CHAPTER 36

JASMINES POV

“Caine? You’re not supposed to be here,” I said, turning back to return to the glass. But he raced and caught up with me, grabbing my arm just as I was about to walk into the glass confinement.

“Wait,” he said, losing the rest of his words as he just stared blankly into my eyes.

“What is it, Caine?” I snapped him out of whatever thoughts that may have been creeping into his head.

“Urm…you don’t deserve this. To be locked up like you’re some kind of…slave…” he started. I looked away from his eyes, focusing my gaze on the door which he left slightly open. “Jasmine…”

“Leave…”

“Look…I’m sorry about what I said earlier, okay?” He apologized. “I didn’t mean to. I was tensed and scared and anxious…it was the first time my dad had me…”

“Caine…I don’t want you here. Just go,” I tried to slip out of his hand, but he pulled me back. “Aren’t you supposed to be scared of me now? Like the rest of the pack? Aren’t you supposed to walk to me with helmets, or heavily armed?” I said, my voice breaking.

“I’m…I’m not scared of you. I can’t be and will never be no matter what they say or think you did,” Caine said, making me forget every other thing I had to say. He looked genuine this time, his eyes looked heavy like he felt some type of pity for me.

I let out a heavy breath, rolling my eyes away from him. “Where do you intend to drive down tonight?” I asked, stirring a smile from him. It played perfectly around his lips, revealing his deep dimples which I barely noticed.

“We’ll see,” he said, took my hand, and started leading me to the door. He stopped before we walked out and took out a device that he used to remove the metal anklet around my ankle and tossed it into the glass confinement.

Adrenaline rushed through me as we made our way down the hall, creeping past the guards and some of the pack members. We got to a parting where I found my father discussing with Alpha Morgan. Lucy was in their midst too. Why was she there?

“Psst,” Caine called, bringing my attention back to him. He tossed a black jacket at me, but I was too slow to catch it. It fell, drawing the attention of my dad and the rest. My heart leaped into my stomach as I crashed my back into the wall, clenching my fist as anxiety crawled in.

Caine gestured to me to pick it up and run towards him, which I did.

“That was close,” he breathed excitedly as we hurried down the remaining stairs. We climbed on his bike, and I was given a helmet. The engine revved, and I took a final glance at the alphas’ building before Caine drove off.

Feeling the wind against my face felt nourishing. The last time I had that kind of experience was with Bryan, the night we had our first date.

I waved him off my thoughts and held tight onto Caine. I could feel the energy surging through him like he was going to burst into excitement.

“Where are we going?” I asked loudly so he would hear me amid the wind.

“You’ll find out,” he replied, hitting the accelerator and putting us on jet mode.

*******

Caine packed under the tree and led me up a mountain. I had so many objections and reasons not to go up there with him, but he was enjoying the moment, so I wanted to share in the happiness…even if it was once.

“We’re here,” he breathed, helping me up. I almost lost my mind as I caught a hold of the view. It felt like we were the gods of the city, watching the city at night. Everything was clear—the houses, the small stature of the people, and the lights that created a beautiful glow by mixing.

“Caine…this is…”

“Beautiful?” He completed it like a question. I glanced at him and nodded. He took my hand and helped me to sit. “This is where I come whenever I feel the world's weight heavy on my shoulders. So many responsibilities, expectations from my father…rules…” he paused and looked at me.

“You seem to be in that phase now, so I thought this would help,” he added, and I didn’t realize when a smile tore through my cheek. If only he wasn’t dating my best friend…

“Thank you, Caine. You’ve…kind of changed,” I said with difficulty, stealing glances at him to see what effect that had on him. He was smiling uncontrollably.

“Yeah…yeah I know,” he muttered. He took out his bag and brought out a music player.

“What…the world would know we’re here,” I chuckled, watching him set it up.

“Then let them,” he said.

He played a series of music, making a horrible performance before me as he swayed from one end to the other, spreading his arms and throwing grasses at me like they were flowers. I didn’t join until the music was switched to something familiar.

My mother’s favorite song—is slow, nerve-calming, and magical.

“Nessa Barrett…Die first,” he muttered with a smile, extending his hand. I took him and joined in his little charade, waltzing under the moonlight, our laughter and voices filling the silence of the night.

For the first time, I felt happy. I felt my wolf stirring in me. She wanted him, all of him, like there was this possessiveness growing inside of me that claimed him to be mine. But how was that going to be possible with Lucy in his life?

I’ve been tagged a villain already and I wasn’t about to prove them right by snatching my best friend's mate. The song was slowly coming to an end, and he spun me, pulled me back in, and caught me in his hands.

Without warning, his lips pressed against mine, silencing every thought and noise around me. My world froze, the cold seeping into my skin as I lay in his arms, unable to breathe.

He…just kissed me…a third time. A third freaking time!

I gently applied pressure on his chest to pull him away, and as he did, our eyes didn’t look away from each other.

“Jasmine…I…”

He was interrupted by the blare of an alarm. It came from the pack house.

“They know you’re gone. Hurry!” He said, springing into action.

******