Her emotions were not his own, yet something about them brushed against the edges of his consciousness.
The sadness was faint but unmistakable, and beneath it lay a weariness that set his wolf on edge.
Mine.
Cassian’s jaw heavily tightened.
He had told himself he would wait until tomorrow.
He had meant it.
Yet the longer he remained in that office, the more difficult it became to ignore the instinct urging him toward her.
At last he pushed the reports aside and stood.
He did not need to announce where he was going.
He did not need an escort.
He simply needed to leave without turning his decision into an event that would attract unnecessary attention.
Cassian crossed to the private washroom adjoining his office and closed the door behind him.
Beyond it, a separate service exit connected to a restricted executive corridor used by senior personnel and security staff.
Very few people even knew the passage existed.
He removed his suit jacket and folded it over one arm before loosening his tie.
Then he looked at his reflection in the mirror.
His eyes had changed.
The icy blue of his irises appeared brighter than usual, a subtle sign of the wolf pressing closer to the surface.
“Stay quiet,” he murmured in annoyance and his wolf answered with a low, displeased growl.
Cassian ignored it.
He could not afford to let anyone sense how strongly the bond was affecting him—especially Adrian.
The man had already spent half the afternoon worrying that Cassian would become ill from suppressing his instincts.
If Adrian discovered that he had left the building to see Lena, he would undoubtedly follow.
Cassian reached into the cabinet beneath the sink and removed a small black vial. Read this novel at novelping.com for the best experience.
The contents were not medicine.
They were a scent-neutralizing compound developed specifically for high-ranking Lycans who needed to conceal their natural scent during sensitive security operations.
A few drops applied to his skin were enough to suppress the distinctive scent of his presence without affecting his ability to sense others.
He carefully applied it to his wrists and the sides of his neck.
Within seconds, the familiar scent of rain and cedar that usually followed him vanished beneath something neutral and almost impossible to identify.
His wolf protested at once and Cassian paid it no attention.
He put his jacket back on, adjusted his cuffs, and stepped into the restricted service corridor.
The security cameras recognized his access credentials, while the guards stationed throughout the executive floor offered no more than brief nods.
They had been trained to obey his movements without unnecessary interference, and Cassian knew precisely which corridors would take him out of the building without passing through the main lobby.
By the time he reached the private underground exit, his security detail had no reason to believe he had left.
His personal vehicle was already waiting.
Instead of using his usual driver, Cassian took the keys himself and he drove himself.
The city was still being battered by rain, and the streets gleamed beneath the blurred glow of the streetlights.
Cassian kept both hands on the steering wheel, his expression calm even as the bond pulled persistently in one direction—toward Lena.
He followed the sensation rather than the location provided by the Authority, allowing the invisible connection between them to guide him through the city.
When the Riverside Grand Hotel finally came into view, Cassian slowed.
He parked several buildings away instead of stopping directly outside the entrance.
He did not want his presence noticed.
After checking that his scent remained suppressed, he stepped out into the rain and walked toward the hotel.
The security system was sophisticated enough to identify ordinary guests and restrict access to the private floors, but Cassian had no intention of forcing his way through anything.
He entered through the main lobby wearing his coat, his head slightly lowered, and moved with the quiet confidence of someone accustomed to being obeyed.
“I need access to the eighth floor.”
The receptionist checked the card and immediately stepped aside.
“Of course, sir.”
Cassian took the elevator alone.
When the doors opened on the eighth floor, he stepped into the quiet corridor and followed the faint pull of the bond until he stopped outside Room 814.
He could hear her heartbeat on the other side and his wolf stirred violently.
Mine.
Cassian placed his hand against the door.
He could have knocked and he could have waited for her to answer but instead he stood there for several seconds, listening.
Soft music played inside and then came the sound of movement, glass scraping against a table, and a faint, muffled laugh.
Cassian’s brows drew together, she was drinking.
He should leave.
He had come only to make sure she was safe.
Then he suddenly heard something strike the floor, followed by Lena’s soft, slightly slurred voice.
His restraint finally gave way—not to recklessness, but to the quiet certainty that he needed to see her.
Cassian used the master key he had obtained from the hotel’s security desk and quietly unlocked the door to Room 814.
The door opened with barely a sound, but the faint clink of glass from inside immediately caught his attention.
Lena was still on her feet, swaying carelessly to the music with the wine bottle loosely held in one hand.
She stumbled slightly, bumping her hip against the edge of the bedside table, and the bottle knocked softly against the furniture.
She steadied herself, giggling under her breath, then continued dancing as though the entire world belonged to her.
Every now and then, another drunken laugh escaped her as she moved without any particular rhythm, completely lost in the music and the warmth spreading through her body.
Somewhere between the first bottle and the second, the sharp pain that had consumed her all afternoon had gradually faded into a hazy numbness.
The grief was still there, buried beneath the alcohol, but it no longer felt strong enough to crush her.
Instead, an unfamiliar lightness settled over her, leaving her thoughts pleasantly muddled and the room around her feeling softer, warmer, and almost dreamlike.