《Alpha King鈥檚 Lost Luna》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    Chapter 1 Emergency


    CASSANDRA


    ¡°For the glory of Wega Empire, you must die!¡± Intruders snarled at me as I knelt on the floor.


    ¡°Please let me see Asher. Please¡­¡± I begged.


    ¡°How dare you speak the name of our king!¡± The soldiers growled and grabbed my hair, forcing me to


    raise my head. They were like shadows towering over me.


    ¡°Please. I need to talk to him. I¡¯m pregnant. I have his baby!¡± I cried.


    The head soldier snorted. ¡°Baby? You think you¡¯d be qualified to deliver a baby for our king? Filthy


    whore! He won¡¯te to you anymore. Don¡¯t you understand? He¡¯s with Lady Adalyn. Now drink it!¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    He pulled me harshly, gripped my face and pried my mouth open. Mysterious liquid flew down my


    throat.


    Burning. I began to gag.


    ¡°Die! You wretched moron.¡± They spat at me before mming the door. And I heard the click of the


    lock.


    I struggled to move, but my eyes felt swollen, and my legs were strengthless. The smell of smoke


    quickly filled the room.


    Fire engulfed me.


    *****


    My mind wandered as I stared out the window. The sky was a perfect clear blue, and the air was filled


    with the sound of children¡¯sughter. A smile formed on my lips at the sound.


    Far beyond me, the pups, apanied by their parents, made their way toward the forest not too far


    away from where I sat. It was finally time for the annual hunting festival, and the pups chattered and


    giggled with excitement as they tugged at their mother¡¯s and father¡¯s sleeves.


    I remembered their innocent happiness well. When I had been a pup myself, I¡¯d been infinitely


    impatient and raced far ahead of my father and brother, urging them the entire way to move faster. I¡¯d


    been so excited to get a glimpse of the hunting group I wished to one day be a part of. I was eager to


    find my ce amongst the Pack.


    I¡¯d been grown for a long time now, and yet, these pups had more freedom than me.


    Ever since the deadly inferno, I¡¯d lost the ability to shift into my wolf form, my life had changed


    completely.


    I lost everything. My wolf, my name, my identity, and all I used to love and cherish. I¡¯d moved far away


    and came to the Wild Crawler Pack, where I¡¯d lived as someone else ever since.


    Just as I was starting to feel the familiar ache of loneliness, the sound of footsteps rang out behind me.


    I snapped out of my stupor and turned to see Marley behind me.


    ¡°Sheesh, Cassandra, I almost fell asleep at my desk.¡±


    Marley paused for a breath. She ran her hands through her thick dark hair. Her light green eyes were


    slightly bloodshot, but her small smile offset her tired aura. ¡°It¡¯s been such a crazy day. I couldn¡¯t help


    but doze off between patients.¡±


    ¡°I understandpletely,¡± I agreed with her. ¡°Here,e sit down. We still have a while until our next


    appointment.¡±


    Marley was my assistant here at the clinic. Fiver years ago, when Emmett saved me from the fire and


    brought me to his pack, he taught me how to be a healer. And Marley had been my first patient. Shortly


    after I helped heal her, she decided she wanted to help others as well, and now she was my right-hand


    woman.


    Marley took a seat on the stool beside me and then nced out the window.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s already time for the hunting festival,¡± she sighed, and she tucked a strand of hair


    behind her ear. ¡°The kids have been going crazy for days. I swear, they¡¯ve been driving me absolutely


    insane, Cass.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± I mused. ¡°The vige has been loud all week.¡±


    ¡°I wish I cared more,¡± Marley admitted. ¡°But the festival really doesn¡¯t interest me much. Visitors from


    other packs are troublesome. Can you imagine? I was stopped by them three times this morning for the


    question ¨C ¡®How to get to the forest?¡¯. Gosh. Can¡¯t they read signposts? They are everywhere on the


    streets. And with how crazy my kiddos have been¡­¡±


    She let out a heavy sigh, ¡°I wish they could be more like your Finnick. He¡¯s such a good boy. Mine are


    little monsters, no matter what I do. You¡¯re lucky Finnick hasn¡¯t begged you toe with him-¡±


    She paused for a moment, and a strange expression crossed her pretty face.


    ¡°Sorry, Cassandra,¡± she said quietly. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to bring that up-¡±


    Marley knew I was unable to shift, and therefore, I was not allowed to enter the forest, even the safe


    zone.


    I simply gave her an understanding smile. ¡°Don¡¯t even worry about it. Besides, Finnick is too young to


    watch anyway. If he was of age, I¡¯m sure circumstances would be different.¡±


    It had been five years past since that cmity. I need to go on.


    ¡°So where is your sweet boy?¡± Marley wondered with a curious expression.


    ¡°He¡¯s with the Luna and her children,¡± I replied.


    I was grateful that the Luna of the Wild Crawler Pack had been so generous as to offer to watch my


    son while I ran the clinic. The hours were incredibly long, and my patient list had grown endless


    recently. Marley and I were busier than ever.


    A sickness was running through the Wild Crawler Pack, one with an unsure origin I had yet to ce. It


    was apanied by a peculiar mark on different parts of the patient¡¯s bodies, each slightly raised, red,


    and warm to the touch. I¡¯d biopsied several of them, and yet, I hadn¡¯t found an answer that made any


    sort of sense.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good ce for him,¡± Marley interrupted my thoughts again, and then beyond us, bells rang


    out. She nced up at the clock. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s time for our next patient. Ready to go?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    I offered my hand to Marley and helped her to her feet, and then we walked out into the front of the


    clinic, where our next patient was nervously awaiting us. She was a young woman named Anna, and


    her brown eyes were slightly zed over. Her skin was pale and coated with a slight sheen of sweat,


    and her arms were wrapped around herself as she shivered. Marley and I escorted her to a room and


    sat her down on afortable seat.


    We took her temperature, her information, and listened as she described her symptoms. For a moment,


    I was worried she was ill with the mysterious sickness, but it seemed to just be amon cold. I


    prescribed her some medicine, and after she gratefully thanked me for helping her, the front door¡¯s


    bells rang out again.


    ¡°Who is that-¡± Marley began to say, and suddenly, a tall man burst into the room.


    His dark clothing and the sword at his side indicated his rank. I recognized him immediately.


    It was Jasper, one of the Alpha¡¯s guards. I knew him very well, as he was often sent to collect me on


    behalf of the Alpha¡¯s family if medical attention was needed.


    ¡°Hey, Jasper,¡± I greeted him, and I shed him a smile, assuming it would be returned. When it wasn¡¯t, I


    knew something was wrong. Jasper was always friendly with Marley and me when he came to the


    clinic, but today, his expression was deadly serious.


    ¡°The Alpha needs you right away, Cassandra,¡± he addressed me hurriedly. ¡°You must apany me


    to the Pack House. It¡¯s an emergency.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked, and worry painted my tone.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t much time to exin,¡± Jasper replied. ¡°Long story short, a prestigious guest of ours has


    been bitten by a viper and needs medical attention immediately.¡±


    Panic flooded through me. Snake bites weren¡¯t anything to mess with, and we needed to act fast.


    ¡°Marley, finish up with Anna,¡± I directed my assistant. ¡°I¡¯ll get the kit together. Join me once you¡¯re


    finished.¡±


    Marley nodded. ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯ll handle things here.¡±


    I hurriedly gathered my supplies, and then when Marley reentered the room, we followed Jasper down


    the hall and through the door. After I locked the clinic door behind us, we raced out into the vige and


    toward the Pack House. We sped in silence, and after a while, I decided to ask for more information.


    ¡°Who is this prestigious guest?¡± I wondered.


    ¡°I cannot say,¡± Jasper said curtly. ¡°It¡¯s confidential.¡±


    ¡°Where did theye from?¡± I pressed.


    He said nothing at first, and then sighed. ¡°Anemond.¡±


    I flinched instinctively.


    Anemond was the capital of the Wega Empire. It resided at the heart of the Crescent Pack, the


    biggest and most powerful Pack that ruled our empire. It was also where the Alpha King lived, along


    with the higher-ss werewolf families.


    Marley interrupted my thoughts. ¡°The capital? They must be important.¡±


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes, they are. That¡¯s why we need to hurry up.¡± Jasper nodded seriously.


    I tried to maintain an air of normality, and yet, my heart sank in my chest.


    I hadn¡¯t heard the name Anemond in the five years. The memories began to flood back through my


    mind before I could stop them. Images danced in my mind- the fire, the grins of the soldiers, and the


    poison that¡¯d been forced down my throat.


    Anemond was the ce of my birth, and in the end, had been my nightmare.

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    Chapter 2 Viper bite


    CA SSANDRA


    ¡°Cas sandra?¡± Marley mudged me back into reality. Her pretty eyes were wide with concern. ¡°Are you


    okay?¡±


    I gulped, and then nodded as I pushed away my memories of Anemond. ¡°Yes.¡±


    I managed to pull myself together. I needed to be level-headed if we were going to heal this patient.


    It didn¡¯t take us long to reach the Pack House. The enormous mansion wasn¡¯t


    far from the clinic.


    When we crossed through the doors, we were surprised to see a crowd of people hustling around. The


    Pack House seemed to be in a hugemotion, and I had to duck to avoid bumping into anyone


    around me. This was the most activity I¡¯d seen here in a while.


    ¡°Wow,¡± Marley remarked as Jasper led us down the hall. ¡°This must be serious. Everyone seems so


    upset.¡± She tugged at Jasper¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Can you tell us what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°The Alpha will tell you once we find him,¡± Jasper remarked.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Marley replied, and she let out a sigh. ¡°So much secrecy.


    I wanted to ask follow-up questions, but Jasper¡¯s tone was so serious, I decided to wait. When we


    reached the end of the busy hall, a pair of people were waiting for us. One of them was Gareth, the


    Alpha of the Wild Crawler Pack, and the -other was his eldest son, Rayden.


    We bowed respectfully when we stopped in front of them.


    The Alpha of the Wild Crawler Pack was a stern man, yet fair, and he was


    well-respected amongst the Pack. He was normally quite calm, but today, his brown eyes were wide


    with concern. Rayden wore a simr expression.


    Rayden was tall, with big, dark brown eyes, and ck hair that glinted blue in the light, and his perfect


    teeth were white as pearls. He was slim, but covered in exotic tattoos, and girls in the pack admired his


    high cheekbones and fit frame.


    When I first arrived here five years ago, Rayden had been a young man of sixteen. Now he was all


    grown up, and it likely wouldn¡¯t be long until he took his father¡¯s ce as Alpha of the Wild Crawlers.


    I was a little surprised to see him here at the Pack House. Thest time I¡¯d seen him was two years


    ago at a dinner hosted by the Alpha¡¯s family. It¡¯d been a farewell dinner to celebrate Rayden¡¯s


    departure for the Wega Empire¡¯s army- an elite group known as the Myriad. It was an honor to be


    recruited, and so we¡¯d honored the young man ordingly.


    ¡°Ca ssandra,¡± Gareth greeted me in a relieved tone, and then he looked at Marley. ¡°And Marley. I¡¯m so


    d to see you.¡±


    me.¡±


    Then he turned to Jasper. ¡°You can leave us. Thank you for collecting them for


    ¡°Of course,¡± Jasper replied, and after he gave us a small smile, the guard turned and left us. After he


    disappeared down the hall, my attention turned to Rayden.


    He offered me a kind smile as we approached.


    ¡°Hello, Cas sandra¡± he greeted me warmly, if not formally, and he nodded his


    head at me.


    ¡°Hi, Rayden,¡± I replied politely. ¡°It¡¯s a surprise to see you here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been too long,¡± he agreed, and then he looked at Gareth. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, father, I have some


    quick business to attend to.¡±


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Gareth replied. ¡°Do what you need to do, son.¡±


    Once he was gone, Gareth turned his attention to the young male se rvant standing politely in the


    corner. ¡°Please escort the doctor and her assistant to the second floor,¡± he ordered in a stern voice. ¡°I


    must be going.¡±


    Surprise flooded through me. The second floor of the Pack House was usually reserved for the Alpha¡¯s


    family and their ser vants. It was considered private quarters while the first floor was used for meetings


    and dinners.


    Marley and I exchanged a nce. There was a bad feeling forming in the back of my mind, but I did my


    best to brush it away.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± the se rvant addressed us, and after Marley and I offered polite nods toward Gareth, we


    followed him down the hall and up the stairs.


    At the top of the stairs was a pair of double doors, and on either side of them stood four guards. Much


    to my continued surprise, they weren¡¯t a part of the Wild Crawler, but the Crescent.


    ¡°Crescent guards?¡± Marley whispered under her breath. She too recognized the special crest on the


    guards¡¯ shoulders. Her pale green eyes darted around the hall. -¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I admitted. I was just as curious as she was. This guest of honor must have been very


    important if there were so many heavily-armed guards outside


    of the door.


    The guards stared at us coldly as we approached the door, but they stood aside and allowed us to


    enter the chamber anyway.


    The moment the doors flew open, a chorus of sounds flew toward us. A tingle of anxiety moved through


    me, but I managed to remain calm.


    The cavernous room was pure chaos. The curtains were closed, and the only -light in the room came


    from candles and the firece that zed with a cr ackling


    fire.


    Se rvants rushed around hastily, a few with piles of towels, and others with trays of various foods,


    drinks, and other supplies. They all seemed to hover around


    a specific part of the room, and when a few moved out of the way, I noticed arge, canopied bed.


    At the center of the bed was a young boy, around the same age as my Finnick. Se rvants attended to


    the boy, and even from across the room, I could see his lips. were blue. Perspiration ran down his face


    and his eyes were squeezed tightly shut. He was clearly in pain, and his expression broke my heart.


    ¡°There¡¯s our patient,¡± Marley noted sadly as we followed the serv ant toward the bed. ¡°Poor thing.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll take care of him,¡± I assured her. As we walked, I pulled my waist-length. copper hair into a


    ponytail and steadied my nerves. I needed to have my wits about me if I was going to heal the poor


    boy.


    When we got closer, I noticed the Luna of the Wild Crawler Pack, Sofia Bailey, stood beside the bed.


    She was just as beautiful as ever, but her short dark hair was a little out of ce, and her skin was


    paler than usual.


    When she heard our footsteps, she turned her attention to me and I noticed her eyes were underscored


    by light purple shadows.


    ¡°Oh, Ca ssandra,¡± she sighed in relief. ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re here.¡±


    The Luna¡¯s beautiful face looked tired, but she managed to smile at me anyway.


    ¡°The boys are downstairs with a maid,¡± she answered before I could ask. ¡°They¡¯re safe and ying


    quietly.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Good. I¡¯m d they¡¯re okay. Now, how¡¯s our patient?¡±


    ¡°Not as good, I¡¯m afraid,¡± Sofiamented, and she nodded her head toward the young boy. ¡°Please,


    doctor, you must do something to help him. I fear he¡¯s in a great deal of pain, and nothing we¡¯ve been


    doing seems to be working.¡±


    I nodded again. ¡°Of course. You¡¯re in good hands now. I promise I¡¯ll do everything in my power to help.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sofia whispered, and then she stood aside so Marley and I could approach.


    I crouched down beside the boy, and when I ced my hand gently on his forehead, I was surprised to


    find he was hot to the touch. He¡¯d already broken out in a fever.


    I nced over at Marley and waved her forward. ¡°Marley, can you prepare the


    heart rate monitor?¡±


    Marley nodded and as she opened up the kit, I turned back to the boy. My eyes. traveled down until


    they reached his right leg. His trousers had been rolled up, and the skin of his ankles was ghostly


    white, except for a huge swollen area. Clear canine marks were dug deep into the tenser skin, and a


    low sigh escaped me.


    ¡°Poor thing,¡± I whispered. I retrieved a pair of gloves from my pocket and pulled


    them on.


    As I carefully examined the bite marks closer, a string of thoughts formed in my mind. Where would the


    boy have encountered a viper? There hadn¡¯t been any reports of serpents recently, at least not in the


    forests of the Wild Crawler Pack, and besides, at his age, he wouldn¡¯t have been allowed past the safe


    zone. So where had the snakee from?


    I turned to Sofia. ¡°Did they happen to catch the viper that inflicted the bite?¡±


    The Luna appeared unsure, and her eyes flicked over to a point beyond me.


    ¡°No,¡± a deep, smoky voice said behind me. ¡°The guards are still searching the forest for the wretched


    thing.¡±


    A tingle ran down my spine. I¡¯d know that voice anywhere,


    For a moment, I was frozen in ce, but after a deep breath, I turned around.


    A man stood in the darkened corner, tucked away just far enough that I hadn¡¯t been able to sense him


    initially. He lingered in the shadows for a moment and then stepped toward me.


    My heart skipped a beat when his rugged but handsome face was revealed. Though he¡¯d changed a


    little with time, his cold gray eyes were the same, and they bore into mine with intensity as he


    advanced closer.


    The tall man was none other than Asher Collins- the Alpha of the Crescent Pack and the king of the


    Wega Empire. But none of that mattered to me. He was much more than just the legendary leader of


    all werewolves.


    He was my mate.


    All those years ago, he¡¯d left me in that house, pregnant and alone to face the inferno.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    Chapter 3 Alpha King


    CASSANDRA


    ¡°Well, then you¡¯ll have to tell them to hurry up and find the beast,¡± Marley remarked beside me, and she


    rolled her pretty eyes in annoyance. ¡°The sooner the


    better.¡±


    The room suddenly grew heavy and my eyes widened.


    While part of me agreed with her sentiment, I couldn¡¯t believe she¡¯d been so bold as to say that to the


    Alpha King. Of course, I wasn¡¯t fully convinced that my friend knew that¡¯s who she¡¯d been addressing. If


    she had, I doubt she¡¯d have spoken


    so tersely.


    ¡°Marley!¡± Sofia eximed. The Luna looked shocked and embarrassed at my assistant¡¯s outburst, and


    her cheeks flushed scarlet.


    Asher¡¯s eyes narrowed, and the room fell silent.


    ¡°Your Majesty, please excuse her,¡± Sofia begged, and she offered the Alphal King an apologetic


    expression and a small bow. ¡°We-¡±


    Asher raised his hand, and the Luna immediately froze in ce and shut her


    mouth.


    ¡°Wait, ¡°Your Majesty¡¯?¡± Marley whispered. ¡°Oh, holy shit.¡±Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Her expression was awestruck. Clearly, she¡¯d realized who had been addressing us, and her cheeks


    darkened until they were the same color as Sofia¡¯s.


    ¡°Shh,¡± I whispered as quietly as possible. Luckily, neither Sofia nor the Alphal King seemed to hear us.


    Instead, Asher released a huffy sigh.


    ¡°Are these two qualified, Sofia?¡± he asked, and his gray eyes bore into mine intensely. ¡°My son


    deserves the utmost care, and I will not allow him to be treated by anyone who doesn¡¯t know what


    they¡¯re doing.¡±


    His¡­ son?


    Had I heard him correctly?


    That exined the severity and amount of guards around us, not to mention Gareth and Sofia¡¯s worried


    expressions. The boy was the son of the Alpha King, and heir to the Wega Empire. His survival was


    not only of the utmost importance, but it was in mine and Marley¡¯s hands.


    No pressure or anything.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Sofia answered him. ¡°Cassy is the best healer in our Pack. If anyone can take care


    of him, it¡¯s her.¡±


    The Alpha King¡¯s eyes continued to study me carefully.


    ¡°Cassy?¡± he repeated back in a confused voice.


    My heart thrummed in my chest as if


    my chest as if it was ready to burst forth as I stared back at Asher. It¡¯d been five years since I¡¯d seen


    his handsome face, and my entire body felt like it would explode from the sheer emotion of it all. I never


    thought I¡¯d see him again, yet here he was, standing before me with the same gray eyes I¡¯d peered into


    with all my love so many years ago.


