Chapter 5

Lana's POV

"I know the goddamn risks, Caspian," I said, my voice barely a whisper. I knew the silver-rot better than any living soul in this territory.

"And so you took the death sentence into yourself instead?" Caspian slammed his open palm onto the wooden counte. "Lana, look at the reality! Silas Vane is the most powerful Alpha in the northern territories now. He has the Vane fortune, and the fucking world at his feet. He's a god among shifters. He doesn't need your martyrdom!"

I looked at my trembling left hand and squeezed it into a fist. “I’ve settled my debt. I owe him nothing now.”After all, his aunt's money paid for my grandfather's hospital bills.

Caspian let out a jagged. He sat down, his pen scratching violently against paper.

"You're lucky it was only the last ten percent," he muttered, not looking up. "A full dose would have stopped your human heart in seconds. But even this… it's going to be a bitch to live with. You need Blood Root—the high-grade stuff—to stabilize your own flow. Do you still have any left at the villa?"

"Plenty," I lied, the word tasting like ash.

The truth was, the very last of the Century-Blood Root—the ingredient that had cost me my entire inheritance—had gone into the final tea I made for Silas yesterday. I couldn't afford a new batch.

When the assistant returned with my package, Caspian insisted on walking me to the curb.

While we waited for my taxi, Caspian looked down at me, his hand resting tentatively on my shoulder. "Are you really not sad at all, Lana? To leave him? To leave the life you built at Silver Ridge?"

I looked up at the grey, oppressive sky, feeling the weight of the last three years pressing down on my chest. "How could I not be sad, Caspian? I'm human. I have a heart, even if Silas thinks I've replaced it with a calculator."

I took a shaky breath. "But even if I'm sad, I have to go. He doesn't love me. He never did. And I don't have the energy to fight a woman like Celine while my own body is trying to kill me." I gave him a small, sad smile. "Actually, I really liked the rose gardens at the estate. I planted those myself. I'll miss them."

Caspian laughed gently, a sound of pure warmth. He raised his hand, his thumb brushing a stray hair away from my forehead with a tenderness that made my throat ache.

"If you like roses so much, I'll plant a thousand of them at your new shop. We'll make it the most beautiful place in the Neutral Zone."

I started to laugh, a genuine sound for once, but Caspian's expression suddenly sharpened. His pupils blown wide as his Beta instincts screamed a warning.

He lunged forward, his arm wrapping firmly around my waist as he hauled me back a full foot.

VROOOOM!

A matte-black SUV screamed past us, the side mirror missing my shoulder by less than an inch. The tires screeched against the pavement, the engine a roar of unbridled aggression. As it sped away, I saw the familiar emblem on the tailgate—the Silver Ridge crest, a wolf's head embossed in polished chrome.

"Bastards!" Caspian hissed, his arm still locked around me, holding me against his chest to steady my shaking frame. "Are you okay? Did it hit you?"

I leaned into him, my heart hammering against my ribs so hard I thought it might burst. The scent of Silas was still in the air—cold, sharp, and furious—left behind by the wake of the car. "I'm fine," I rasped. "Just... a close call."

Inside the SUV

The interior of the vehicle was silent, save for the low, rhythmic thrum of the engine. Julian sat in the passenger seat, whistling a low, provocative tune.

"Was that Caspian Thorne?" Julian asked, his voice dripping with feigned casualness. "The high-tier Beta doctor? The one who got exiled for practicing 'unorthodox' alchemy? I haven't seen him in years. I didn't realize your wife was on 'hugging terms' with the underground's most sought-after physician."

Julian glanced at Silas, his grin widening. "Talk about an upgrade. From a billionaire Alpha to a genius outlaw. Lana certainly has a type."

Silas's face was a mask of cold, murderous fury. He gripped the steering wheel so hard the leather groaned under his strength.

He had seen it. He had seen the way the doctor touched her forehead. He had seen the way Lana leaned into the man's chest, her eyes soft and vulnerable—a look she hadn't given him in years.

The divorce wasn't even final. The ink wasn't even on the paper, and she was already being claimed by another male. The thought made his inner wolf howl, a primal, possessive sound that made his skin itch.

"You look like you want to shift and bite his fucking head off, Silas," Julian noted, leaning back and enjoying the show.

"I thought you hated her? I thought she was a 'human parasite' you couldn't wait to get rid of? You're getting your freedom, and she's found a doctor to take care of her fragile human needs. You should be thrilled for her."

Silas didn't speak. His knuckles were white. Suddenly, a sharp snap echoed in the cabin.

"Sy?" Julian's voice lost its playful edge, turning serious as he watched the gold light flare in Silas's eyes—a light that shouldn't be there if he was truly indifferent.

"You haven't actually caught feelings for the human, have you? Because if you have, signing those papers in two hours is going to be the biggest mistake of your life."

"Get the fuck out of my car, Julian," Silas snarled, the vibration of his Alpha voice rattling the windows.

Julian grinned, unbothered as he opened the door at a red light.

He'd found his cousin's reaction interesting.

He'd just stumbled onto Silas's little secret.