The Messenge (Iva and Nick) novel Chapter 439

< He Called Us Mate

He Called Us Mate

The city blurred past the car window in streaks of neon and shadow.

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Iva sat in the passenger seat, her small backpack clutched in her lap, her fingers twisted in the worn straps. The car was warm and clean, smelling faintly of leather and something else something that made her chest ache with a familiarity she couldn’t name.

Caleb drove in silence, his hands steady on the wheel, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. But every few moments, his gaze would drift toward her, lingering for just a heartbeat before returning to the

road.

She could feel it.

The weight of his attention.

The intensity of his presence.

And something else-something that hummed between them like a live wire.

The car had stopped in front of her building.

Iva looked up, her stomach twisting at the familiar sight-the cracked walls, the flickering streetlamp, the shadows that clung to the doorways like living things.

But tonight, as she reached for the door handle, something was different.

To her surprise, Caleb didn’t ask for her address.

He didn’t slow down.

He simply pulled up to the curb, put the car in park, and stepped out.

Iva blinked in confusion. She opened her door and climbed out, her legs unsteady beneath her.

“Thank you for the ride,” she said, forcing a polite smile. “I’m good from here.”

Caleb didn’t respond.

He walked around the car and stopped beside her, his tall frame blocking out the streetlamp’s pale

glow.

“Pack your items,” he said, his voice firm.

Iva’s smile faltered.

“What?”

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“Pack your items. You’re not staying here.”

She stared at him, her heart pounding.

“I-what? You can’t just—”

“I can.”

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His eyes met hers, and she saw something in them that made her breath catch. Something erce. Something protective. Something that looked almost like affection?

“I’m not letting my mate spend her night here,” he said, his voice low and steady. “Not another

night. Not ever again.”

Iva opened her mouth to argue, but the words died in her throat.

*Mate.*

“He called us mate,” Avalon breathed, her voice thick with emotion. “He called us mate.”

“It doesn’t mean anything,” Iva replied, but the words felt hollow.

“It means everything.”

Iva’s hands trembled.

She wanted to argue. Wanted to tell him that he couldn’t just swoop in and take over, that she wasn’t his responsibility, that she had survived on her own and she could continue to survive.

But the look on his face-the decisive, unwavering look of a man who would not be moved-made her heart swell with an emotion she couldn’t contain.

“Okay,” she whispered.

The room was small and bare.

Iva packed quickly-she didn’t have much. A few clothes, some toiletries. She stuffed it all into her backpack and turned to find Caleb standing in the doorway, his eyes fixed on her.

“This is all?” he asked, his voice gentle.

She nodded.

He took the backpack from her, slinging it over his shoulder, and gestured for her to precede him

out the door.

As they walked through the dim hallway, Iva felt her skin crawl.

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< He Called Us Mate

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The two men were there-as always-lingering in the shadows near the entrance. Their eyes followed her, their mouths curving into smiles that didn’t reach their eyes.

One of them stepped forward, his voice low and mocking.

“Leaving us so soon, pretty lady? We were just getting to know you.”

Iva’s heart pounded. Her hands clenched at her sides.

But before she could respond, Caleb stepped in front of her, his body a wall of muscle and

menace.

“She’s not your concern,” he said, his voice cold and deadly. “And if I ever see you near her again, I’ll

make sure you regret it.”

The men paled.

They stepped back, their bravado crumbling beneath the weight of Caleb’s stare.

Caleb turned to her, his expression softening.

“Let’s go.”

Iva nodded, her throat too tight to speak.

She followed him out of the building, her heart racing, her mind reeling.

She had no idea where he was taking her.

But as she climbed into his car and he started the engine, she realized something she hadn’t felt in

months.

Safe.

They drove in silence for a while, the city lights fading behind them, replaced by the dark silhouette of trees and the glittering stars above.

Iva stared out the window, her fingers twisted in her lap.

“Where are you taking me?” she finally asked.

Caleb glanced at her, a small smile playing on his lips.

“Home,” he said simply.

And as the car purred through the darkness, carrying her toward a future she couldn’t yet see, Iva felt something stir inside her.

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<He Called Us Mate

Something that felt dangerously like hope.

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The penthouse was unlike anything Iva had ever seen.

Iva stood in the center of the living room, her backpack clutched against her chest, her eyes wide with wonder.

“This is… yours?” she whispered.

Caleb nodded, his expression unreadable.

“It’s home.”

She turned slowly, taking it all in. The kitchen with its gleaming appliances. The hallway that led to

what she assumed were bedrooms. The balcony beyond the glass doors, where the city lights

twinkled like earthbound stars.

Caleb’s lips curved into a small smile.

“Come. I’ll show you to your room.”

He led her down the hallway to a door at the end. When he pushed it open, Iva’s breath caught in

her throat.

The guest room was beautiful-a large bed with crisp white linens, a window that overlooked the city, a small desk and chair in the corner. It was simple but elegant, and it felt more like a home than any place she had stayed in months.

“Make yourself at home,” Caleb said, his voice gentle.

Iva turned to him, her eyes glistening.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “For everything. For the ride. For… for this.”

Caleb’s expression softened.

“You don’t have to thank me.”

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“I do.” She swallowed hard. “I don’t understand why you’re doing this. Why you care. I’m nobody. I’m

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