    The whole world seemed to melt away as I stared back at him. While the years. and likely stress of his


    position had aged him slightly, he was just as handsome as he was back then. His dark hair fell to his


    shoulders in soft waves and his skin was perfectly tan and clear. He was muscr yet lean, and with


    his arms folded in front of him, I could see the prominent veins that came with much physical training.


    Even after all of these years, Asher Collins was still the most beautiful man I¡¯d


    ever seen.


    But he was no longer mine, and I was no longer his.


    ¡°Your name is Ca ssy?¡± he addressed me directly. He leaned in closer as if to examine me, and it took


    all of my effort to keep from shaking. For a moment, I


    thought he¡¯d find a clue of my past identity, but I knew in my heart that I looked too different now to


    recognize.


    The inferno had destroyed my face, distorted my voice, and taken my wolf away. No part of my past


    identity had remained.


    is?¡±


    Asher could stare all he want.


    I


    I was no longer the same woman I once was.


    ¡°Ca ssandra,¡± I replied politely. ¡°My name is Ca ssandra Keller, Your Majesty.¡±


    The Alpha King paused for a moment.


    ¡°You¡¯re the best?¡± he asked, and when I didn¡¯t answer, he rified. ¡°Healer, that


    For a moment, I considered being humble, but his stern expression told me I ¨C needed to be confident


    in my abilities.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I¡¯ve been taking care of this Pack for many years. I¡¯m well-versed in


    injuries, illnesses, and bites such as the one your son has sustained. My assistant, Marley, is also well-


    qualified. We¡¯re going to do everything we can to help.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Ca ssandra,¡± he said in a low voice that sent a chill down my spine. ¡°Let¡¯s see what you can do.¡±


    His expression softened slightly, but not enough to appear friendly. Still, I took a long, deep breath, and


    then addressed him calmly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± I promised, and I fought back a shiver. ¡°But it will be difficult to find the cure to the


    boy¡¯s bite without first identifying the viper. Different snakes have different venom, and the severity of


    his injury will depend on the breed and


    size of the creature.¡±


    For a moment, I expected more resistance, but Asher simply nodded.


    ¡°Guards,¡± he called out in a stern and regal tone, and without further question, the guards who¡¯d been


    stationed at the outside doors appeared before us. Once they were in position, Asher straightened his


    stance and held his head high.


    ¡°Please tell Alpha Gareth that more search squads will need to be sent to the forest,¡± he said. ¡°We


    need to locate the viper as soon as possible so the doctors can properly address my son¡¯s wounds.


    Please make haste. Time is of the essence.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± the guards replied in unison, and after each offered the Alpha King uniform bows,


    they rushed out of the chamber and shut the doors behind them.


    Asher raised his chin toward us. ¡°If you can¡¯t heal my son, I¡¯ll let the whole Pack


    die with him.¡±


    His warning was stated calmly, as if it were just another sentence, but the rest of us felt the weight of


    his words crash over it. A lump formed in my throat, and when I nced over at Sofia, her face grew


    pale. Marley¡¯s expression was no better, and as H oked around the room, the se rvants held simr


    looks of fear.


    The Alpha King was no one to mess with. We needed to keep our wits about us.


    So, without another word, I motioned toward Marley, and the pair of us turned our attention back to the


    boy.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it, Ca ssy,¡± Sofia said quietly. ¡°I¡¯m going to check on Finnick and the boys downstairs.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, and I offered the Luna a small nod of respect. She smiled. back at me, and then


    she left the chamber.


    Marley and I got to work and started to fully examine the bite on the young. prince¡¯s bite. It¡¯d worsened


    even since Marley and I had arrived, and knew Asher was right- time was of the essence. We needed


    to act fast if we were going to save


    his life.


    ¡°Can we do this?¡± Marley whispered just loud enough for me to hear. ¡°Ca ssandra, this looks bad.¡±


    ¡°We have no choice in the matter,¡± I reminded her gently. ¡°Besides, we¡¯ve dealt with worse before. We


    can do this, Marley.¡±


    My assistant paused for a moment, and then she nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s get to work.¡±

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    Chapter 4 He said stay


    CA SSANDRA


    The next few hours passed byboriously. As we waited for the guards to return with some sort of news


    about the viper, Marley and I did all we could to keep the boyfortable. We took his temperature,


    monitored his heart rate, and continued to apply coldpresses to keep his fever from rising any


    higher.


    Meanwhile, it took all of my concentration to remain perfectly focused on the boy. My mind was trying to


    wander to different ces, and Asher Cellins wasn¡¯t helping. The Alpha King remained close to us as


    we attended to his son, and it was unclear if he was monitoring our treatment or just studying me.


    The hairs on the back of my neck stood straight up as chills continuously ran down my spine. I wasn¡¯t


    the kind of woman who got nervous easily, but the Alpha King¡¯s very presence set every inch of my


    body on edge.


    Of all of the people to be here, he was thest one I¡¯d ever have expected, and my emotions were


    running wild. I wasn¡¯t sure whether to cry or be relieved to see him after so long. All I knew was that


    this was unbelievablyplicated.


    After long, a pair of guards returned. They¡¯d finally tracked down the viper. Luckily, it was one that I¡¯d


    seen in a medical book. I ryed all of the information I knew to Marley and Asher, and the pair of them


    seemed relieved to know there was


    a potential cure.


    The Alpha King had assigned guards to apany Marley back to the clinic to procure the herbs


    needed to heal the boy. My assistant seemed nervous to be surrounded by such heavily-weaponed


    men, but she epted the help.


    Haff an hourter, she returned with the herbs, and we got to work. We prepared a salve to apply


    directly to the wound, and then used others to brew a tea that would treat the boy internally. The prince


    was weak, but we managed to help him get enough of the tea into his system to treat him properly.


    Hours passed by, and by dusk, the boy finally became stable. After much fitful moaning and crying,


    he¡¯d finally fallen into a quiet sleep. The blueness of his lips had disappeared, and color had returned to


    his cheeks. Beneath the salve, the


    swollenness of the bite had eased.


    Once he was sustained, I sent Marley back home. She put up a bit of a fight and insisted on staying


    with me, but I pushed back and told her she needed to go back. to her boys.


    ¡°They¡¯re going to be excited to show you what they hunted in the forest,¡± I¡¯d reminded her. ¡°They need


    you more than I do right now.¡±


    After a little more convincing, Marley agreed to go, and once she packed up and left the Pack House,


    I¡¯d turned to the rest of the people standing around in the chamber and asked for some time alone with


    my patient. The guards seemed hesitant to leave me alone with the prince, but the Alpha King heeded


    my request and ordered the others to do the same. They filtered out of the chamber, and once they


    were gone, I released a sigh.


    As much as the quiet was nice, asking everyone to leave us was more of an excuse than anything. My


    patient was stable, but I needed time to think and process the emotions that swirled around in my mind


    like a storm.


    I hadn¡¯t been prepared to see Asher again, and I was surprised to see just how much he¡¯d changed


    over the years. He was the Alpha King now, and as such, he was the ruthless leader of the Wega


    Empire. In the past, he¡¯d seemed hesitant to take on the position, but it seemed like he¡¯d embraced his


    destiny.


    Not only that, but he had a son.


    I nced over at the boy. Was he also the son of Adalyn Moses?


    A pang of sadness struck me. He had to be. Asher had abandoned me all those years ago and left me


    to suffer for the sake of marrying Adalyn. It would make sense that he¡¯d have a son with her.


    I


    My chest suddenly felt tight, and for a moment, I thought I was about to cry, but I forced those feelings


    down. Asher Collins was the Alpha King now. What he


    did was none of my business anymore, and I couldn¡¯t let him affect me like this.


    Besides, I had Finnick and my career here in the Wild Crawler Pack, not to mention my dear friend


    Marley and her family. I was loved and respected here, and that¡¯s all I needed.


    I looked back at the prince. He reminded me a little of Finnick, though they didn¡¯t look alike. The prince


    had a sweet round face and soft curly hair, just like his mother, Adalyn. She¡¯d been the most beautiful


    she-wolf in the Crescent Pack, so it was unsurprising her son took after her.


    My Finnick had a more serious appearance, much like his father. He was cute, but there was


    something mature and intelligent in his eyes.


    Suddenly, a soft whimper interrupted my thoughts, and when I looked over, I watched the prince roll on


    his side. His sheets were thoroughly soaked from perspiration, and his forehead appeared damp as


    well.


    ¡°Oh, sweetheart,¡± I murmured, and I hopped to my feet. The poor child was at risk of catching a cold.


    I rushed over to the door, and peeked my head out. A pair of guards stood at attention, and they stared


    at me with expressions of concern.


    ¡°I need a se rvant,¡± I said. ¡°The prince needs a fresh set of nkets.¡±


    The guards nodded, and one of them disappeared down the hall. I stepped back into the chamber, and


    a few minutester, the doors flew open to reveal a pair of se rvants with piles of fresh linens. But they


    weren¡¯t alone. Asher Collins walked int with them, and his gray eyes shed with concern.


    ¡°How is he?¡± he demanded as he rushed over, but when he caught sight of his son, his expression


    softened.


    ¡°Better,¡± I answered gently. ¡°I just thought he would be morefortable with fresh sheets.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Asher said simply, and he nodded. It was clear that he was a caring father,


    and it was strange to seem him in this light.


    I stepped aside as the se rvants changed the prince¡¯s sheets, and as Asher spoke quietly to his son, I


    felt a lump form once again in my throat. My stomach turned and for a moment, I thought I was going to


    throw up. Tears welled in my eyes, and I dug my nails into my palms.


    This was too hard.


    Once the ser vants were done, they left the chamber, and I wanted to follow. So, I turned to Asher.


    ¡°Your son just needs rest,¡± I managed to say. ¡°He¡¯s recovering quite well, so I think I should take my


    leave.¡±


    Before he could say another word, I turned on my heels and headed toward the doors. I¡¯d nearly made


    it there when Asher¡¯s voice rang through the chamber.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Stay,¡± he demanded.


    I froze for a moment, and then took a step forward. Then he spoke again, his voice hardened and


    deadly serious.


    ¡°I said stay.¡±-

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    Chapter 5 Gray eyes


    CA SSANDRA


    I was stunned by the severity of his tone. He wasn¡¯t addressing me as Asher Collins. He was ordering


    me as the Alpha King.


    Thest thing I wanted was to stay in the chamber alone with him and the sleeping prince, but as much


    as I wanted to disobey his order, I knew I had no choice. He was the ruler of the realm, and I could face


    horrible consequences if I didn¡¯t obey.


    So, I turned back around. I was about to walk back over to the bed when a


    thought crossed my mind.


    ¡°My apologies, Your Majesty, but I need to go and take care of my son,¡± I exined, and it took all of


    my effort to keep my voice steady.


    ¡°Your son?¡± Asher repeated back, and he crossed his arms against his chest.


    ¡°Yes, my son,¡± I answered. ¡°He¡¯s waiting for me. I¡¯ve been working all day, so I haven¡¯t had the chance


    to see him yet.¡±


    ¡°Where is he?¡± the Alpha King pressed. His gray eyes narrowed as if he didn¡¯t


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    wish to let me leave.


    ¡°He is with the Luna Sofia¡¯s children,¡± I answered. ¡°Downstairs, I believe.¡±


    ¡°He will be brought here then,¡± Asher replied, and he raised his chin. ¡°You cannot leave before my son


    awakens.¡±


    His tone was even harsher than his first demand, and a chill ran down my spine.


    ¡°A guard will collect your son,¡± he said. ¡°You will remain here with mine. Is there anything you need in


    the meantime?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No, Your Majesty. I have all I need right here.¡±


    ¡°Then take a seat,¡± he ordered. ¡°I will speak with my guard at once.¡±


    I nodded politely, and then walked back over to the side of the room. I took a seat beside the prince¡¯s


    bed, meanwhile, Asher crossed over to the double doors. He poked his head out and spoke to the


    guards in amanding voice.


    Then the doors closed again. As Asher walked back toward me, I felt my hands begin to shake. There


    was no way the Alpha King could see my Finnick, but what could I do? The n had already been set


    in motion, and there was nothing I could


    do to stop it.


    All I could do was hope the prince would awaken so I could leave the Pack. House with my son and put


    this day behind me.


    Asher took a seat opposite me, and when he wasn¡¯t looking, I carefully scooted my seat back a little.


    There wasn¡¯t much I could do to stay away from him, but I would try my best to maintain distance. I was


    scared he could hear how fast my heart was racing in my chest or how my breath was uneven. I was


    worried he could


    tell I was uneasy.


    I couldn¡¯t risk him being suspicious about any of this.


    We spent our time in an ufortable silence. Asher¡¯s eyes remained fixed on his son, and I tried to


    look elsewhere to avoid him. All the while, I prayed the Alpha King¡¯s son would awaken, and the


    attention would be taken away from this entire


    interaction.


    Suddenly, the doors of the chamber flew open, and momentster, a set of footsteps rang out against


    the polished wood floors.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Finnick eximed happily, and when I looked up, I saw my son headed toward me at full


    speed. Once he reached me, I wrapped my arms around him and drew him into a hug.


    ¡°Finnick!¡± I said, and I nted a kiss on his forehead.


    ¡°Mommy, where have you been?¡± Finnick wondered, and he tilted his head to the side slightly. ¡°I


    missed you.¡±


    He frowned and pouted ever-so-slightly. I fought back augh at his expression. and smiled. Despite


    the look on his face, Finnick¡¯s words brought me happiness. Our bond was wonderful, and my son


    always brought me joy no matter what. He had been the reason I¡¯d been able to carry on for the past


    five years and was my entire reason for living.


    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you too, honey,¡± I said, and I softened my voice. ¡°We need to stay quiet, alright?¡±


    Finnick nodded. ¡°Okay, Mommy.¡±


    ¡°Did you have a good day?¡± I asked, and Finnick¡¯s face lit up. He was about to speak when he nced


    over at the sleeping boy beside us. He raised a finger to his lips and then nodded again.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he whispered considerately. ¡°We yed hide and seek in the garden, and then Auntie Sofia


    taught us how to draw a flower. Dominic said it was called a


    dandelion.¡±


    Dominic was Sofia¡¯s son, and he was around Finnick¡¯s age. They were dear friends, and Finnick


    thought of the Luna¡¯s son like a brother.


    ¡°A dandelion?¡± I repeated back quietly. ¡°Oh wow! Do you have the picture with


    you?¡±


    Finnick nodded happily, and then reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small piece of paper and


    handed it to me excitedly.


    I opened the folded paper carefully, and my lips curled into a smile. He¡¯d indeed drawn a dandelion,


    and he¡¯d done a great job.


    ¡°This looks great, Finnick,¡± Iplimented him. ¡°Can I keep this?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Mommy,¡± Finnick replied.


    It was then I remembered Asher. I nced over at him and when we made eye contact, a feeling of


    dread ran through me. Had he been watching us this entire time? My heart ski pped a beat, but I


    quickly looked back to Finnick.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, and I kissed his forehead. Finnick grinned and then gave me a huge hug. Once he


    pulled away, he looked over at the sleeping prince.


    ¡°Is he sick?¡¯ Finnick wondered.


    I nodded. ¡°He was bitten by a viper in the forest. But he¡¯s healing up and should


    be better soon.¡±


    My son¡¯s ro und e yes widened.


    ¡°A viper?¡± he repeated back quietly. ¡°Oh no. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t like the forest. Too many scary things. I


    hope he feels better soon.¡±


    ¡°Me too, darling,¡± I said.


    Finnick studied the prince carefully, and I could tell he felt bad for him. My son was so considerate for


    someone so young, and he contained,more empathy than some of the more grown men I knew. He


    was so kind and caring, and was always looking out for other people¡¯s feelings, especially mine.


    ¡°Wait, Mommy, who¡¯s he?¡± Finnick asked, and this time, he was staring right at


    Asher.


    My heart ski pped again as I searched my mind for an answer. How would I exin who he was to my


    son? Before I could say anything, Finnick gasped and pointed at Asher,


    ¡°Look, Mommy, he has the same gray eyes as me,¡± he remarked in awe. ¡°But you said it was rare to


    have this color eyes!¡±


    My own eyes widened and I froze. Asher¡¯s attention fell to my son, and his lips parted ever so slightly.


    He¡¯d noticed it too.


    445

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    Chapter 6 Back to her nightmare


    CA SSANDRA


    My lip quivered as I searched for an exnation, and Asher rose from his seat. However, just as the


    Alpha King took a step toward us, the sleeping prince¡¯s eyes


    opened.


    ¡°Daddy?¡± the young boy managed. ¡°What happened?¡±


    Asher seemed to forget about uspletely and turned his full attention to hist son. He squatted down


    beside the boy and took his hand.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± he said in relief. ¡°Oh, thank goodness. Do you feel any better


    now?¡±


    His tone was gentle, something I¡¯d never heard from him before. Or perhaps I had, but the memories


    were buried now.


    The young prince nodded and smiled at his father. ¡°I feel better now, Daddy¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you remember what happened?¡± Asher asked quietly and when the boy shook his head, he sighed.


    ¡°That¡¯s alright. What¡¯s important is that you¡¯re safe and- feeling better than before. I¡¯m so relieved.¡±


    As he held his son¡¯s hand, I noticed Finnick gazing at them longingly. It tugged at my heartstrings, but


    there was nothing I could do except get the both of us away


    from here.


    ¡°We need to go,¡± I whispered, and I carefully took his hand in mine. Finnick¡¯s eyes shed, and for a


    moment, he appeared as if he wanted to say something more to Asher, but instead he just nodded. I


    knew he was still curious about why the Alpha King had the same eye color as him, but he was smart


    enough to know when it was time to quit asking questions. I knew he would probably bring it up on the


    way home, but I would deal with it then.


    4/5


    For now, I needed to leave Asher Collins to his Pack and go back to living my


    own life.


    ¡°Your Majesty, may I leave with my son?¡± I asked Asher politely.


    The Alpha King ignored me.


    ¡°Daddy, who is she?¡± the prince asked with a confused look in his eyes. ¡°And who is this boy? Why are


    they here in our room?¡±


    His lips pouted slightly, and for a moment, I was reminded of Adalyn. She used to pout in the exact


    same way, and it drove me crazy even back then.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Adalyn Moses was the daughter of the Beta and came from one of the most. prestigious families in all


    of Anemond. Once she took an interest in something, she would do anything to win it, no matter what it


    took. Clothes, fine jewelry, and even


    love. She seized it all like she was entitled to it.


    It appeared that her and Asher had spoiled their son in the same way. Even though I¡¯d saved his very


    life, the boy red at me as if I were some kind of peasant


    intruder.


    It took all of my being to not be offended by the child¡¯s actions. While I hated entitlement and had tried


    to raise my son to know better, the prince was young. Hopefully he would learn differently in time.


    ¡°That¡¯s the healer,¡± Asher answered, and after he brushed the prince¡¯s hair away


    from his forehead. ¡°She took care of you.¡±


    The intimate action took me by surprise. Asher wasn¡¯t one to show affection, at least he hadn¡¯t been


    back then. But he was clearly different now.


    ¡°Oh his son remarked, but he didn¡¯t seem too impressed. ¡°What did she heal


    -me from? I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°You were bitten by a viper,¡± Finnick spoke up helpfully.


    ¡°Shh,¡± I whispered, and I rested my hand on his shoulder. ¡°Finnick!¡±


    ¡°A viper?¡± the prince repeated back, and his face grew rmed. ¡°You mean a snake?? I hate snakes,


    Daddy!¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Asher answered, and his eyes shot daggers in our direction. ¡°You were bitten by a viper. But


    you¡¯re alright now. Cas sandra and her attendant took good care of you and you¡¯re going to be just fine.


