that I know very well. His people might find it difficult to accept me but with time they would and some day this would be my home.
I was still brewing when a maid knocked and said Kieran invited me to join him for breakfast again in his room.
I got dressed making sure to take my time before strolling to his room.
_________________________
"Thank you for joining me for breakfast, didn't think you would after last night."
I barely nodded, he refused to look up at me.
"How do you like your television?" He asked picking up his fork.
I felt myself turn red out of embarrassment. It's been days since I got the television but I haven't been able to get it to work.
Kieran looked up at me at my silence. "Don't you like it? Would you prefer a Laptop or phone maybe?"
"I… um…" i hesitated, fidgeting with the hem of my worn sweater. "It's… nice."
He raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by my answer. "Have you used it yet?"
I bit my lip, glancing at his own flat screen TV hanging on his wall. "Not really," I admitted.
"I've never had a TV before, so I don't… I don't really know how to work it."
For a moment, Kieran just stared at me, his expression unreadable. Then, to my surprise,he pushed his chair back, straightened and stood up.
"Come on," he said, picking up his phone on the table and gesturing for me to follow. "I'll show you."
Before I could protest, he crossed the room with easy confidence. He held the door open and waited for me before following behind me.
____________________________
I frowned at the enormous flat screen TV mounted on my wall, its glossy black screen staring back at me like some silent, judgmental mirror.
"Sit." he said, picking up the remote and gesturing for me to sit on the edge of the bed.
I hesitated but sat down, my hands nervously twisting in my lap as Kieran powered on the TV . The screen lit up with a soft glow, filling the room with quiet background music as he navigated through the menus.
"It's pretty simple," he said, his tone surprisingly patient. "This button turns it on. This one controls the volume, and these let you browse through different channels or streaming apps. The Wi-Fi is on 24/7, I'll input the password now. If you have any questions just come to me."
He handed me the remote, his fingers briefly brushing mine. I swallowed hard, hoping he didn't notice the slight tremor in my hand.
"Try it," he said, watching me.
I hesitated, then cautiously pressed one of the buttons. The screen shifted, displaying a list of movies and shows. I blinked, amazed by the endless options.
"You can watch anything you want," He said, his voice quieter now. "Movies, documentaries, whatever. If you get bored, just turn it off. No pressure."
I glanced up at him, and for the first time, I saw something other than authority or irritation in his eyes. There was warmth there—subtle, but real.
"Thank you," I said softly.
Kieran nodded, stepping back as if suddenly realizing how close we were. His gaze drifted to the small wardrobe in the corner of the room, and his brows furrowed.
"Is that all your stuff?"
I followed his gaze, feeling my cheeks flush. "It's enough," i said quickly.
Kieran frowned. "That's barely anything." He paused, then added, "I'll have someone take you shopping soon."
I opened my mouth to protest, but he cut me off.
"Until then, you can borrow some of my clothes."
I blinked, certain I'd misheard him. "What?"
"I have plenty," he said with a shrug. "You can take a shirt or something until you have more of your own."
I stared at him, completely thrown by the casual offer. I could picture it now—wearing something that smelled like him, something too big and soft and undeniably his. The thought made my heart race in a way i wasn't entirely comfortable with.
"I'll think about it," I mumbled, hoping to end the conversation before my face turned any redder.
Kieran's lips twitched, as if he knew exactly what I was thinking. "Good," he said. "And, Cassie?"
I looked up, surprised by the sudden softness in his tone.
"If you need something," he said quietly, "just ask. You don't have to go without, I put your room on my floor for a reason."
For a moment, I couldn't speak. The words were simple, but they hit something deep inside me—something raw and unhealed. I nodded, my throat tight.
Kieran lingered for another moment, then gave a slight nod and turned to leave.
"Enjoy the TV," he said over his shoulder.
And then he was gone, leaving me alone in the quiet room, staring at the TV—and wondering how he'd managed to turn my entire world upside down with just a few words.