CHAPTER FOUR: THE PROPOSAL

ELENA POV 

"Keep Maya inside, no matter what happens, don't let her come out here."

Sophie stared at me like I'd lost my mind.

"Elena, you can't go out there alone," she said.

"I have to," I said, already moving toward the door, "just keep her inside, please."

I walked out before either of them could argue, my legs shaking with every step toward the front gate.

Five years since I'd seen Cassian Vandenberg's face, five years since he had destroyed me in front of everyone.

I reached the intercom and pressed the button.

"What are you doing here?" I said, "How did you find me?"

"That doesn't matter," Cassian's voice came through the speaker, "I need to talk to you."

"We have nothing to talk about."

"Please," he said, "five minutes, that's all I'm asking."

I walked down the long driveway to the gate, keeping the metal bars between us like a barrier.

Up close, he looked terrible, with dark circles under his eyes, skin too pale, and his scent was wrong.

Muted, like something was dying inside him.

We stood there in silence, just staring at each other.

I wanted him to see the hatred in my eyes.

"You look good," he said finally.

"Don't," I said, "just say what you came to say and leave."

Cassian nodded, ran a hand through his hair.

"I need your help," he said.

"My help?" I laughed, bitter and sharp. "You rejected me, destroyed me in front of your entire pack, and now you need my help?"

"I know what I did," he said, "I had my reasons."

"What possible reason could justify what you did to me?"

"Your father killed my parents," Cassian said, meeting my eyes, "he murdered the Alpha and Luna, I had evidence."

"You had lies," I said, gripping the gate bars, "my father was innocent."

"We're not going to agree on this," he said, "but that's not why I'm here."

"Then why are you here?"

Cassian took a breath.

"There's a blood curse destroying my empire," he said, "my wolf is dying, my company is failing, everything is falling apart."

I waited.

"The pack elders say the only way to break it is through a mate bond," he continued, "which means you."

"No," I said immediately.

"I'm offering five million dollars," Cassian said, "one year of pretending to be my mate, then we go our separate ways."

Five million would save the sanctuary, pay off every debt, and give Maya the life she deserved.

But pretending to be his mate made me sick.

"Why would I help you?" I ask.

"Because I'm desperate," he said, real emotion breaking through, "my company employs three thousand people, my pack has over five hundred members, they're all suffering, I can't let them pay for my mistakes."

I studied his face, looking for the lie

He seemed genuine, desperate and desperate people made deals.

"Six million," I said, "and you help me investigate what really happened the night of the massacre, you give me access to the pack records, everything."

Cassian's eyes narrowed.

"Why?"

"Because my father was innocent," I said, "and I'm going to prove it."

He was quiet, then nodded.

"Fine, six million and full access, one year, then we're done."

"One year," I agreed, "and you stay out of my personal life, this is business only."

We reached through the gate bars to shake hands, the moment our skin touched, I felt it.

The mate bond, weakened but still there, sparked between us.

We both jerked back.

Cassian stared at his hand.

"It's still there," he said.

"It shouldn't be," I said, my heart racing, "you rejected me."

"I know."

Silence stretched between us.

Finally, Cassian cleared his throat.

"I'll send the contracts tomorrow," he said, "you move into the mansion in three days."

"Fine."

He turned to leave, got halfway to his car, then stopped.

"One more thing," he said, not looking at me.

My stomach dropped.

"What?"

"I've been having these dreams," he said slowly, "blackouts, missing time, my driver says I took a trip up here last week but I don't remember it."

No, I thought.

He pulled out his phone, walked back to the gate.

"Do you know anything about this?" he asked, showing me the screen.

I looked at the photo, and my blood turned to ice.

A child's drawing in crayon, a black wolf and a little girl holding hands, hearts and flowers around them.

Maya's drawing…

"Where did you get that?" I asked, keeping my voice steady.

"I don't know," Cassian said, "it was on my phone, my driver says I took the picture, but I have no memory of it."

I looked at him, at his confused face, at the genuine concern in his eyes.

He didn't know; he had no idea he'd been visiting our daughter as his wolf.

"No," I lied, "I've never seen that before."

Cassian studied my face for a long moment.

I held his gaze, didn't look away,

Finally, he nodded.

"Okay," he said, "I'll send the contracts tomorrow, pack your things, you move into the mansion in three days."

He got in his car and drove away.

I stood at the gate, hands shaking, mind racing.

Cassian had been visiting Maya as his wolf, playing with her at night and when the sun came up, he couldn't remember.

The night wolf, May, had been telling me the truth all along.

Her father had been coming to see her, and neither of them knew who the other really was.

I turned and walked back toward the house.

In three days, I would move into Cassian's mansion, pretend to be his mate, and somehow keep our daughter a secret.

He apparently visited her as a wolf without knowing it.

Behind me, I heard Maya's voice calling from the window.

"Mama, was that the night wolf?"

I closed my eyes.

This was going to be a disaster.