    They gave you medicine and herbs to drink. Do you remember that?¡±


    The prince frowned. ¡°No. I don¡¯t remember.¡±


    Asher¡¯s eyebrows creased together in concern.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably from the fever, Your Majesty,¡± I spoke up in an attempt to ease the situation. ¡°It isn¡¯t


    unusual for someone who¡¯s been under such stress and fever to not remember what they¡¯ve been


    through. He¡¯s likely very tired and just needs some


    more rest.¡±


    The Alpha King didn¡¯t look fully convinced. His gray eyes looked like storm clouds as they red at me,


    and for a moment, I was worried he was going to say something bad in front of Finnick. Asher had


    been prone to temperamental outbursts in the years I¡¯d known him, and I wasn¡¯t sure if that side of him


    still


    remained.


    Luckily for us all, he softened his expression, andid his hand on his son¡¯s


    shoulder.


    ¡°You heard the healer,¡± he remarked. ¡°You just need some rest, son, You¡¯ll be just fine.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± the boy said again, and he went back to ignoring us.


    Finnick tugged at my sleeve nervously, and I ran my hand through his hair. I¡¯d never wanted to leave


    the Pack House more than I did at this moment.


    ¡°Can we leave, Your Majesty?¡± I decided to ask again. ¡°My son could use some rest as well and we live


    a little distance from here.¡±


    An eternity passed as I waited for an answer. Finally, after a minute, Asher


    nced over at me.


    ¡°You can leave, Ca ssandra,¡± the Alpha King said in a bored tone of voice.


    Relief flooded through me and it took all of my patience to keep from sighing.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty-¡± I started to say, but he cut me off with a raise of his


    hand.


    ¡°When you return home, pack your things,¡± he said sternly. ¡°You¡¯ll be leaving with us in two days¡¯ time.¡±


    My jaw dropped open.


    Leaving?


    What did he mean by that?


    ¡°E-excuse me?¡± I managed to say. ¡°What do you mean, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re returning with us to Anemond,¡± the Alpha King said without looking at me, and my heart


    dropped.


    ¡°What?¡± I blurted out, and for a moment, I forgot to maintain an air of respect. What in the world did


    Asher Collins mean? Why would I be returning with him to


    Anemond?


    ¡°It should be simple enough for you to understand,¡± Asher sighed, and when he nced over at me, he


    raised an eyebrow. ¡°I need to make sure Marco fully recovers and that there¡¯s nothing suspicious about


    the herbs you used on him. The royal family cannot be too cautious, not these days, and besides¡­ you


    should be honored to be allowed to enter Anemond. Not many in your station are allowed into the


    capital.¡±/


    Silence fell as his words crashed over me, and I broke into a panic.


    Anemond.


    I¡¯d done everything in my power to forget everything that¡¯d happened there.


    And now he wanted me to face it all again.

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    Chapter 7 Bad guy


    CA SSANDRA


    ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s going on?¡± Finnick whispered, and he stared up at me with widened eyes. I froze in


    ce, unsure of how to answer him. Surely, the Alpha King


    couldn¡¯t be serious.


    Me, go with him to Anemond?


    I studied Asher¡¯s expression and wondered if he¡¯d seen past my changed face.


    and voice. Had he discovered it was me after all? No. There was no way.


    Regardless, why would he bring me there? As the capital city of the Wega Empire, there were


    countless outstanding healers that resided there. While I knew I was good at my job, I didn¡¯t believe for


    a moment that I was any more talented than any of them.


    If anything, I could just write down the list of herbs I¡¯d used and have the ser vants pass it along to the


    royal healers, and if something was amiss, they knew


    where to find me.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t understand, Your Majesty,¡± I asked him. ¡°Why bring me all the way to


    Anemond?¡±


    ¡°Must I repeat myself?¡± the Alpha King sighed and he shook his head in frustration. ¡°I thought you were


    smart, but perhaps I¡¯m giving you too much credit.¡±


    Anger s piked within me, but I ignored it.


    ¡°Begging your pardon, but I have patients here in the Wild Crawler Pack I must attend to,¡± I brought up


    in hopes he¡¯d change his mind. ¡°Many of them require. treatment that only I can administer.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that why you have an assistant?¡± Asher retorted.


    ¡°Well, yes,¡± I admitted. ¡°But I can¡¯t just leave her to do all of the work. It takes


    both of us to run the clinic.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a discussion, Ca ssandra,¡± his voice hardened as his impatience grew. ¡°It¡¯s an order. You will


    comply or else suffer the consequences. I doubt you wish to subject your son to any sort of


    punishment.¡±


    The Alpha King was right. I couldn¡¯t refuse, not when it was a royal decree. I had to do what was right


    and keep Finnick from harm¡¯s way.


    ¡°No, Your Majesty,¡± I replied quickly, and I held Finnick close.


    ¡°Now, leave us,¡± Ashermanded. ¡°Return home and prepare your things.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said, and after I rose to my feet, I bowed in respect. ¡°Your Majesty.¡±


    Finnick and I left without another word, and once the doors were closed behind us, my son grabbed my


    hand.


    ¡°Mommy,¡± he whispered. ¡°He scares me.¡±


    ¡°Shh,¡± I whispered back, and I nced around to make sure no one had heard him. ¡°You mustn¡¯t say


    such things, not until we¡¯re home, okay?¡±N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he apologized.


    I led Finnick down the stairs, and after I waved goodbye to Jasper, we left the


    Pack House.


    It was nearly nightfall, and the moon shone bright above us as we walked down the gray stone path


    back toward town.


    ¡°Did you eat dinner?¡± I asked Finnick, and my son nodded.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°Auntie Sofia gave us soup and cr ackers.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± I replied simply, and I made note to thank the Luna for watching my son and taking care of him


    while I was working.


    As we headed toward our house, a few Pack members greeted us and wished us good evenings. I kept


    my responses polite but short. Now was the time the Pack. members would be heading home to


    celebrate their harvests, but I wanted nothing to do with any of it. Even if I had, I needed time to


    process everything that¡¯d


    happened that day.


    Finnick stayed close to me, his fingers wrapped tightly around mine. I knew he could sense my


    frustration, so he remained quiet as we quickly walked, but after a while, he started tog behind me.


    Soon, I dropped his hand without really noticing until he called after me.


    ¡°Mommy?¡± he said. ¡°Please slow down!¡±


    When I turned around, I noticed he¡¯d stopped and was panting about ten feet behind me.


    I rushed over to him and crouched down so I was eye-level.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, honey,¡± I apologized. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize I was walking so fast.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Finnick replied as he caught his breath. Once he was calm, his eyebrows creased together.


    ¡°You look sad, Mommy.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine, darling,¡± I assured him, but he wasn¡¯t convinced by my words.


    ¡°You said we don¡¯t lie to each other,¡± he insisted, and his face waspletely serious.


    He was such a sensitive soul, and I knew he could tell I wasn¡¯t okay. But what could I say? How could I


    exin the situation in a way that a child could


    understand?


    ¡°Do you want to go to Anemond?¡± I asked him softly, and he immediately shook. his head.


    ¡°No,¡± he said.


    ¡°Why not?¡± I asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to,¡± he replied as if it was obvious. ¡°If Mommy doesn¡¯t like it, then I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    My sweet, loyal boy. He was so special, so empathetic. I smiled at him, and drew him into a hug. After


    a moment, I let go, and we resumed our walk. As we continued on, Finnick started asking more


    questions, and I did my best to answer


    I


    him without revealing too much.


    ¡°Mommy, he was that strange man?¡± he wondered, ¡°You called him¡­ M-Majesty.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ um¡­ an important official,¡± I exined simply.


    ¡°Is he from Anemond?¡± Finnick asked.


    I nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Is he a bad guy?¡±


    I paused, unsure of how to answer him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I finally admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about him, Finnick.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Finnick replied, and that was that.


    We didn¡¯t talk about anything else the rest of the way home.


    Once we got back to our small house, I carried Finnick up the stairs to his bedroom and carefully


    helped him into his pajamas. After he brushed his teeth, I brought him a ss of water and then tucked


    him into bed. Normally, I read him a story before bed, but neither of us seemed interested in that ritual


    tonight. So instead, I crawled under the covers with him and snuggled him beside me. He rested his


    head against me, and I ran my fingers through his soft hair, just like I had when he was a baby.


    ¡°Mommy?¡± Finnick asked in a clear voice, and before the words left his mouth, I


    knew what he was about to ask.


    ¡°Yes, my love?¡± I replied calmly, even though my heart raced in my chest.


    ¡°Why did that man have gray eyes like mine?¡± he wondered. He sat up and turned his body around to


    face mine. His curious eyes were wider than I¡¯d ever seen them, and his lower lip trembled slightly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I whispered, but Finnick grabbed my hand. He took a deep


    breath and then tilted his head to the side.


    ¡°Mommy, you told me it was the color of an angel¡¯s wings,¡± he said. ¡°You said it was a nice color.¡±


    ¡°It is, my love,¡± I said.


    ¡°But the man wasn¡¯t an angel, was he?¡± he whispered so softly I almost didn¡¯t. hear him. ¡°He is a bad


    guy.¡±


    ¡°Shhh,¡± I said, and I brought the covers up over us. ¡°Let¡¯s get some sleep,


    okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Finnick replied. I snuggled him closer against me, and as he fell asleep in my arms, I couldn¡¯t


    help but wonder if my child was right.


    Was Asher Collins a bad guy?

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    Chapter 8 She had to run!


    CA SSANDRA


    I remained in bed with Finnick for a while and stared lovingly at his adorable face as he dreamt. Part of


    me could have stayed here forever, holding my sweet baby boy in my arms, but the other part knew


    there was so much to do.


    I carefully tucked Finnick deep into the covers, and once I was sure he wasn¡¯t going to wake, I quietly


    slipped out of his room and headed toward mine down the. hall. I gently closed the door behind me,


    and once it was shut, I released the sigh I¡¯d been holding onto for hours now.


    This was all such a mess, and there was only one thing I could do.


    I had to pack- not for Anemond, but somewhere else.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I needed to take Finnick and run as far away as we could.


    I didn¡¯t see any other choice. My son and I couldn¡¯t go to Anemond.


    So, I started moving around my room and got to packing.


    I grabbed only the essentials- a few pairs of clothes, some money I¡¯d stashed away, necessary


    toiletries, and the legal documents I needed to hold onto for Finnick¡¯s sake. We wouldn¡¯t need much for


    now and couldn¡¯t afford to be bogged down by material possessions.


    In a little while, I would pack a bag for Finnick. I knew this was going to upset him, but I saw no other


    option. I would try to entice the offer as much as I could, but with how sensitive he was¡­ I could only


    hope he would understand one day.


    After I had some things set aside, I went to the bathroom and sshed some water on my face. When I


    stared at the mirror, I noticed my dark green eyes were bloodshot and my skin was paler than normal. I


    looked like a wreck, but I couldn¡¯t


    worry about that now.


    So, I returned quietly to my room and found a notebook. I tore out a page and wrote a well-thought out


    note to Marley exining the circumstances of my leaving. I knew that if my friend didn¡¯t see me at the


    clinic tomorrow, she¡¯d show up at my house and try to figure out what was going on.


    I knew this was going to be difficult for Marley. The clinic was crowded with so many patients sick with


    whatever illness was guing the Pack. It was difficult to manage it all with two people, so I could


    barely imagine how she could do it all on


    her own.


    But I had no other choice.


    Besides, Marley was well-qualified and a talented enough doctor to handle it. I. knew she would


    understand, especially when she got to the part of the note about Finnick. She knew our children were


    the world to us, and as my friend, I knew she would want what was best for the both of us.


    Maybe, once everything was settled down, I coulde back. The Alpha King would likely lose interest


    in a healer from a small backwoods Pack quickly. Perhaps it would all blow over in a couple of weeks,


    and Finnick and I could resume the lives


    we¡¯d built here.


    Until then, we had to run.


    I hadn¡¯t been fully convinced of this decision until Finnick had asked his questions. If I¡¯d obeyed orders,


    things would have be too dangerous for my son. He was eager to know all about the Alpha King,


    and I couldn¡¯t fault him for his eagerness. So, we had to leave.


    I was too afraid that Asher would find out about Finnick¡¯s identity and lineage. I couldn¡¯t lose my son.


    We had to get as far away from Asher Collins as possible.


    I looked around at my room. It was paining me to know that we would have to -leave all of this behind


    indefinitely.


    It was then I thought of Emmett.


    This had been Emmett¡¯s house. When he¡¯d saved me from the deadly inferno


    five years ago, he¡¯d brought me out here. I¡¯d been covered in blisters and my skin had been marred


    and blo ody. It took months to fully heal from the damage I¡¯d sustained, but Emmett took the time to


    cure me. He¡¯d saved my life and gave me shelter. Once I was better, he taught me to be the healer I


    now was.


    Emmett had even married me so I could legally stay here in the Wild Crawler Pack. He didn¡¯t love me,


    of course, but he still did it all anyway.


    One day, I¡¯d asked him why he had done all of this, why he¡¯d take this risk to save someone who


    should have been dead back in Anemond. I asked why he¡¯d bothered to save someone the royal family


    had wanted dead. He¡¯d gotten a strange. look on his face and then offered me a simple answer.


    ¡°It¡¯s a healer¡¯s duty to help someone sick or in pain.¡±


    Since then, I¡¯d carried on this duty and worked hard to be a healer like him. I wanted to repay his


    gratitude by working hard and making a name for myself.


    Emmett had died a year ago. He had been on his way to a neighboring Pack to help a patient, but he


    never returned. Reportedly, he¡¯d been attacked, but they never found his body.


    I found it hard to ept that he was gone, but only because he had been so strong. He was a very


    capable werewolf, though he hardly ever showed off his physical strength to others. Someone weak


    would not have been able to save me in that inferno, not to mention heal me over the course of a few


    months.


    So, I held onto hope that he was still alive. I remained here in the Wild Crawler Pack and ran his clinic


    while I waited for him to return. A small part of me wondered if I was being overly optimistic. After all,


    there was a small chance that he had died in some kind of ident or attack. Or maybe, he just didn¡¯t


    want to return. He had been a royer long before we¡¯d met. Perhaps he¡¯d gone back to that life and


    couldn¡¯t say goodbye to me.


    I could have left long ago. In fact, I should have left Wega and settled down. elsewhere, somewhere


    far away from my past where I wouldn¡¯t have to worry or be under the rule of someone like Asher


    Collins.


    But, there was no time like the present. I couldn¡¯t wait any longer, not when the danger was nearly at


    our doorstep. I wouldn¡¯t go back to Anemond and neither would my son.


    I nced over at the clock. It was approaching midnight.


    The guards would begin their night shift soon, but I had to take my chances. The Wild Crawler Pack


    was at the territory border of Wega. If I could get us out of here and through the forest, we could


    leave Wega.


    We finally could leave my past, Asher Collins, and the threat of losing my son.


    behind us forever.


    I took a long deep breath and headed down the hall toward Finnick¡¯s room. We had to go, and we had


    to go now if we were going to have any shot at surviving.

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    Chapter 9 Attack


    CA SSANDRA


    When I entered my son¡¯s room, I half-expected him to be awake, but he was


    fast asleep.


    He had his arms wrapped around his favorite teddy bear, Teddy, and for a moment, I didn¡¯t want to


    wake him up. He seemed so peaceful, and I was about to put him through so much stress.


    But not as much as I would be if we went to Anemond.


    So, I leaned down and gently touched his arm.


    ¡°Finnick,¡± I whispered, and when he didn¡¯t rouse, I said his name again. After a moment, his nose


    crinkled and his eyes blinked open.


    ¡°Mommy?¡± he said, and he yawned lightly.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Sorry to wake you, baby,¡± I said, and I gave him my most apologetic smile. ¡°We have to go.¡±


    ¡°Go?¡± he repeated back in a confused voice. ¡°Go where?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you on the way there,¡± I exined. ¡°For now, we just need to get ready,


    okay?¡±


    Finnick nodded, though his gray eyes were concerned. I pulled the covers aside and helped him down.


    We walked over to the closet, and we got him dressed.


    After I zipped up his jacket, I picked out a couple of fresh sets of clothes and packed them in a small


    backpack.


    ¡°Put this on,¡± I instructed him.


    ¡°Can Teddye?¡± he asked hopefully, and he nced over at the stuffed bear he¡¯d left on the bed. I


    studied the toy carefully. We were running low on room, but Teddy was his favorite toy. I couldn¡¯t ask


    him to leave it behind when I was already asking so much of him.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°But we have to put him in your backpack, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Finnick agreed. We carefully put Teddy in his bag, and once he was secure it was time for


    shoes.


    Finnick and I went downstairs, and after we were fully dressed, I did a quick scan of the house. It


    seemed like I had remembered everything we needed. I nced at the clock. It was time to go.


    I scooped Finnick into my arms and held him close.


    ¡°Hold on tight, baby,¡± I said, and I wrapped my jacket around him to conceal him


    further.


    I carried him out of the house and into the night.


    The street waspletely empty, with only the streetlights out to light our way. I nced around and


    made sure we were alone. Luckily, everyone else seemed to be asleep. I held Finnick tight and then


    took off toward the forest.


    fear.


    On the way there, Finnick let out a soft sound of worry.


    ¡°Are we going to the forest, Mommy?¡± he asked, and his tone was painted with


    ¡°Yes, baby.¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry we have to go there, I know you don¡¯t like it. But I need you to be


    brave, okay?¡±


    ¡°Why do we have to go?¡± he pressed. I considered my words carefully.


    ¡°You were right before,¡± I decided. ¡°The man we saw today. He¡¯s very bad and very dangerous. So we


    have to go somewhere to keep us safe.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a total lie. Asher Collins wasn¡¯t a good man, especially considering


    what he had done to me.


    When Finnick didn¡¯t reply, I asked him the question I know he didn¡¯t want to hear. ¡°Are you afraid?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he said firmly. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid. Let¡¯s leave. I¡¯ll protect you. I can walk-¡±


    ¡°Not now, sweetheart,¡± I said quickly as he tried to wiggle in my arms. ¡°Not before we pass the


    sentinels. Just stay here for right now.¡±


    I held my son closer to my chest, and Finnick sighed.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he said simply, and he fell silent. It was for the best. Finnick would have been fine on foot, but


    there was a short interval just before midnight when there would be no guards around. This window


    was our only hope and it was minutes


    away.


    So, I quickened my pace and kept walking.


    Not too long after, we made it there, and to my delight, there were no guards. around. I let out a sigh of


    relief and then walked straight into the forest..


    After we made it a good way in, I set Finnick down and reached into my pack. I¡¯d brought a shlight, a


    compass, and a knife with me. Retrieved them all, and after I put the knife in my pocket, I turned on the


    shlight.


    The forest was pitch-ck around us, so we needed to rely on the shlight to see. I used the light to


    check thepass. I wasn¡¯t an expert navigator, but I knew enough to get us through. We needed to


    avoid the forbidden section of the forest, so I had to find us a shortcut that would get us out of Wega,


    If I timed things. correctly, we could be on the other side of the forest by the morning.


    In the meantime, I needed to take every precaution to keep us safe. Now that I couldn¡¯t shift, I needed


    to keep my wits about me and keep us from making too many sounds or running into any predators..


    Luckily for us, my father had taught me how to use a knife when I was a girl, but I¡¯d never had to use


    one before.


    I took Finnick¡¯s hand in mine. This was his first time entering the forest, and I could tell he was scared


    because his palms were wet. I felt pangs of guilt go. through me. Putting Finnick in this much danger


    wasn¡¯t fair, but I had no other choice. I couldn¡¯t let the nightmares of Anemonde back to me, not


    again, and I wouldn¡¯t let them take my son.


    So, we began our walk through the forest.


    At first, the two of us were too afraid to speak. We continued on for an hour inplete silence,


    carefully maneuvering through the sp ikey trees together.


    Once we were a little further in, I rxed my grip around Finnick¡¯s hand, and when I did, he cleared his


    throat.


    ¡°Mommy?¡± he asked me quietly.


    ¡°Yes, sweetheart?¡±


    ¡°How do you know the man is bad?¡± he wondered.


    I considered my answer carefully. ¡°Well¡­ I didn¡¯t tell you earlier, but I do actually know the man. I¡¯m


    sorry I lied about it.¡±


    Finnick fell silent.


    ¡°I just didn¡¯t want you to worry about it, baby,¡± I exined. ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to worry about me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mommy,¡± he said very maturely. ¡°I understand.¡±


    The boy was already wise beyond his years, and again, I found myself admiring his emotional


    intelligence. He was going to be an extraordinary man one day, but for now, he was my best friend.


    Not too far ahead, fireflies began to light up, and Finnick grew excited. He dropped my hand and


    immediately rushed ahead.


    ¡°Look, Mommy!¡± he eximed, forgetting we needed to stay quiet. ¡°I¡¯m going to


    catch it!¡±


    ¡°Finnick!¡± I called after him, but he kept going. He ran until I couldn¡¯t see him anymore, and I started to


    panic.


    ¡°Finnick!¡± I called again.


    Suddenly, I heard a gasp, a thud, and then a scream.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Finnick yelled louder than I¡¯d ever heard him before. I ran as fast as I could in the direction


    of his voice. Adrenaline kicked in and didn¡¯t stop until I spotted the top of his head with my shlight. I


    sped even faster as Finnick screamed again.


    When I reached him, my heart stopped in my chest. Half of my son¡¯s body had fallen into a hole and


    was trapped between rocks.

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    Chapter 10 Savior


    CA SSANDRA


    ¡°Finnick!¡± I cried.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Finnick shouted back through tears. ¡°Mommy, help me!¡±


    I shined the shlight over the rocks and coordinated a small path. I could get a better look at the


    situation if I shifted a little around them.


    ¡°Hold on, baby,¡± I pleaded. ¡°Mommy is going to help. Just keep breathing.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Finnick whimpered, and the sound tugged at my heartstrings.


    I followed the beams of light and made my way down over the rocks. It was a little difficult to navigate,


    but I had to save my son.


    When I reached the bottom, I shined the shlight around me to get my -bearings, and when I did, I


    realized we were at the entrance of a small cave. Somehow, Finnick had managed to stamp on it and


    get caught in between rocks.


    ¡°Keep breathing, Finnick,¡± I urged him as he wiggled and writhed. ¡°I think I can get you out.¡±


    I carefully climbed back up to the top of the rocks and over to Finnick. Even in the dark, I could see his


    cheeks were soaked from his tears. His lower lip trembled, and for the first time in a while, he was truly


    upset, not that I could me him. I was on the verge of tears myself, but I needed to stay strong. I


    couldn¡¯t break down, not


    now.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to try to pull you out,¡± I warned him. ¡°Can you give me your arms?¡±


    ¡°O-okay,¡± Finnick stammered, and he held his arms out in front of him. I carefully grabbed onto them


    and after I steadied my stance to make sure I was stable, I tugged. Finnick whimpered, and when I


    tried again to pull him out, he cried out.


    ¡°O,¡± he whimpered. He was caught and most likely injured. My head spun a little bit as the guilt


    began to set in. If only I had held onto Finnick¡¯s hand, perhaps. he wouldn¡¯t be in this position.


    Suddenly, a strange growl interrupted us, and I jumped in surprise.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Finnick screamed. The growl hade from behind us. My entire body shook as I turned


    around and pointed my shlight in the direction of the sound, and then my eyes widened in horror.


    It was a bear.


    The beast¡¯s eyes shed green and it growled again as it shifted a little from the light beam. This time,


    the sound was louder, and I caught a glimpse of the


    animal¡¯s teeth as is widened its mouth.


    We were in trouble.


    I carefully moved in front of Finnick, facing the bear. My body continued to shake in fear, but I couldn¡¯t


    let anything happen to my son.


    ¡°Shh,¡± I whispered to him. ¡°Stay quiet.¡±


    The bear watched me move and narrowed its eyes. It growled again and took a small step forward, and


    then one to the side.


    I was surprised it hadn¡¯t attacked us yet. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t hungry, and we were just trespassers in its


    territory.


    I


    As the bear considered its actions, I slowly reached into my pocket and pulled


    out my knife.


    When I was a young girl, I¡¯d heard stories of werewolves fighting bears during their hunts in graphic


    detail. The stories would involve a lot of blood, tearing of limbs, and then the heads of their kills being


    shown off to Pack members as trophies. I¡¯d never seen a bear head for myself, but I knew there was


    likely some truth to the tales. Of course, I couldn¡¯t shift anymore.


    As much as I wanted to fight the bear like a true werewolf, I was incapable.


    This n to leave Wega had been careless. How stu pid it was of me to think we could get through


    this forest safely.


    The bear let out a roar. Perhaps it had finally grown annoyed, or maybe it had taken me for one of the


    werewolves who¡¯d been out hunting today. Either way, the bear was riled up and ready to strike.


    When it lumbered forward, I gripped the knife tightly in my hand. This was it. We were going to fight.


    The bear was bulky, and its movements were a little clumsy as it came toward me. I stepped out


    quickly so our fight would be away from Finnick, and then. squatted down to avoid the bear¡¯s massive


    paw. Adrenaline moved through me, and when the bear wiped again, I lunged out and sliced its paw.


    The bear roared again in pain, and blood sputtered over the rocks. Momentster, it swiped again, and


    this time I wasn¡¯t so lucky. It made contact with my arm, and my shoulder cried out as something


    cracked.


    I screamed, and Finnick behind me started to wail in terror. As the pain set in, I realized I had two


    choices. I could crumple to the ground and give up, or I could


    continue to fight and save us.


    So, I gathered all of my bravery, and as the tears streamed down my cheeks, I lunged again and


    shoved my knife into the bear¡¯s chest.


    The beast howled and shuddered as I pushed it in further, and then it pushed me aside with its arm. I


    fell to my feet and clutched my shoulder. My knife had been useful, but it was now trapped in the bear. I


    had nothing to defend myself with.


    The bear swiped its paw in the air, and I had this sick feeling that it wanted my -head. It leaned back on


    its haunches, as if it were preparing to spring.


    I got down on the ground. This was inevitable. I didn¡¯t see a way out of this. As the beast howled and


    roared, I crawled over to Finnick. My son was sobbing, and I immediately threw my arms around him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry,¡± I urged him. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, baby. I love you so much.¡±


    ¡°Mommy-¡± he started to say, but his words dissolved into s obs. I let go of him after a moment and


    began to dig at the rocks that surrounded him.


    ¡°When I get these out, I¡¯m going to need you to get in the cave,¡± I urged him.


    ¡°Mommy, no,¡± Finnick pleaded, but I shook my head.


    ¡°You need to get down and into the cave!¡± I repeated myself, my voice hardened. I¡¯d never spoken to


    Finnick like that, but this matter was serious. Finnick nodded, and I kept pulling up the rocks. They tore


    into my hands, but I managed to shift them and soon, Finnick was able to move.


    ¡°Come on, sweetheart,¡± I urged. He shifted a little, and then winced in pain. But my brave boy was


    strong. He helped me shift more rocks until the hole was big enough for him to move.


    ¡°I love you,¡± I said, and then I pushed him down slightly. ¡°Duck down into the cave, Finnick. Don¡¯te


    out until I tell you to.¡±


    Finnick did as he was told, and I watched as he disappeared down the hole and into the cave. Relief


    flooded through me. He was safe.


    Behind me, the bear roared, and my life shed before me. This was likely it. My son was safe, but I


    was about to meet my maker. I was living on borrowed time. anyway. I should have died five years ago.


    1.


    Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my back, and dizziness rushed through.


    A voice called out from somewhere far away, but my vision was too clouded to see anyone. I began to


    shake as the pain took hold. For a moment, I was frozen, but then I managed to raise my head.


    When I did, I saw someone I didn¡¯t expect.


    Asher Collins was approaching me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cora,¡± the Alpha King said smoothly. ¡°I waste.¡±


    ¡°Asher?¡± I whispered. He reached out and touched my cheek.


    ¡°Can you forgive me?¡± he asked.


    The world around me suddenly went fuzzy.


    I was deluded. I had to be.

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11


    Chapter 11 Alpha King found her?


    CA SSANDRA


    When I awoke, my vision was blurred, and my head swam with incoherent thoughts. As I fought back


    the dizziness, my eyes began to adjust, and images of the Moon Goddess and the Holy Moon


    appeared.


    For a moment, I stared at them and wondered if this was the afterlife.


    Had the bear managed to take my life? Was I¡­ dead?


    Suddenly, the room came into focus, and I recognized the mural I¡¯d painted on my ceiling long ago. I


    wasn¡¯t dead. I was in my bedroom, tucked tightly into bed.


    How had I gotten here?


    Suddenly, I felt the soft touch of a warm hand on my arm. When I nced over, I caught sight of


    Marley.


    ¡°Oh Ca ssandra,¡± she gushed in pure relief, and her pale green eyes glittered with tears. ¡°You¡¯re


    awake!¡±


    It took me a moment to register everything. I blinked a few times and then I smiled up at my dear friend.


    ¡°H-hi, M-Marley.¡±


    The effort of speaking hurt my throat, but I was so relieved to see her that it


    didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°I was so worried, Ca ss,¡± Marley continued on, and she wiped a tear from her cheek. ¡°So extremely


    worried.¡±


    She then took my hand in hers.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to scare you,¡± I managed to say. I wanted tofort her further, but when I attempted to


    squeeze her hand, a sharp pain shot through my entire body.


    When I winced, she pulled her hand away quickly.


    ¡°Oh, Ca ss,¡± Marley uttered, and her eyes widened. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, that must have


    hurt!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s okay,¡± I said through the pain, and then a thought crossed my mind.


    Where was my Finnick?


    I nced around the room, but my son was nowhere to be found. Panic flooded through me, and my


    heart rate increased exponentially. Had he made it out of that cave? And how had I ended up here


    anyway?


    ¡°Marley, where¡¯s Finnick?¡± I asked, and my lower lip trembled as I choked out


    I I the words. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is he alright? And how did I get here in the first ce?


    ¡°Hey, take a breath,¡± Marley urged, and her expression grew serious. ¡°Finnick is perfectly safe. He¡¯s


    back at the Pack House with the Alpha and Luna. They¡¯re taking good care of him.¡±


    ¡°Is he h-hurt?¡± I stammered, and my vision grew cloudy with tears as memories


    of the bear and the cave crashed over me.


    But Marley shook her head. ¡°Finnick is perfectly fine. He¡¯s a little bruised but that¡¯s it. Now, I¡¯m serious,


    take a deep breath. Doctor¡¯s orders. You¡¯re in pretty rough shape and I don¡¯t want you to hurt yourself


    further.¡±


    It took a moment for the information to sink in, and when it did, I heeded my friend¡¯s advice and took a


    long, deep breath. A few minutester, when I was in a calmer state, another thought crossed my mind.


    ¡°Who¡­ who saved me from the bear?¡± I wondered, and my eyebrows creased together. ¡°And how did I


    get back here in the first ce?¡±


    A strange look crossed Marley¡¯s face.


    ¡°The Alpha from Anemond brought you here,¡± she replied with a roll of her eyes, and she let out a small


    sigh. ¡°He was the one who found you out in the woods.¡±


    I gasped in surprise.


    Asher Collins had found me?


    It made a little sense, I supposed. Before I¡¯d lost consciousness, thest face I remembered seeing


    was Asher¡¯s.


    Is it possible I hadn¡¯t hallucinated after all?


    ¡°The Alpha found me,¡± I repeated back quietly. I attempted to sit up, but the effort sent another pang of


    pain through my chest, so Iid back down. ¡°Wow.¡±


    ¡°It was definitely a surprise to get a call from him in the middle of the night,¡± Marley remarked. ¡°When


    he exined the situation to me, he sounded like he was going to bite my head off or something.¡±


    I frowned in confusion. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Marley sighed again, and she sat down on the chair beside me. ¡°Well, he was extremely angry. He was


    super short-tempered with me and ordered me to get to the clinic-to help. I totally understand the


    urgency, and I would have rushed there in a second anyway to help you, but he was intense, to say the


    least. That being said¡­ What he did really changed my opinion of him.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I asked in surprise and she nodded.


    ¡°When he arrived at the clinic, he was so gentle with you,¡± she exined. ¡°You were passed out cold,


    and he handled you so carefully. He helped me get you down on the table and made sure you were


    comfortable as I started treating you.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± I uttered.


    ¡°Right?¡± Marley agreed, and she shook her head slowly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have believed it if I hadn¡¯t seen it


    with my own eyes. He could have sent a guard to handle the whole thing, but he wouldn¡¯t let anyone


    else into the clinic the entire time I was taking care of your injuries. Then he carried you himself all the


    way here to your house.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ surprising,¡± I remarked.


    Asher Collins had personally escorted me back to my house?


    For a moment, I felt strange about the idea of the Alpha King being in my small house, but the other


    part of me was grateful that he¡¯d intervened and helped Marley get me home safe. That meant more to


    me than I could express, even if the idea of


    it all was so strange.


    ¡°Definitely,¡± Marley said. ¡°We made sure you werefortable, and then he left. for the Pack House. It


    was so strange, Ca ssandra. It was like he was apletely different person than he¡¯d been when we


    were taking care of his son.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s definitely strange,¡± I said. When I tried to readjust myself in bed, my shoulder cried out in pain,


    and I let out a soft cry. Marley immediately reached out and supported me.


    ¡°You have to be careful,¡± she urged. ¡°You¡¯re going to stress your body out if you keep moving around.¡±


    I


    Tears welled up in my eyes as I suddenly became aware of the rest of the pain. It was there in my


    abdomen, my arm, my head¡­ I was a wreck.


    ¡°So, how bad is it?¡± I wondered even though I was scared of the answer.


    ¡°I¡¯m not gonna lie, it¡¯s not great,¡± Marley replied, and she gave me an apologetic look. ¡°The bear¡¯s


    ws scratched your stomach up pretty badly, and your shoulder


    is sprained.¡±


    My eyes widened.


    ¡°Rx,¡± my friend insisted. ¡°You¡¯re going to be just fine. It¡¯s just gonna take some time to heal. Now, I¡¯m


    gonna take a look at your stomach and make sure nothing is bleeding, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I agreed.


    Marley carefully shifted the covers away from me and got to work immediately.


    She gently checked my bandages, and after a minute or so, she pulled the nket


    back over me.


    ¡°Looks good,¡± she said, and after she smiled at me, the expression faded, and she stared deeply into


    my eyes. ¡°Ca ss, I just have to ask¡­ why were you out in the forest with Finnick to begin with?


    Especially thatte at night. What was going on?¡±


    My heart stopped in my chest, and I gulped quietly. I¡¯d assumed Marley had read the letter I¡¯d left her,


    but evidently, she hadn¡¯t.


    When I hesitated to find an answer, Marley¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°I can tell you¡¯re about to lie to me,¡± she said. ¡°Please don¡¯t. I want to know what happened, Ca ssy. It


    must have been serious if you¡¯d brought Finnick out there with you. Please just tell me. I won¡¯t tell


    anyone else, I swear.¡±


    I wanted to lie, but Marley was my best friend. I couldn¡¯t reveal all of the details. of my past, but I had to


    tell her this.


    ¡°The Alpha King ordered me toe with him to Anemond,¡± I revealed. ¡°He told


    me I had two days and then I was supposed toe with him.¡±


    Marley was shocked.


    ¡°That dog,¡± she cursed under her breath. ¡°I take back everything I said. He¡¯s a terrible person. How


    dare he try to uproot your entire life like that.¡±


    After the words left her lips, we fell into silence. We could curse him all we wanted, but we both knew


    his order wasw. I could only imagine what he would do


    now that I¡¯d tried to leave.


    But that was something I could worry aboutter. For now, my only concern


    was Finnick.


    My eyes flew toward the window. The sun hadn¡¯t risen from the h orizon yet. It was earlier than I¡¯d


    thought.


    ¡°I have to pick Finnick up,¡± I remarked. ¡°He¡¯s probably scared and worried sick.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll do no such thing,¡± Marley replied in a serious voice. ¡°You¡¯re too weak to go anywhere. Finnick is


    safe. You need to worry about yourself and get some rest.¡±


    She picked a bottle of medicine off of my nightstand and opened the container. She retrieved a pair of


    pills. Painkillers, I assumed.


    ¡°Take these,¡± she urged, and she carefully helped me get them down. After I swallowed, she gave me


    some water and then pulled the nket up further.


    ¡°But what about-¡± I started to say, but Marley cut me off.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Finnick will see youter,¡± she said. ¡°Now, try to get some sleep. When you wake up, I¡¯ll apany


    you to the Pack House.¡±

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12


    Chapter 12 Alpha¡¯s meeting


    CA SSANDRA


    I tried to protest Marley¡¯s proposal, but I knew it was a losing battle. I needed to get some rest so I


    could be strong enough to see Finnick. Even though he was with Alpha Gareth¡¯s family, my poor boy


    was probably terrified and worried about me. And I was worried about him.


    But I couldn¡¯t deny that I needed rest.


    So, Iid back in bed.


    Marley told me she¡¯d be downstairs and she¡¯d check on me in a little while, and then she quietly left the


    room. Once she was gone, I took a long deep breath and tried to process everything she¡¯d told me.


    Asher Collins had saved my life.


    I closed my eyes after a while and tried to get some rest. Luckily, the medicine Marley had given me


    was highly effective, and I drifted off quickly, but my sleep was anything but peaceful.


    My dreams were gued with images and nightmares of the inferno along with scenarios of losing my


    Finnick all because Asher had exposed my real identity. The dreams were strange and twisted, and


    when I awoke, I was drenched in sweat.


    Golden sunlight streamed through the window. I¡¯d been asleep for hours. I managed to carefully sit up


    without causing myself too much pain, and after I took a long, deep breath, I raised my arm to brush my


    hair from my forehead. The effort was painful, but it was a relief to get some cold air on my face.


    ¡°Marley?¡± I called out, and my throat strained a little at the effort. The door opened momentster, and


    Marley entered the room.


    ¡°Oh good, you¡¯re awake,¡± my friend remarked, and she gave me a small smile.


    ¡°How are you feeling, Ca ss?¡±


    ¡°Warm,¡± I admitted, and then I gave her a tiny smile back. ¡°But other than that, I guess I could be a lot


    worse.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I wanna hear,¡± Marley replied as she walked over to the bed. Once she reached


    my side, she started checking my bandages. ¡°It looks like your dressings stayed intact while you slept.


    That¡¯s great.¡±


    ¡°Definitely,¡± I agreed, and then I took another deep breath. ¡°Marley, could we go


    to the Pack House?¡±


    ¡°In a while,¡± Marley said slowly, and she offered me an apologetic look. ¡°Let¡¯s get some food in you first,


    along with some water and another round of medicine, okay?¡±


    I sighed. She was right.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I agreed.


    Marley went downstairs for a while, and when she returned, she had a tray with a bowl of soup and


    some cra ckers, along with a cup of tea and a ss of water.


    I tried to feed myself, but Marley wouldn¡¯t let me. She insisted on helping me eat, and as embarrassing


    as it was to need help with such a normal thing, I knew it was in my best interest to ept the help.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯ve been thinking about it, Cas sandra,¡± Marley mused once I was done with my soup.


    ¡°There has to be some way to reject the Alpha King¡¯s request.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, Marley,¡± I objected. ¡°His word isw-¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but you¡¯re the only fully qualified healer in this Pack,¡± she interrupted me with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°I mean, I¡¯m no slouch, but I¡¯m nowhere near as gifted as you, at least not yet. There¡¯s no way Gareth


    or Sofia would let you go. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll beg the Alpha King to let you stay. He¡¯ll change his mind. I¡¯m


    sure of it.¡±


    ¡°I sure hope you¡¯re right,¡± I said, and I smiled at her. Even though she could be


    grumpy sometimes, Marley managed to stay so optimistic even in times of hopelessness and I admired


    her greatly.


    I only wished she was right.


    About an hourter, Marley helped me get out of bed, and after I changed my clothes and got myself a


    little more presentable, we decided it was time to go to


    the Pack House.


    The walk there was unpleasant and slow, but Marley was there to help me the entire time, so it wasn¡¯t


    nearly as awful as it would have been alone.


    When we reached the Pack House, Marley knocked on the door, and we were greeted by Jasper, who


    seemed surprised to see us.


    ¡°Marley and Ca ssandra?¡± he said slowly, and his dark eyebrows creased together. ¡°What are you


    doing here?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here to get Finnick,¡± Marley exined and she peeked around him into the entryway of the


    house. ¡°Where are the Alpha and Luna?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re in the middle of a meeting with their guest,¡± Jasper said cryptically. ¡°Now isn¡¯t a great time-¡±


    I


    ¡°I just want to see my son,¡± I pleaded. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s more than ready to go home after everything he¡¯s


    been through.¡±


    Jasper paused for a moment, and then his expression softened.


    ¡°I¡¯ll need to report to the Alpha and Luna before you can take him,¡± he said, and then he waved us


    forward. ¡°Come on in.¡±


    Marley grumbled under her breath, but I smiled at Jasper as we followed him -inside. Once the doors


    were closed behind us, Jasper disappeared and left us in the


    entryway.


    ¡°The Alpha King really has a way to bring out a weird side of people,¡± Marley remarked. ¡°I don¡¯t think


    I¡¯ve ever seen Jasper act so¡­ formal. Especially with us.


    And since has he had to report our arrival?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably just a formality,¡± I said quietly. ¡°Everyone has to be on their best behavior in front of the


    king.


    ¡°I suppose,¡± she said, and then she rolled her eyes. ¡°Leave it to Jasper to be a suck-up.¡±


    We giggled together for a minute until we heard footsteps from down the hall.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Shh,¡± I murmured, and we gathered ourposure. Luckily, it was just Jasper.


    ¡°The Alpha and Luna wish to see you in the meeting room, Ca ssandra,¡± he


    dered, and he waved me forward.


    Marley and I exchanged a nce.


    ¡°I¡¯lle with you,¡± Marley said, but Jasper shook his head.


    ¡°They want to see her alone,¡± he replied, and Marley¡¯s green eyes darkened.


    ¦£


    ¡°She¡¯s injured!¡± she insisted, and her nostrils red in frustration. ¡°She needs help getting there-¡±


    ¡°You can escort her to the door, but you must wait outside,¡± Jasper sighed, and then he gestured


    toward the hallway. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We mustn¡¯t keep them waiting.¡±


    We followed Jasper to the meeting room and stopped just outside the door.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right out here for you,¡± Marley assured me, and after I nodded, I carefully knocked on the door.


    Momentster, Gareth¡¯s voice called out to me.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    I gave Marley a nervous nce and then straightened my posture as much as my injured body would


    allow and entered the room.


    The Alpha¡¯s meeting room was one of the most spa cious rooms in the entire


    Pack House. The walls were painted a deep sapphire and the floors were a rich dark wood. Candles


    andmps flickered around the room, andrge, oversized couches. were arranged around a coffee


    table. It was a beautifully decorated room, and for a moment, I was distracted by all of the pretty things.


    Gareth, Sofia, and Rayden were seated on the lengthiest couch while Asher Collins sat opposite them


    on an armchair. They all turned to stare at me as I entered, and Sofia jumped to her feet and raced


    over to me.


    ¡°Ca ssy!¡± she eximed, and her eyes widened as she stared at my bandages. ¡°Thank the Goddess,


    are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± I assured her, but the Luna didn¡¯t seem convinced.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been so worried about you,¡± she said and she took my hands in hers. ¡°When I heard you¡¯d been


    attacked by a bear¡­ I was so scared for you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied, and I gave her a warm smile. ¡°I¡¯m doing much better now.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Asher called out, and a lump formed in my throat when he continued. ¡°You were in pretty


    bad shape when I found you.¡±,


    Even from across the room, I could see his eyes were colder than usual, and for a moment, I wanted to


    turn and run. But I couldn¡¯t. I needed to y this out


    correctly.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty,¡± I replied. ¡°For saving me, I mean. I¡¯m feeling much better now than I was


    last night, and it¡¯s all thanks to you and Marley.¡±


    Asher smirked, and then he tilted his head to the side.


    ¡°Tell me, Ca ssandra,¡± he said slowly. ¡°Were you trying to run and get away my order for you toe to


    Anemond? I sure hope not, as it would make you a


    deserter.¡±


    from

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13


    Chapter 13 King¡¯s decision


    CA SSANDRA


    My voice caught in my throat as the Alpha King¡¯s words set in. He was absolutely correct and I


    understood the potential consequences of my actions


    Things in Anemond were different than they were here. In Anemond, going) against the Alpha¡¯s wish or


    running from the Pack was considered treason, and furthermore, a felony. They were strict in theirws


    and highly set in their ways in the capital, something I knew all too well. I¡¯d lived in that terrible city for


    eighteen


    years.


    Asher Collins¡¯ cold gray eyes bore into mine with horrible intensity as he waited for me to respond to


    his usation, but I didn¡¯t know how to answer. If I owned up to and admitted that I was trying to run


    away, I would be arrested and tried for treason. But I didn¡¯t have another reason to justify my actions.


    Who would run into the forest at midnight with all of their belongings other than


    a deserter?


    Luckily, before I could respond, Rayden rushed to his feet.


    ¡°You¡¯re taking her to Anemond?¡± he demanded in surprise, and his hands balled into a fist at his side.


    Alpha Gareth and Sofia¡¯s cheeks darkened at their eldest son¡¯s sudden outburst, and they looked at


    the Alpha King with apologetic expressions.


    ¡°Please forgive him, Your Majesty,¡± Gareth pleaded, and his dark eyes shot daggers toward his son.


    ¡°Yes, please, Your Majesty,¡± Sofia insisted, but Asher raised his hand to cut her off. Sofia closed her


    mouth and nodded, and then the Alpha King turned his


    attention to their son.


    ¡°Young prince, have you learned nothing from your time with the Myriad?¡± he asked in an amused yet


    irritated tone. ¡°Your father was just telling me that


    you received a Medal of Honor during your services. Was questioning yourmander something you


    learned during your service?¡±


    Rayden¡¯s eyes dropped to the floor and his hand released from its fist and rxed. His expression said


    it all- he¡¯d made a mistake in addressing the Alpha King directly like that, and he was in the wrong.


    After a moment, he looked Asher Collins in the eyes and straightened his


    posture.


    ¡°My apologies, Your Majesty,¡± he said in an even tone. ¡°But you can¡¯t take Ca ssy away from us-¡±


    ¡°Rayden!¡± Gareth cut him off in a loud and surprised tone, and then he shook his head and turned to


    the Alpha King. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Your Majesty.¡±


    He then turned to his son.


    ¡°Leave us,¡± he ordered, but Rayden¡¯s nostrils red.


    ¡°Father, I have every right to remain here,¡± he insisted and even I was taken aback by the prince¡¯s


    deration. Why was he sticking up for me so much and risking his fate? The Alpha King could have


    his head for his indignance, and yet Rayden didn¡¯t seem to care.


    ¡°Let him stay,¡± Asher dered, and he raised his hand toward Fareth. ¡°I wish to hear the young man


    out. He seems to have a very good reason for remaining and a decent case to make. So, please,


    Rayden, exin yourself.¡±


    He fixed his steel gaze on Rayden and a lump formed in my throat. I was scared for Rayden. Asher


    Collins wasn¡¯t someone to challenge, and I was worried for his


    well-being.


    Rayden swallowed and then took a long, deep breath. His eyes seemed nervous, but his posture


    remained strong.


    ¡°Before I do, can we allow Ca ssandra to take a seat?¡± he wondered, and he gestured toward me.


    ¡°She¡¯s still very much injured and I see that she¡¯s wavering a


    little.¡±


    ¡°Yes, please, Your Majesty,¡± Luna Sofia spoke up, and she offered me an apologetic nce. ¡°May she


    be seated?¡±


    Asher considered her words for a moment, and for a second, I wondered if he would allow me to


    continue standing there in pain. It wouldn¡¯t be unlike him.


    But he simply nodded his head instead and gestured to the chair opposite him. ¡°Take a seat, Ca


    ssandra.¡±


    ¡°T-thank you, Your Majesty,¡± I managed, but as soon as I took a step forward, I nearly fell. My entire


    body was still incredibly sore, and without Marley¡¯s assistance, I was semi-useless.


    Luckily, Alpha Gareth took notice and rushed over to me.


    ¡°Give me your arm,¡± he said gently, and I nodded my head before allowing him to assist me. He guided


    me over to the chair, and once I was seated, he gave me a small smile and then returned to his perch


    on his sofa.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    The Alpha King waited for me to be situated, and then he turned back to Rayden.


    ¡°Please, continue,¡± he urged.


    Rayden took another breath and then nodded.


    ¡°Cassie- Ca ssandra, is the only healer in our Pack, Your Majesty,¡± he began. ¡°We need her here. As


    my father mentioned to you earlier, an unknown illness has been spreading through the Pack. Her


    patients need her in order to continue their


    treatments.¡±


    Asher suddenly chuckled as if he were amused by something Rayden had said. His cold eyes darted


    over to me, and my heart nearly stopped. ¡°What¡¯s the name of your assistant?¡±


    ¡°Marley, Your Majesty,¡± I replied, and it took all of my effort to keep from stuttering. ¡°Marley Raven.¡±


    ¡°Marley Raven,¡± he repeated back. ¡°She¡¯s good at medical treatment, I assume since you¡¯re still with us


    today?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Marley has been training with me for a while now. She¡¯s a fast learner


    and at this point in her studies, she¡¯s able to treat mostmon diseases and ailments without


    difficulties.¡±


    ¡°But Cassie is better, Your Majesty,¡± Rayden spoke up, and this time Asher Collins¡¯ stern face appeared


    annoyed at the outburst.


    ¡°Don¡¯t test my temper, young prince,¡± he said, and he shed Rayden a cold smile. ¡°Let me take a


    guess. You like this healer, don¡¯t you? That¡¯s why you don¡¯t wish for her to leave to Anemond?¡±


    MANIRE


    It took everything to keep my jaw from dropping. What was Asher talking about? Was he purposely


    trying to embarrass me in front of the Wild Crawler¡¯s royal family?


    There was nothing between me and Rayden, so why else would the Alpha King say something to that


    effect?


    Rayden¡¯s cheeks flushed scarlet, and his lower lip trembled.


    ¡°Did I guess correctly?¡± Asherughed, and the sound made my blood run cold. His cruelty had only


    increased with time, and I could hardly recognize the man in front of me.


    When Rayden didn¡¯t answer, the Alpha King shook his head, and the smile left his face.


    ¡°Unfortunately, Prince Rayden, Your Cassie is going to leave for Anemond with me,¡± he announced,


    and then his voice hardened further. ¡°There¡¯s no room for discussion. If you cooperate, I may send a


    few healers for your Pack.¡±


    Alpha Gareth and Luna Sofia¡¯s expressions appeared grateful.


    ¡°Thank you-¡± Sofia began to say, but Asher raised his hand up to cut her off. His cold eyes remained on


    Rayden¡¯s, and he raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°But if you don¡¯tply,¡± he warned, and his lips curled into a snarl. ¡°I¡¯m afraid your entire Pack will


    suffer the consequences. I don¡¯t care how many people will die. She ising with me. And that¡¯s


    that.¡±


    Then, his eyes stared back at mine, and a chill ran down my spine.


    G

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14


    Chapter 14 Alpha¡¯s mark


    CA SSANDRA


    I felt like a rabbit cornered by a fearsome predatory. My entire body broke into goosebumps, and as I


    stared back at the Alpha King, I couldn¡¯t believe what was happening. Was this truly the Asher Collins


    I¡¯d known since childhood?


    I¡¯d always known the Alpha King was ruthless. I¡¯d heard countless tales from others in the Wild Crawler


    Pack about his heartlessness and his cruelty. It¡¯d been said on many asions that he was much like


    his father, the old Alpha King, a man who¡¯d centralized his power and oppressed the members of his


    own empire.


    At the time, I hadn¡¯t believed the stories. I¡¯d thought there had to be some sort of disconnect, a


    misunderstanding of some sort that kept people from seeing the real Asher. He might not have been a


    loyal mate, but I¡¯d always trusted that he would be a great Alpha.


    Past memories flooded through my mind.


    Asher had never been a cold and dominant man all those years ago. We¡¯d grown up together and


    spent most of our childhoods with one another. Even as a young boy, he¡¯d been loving, caring and


    compassionate, and that¡¯d only continued into his teenage years.


    I remembered all of the times we¡¯d sat together, discussing the future. He always told me that he


    wanted to be a kind Alpha. He wanted to be nothing like his cruel father who¡¯d never shown him an


    ounce of affection.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Asher had sworn he wanted to release this corrupted empire from its old ways and usher in a time of


    peace and kindness. He valued all lives, poor and rich, and wanted to make sure the people of the


    empire knew that their well-being mattered


    to him.


    His father used to scold him for being a coward, but Asher had never wavered from his beliefs.


    And yet, as he stared at me now, he looked just as cold as his father, the former


    King.


    As much as my heart pleaded and hoped that Asher still had good in him, I knew I needed to ept


    that what others had said about his cruelty was true. The idea brought me a deep-rooted sadness, but I


    had to release those feelings if I was going to survive this ordeal.


    What could I do? Rayden, for whatever reason, had pleaded his case, but it had made no difference


    other than embarrassing the young prince in front of the Alpha King of Wega.


    From Luna Sofia¡¯s saddened expression, I could tell she didn¡¯t want me to go either, and though Alpha


    Gareth¡¯s gaze was somewhere else, I knew deep down that he surely felt the same. I was valued in


    this Pack, but their words and pleading


    didn¡¯t matter.


    I was a


    to Anemond.


    I couldn¡¯t risk harming to the Wild Crawler Pack. They had been too good to me to risk any lives.


    Asher finally turned away from me and fixed his gaze on Gareth.


    ¡°Will you, your wife, and the young prince please excuse us?¡± he requested in a regal tone, and he


    lifted his chin. ¡°Ca ssandra and I need to have a private talk.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course, Your Majesty,¡± Gareth said, and he nodded generously. He rose to his feet, and Sofia


    followed suit. She reached out and took Rayden¡¯s hand. Her son didn¡¯t seem like he wanted to leave


    the chamber, but soon, his face softened and he gave his mother a small nod. The Alpha King¡¯s orders


    couldn¡¯t be ignored, not when the lives of their Pack mates were in danger.


    ¡°Your Majesty, will you please escort Ca ssandra to the door once she is finished?¡± Sofia requested in a


    soft voice. ¡°Her assistant remains outside and will help her the rest of the way home, but-¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Asher replied coldly, but he offered the Luna a nod. ¡°I will see to it that


    your healer is assisted. Now please, leave us to speak alone.¡±


    Sofia nodded again, and without another word, the Wild Crawler¡¯s royal family left the chamber. Once


    the door had closed behind them, my heart rate


    skyrocketed.


    What did he want to talk to me about? And why was it necessary to conduct the conversation in


    private? Was I in trouble?


    Asher Collins stared at me for a moment and then spoke.


    ¡°Alpha Gareth has informed me about the illness prevailing in your Pack, Cas sandra,¡± he began in an


    even tone. ¡°One of the symptoms is ck marks on the body, is that correct?¡±


    I was taken aback by the question. I hadn¡¯t expected him to ask about the sickness, especially at a time


    like this, when my loyalty to the empire was being questioned.


    But I nodded anyway.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± I said.


    Asher nodded back slowly. ¡°What do you think it is?¡±


    ¡°The marks?¡± I asked, and after a brief pause, I continued. ¡°It¡¯s a strange symptom I¡¯m not certain of.


    Buttely I¡¯ve been wondering if it¡¯s some kind of poison.¡±


    ¡°A poison?¡± Asher repeated back in surprise.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± I replied, and I leaned in closer, ignoring the pain in my shoulder. ¡°There¡¯s a book


    my husband left me, all about the poisons he¡¯s dealt with -in the past decade. I¡¯vebed through the


    book like mad, and each time, have.


    noted a section that talks about something simr to this.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± the Alpha King remarked. ¡°Please continue on, Ca ssandra..¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Well, it says when werewolves were exposed to certain poisons, their blood would darken


    and continue to do so day by day. Blood marks would appear throughout their bodies. But that isn¡¯t the


    same as the disease that now prevails.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± he replied, and somehow, he looked disappointed by this. ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°This one is more peculiar,¡± I said. ¡°Simr marks are there in my patients, but they don¡¯t grow like the


    ones written about in the book, They don¡¯t resemble the shape of veins. In fact¡­ they¡¯re more like


    tattoos. It¡¯s bizarre, Your Majesty. I¡¯ve never seen anything like this illness.¡±


    When I finished exining, Asher fell silent and sat back in his seat. I could see him considering


    something, and after a minute or two, he leaned back forward and began to unbutton his white shirt


    from his cor.


    Heat spread through my body. What was happening?


    My entire face felt as if it were burning, and my hands shook at my sides.


    When he got three buttons down, he pulled the cor from his neck and exposed the skin beneath. My


    heart dropped.


    Arge ck mark spread from the area below his corbone and appeared to


    continue downward.


    Shock set in and my jaw dropped.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re guessing correctly,¡± he said inly. ¡°It seems I have caught the very same disease that


    gues your Pack.¡±


    My throat tightened as dread set in. This was unbelievable.


    ¡°My trusted healer in Anemond couldn¡¯t figure out the source of my affliction,¡± the Alpha King revealed.


    ¡°He did all that he could, and yet he couldn¡¯te even close to an answer. So, healer, I will need you


    toe with me to Anemond so you can find out the reason. Do you understand?¡±

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15


    Chapter 15 Don¡¯t get caught again


    CA SSANDRA


    I gulped back the lump in my throat as I stared at the ck mark on Asher¡¯s skin. Of anyone, I never


    would have expected the Alpha King to be infected with the mysterious disease. Especially since


    he¡¯d just arrived here from Anemond.


    Was the disease running rampant in the capital just as it did here?


    We hadn¡¯t heard anything about it here, and besides, if it was so prevalent, there would have been no


    reason for Asher to keep his condition so private and concealed. So, how did he get infected in the first


    ce?


    From the research I¡¯d conducted with my patients, I¡¯de to the conclusion that the disease didn¡¯t


    transfer very easily, which was especially lucky for us. Otherwise, we¡¯d all have been infected by now,


    especially me. I worked around the infected so often that it was a miracle that Marley and I hadn¡¯t


    be infected


    yet.


    Though the illness was peculiar and mysterious, there was one thing I did know- the disease weakened


    werewolves¡¯ power. Once present in the system, the diseasetched onto the blood and caused the


    victim¡¯s bodies to deteriorate from the inside out. It was incredibly deadly and fast-acting, so it was only


    a matter of time before the patient died from the illness.


    No matter how much I didn¡¯t want to admit the feelings for Asher Collins that lingered in my heart, I still


    cared and worried for him. I didn¡¯t wish this disease on


    anyone, not even him.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I can treat you here,¡± I proposed in ast-ditch effort to avoid. -Anemond. ¡°We have


    more samples here and it¡¯ll be better for me to continue my


    research where I have all of my prior records, devices, and books. I work better in a


    familiar environment-¡±


    ¡°Well, in that case, I can move everything you need from here to Anemond,¡±


    Asher countered. ¡°Even your little house. We canpletely rebuild and replicate it in the capital with


    little difficulty.¡±


    Part of me wanted to ask why he was so insistent on me returning with him to Anemond, but the other


    part knew I couldn¡¯t ask a question like that. The conversation wouldn¡¯t work well in my favor, and


    besides, Asher Collins probably just wanted everything under his absolute control, just like any king


    would


    I exhaled quietly. There was nothing I could do to argue my case anymore. I had to go against my own


    desires and ept my fate.


    I was going to Anemond whether I liked it or not.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to bring everything,¡± I replied. ¡°Just my books, devices, and


    records would suffice.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Asher replied, and as he readjusted his shirt and buttoned the buttons back to the top, his


    mood seemed to brighten. I hated that he seemed so thrilled to have gotten his way, but there was


    nothing I could do about it. For now, I needed to


    focus on what I could control.


    ¡°Your Majesty, may I be excused?¡± I asked as I straightened up in my seat. ¡°I¡¯d like to return home


    before it gets toote.¡±


    ¡°Go home?¡± the Alpha King replied back in surprise, and then he shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t


    be returning home, Ca ssandra. I¡¯ve asked Alpha Gareth to prepare a room for you and your son. The


    belongings you left in the forest are in your room already, and a few guards have been sent to pick up


    the rest of your things. You won¡¯t need to return home for them.¡±


    all?


    My eyes widened and my heart dropped at his statement;


    What was actually happening?


    Was I a prisoner here now? Was I actually being punished for my actions after


    ¡°But Marley is waiting for me-¡± I blurted out before I could stop.


    ¡°Your assistant?¡± Asher replied, and then he smirked and leaned forward to grab the cup of coffee that


    sat in front of him on the coffee table. He took his sweet time blowing on the steaming cup and then


    took a long, measured sip. Once he was done, he set the cup back down and looked back at me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s already gone.¡±


    ¡°She is?¡± I asked, and the Alpha King nodded.


    ¡°I heard them out in the hall,¡± he revealed. ¡°Alpha Gareth had her escorted out when he and his Luna


    left with their son. She¡¯s returned home.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I remarked, and for a moment, I had to fight back my disappointment. wanted to share all of the


    details of my encounter here with my friend and findfort in her arms and words.


    ¡°You can say goodbye to her on the day of your departure,¡± Asher said absently and I froze in ce.


    The day of my departure? I wouldn¡¯t be allowed to see my best friend until then?


    My chest heaved as I fought to keep myself calm. This was unfair on so many levels, and I could hardly


    contain my anger.


    If I was the girl I¡¯d been so many years ago, I¡¯d have leapt to my feet and demanded he let me leave. I


    would have put up a strong fight and insisted he let me stay here in the Wild Crawler Pack.


    But I wasn¡¯t that girl anymore. She¡¯d died in the inferno, and besides, Asher Collins wasn¡¯t the same


    boy he¡¯d been back then. He was the Alpha King of Wega now, and I had no choice but to obey his


    demands.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    So, I took a deep breath, collected myself, and raised my chin slightly.


    ¡°May I go to my room and see my son, Your Majesty?¡± I requested formally. If he was going to hold me


    hostage, the least I could do was make sure my dear Finnick was okay. The poor kid was likely


    traumatized from our ordeal with the bear, and it was my duty tofort him in these times of crisis.


    I expected Asher to put up more of a fight, but he nodded his head.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he said, and then he gestured to the door.


    I¡¯d expected him to keep me hostage in this chamber, but his expression had softened significantly.


    Despite his harshness, he seemed to have a soft spot for children, which I needed to use to my


    advantage as much as possible.


    Despite the pain that radiated through my shoulder, I rose from my seat and started to make my way


    across the chamber to the door. Every step was agony without an assistant to help me, but I managed


    to make it happen without tearing up. I couldn¡¯t let the Alpha King see me cry, not after everything I¡¯d


    been through.


    I nearly made it to the door when Asher¡¯s voice spoke up from behind me.


    ¡°Ca ssandra,¡± he said, and when I turned around his eyes had grown cold again. ¡°The next time you


    want to run, run wisely. Don¡¯t allow yourself to get caught.¡±


    My heart sank down in my chest. For the briefest of moments, it felt like he was looking straight past


    my changed face and voice and was speaking to not Ca ssandra, but Cora Felix, the girl I¡¯d been five


    years ago.

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16


    Chapter 16 Cora¡¯s story


    CA SSANDRA


    I lingered outside the meeting room door for a moment, and my heart beat ferociously in my chest.


    Sure enough, Marley was gone, and I took this alone time to center myself.


    It¡¯d been a long time since I¡¯d thought about the girl I¡¯d been before the inferno.


    As the years had grown by, I¡¯d allowed her to fade away into near nothingness, but the return of Asher


    Collins to my life had changed that entirely. Ca ssandra Keller, my new identity, was no match for the


    Alpha King, and his arrival, along with the order to return to Anemond, had a chance of tearing my life


    to shreds.


    Long ago, I¡¯d been Cora Felix, the daughter of a Ga mma wolf named Darrin Felix. I had been born into


    a prestigious werewolf family, exalted in the Wega Empire, and the Crescent Pack in particr.


    My father and my older brother, Ector, were well-respected warriors in our Pack. They were tough as


    nails and a major asset to the crown. After a chain of events, I was chosen to be Asher-the Alpha


    prince¡¯s-mate and the future Luna of the empire. Life was perfect, wonderful even.


    That is, until it all fell apart.


    For reasons unknown, my father was framed and used ofmitting crimes. against the Lord


    Beta¡¯s family. It was imed that my father wanted to steal the Beta¡¯s position, and as such, he was


    imprisoned for his alleged crimes. Meanwhile, my brother Ector was banished to be a guard at the


    impoverished border.


    I was taken prisoner as well, confined away, and left to die alone.


    It was well-known throughout the Wega empire that Cora Felix had died in ant inferno, Darrin in


    prison, and Ector at the border. It was believed that the entire Felix family had been cursed by the


    Moon Goddess for their crimes against the crown.


    But it wasn¡¯t a curse.


    It was a plot.


    We¡¯d all be set up.


    They¡¯d wanted me to die alone. They¡¯d forced a poison down my throat that¡¯d numbed my limbs and


    rendered me unable to move. They¡¯d arranged the entire thing to make it seem as if it were an


    ident.


    Even to this day, I had no idea who the killers were. They had been wearing borate masks when


    they broke into my home and set the ce aze. As they forced their concoction down my throat,


    they imed they had been empowered by the Moon Goddess and were executing me out of loyalty to


    their new King.


    My life hadn¡¯t been the same since that fateful night, and I doubted it¡¯d ever be the same again. I¡¯d


    sworn many times over the years that I¡¯d never return to Anemond again.


    But now¡­ I had no choice. I had to follow the Alpha King¡¯s orders and treat the illness that gued the


    Wild Crawler Pack. I had to leave my entire life behind yet again and return to the ce of my


    nightmares.


    I took a moment to breathe and then forced the memories out of my mind. I couldn¡¯t let myself drown in


    them, not when I had more important things looming on


    the h orizon.


    Above all else, I had to keep my wits about me, since Anemond was a dangerous ce full of


    dangerous werewolves. I would need to stay strong if I was going to keep myself and Finnick safe.


    ¡°Mrs. Keller?¡± a voice interrupted my thoughts, and when I looked up, I noticed. a young woman not


    much older than me, staring at me with a pleasant expression. She was very pretty, with long, curly


    chestnut-brown hair and sky-blue eyes. I¡¯d seen her around the Pack House before- she was a maid


    whose name I


    unfortunately couldn¡¯t remember.


    ¡°Yes?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to escort you to your room,¡± the maid said, and she gestured to the hallway beside us. Her


    voice was very kind, and she offered me a soft smile.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°Amalia,¡± she introduced herself.


    ¡°Amalia,¡± I repeated back and I smiled. ¡°That¡¯s a really beautiful name.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much, Mrs. Keller,¡± Amalia replied, and her eyes glittered at thepliment. Alpha


    Gareth and Luna Sofia were far more gracious to their staff than the other royal families, so I knew she


    was treated quite well, but an extra ounce ofpassion and niceness didn¡¯t hurt.


    ¡°Where is my room located?¡± I wondered as I nced around. My body ached. so much, and I hoped I


    wouldn¡¯t have to walk too far throughout the Pack House on


    my own.


    ¡°It¡¯s just past the lobby,¡± Amalia said, and then she gestured forward. ¡°Shall we, Mrs. Keller?¡±


    I nodded, and then I followed her down the hall. Each step was incredibly painful, but I managed to


    keep my face from betraying my anguish.


    Once we reached the lobby of the Pack House, I spotted Jasper. His arms were crossed behind his


    back dutifully, but his dark eyes met mine immediately met mine


    when I arrived.


    ¡°Will you excuse me for just a moment, Amalia?¡± I asked the maid, and she offered me a small nod.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you over there,¡± she said, and after she nced at Jasper, she walked to the other end of


    the entryway. Once she was gone, I approached Jasper.


    1


    ¡°So, Marley left?¡± I asked him, and his cheeks darkened significantly.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said quietly, and his hand reached up to brush his neck awkwardly. ¡°It was Alpha Gareth¡¯s


    order.¡±


    see,¡± I remarked. ¡°I just wanted to make sure she was okay.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine, I promise you,¡± he said sheepishly as if he were embarrassed by something. ¡°She.. didn¡¯t


    exactly want to go. She¡¯s stubborn, you know. But I managed to convince her to go home.¡±


    When his hand moved away, I noticed the skin of his neck was red and raised, as if he¡¯d been


    scratched.


    Marley.


    My best friend could be a little feral at times, and if his neck was any indication, she¡¯d put up a fight on


    her way out.


    ¡°She wanted to say goodbye,¡± Jasper admitted when he caught me looking at the scratches. ¡°We told


    her she had to go.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Marley,¡± I remarked. ¡°Sorry she did such a number on you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re her best friend. She¡¯s protective of you.¡±


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    We fell into silence for a moment. Marley was incredibly strong, and I admired just how much she cared


    about me. If I¡¯d been in her position, I¡¯d have done the


    same.


    Except maybe the scratching part.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ca ssandra,¡± Jasper suddenly said. For a moment, I thought he was referring to the Marley


    situation, but his expression told me he was talking about my forting departure. As a guard, he


    must have known what was going on.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry,¡± I said softly, and I offered him a small smile to show my appreciation. ¡°It¡¯s not your


    fault, Jasper.¡±


    We smiled sadly at each other for a minute. There was so much I wanted to say, but I couldn¡¯t find the


    words.


    ¡°Mrs. Keller?¡± Amalia called out and interrupted the moment.


    ¡°One minute!¡± I called back, and then I looked at Jasper. ¡°See youter, okay?¡±


    ¡°Have a good night, Ca ss,¡± he replied.


    As I walked away toward Amalia, I couldn¡¯t help but feel sad. I would miss Marley and Jasper when I


    was in Anemond.


    ww

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17


    Chapter 17 Healer¡¯s fear


    ASHER


    Once the healer left, I leaned back in the armchair in Alpha Gareth¡¯s meeting room and released a


    sigh. My head was aching, as if I had a million hammers, pounding at it at once. I pinched the bridge of


    my nose between my fingers.


    It was difficult to say whether the headache was from the mysterious disease worsening or theck of


    sleep. I barely got a full night¡¯s rest these days, and it was, beginning to take its toll on my entire body.


    It was simply too difficult to rest when there was so much guing my mind.


    And now, there was someone else to consider, someone I couldn¡¯t get out of my


    head.


    Cas sandra Keller.


    Even though she was gone, her name ran circles in my mind, over and over, as if it were a song rather


    than a name.


    Ca ssandra Keller, a nobody healer from a long-forgotten Pack on the border of


    Wega.


    Over the past few conversations I¡¯d held with her, I knew there was something special about her,


    something weirdly familiar that drew me in in unexinable ways. As much as I wanted to dismiss


    those feelings, I knew they couldn¡¯t be ignored.


    Had I heard her name before? Or known someone with a simr one? Was her face simr to one I¡¯d


    seen before? I couldn¡¯t ce it anywhere in my memory, but perhaps she just reminded me of another


    subject¡­ It was so hard to say.


    Either way, I couldn¡¯t figure it out.


    Deep down, I knew there was no need to bring the girl all the way to Anemond with me. My son was


    nearly healed from his encounter with the viper and was going


    to make a full recovery. And she had been right- she could easily conduct her research here and report


    her findings to me in the capital city.


    But I wanted her toe with me.


    As much as I didn¡¯t want to admit it, I was immensely attracted to her. Her long, wavy copper hair that


    shimmered like me, her beautiful dark green eyes, and her full lips¡­ even her petite, lovely figure


    drew me in. Since yesterday, I¡¯d fantasized about the way her slender hips curved and how much I


    wanted to ce my hands on them and draw her to me in an embrace.


    I hadn¡¯t been like this in years. In fact, I hadn¡¯t taken any interest in any woman after Cora had died.


    So, what was it about this woman that I couldn¡¯t get out of my head?


    Suddenly, a knock rang out and interrupted my thoughts.


    ¡°Alpha,¡± a voice then said, and I recognized it as Lancel, one of my guards. He¡¯d been under my


    command for years and was one of the few I actually trusted. Despite being the king of the realm, there


    were few I could trust in Anemond. Everyone was conniving with ulterior motives and agendas that


    threatened to undermine my every move.


    But Lancel had been close to me for as long as I could remember. He had been my bodyguard since I


    was very young, and was the only one who still referred to me as ¡°Alpha¡± rather than ¡°Your Majesty¡± or


    ¡°King¡±


    ¡°Come in, Lancel,¡± I called out. Momentster, the door opened, and Lancel entered. He was an older


    man of nearly fifty, with deep-set blue eyes, and hair that had turned prematurely white. He was broad


    and muscr and reminded me of a kinder version of my father.


    After he crossed the empty room, he stopped in front of me and bowed in respect.


    ¡°Alpha, the healer¡¯s bags are all packed,¡± he reported.


    I¡¯d sent my guards to Ca ssandra Keller¡¯s house to pack her belongings while we spoke, so she


    wouldn¡¯t have a chance to escape again.


    ¡°Did you happen to find anything suspicious?¡± I wondered, and I pinched my nose again as my head


    continued to pound. I closed my eyes again and leaned back into the chair.


    ¡°There¡¯s a letter we found on the kitchen table,¡± Lancel revealed. ¡°It seems she


    left it with her assistant before she fled to the forest.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I asked, and my eyes flew open. ¡°Have you


    read it?¡±


    I knew that it had to be suspicious if even Lancel found it curious.


    He nodded. ¡°It seems that the healer was preparing to leave this Pack for good. She nned to leave


    her clinic to her assistant, Marley Raven.¡±


    ¡°Marley,¡± I repeated back. ¡°I¡¯m not surprised.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s more, Alpha,¡± Lancel continued slowly, and he lowered his voice slightly. ¡°There¡¯s


    something I found very weird.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lancel replied. ¡°I may be reading into the matter, but I think she may be


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    afraid of Anemond.¡±


    ¡°Afraid?¡± I repeated back.


    My trusted guard nodded. ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡±


    Augh rose up from my chest.


    ¡°Well, of course, she¡¯s afraid of Anemond, Lancel, ¡°I noted, and I rested back into the seat. ¡°She¡¯s


    afraid she might struggle to take on the responsibilities I¡¯m asking of her. Why else would she try to run


    away?¡±


    My logic felt foolproof, yet Lancel didn¡¯t seem too convinced.


    ¡°Well, yes, Alpha,¡± he said. ¡°But that¡¯s not quite what I mean.¡±


    ¡°Then state your piece, Lancel,¡± I urged, and I released a sigh. With my head pounding as severely as


    it was, I needed rest, and my guard was taking too long to reach his point. What was so suspicious


    about Ca ssandra Keller?


    ¡°Alpha, I¡¯ve seen werewolves who have run away from their duties,¡± Lancel said, and his deep blue


    eyes grew worried. ¡°They were nothing but cowards. But this healer¡­ she doesn¡¯t seem like any of


    them?¡±


    ¡°What makes you say that?¡± I said, and my eyebrow raised.


    Lancel reached into the pocket of his trousers and retrieved a folder piece of paper. He unfurled it and


    then handed it to me.


    ¡°It¡¯s thest few sentences she wrote,¡± he said, and then he gestured to the


    letter.


    I stared down at the flowy cursive writing and quickly read through the letter until I reached the bottom


    of the page.


    Brun¡­


    ¡°Please forgive me, Marley,¡± I read aloud. ¡°I just can¡¯t go to Anemond. I have to


    I suddenly stopped, and my eyebrows creased together. I understood instantly


    what Lancel meant.


    ¡°She says ¡®I can¡¯t go to Anemond¡¯ rather than ¡®I don¡¯t want to,¡± I mused.


    Why would she state it that way if she were truly trying to desert her duties?


    ¡°Alpha, I believe the woman to be very suspicious,¡± Lancel said. ¡°From what I¡¯ve inferred/it appears


    she¡¯s been to Anemond before.¡±


    I fell silent as I stared at the letter in my hands. My trusted guard¡¯s words were likely true. The healer


    had been to Anemond. Something about her was strange, and the letter seemed to prove exactly what


    I¡¯d been thinking.


    My head pounded even further. Something about this Ca ssandra Keller needed to be investigated, and


    it needed to be done at once.


    ¡°Keep an eye on her, Lancel,¡± I ordered as I closed my eyes and gently rubbed my temples. ¡°If she is


    afraid of something in Anemond, we need to find out what it is. She¡¯s hiding something. And I intend to


    discover what it is.¡±

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18


    Chapter 18 Her lost ne


    CA SSANDRA


    Much to my excitement, when Amalia brought me to my intended room, Finnick was waiting for me on


    the other side of my door. His little face lit up with. excitement, and his normally serious gray eyes


    widened as he grinned at me.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± he eximed, and he rushed over to meet me. I¡¯d half-expected him to look a little rough


    around the edges after our encounter with the bear in the woods, but Finnick looked perfectly healthy.


    He threw his arms around me, and I fought back a sound of pain as he squeezed.


    ¡°Careful, baby,¡± I said softly as tears welled in my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m still a little sore.


    ¡°Oh,¡± he realized, and he let go and took a step back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± I assured him, and then I gave him a look over. ¡°Are you doing okay, sweetheart? I¡¯ve been


    so worried about you.¡±


    SVANGE


    ¡°I¡¯m better now, Mommy,¡± he assured me, and he gave me a tiny smile. ¡°I was a little scared at first, but


    after I took a warm bath and got some new clothes, I was feeling better.¡±


    Suddenly, a strange look crossed his face, and he noticed my bandages.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he whispered, and he gently touched my arm.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± I assured him, and I carefully lowered myself down to his level. ¡°Can I tell you a secret?¡±


    Finnick nodded.


    ¡°I was a little scared too,¡± I admitted. ¡°But Marley patched me right up and gave


    me some medicine. I should be just fine in a little bit. I¡¯m just going to need some rest and a lot of love


    from my favorite person,¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Finnick asked excitedly, and when I nodded, his smile grew wider.


    ¡°You¡¯re my favorite person, too,¡± he said.


    After we shared another careful hug, I rose to my feet, and Finnick gave me a tour of the room. It was


    incredibly sp acious and painted a lovely deep green. The floors were a rich dark wood, and two


    canopied beds rested in the corner, just next to a floor-length window. The curtains were drawn, and


    the beautiful light of the sunset danced on the ground.


    My stomach rumbled a little.


    ¡°Are you hungry, Mommy?¡± Finnick asked.


    ¡°A little,¡± I admitted.


    Amalia cleared her throat.


    ¡°Alpha Gareth was inquiring if you¡¯d like to join him for dinner?¡± she asked, and I considered the


    request for a moment.


    ¡°Would it be alright if I ate here with my son?¡± I asked. ¡°My body aches pretty badly, and I haven¡¯t seen


    him sincest night.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Amalia replied. ¡°The Alpha will be fine to amodate you. I will bring you dinner here.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Amalia,¡± I said.


    The maid smiled at me and then disappeared from the room. Once the door had closed behind her, I


    gestured to the pair of armchairs in the room.


    ¡°Finnick, can we talk?¡± I asked. My son¡¯s eyebrows creased together and then. he nodded.


    He followed me over to the chairs, and once we were seated, I took a deep


    breath.


    ¡°Honey, we¡¯re going to be going with the King to Anemond,¡± I revealed.


    Finnick¡¯s eyes sparkled for a moment, but he managed to keep calm. ¡°Really?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes. We leave in a couple of days.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± he remarked simply. I could tell he was at least a little excited. Every child was curious about


    the capital of the werewolf empire. I¡¯d often heard him and Dominic, Sofia¡¯s son, talking about it when


    they yed.


    Finnick began to ask me all kinds of questions. He wanted to know all about it, what it looked like, how


    the people there lived, and what kind of clothing they wore so that he could blend in. He seemed so


    thrilled by the prospect of seeing a new city, and I didn¡¯t want to burst his bubble, so I answered him the


    best I could.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    After a while, Amalia returned with some food, and I was relieved to have a break from the questions.


    Above all else, I was d Finnick hadn¡¯t asked me why I¡¯d -had a change of heart. He also hadn¡¯t


    brought up the Alpha King, and I was thrilled


    to sk ip that subject entirely.


    We ate quietly together, and then Finnick ran off to go y with Dominic before bed. I knew Finnick


    was probably bursting with excitement to tell his best friend all about going to Anemond, and


    admittedly, I was relieved to have a second to breathe. All of this talk of Anemond had me feeling


    stressed beyond belief, and I was still recovering from my injuries.


    I rose from my seat and decided to check the backpack I¡¯d left behind in the woods. It was tucked in the


    corner of the room, and covered in mud. I was surprised they had gone to the effort of returning it to


    me.


    I sorted through the pack and double-checked to see if everything was there. All seemed to be in


    order¡­ except for one thing. I rifled through my things again, but it was definitely gone.


    I¡¯d ced a moonstone pendant in the pocket of the backpack and sealed it


    tightly before we¡¯d left for the forest. It had belonged to myte mother and was the only thing I had left


    of her. She had died when I was very young, and the pendant was the only keepsake I¡¯d kept from my


    old life.


    It was a beautiful thing, white gold, with a shimmering silver stone ringed by tiny white diamonds. It was


    small, but not too small, and the most gorgeous thing I owned. It was the kind of ne worn by


    someone of high rank, as I¡¯d been before the inferno. It¡¯d been gifted to my mother by her mother, and


    I¡¯d intended to pass it along to my children one day just as they had.


    Emmett had told me to get rid of the ne years ago. He¡¯d told me the pendant was a liability and


    that if it was discovered, my identity could be as well. I understood what my husband had meant, but I


    couldn¡¯t get rid of it. It was the only thing my mother had left me, and the only thing I hadn¡¯t lost in the


    fire.


    And now it was nowhere to be found.


    Panic began to set in.


    Had it fallen out of my backpack during my fight with the bear?


    Perhaps in the fight, he¡¯d scratched at the pack and it¡¯d fallen out.


    For a moment, that seemed like the correct answer, but there were no scratch. marks, and the pocket


    had beenpletely sealed. So, where had it gone?


    I thought about it for a while. Had my mind deceived me? Had I actually forgotten to pack it in the first


    ce? Maybe with everything going on, I¡¯d meant to pack it but actually forgot it at my house.


    Then it dawned on me. A realization crashed over me, and my hands began to


    shake.


    Asher Collins had sent his guards to pick up the rest of my belongings.


    My chest heaved as I fought to catch my breath.


    If he or his guards found the ne, it could mean the end of my life, as well


    as Finnick¡¯s.

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19


    Chapter 19 Mommy said you¡¯re bad


    ASHER


    I stared out the window and admired the way the light entered the room. Dusk here in the Wild Crawler


    Pack was far more tranquil here than it was all the way out. in Anemond. Out in the capital, it was


    nearly impossible to see the h orizon amidst the tall buildings and structures. Here, there was nothing


    but open sky for miles.


    I peered out at the frontwns. Here, the grass grew tall and was a plush, emerald green. Thewns of


    my pce in Anemond were nothing like this. They were broad and sp acious but cut meticulously


    short by the team of gardeners. It was almost as if wildlife was forbidden. There was no smell of pine,


    no fresh air¡­


    I inhaled deeply. I¡¯d never admit it to anyone, but I would miss the fresh air here. There was something


    to be said for thisnd beside the border. There was a wildness here that didn¡¯t exist out in Anemond,


    no matter how much I yearned for it.


    Far out on thewn, two boys were ying ball with one another. One of them, I assumed, was the son


    of the Alpha, and the other I recognized as Ca sandra Keller¡¯s son, the one with the gray eyes named


    Finnick.


    Finnick Keller.


    As I watched the two y, I considered the strange color of the boy¡¯s eyes. In the past, it was said that


    the color of the iris was a royal trait, passed down from an ancient bloodline. However, I had a few


    acquaintances who had simrly colored eyes, so that wasn¡¯t exactly true.


    The strange part was the way Ca ssandra had acted when her son pointed out that I shared the same


    color eyes. The beautiful healer seemed scared, panicked almost, when the boy had spoken up.


    Why was she so afraid of me?


    I knew I could be intimidating, but was there something more that I didn¡¯t


    know?


    I studied Finnick. The sweet boy wasughing with his friend, and the musical sound made me smile.


    The pair looked so happy and innocent, and for a moment, my heart ached.


    When I was a child, I¡¯d had simr times with my own friends. We¡¯d spent. countless hours ying ball,


    exploring the castle, and reenacting ys we concocted in our minds.


    My best friends back then had been Cora and her older brother Ector. We were practically inseparable


    and spent all of our time with one another. We grew up together, and as the years flew by, I found


    myself bing more and more enamored with Cora. Falling in love with her came naturally, and


    when we found out. we were mates, that love only grew stronger.


    Those memories felt so far away now.


    I was no longer the little boy who yed ball.


    I was the Alpha King of the Wega empire, a ruthless leader who didn¡¯t have time to y or enjoy


    myself.


    And Cora was gone.


    My thoughts were interrupted when a se rvant appeared on thewn. He approached Finnick and the


    Alpha¡¯s son and began to speak with them. Their conversation carried on for a while, and I watched the


    Alpha¡¯s son sigh in dejection. The se rvant soon left, and the boy followed suit. Finnick was left on the


    lawn alone, and even from the vantage of my room, I could tell the boy was sad.


    Just like me, I thought. Cora and Ector had left me too, and I was all alone with nothing but my power


    and my enemies.


    Suddenly, a knock was heard behind me. I turned around and released a sigh.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± I asked, and I straightened myself up.


    ¡°A se rvant of Alpha Gareth¡¯s, Your Majesty,¡± a young man¡¯s voice replied. ¡°May I


    enter the room?¡±


    ¡°You may,¡± I agreed reluctantly, and before the door opened, I took a breath. I needed to push away all


    thoughts of Ector and Cora. I had more important things to worry about at the moment.


    The door opened, and a se rvant appeared. He was no older than 1, and his hazel eyes were timid as


    they shed over to me. I recognized him but hadn¡¯t bothered to learn his name since I¡¯d been here.


    ¡°Dinner is ready, Your Majesty,¡± the se rvant announced, and he offered me a


    small bow.


    ¡°Thank you for letting me know,¡± I replied, and I fought away the boredom. Yet another dinner with yet


    another Alpha. Gareth and his wife Sofia had been wonderful hosts, but I was tired of having business


    conversations. They were often so dull, and it was difficult to speak my mind when I knew my hosts


    were terrified of


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    my presence.


    I


    But I had a part to y. If I showed weakness, my authority could be questioned. I was the Alpha King


    and I needed to conduct myself as such.


    ¡°May I escort you to the lobby, Your Majesty?¡± the se rvant asked timidly. I noticed his hands shook at


    his sides, and for a moment, I wanted to tell him I could easily walk to the lobby myself, but I knew that


    I needed to have measures in ce to ensure my safety. My own guards were in a meeting at the


    moment, and it was unlikely that this young man would bring me any harm on his own.


    ¡°Yes, you may,¡± I said. I approached the mirror by the dresser and ran my hands through my dark hair.


    My eyes were underscored by deep dark circles, but there was nothing to be done there. I was as


    presentable as I could be.


    I followed the se rvant out the door and down the hall. As we walked down the stairs and toward the


    lobby, I passed by a handful of Gareth¡¯s Pack, and each offered various words of politeness. I did my


    duty and acknowledged them, but it felt like a chore. While I would miss the fresh air, I was ready to be


    back in my own home and in my own chambers.


    When we reached the lobby, I was surprised to see young Finnick was there. The boy was staring at a


    point beyond him, and when I followed his gaze, I realized he was watching his friend being escorted


    toward the dining room.


    I considered my move and decided to approach the boy.


    ¡°Would you care to join us?¡± I asked him directly, and Finnick jumped.


    Before I could get another word in, the boy retreated slowly, as if I were some sort of predator closing in


    on its prey.


    ¡°Mommy and I already ate earlier,¡± he said cautiously. ¡°He told the Alpha we wouldn¡¯t join him.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± I replied, amused, and then I grinned at him. ¡°You can join us. anyway if you want. I can


    tell your mother it¡¯s okay.¡±


    Finnick blinked his wide gray eyes at me and considered my words. He studied me with his serious


    gaze for a moment or two and then shook his head.


    ¡°No, Your Majesty,¡± he said like a little adult. ¡°Mommy said you¡¯re very bad.¡±


    Before I could utter my disbelief, the boy bowed and then took off down the hall, leaving me confused


    and disappointed.

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20


    Chapter 20 Alpha¡¯s dinner


    ASHER


    After the boy disappeared, I released a sigh and then followed Gareth¡¯s servant into the dining room. I


    wished that Finnick had joined us and exined what he meant by his words.


    Had Ca ssandra Keller really told him that I was a bad man?


    The idea should have enraged me and yet, I was somewhat amused. I didn¡¯t love the idea of a child


    fearing me, but perhaps he¡¯d simply twisted her words as children so often did. Either way, something


    about the Kellers was intriguing, and I looked forward to getting to know them once we reached


    Anemond.


    Upon my arrival, Alpha Gareth and Luna Sofia, along with their son, rose to their feet and offered me


    solemn bows. I inclined my head in their direction respectfully and then turned my attention back to the


    se rvant leading me through the room.


    A long, rectangr table sat at the center of the wood-floored room, and around us, the light from the


    enormous red-brick firece flickered. The room itself was painted a rich dark red, and a smile formed


    on my lips. Despite this Pack existing at the border of the empire, the furnishings were exquisite and


    worthy of royalty. There was a hominess here that didn¡¯t exist in my pce.


    The se rvant offered me the seat at the head of the table, and once I sat, he pushed the chair in for me


    and then gave me a small bow.


    ¡°Please let me know if there¡¯s anything else you require, Your Majesty,¡± he said. When I waved my


    hand, he nodded once in understanding and then disappeared.


    Gareth¡¯s s rvants were quite attentive, I¡¯d give them that.


    Once he was gone, I returned my attention to the table. The Alpha and Luna bowed their heads in


    respect once again, and then Gareth cleared his throat.


    ¡°Good evening, Your Majesty,¡± he said, and he offered me a pleasant expression. ¡°I take it you¡¯re


    feeling better?¡±


    ask.¡±


    ¡°Marginally,¡± I replied politely. ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡±


    Gareth nodded. ¡°If there¡¯s anything else we can do, please don¡¯t hesitate to


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± I replied, and then my eyes flicked over to my right. I hadn¡¯t realized my son,


    Prince Marco, was seated there. The boy¡¯s eyes were brighter than they¡¯d been before, and color had


    returned to his cheeks.


    ¡°Hello, Daddy,¡± he greeted me with a smile, and I smiled back


    ¡°Hello, my son,¡± I replied. ¡°You¡¯re looking better. Whatever the healer did to treat you, it appears to be


    working.¡±


    ¡°I feel better, Daddy,¡± Marco dered.


    When the viper had struck, I¡¯d been terrified of losing the boy, but Ca ssandra Keller¡¯s methods had


    apparently worked perfectly. How was it that a healer from a small Pack such as this was so


    knowledgeable when it came to illnesses?


    I could only hope she¡¯d be able to treat my disease as well.


    Se rvants entered the room bearing trays of food, and instantly, the air around. us filled with pleasant


    scents. Theyid down tters of chicken, mashed potatoes, vegetables, and freshly-baked bread onText ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    the long table, and then began to dole portions out onto the china before us.


    Once our tes were full to the brim, the se rvants bowed at Alpha Gareth first, and then myself and


    Prince Marco.


    ¡°That will be all,¡± Gareth said, and then the se rvants bowed again and left the chamber.


    We then began to eat, and the moment I took arge bite, I felt the lingering remains of my poor mood


    slip away. Between the deliciousness of the food and


    witnessing the childhood innocence out on thewn earlier, I was feeling better than I had in a long


    time.


    Marco seemed to pick up on that straight away.


    ¡°Daddy, why are you so happy?¡± he wondered with a slight tilt of his head, and then he took a bite of


    his mashed potatoes.


    I smiled again at my son.


    ¡°No reason,¡± I remarked, and then I reached over and patted him on the shoulder. Marco smiled at me,


    content with the affection.


    Marco was quite needy for my attention these days. When I¡¯d nned this trip down to the Wild


    Crawler Pack, I¡¯d intended toe alone with only Lancel, but Marco had insisted on joining me. I¡¯d


    put up a little bit of a fight, but at the end of the day, I couldn¡¯t deny him. Any five-year-old child would


    have done the same, and I couldn¡¯t me him for wanting to stay by my side.


    ¡°It¡¯s such a blessing that Prince Marco has recovered so quickly, Your Majesty,¡± Gareth spoke up.


    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to your healer,¡± I remarked as I turned my attention to him. ¡°She¡¯s quite remarkable, isn¡¯t


    she?¡±


    is.¡±


    Gareth¡¯s cheeks darkened slightly, but he simply nodded his head. ¡°Indeed, she


    He appeared slightly awkward at the mention of Ca ssandra, and part of me wondered if it was


    because I was taking her with me to Anemond.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen your eldest son, Alpha,¡± I mused. ¡°Where is he? Is he still unhappy with my decision to


    bring the healer with me?¡±


    ¡°No, Your Majesty,¡± Gareth insisted, and then he gulped. ¡°I beg your forgiveness on his behalf. He isn¡¯t


    feeling well-¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I cut him off. ¡°I figured the young man was angry with me. It¡¯s rather


    obvious he¡¯s smitten with her. Of course, you already knew that.¡±


    Gareth and Sofia¡¯s eyes widened and flew to each other. I watched with amusement as their cheeks


    flushed scarlet.


    ¡°What does smitten mean?¡± their son, Dominic, spoke up quietly, and when he tugged on his father¡¯s


    sleeve, Gareth sighed.


    ¡°Eat your food, Dominic,¡± he insisted, and then he turned his attention back to me. ¡°Your Majesty, I think


    you¡¯re mistaken about Rayden. Ca ssandra Keller arrived here five years ago when Rayden was just


    about to join the Myriad. He was too preupied with his service to notice her, and besides, she was


    married back then. They¡¯ve barely interacted since.¡±


    My brow lifted.


    ¡°She came to your Pack five years ago?¡± I asked. ¡°I thought she was born here¡­ Curious. How is that


    possible, Alpha? Does your Pack ept rogues?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Gareth replied quickly. ¡°She came to our Pack with our old healer, Emmett. He


    brought her here and married her, so we epted her as our own. We would never go against the


    rules of Wega-¡±


    His voice wavered, and I fought the urge to fire back.


    ¡°Rx, Alpha Gareth,¡± I said casually, and I raised my hand up. ¡°I was just making a guess. Marriage,


    huh? So where did shee from?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know, Your Majesty,¡± Gareth admitted. ¡°Emmett said she was a stray. Back then, she had


    scars all over her body and she appeared to have been through.


    an ordeal¡­¡±


    His voice trailed off and his lower lip trembled.


    Stray.


    Stray was just a mild word for rogue.


    Gareth was right to look terrified. epting werewolves into a Pack without a clear background was a


    serious offense. If they¡¯d admitted a stray all those years. ago, it was clear this remote Pack was just as


    careless as I¡¯d initially assumed.


    Before I could open my mouth to speak, the chamber door opened and Lancel walked in. The


    expression on his face told me the matter was serious.


    ¡°I have something to report to you, Alpha,¡± he announced, and then his eyes fell


    to Gareth.


    ¡°Speak it,¡± I replied shortly.


    Lancel straightened his posture before he spoke.


    ¡°A se rvant said he saw the healer and Alpha Gareth¡¯s son sneak out of the Pack House just a few


    minutes ago. They¡¯re gone.¡±

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21


    Chapter 21 Rayden¡¯s help


    CA SSANDRA


    After I concluded that the pendant wasn¡¯t in the backpack, I discarded it and looked around the room I¡¯d


    been confined to. There was a stack of boxes in the far


    corner I hadn¡¯t noticed when I¡¯d first arrived.


    I rushed over to them and wasted no time. I rummaged through the closest one, and once I finished


    rooting through it, I moved on to the next.


    I continued this way for nearly an hour.


    In the process of searching my belongings, a pair of se rvants took turns delivering more boxes. With


    every one, I prayed to the Moon Goddess that the pendant had just gotten misced in a pocket or


    bag, and when it wasn¡¯t in any of the spots, my frustration grew.


    Finally, the se vants stopped arriving, and I began to give up. My mother¡¯s


    ne wasn¡¯t here.


    Thankfully, one thing was certain the pendant hadn¡¯t been found by the Alpha King¡¯s guards. If it had,


    things wouldn¡¯t be nearly as quiet as they were now. If my true identity had been revealed, Asher


    Collins would have been crazed and frantic, and the entire Pack House would be up in figurative


    smoke.


    Since it wasn¡¯t here, my mother¡¯s pendant had to be back in my house, most likely hidden away


    somewhere. I tried to search my memory in an attempt to figure out where it was, but my brain was


    drawing an absolute nk.


    There was only one logical n of attack.


    I needed to get home and find it before the guards did.


    I would have to act quickly and sneak out of the Pack House as swiftly as possible.


    It would only take a short amount of time- just a quick in and out, and then I could sneak back in and


    act like nothing ever happened.


    I spent the next half hour working up the courage to make my escape, and once I was finally ready,


    Finnick surprised me and entered the room.


    ¡°Hi, Mommy,¡± he greeted me in a happy tone, but his gray eyes were even more


    serious than usual.


    ¡°Hi, baby,¡± I replied, and my eyebrows creased together. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± he murmured, and then after a moment of consideration, he continued. ¡°Well¡­ I ran into the


    bad man earlier. The King.¡±


    ¡°The King?¡± I repeated back in surprise, and a lump formed in my throat. ¡°What¡­ what happened? Did


    he say something to you, Finnick? Were you polite to


    him?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Finnick replied, and worry painted his face. ¡°He invited me to dinner, but I


    said no.¡±


    him.¡±


    I


    ¡°Oh,¡± I remarked simply as I tried to find the words to say. ¡°That was kind of


    Why would Asher Collins have invited Finnick to dinner?


    My heart raced in my chest, but I did my best to collect myself. I couldn¡¯t let Finnick know I was scared,


    not even a little bit. I needed to stay strong for my little


    I


    boy.


    I crouched down until I was level with him, and then pet his soft hair. After a moment or two, Finnick¡¯s


    features softened a little.


    ¡°I was polite and told him we ate already,¡± he said.


    I could sense that there was more to the story, but I elected not to push any further. Finnick didn¡¯t seem


    like he wanted to talk about the exchange. All I could do was hope that Asher Collins hadn¡¯t osted


    my son or said anything that could


    worry him.


    ¡°That¡¯s my good boy,¡± I replied. I leaned over and kissed the top of Finnick¡¯s head, and then I rose to


    my feet and gestured to the boxes. ¡°I think the se rvants grabbed some of your toys if you want to y


    for a bit before bed.¡±


    Finnick¡¯s eyes lit up and he grinned. ¡°Okay, Mommy!¡±


    I took a little while to help him search the boxes, and after we rounded up some of his favorites, he


    found a corner of the room to y in. He wasted no time and began to talk his little stories out to


    himself. Finnick loved to y with Dominic, but he was also great at entertaining himself. His mind was


    so imaginative and creative.


    I waited until he was deep in it to make my escape.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna be right back, baby,¡± I said, and I gave him a small smile. ¡°Just keep ying and stay here


    until I get back, okay?¡±


    Finnick nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Okay!¡±


    He immediately returned to his toys, and I decided it was time. I took a breath and then left the room. I


    closed the door quietly behind me and then scanned the


    hall.


    Luckily, there were no guards around¡­I was surprised. Perhaps Asher didn¡¯t think I¡¯d have the guts to


    actually sneak out again. Of course, I wasn¡¯t about toin. This miscalction on his part would


    work well in my favor.


    When I got closer to the lobby, there still weren¡¯t any guards around, not even Gareth¡¯s. Usually, the


    Pack House was brimming with activity, but tonight, all was


    quiet.


    I made my way to the backdoor, which I knew wasn¡¯t heavily guarded as the front door was. It would be


    much easier to slip out that door undetected, as it was


    rarely attended to.


    Unfortunately, as I approached, I noticed a tall guard standing at the ready. I tried to search my memory


    for him, but I didn¡¯t recognize him right away from my


    distance. But as I got closer, I realized I¡¯d seen him before. Luckily, he was one of Gareth¡¯s guards, not


    the Alpha King. He would likely let me leave.


    However, my calctions were wrong when I approached. The guard stiffened as I got closer, and then


    gave me an apologetic expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Healer Ca ssandra,¡± he said in a stern tone. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t allow your to leave the Pack


    House.¡±


    It took all of my effort to keep from tearing up.


    Why was I being treated like a prisoner?


    ¡°Please,¡± I pleaded. ¡°I¡¯m just going to my house to pick up something I left. behind. I won¡¯t be longer


    than half an hour. I¡¯ll return right after-


    ¡°The guards can help you with whatever you need, Miss Ca ssandra,¡± the guard insisted, and he raised


    his chin and pointed down the hall. ¡°Just go to the front. lobby and let them know what you want.¡±


    I fought back a sigh. Why wasn¡¯t he letting me leave?


    ¡°Please-¡± I tried again, but the guard shook his head. My hands began to shake at my sides as panic


    set in. Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind me.


    ¡°Ca ssandra?¡± a familiar voice asked, and when I turned around, I was pleasantly surprised to see


    Rayden behind me.


    ¡°Rayden,¡± I greeted him. ¡°Hello.¡±


    Gareth¡¯s son frowned and then tilted his head to the side. His dark eyes studied me curiously, and it


    took all of my effort to keep from worrying. My cover was


    blown.


    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± he wondered, and his eyes flew to the guard.


    ¡°She was trying to leave, Prince Rayden,¡± the guard said, and then Rayden turned to me.


    I couldn¡¯t lie to him, so I simply nodded. ¡°Yes. I was trying to go to my house to find something I think I


    left behind, that¡¯s all. I was going to return right after.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Rayden replied. He shed me a small smile and then turned to the guard.


    ¡°Let her go,¡± hemanded in a regal voice, and the guard¡¯s crow-footed eyes. widened.


    ¡°Prince Rayden, please understand,¡± he pleaded. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose my job. I¡¯m simply following


    orders.¡±


    Rayden nodded, and for a moment I thought all was lost. Then a thought seemed to cross his mind.


    ¡°What if I apanied her?¡± he proposed. ¡°Is that prohibited as well?¡±


    When the guard didn¡¯t answer, Rayden released a sigh and ran a hand through


    his blue-ck hair.


    ¡°If the Alpha King seeks punishment, you can hold me ountable,¡± he said after a moment of pause.


    The guard took a moment to consider, and then he sighed and stepped aside. Rayden gestured


    forward, and without hesitation, the two of us made our way out


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    the door.


    Once we were outside, we were greeted by a small garden. I took a moment to admire it, and then


    made my way to the gate. Rayden followed behind me silently, and the entire time, I considered my


    n of action. Once we were past the garden, we¡¯d be close to the main street, and it would only be a


    little longer until I was at my house. I needed to move quickly if I was going to pull this off, so I took a


    moment and then turned around to face Rayden.


    ¡°Thank you for helping me,¡± I said. ¡°I think I can handle it from here-¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, Ca ssandra,¡± Rayden replied. ¡°I¡¯lle with you. It¡¯s not safe out


    here with the hunting festival going on. Besides, you¡¯re still injured. I¡¯ll keep you safe and make sure


    you get there okay.¡±


    Rayden wanted toe with me?


    I was a little taken aback by his offer. It was kind of him to step in and try to help me, but I couldn¡¯t risk


    him seeing the pendant and asking questions. I needed to get to my house and get there quickly.


    So, I needed to find some way to get there on my own.


    ¡°I appreciate your kindness,¡± I said slowly. ¡°But you¡¯re going to get punished if you follow me, and I


    don¡¯t want that to happen, Rayden.¡±


    Before he could say something more, I started to walk again, and when I heard his footsteps behind


    me, I tried my best not to get impatient. Why was Gareth¡¯s eldest son so insistent oning with me?


    Was he spying on me for his father?


    Or perhaps the Alpha King?

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22


    Chapter 22 Elope?


    CA SSANDRA


    Rayden suddenly grabbed my hand, and when I whipped around to stare at him, his eyes bore into


    mine intensely, so much that my heart began to race.


    ¡°Let me go with you, Ca ssy,¡± he insisted, and his eyes grew sorrowful, as if he was a young boy who¡¯d


    lost something he couldn¡¯t recover again. ¡°Please.¡±


    My eyes widened as I tried to wrap my mind around what was happening.


    ¡°Rayden¡­¡± I uttered.


    As Rayden stared at me with hisrge brown eyes, a feeling swept through me. along with


    understanding. Asher¡¯s earlier words in the meeting room yed through. my mind. The Alpha King


    had quipped that the prince of the Wild Crawlers fancied me. At the


    time, his words had been a massive shock, but as I stood here in the garden, I began to suspect that


    Asher may have been right.


    But I didn¡¯t want to believe it.


    At the time, I never could have imagined that Rayden could see me like that. I¡¯d always been


    something of a friend to him, as well as a healer. Just as I¡¯d done with countless others in the Pack, I¡¯d


    treated Rayden once when he was quite ill.


    I¡¯d assumed Rayden¡¯s outbursts in the meeting room were because he was worried about the Pack


    losing their healer. And I desperately wanted that to be


    true.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he apologized. ¡°I just¡­ I just want to talk to you, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Suddenly, a pping sound cut through the air, and when I turned around, Asher Collins was right


    behind me. The Alpha King¡¯s face was cruel and mocking, and the expression on his amused face sent


    a pang of anger through me.


    ¡°How touching!¡± Asherughed, and he continued to apud. Just beyond him, Alpha Gareth and Luna


    Sofia stood with their arms crossed. Sofia¡¯s cheeks were red with embarrassment, but Gareth looked


    completely angry. Their brows furrowed as they stared at me.


    ¡°Are you trying to elope with the healer, Prince Rayden?¡± Asher continued. His tone was still amused,


    but his smile quickly faded.


    A lump formed in my throat as I tried to find my words


    ¡°There¡¯s b-been a misunderstanding, Your Majesty,¡± I spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your fault?¡± Asher demanded through narrowed gray eyes.


    ¡°Prince Rayden was just trying to help me,¡± I managed to exin. ¡°There is something I need to pick up


    at my house, and he was trying to apany me¡­¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    My words trailed off as Asher¡¯s expression darkened, and for a moment, I felt as if I couldn¡¯t breathe.


    This was bad.


    Suddenly, the Alpha King uttered a single, dryugh.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m st upid, healer?¡± he asked, and then his voice deepened. ¡°You must not have heard


    me earlier. If you want to run, run wisely. This¡­ is not wise at all, is it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to run, Your Majesty!¡± I blurted out before I could consider my words. ¡°I meant what I said,


    I have something important left in my house.¡±


    ¡°What is it then?¡± he demanded. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell the guards to get it for you. I¡¯m sure they would


    love to assist you. It¡¯s their job, after all.¡±


    I swallowed.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s just something personal, Your Majesty,¡± I murmured.


    Asher Collins practically stared through me and I felt trapped, as if he were the predator and I were the


    prey. Every inch of me was terrified, but I had to remain


    calm.


    Everyone remained silent as they awaited the Alpha King¡¯s response. Event Gareth seemed scared of


    Asher.


    Finally, Asher smirked.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he announced. ¡°If it¡¯s that important, I will apany you.¡±


    My eyes widened instinctively, and Asher clocked the reaction immediately.


    ¡°What?¡± he demanded. ¡°Is it something you couldn¡¯t show to your king?¡±


    His tone dripped with suspicion, and I knew I needed to act fast.


    ¡°No, Your Majesty,¡± I said, and I shook my head quickly. Like it or not, everything in the Wega Empire


    belonged to the King in a legal sense. Any attempts to hide anything from the King could be considered


    treason. And I knew treason was al felony better than most.


    It was the charge they¡¯d ced on my father, after all.


    ¡°Then what are we waiting for?¡± Asher Collins demanded. ¡°We will leave at once. Meanwhile, it


    appears that your little suitor needs to be taught some discipline. Am I right, Gareth?¡±


    His eyes shot over to the Alpha of the Wild Crawlers, and I watched Gareth¡¯s


    face lose whatever color it had left.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± he said quickly, and then he bowed in respect. ¡°He will be dealt with immediately.


    Thank you for apanying our healer.¡±


    As this exchange went on, my brain spun in circles and tried to decide how to handle things. I had no


    choice but to let Asher apany me back to my house, but how would I conceal my mother¡¯s


    ne from him? How could I possibly look. for the pendant with him so close to me?


    This was a nightmare.


    Suddenly, a chorus of footsteps rang out behind us, and a mass of guards


    swarmed into the garden. My body froze for a moment, scared they were after me, but instead, they


    stopped in front of Gareth.


    ¡°F-f-¡±


    ¡°A-A-Alpha Gareth,¡± the closest one managed to say through trembling breath.


    ¡°Spit it out!¡± Gareth demanded.


    ¡°Fire!¡± the guard replied as his chest heaved.


    ¡°Report it clearly!¡± the Alpha demanded again, and all of looked around at one. another as we waited


    for the guard to borate.


    ¡°Healer Ca ssandra¡¯s house is on fire,¡± he finally managed to blurt out, and! nearly sank to my knees.


    What??


    No¡­ not my home¡­


    ¡°Send more guards to put out the fire at once!¡± Alpha Gareth ordered, and the guards sprang into


    action and rushed out of the garden.


    Before I could stop myself, I followed suit and took off in the direction of my house. I was running so


    quickly that I felt as if I were floating, but suddenly, I was halted in ce when someone gripped my


    arm and tugged.


    ¡°Stop,¡± Asher demanded, and he tightened his hold around me. ¡°You can¡¯t go there, Ca ssandra, it¡¯s too


    dangerous.¡±


    His expression was firm but I could spy a tiny molecule of caring in his eyes. I stared him down for a


    moment and then tears sprang forth from my eyes.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand!¡± I shouted, and I erupted into s obs.

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23


    ASHER


    Chapter 23 Her sorrow


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand!¡± Ca ssandra shouted, and then suddenly, she broke into a fit of heavy s obs.


    The healer¡¯s knees buckled slightly as she cried, and her chest heaved as she fought to breathe. Her


    copper hair fell into her face and her cheeks flushed pink.


    I stood there,pletely stunned and unsure of what to do.


    For the briefest of seconds, she reminded me of Cora.


    Cora had once said the exact same phrase to me once many years ago when she thought I¡¯d lost a


    pendant she once gave me.


    It had been the first time I¡¯d been allowed to join the Crescent Pack¡¯s hunting group, and furthermore,


    the first time I¡¯d been allowed to enter the hunting zone of the forest in Anemond. I¡¯d admittedly been a


    little nervous, but Cora was absolutely terrified. She was always looking out for my well-being and


    cared so deeply for me


    which meant the world.


    I remembered putting on a brave face, but that wasn¡¯t enough for Cora. So, one day, she came over to


    my house and presented me with a pendant. It was a gorgeous thing- white gold with a moonstone at


    its center, ringed by tiny, sparkling diamonds. The ne was one of the most beautiful things I¡¯d


    ever seen.


    ¡°What is this?¡± I¡¯d asked.


    ¡°It was my mother¡¯s,¡± Cora exined, and her lips curled into a sad smile. She never spoke about her


    mother, but I knew the memory brought her pain.


    ¡°It¡¯s lovely,¡± I said, and then my brow furrowed. ¡°Why did you bring it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for you to wear,¡± she said,


    and before I could protest, she leaned in close and wrapped the chain around my neck. I was still


    confused, but I let her do it anyway. When the sp was fastened, the moonstone settled against my


    skin. It was cold,


    but the sensation had been pleasant,forting somehow.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± I said. ¡°Why do you want me to wear your mother¡¯s ne.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good luck charm,¡± Cora insisted, and this time, her smile was brilliant. ¡°Wear it with you into the


    forest. My mother will protect you just as she did me.¡±


    Her smile was so earnest that for a moment, the entire world faded away. Coral had that effect. She


    was so sweet and so kind that I could hardly grasp just how much she cared.


    Not only that but there was afort in knowing that Cora¡¯s mother could be watching me. My own


    mother died right after I was born. I hadn¡¯t gotten a chance to know her, so something about the idea of


    having a maternal presence with me during my first hunting festival meant a lot.


    Dayster, it was time for the festival. I¡¯d worn the ne under my shirt, and something about it


    helped my bravery. My nerves faded away almost instantly, despite the darkness of the forest, and


    when I howled along with the rest of the Crescent Pack, I swore I could feel someone watching over


    me.


    When I returned from the festival, I decided to stop by Cora¡¯s house. The entire time, I began to wonder


    if the ne had really helped or if it was just in my head. It didn¡¯t matter, but for some reason, my


    brain couldn¡¯t let go of the small sense of


    doubt.


    I was a very young man back then, and despite my upbringing, there was a little mischief in my mind. I


    couldn¡¯t help but be co cky and a little tricksy. So, on the way there, I decided to y a joke on Cora.


    ¡°Asher!¡± she greeted me at the door when I arrived. ¡°How was the festival?¡±


    ¡°It was fine,¡± I said, and then I pretended to be sad. ¡°But something happened.¡±


    Cora¡¯s eyes widened. She brushed her blonde hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear,


    just as she always did when she was nervous.


    ¡°What happened?¡± she asked, and her eyebrows creased together in concern.


    ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s about your mother¡¯s ne,¡± I said, and Cora gasped.


    ¡°Where is it?¡± she demanded, and her eyes fell to my throat.


    ¡°I think I lost it in the forest,¡± I said, and immediately, Cora burst into tears. Her knees had buckled as


    her chest heaved with heavy s obs, and I regretted the joke immediately. I¡¯d never seen her cry so


    hard, and I felt awful for ying tricks on her.


    ¡°Cora, wait,¡± I insisted, and I reached into my pocket and pulled out the ne. ¡°I was just kidding,


    it¡¯s right here!¡±


    I held it out to her and expected her to stop crying, but she didn¡¯t. She sn atched the ne from me


    and nearly fell to the ground as she sobbed.


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    ¡°Oh, Cora,¡± I pleaded. ¡°Please don¡¯t cry. It was a stu pid joke. I¡¯m so so sorry, please stop crying.¡±


    Cora¡¯s eyes suddenly stared deeply into mine, and she red at me. ¡°You don¡¯t -understand, Asher!


    You don¡¯t understand how important this is to me.¡±


    As I stared at Cas sandra Keller, I was reminded of Cora¡¯s pain, and the feeling. tugged at my


    heartstrings. There was a dryness in my throat, and a strange sadness that overcame me as I watched


    the healer finally fall to the ground. She covered her beautiful face with her hands and continued to cry.


    I wanted to say something to soothe her, just as I¡¯d done with Cor¨¢, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to do it.


    She wasn¡¯t Cora, she was just one of my subjects.


    My Cora was gone.


    But I had to help the healer anyway.


    I turned to Lancel, who¡¯d appeared just as Ca ssandra had started crying.


    ¡°Find the arsonist,¡± I demanded, and Lancel nodded immediately.


    ¡°Right away, Alpha,¡± he replied, and then he turned to his men. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    The guards bowed at me in respect, and then the crowd of them disappeared from the garden. Once


    they were all gone, I tuned my attention back to Ca ssandra. Just beyond us, Gareth and Sofia stood in


    shock. They didn¡¯t know how to react


    either.


    I let out a heavy sigh and then squatted down beside the healer. I reached out and touched her arm,


    and when that didn¡¯t work, I gently pulled her hand from her face. Herrge eyes were red from all of


    the tears.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay,¡± I assured her. ¡°They¡¯re going to figure this out. Now, can you tell me what was


    so important in that house?¡±


    With every word, I¡¯d calmed my voice, and even I was surprised at the gentleness. I wasn¡¯t usually one


    tofort.


    Ca ssandra took a long, deep breath, and then shook her head. She wiped the tears from her cheeks


    and then shook her head again.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need, Your Majesty,¡± she said quietly. ¡°It¡¯s not¡­ important. It¡¯s just¡­ the house belonged to


    myte husband¡­¡±


    Her voice trailed off, and there was a strange look in her eyes. I assumed she simply was mourning,


    but there was a part of me that felt like she was lying.


    ¡°This is just a huge shock, Your Majesty,¡± she continued, and as she rose to her feet, I knew she was


    lying.


    She¡¯d been so intent on returning to the house to retrieve something, and now it was just unimportant.


    Why? What was she holding back?


    Ca ssandra bowed to me respectfully. ¡°Please excuse me, Your Majesty.¡±


    Before I could say another word, she nodded at Gareth, Sofia, and Prince Rayden, and then fled from


    the garden. Perhaps she really was in shock at the idea of her house burning, but I had the sense that


    there was more.


    Cora had been so inconsble back then and wasn¡¯t keen to get out of her sorrow so easily. As I


    watched Ca ssandra leave, I was reminded of all of the hours I¡¯d spent soothing her.


    But Ca ssandra wasn¡¯t Cora.


    Frustration bloomed within me.


    Enough thinking about the past. Tomorrow, I would return to Anemond and put all of these delusions


    behind me.


    I rose to my feet, brushed off my hands, and turned to Gareth.


    ¡°Please have the car ready for me, Alpha Gareth,¡± I instructed. ¡°I hope to leave tomorrow morning.¡±

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24


    Chapter 24 Leave for Anemond


    CA SSANDRA


    Night came and I couldn¡¯t get any sleep. Too many thoughts gued my mind, and no matter how


    many times I tried to settle in and get some rest, I just couldn¡¯t. I tossed and turned like mad as images


    of smoke danced in my mind.


    My house was gone and along with it was my mother¡¯s pendant.


    After a while, I nced over at Finnick. I hadn¡¯t told him about the fire. I didn¡¯t want to worry him when


    there was already so much to deal with. His face was peaceful as he slept, and it brought a smile to my


    face. At the end of the day, we were mostly safe and sound. I was grateful to at least have my boy with


    me.


    ¡°It¡¯s us against the world, baby,¡± I whispered, and then Iid back down and closed my eyes.


    The next morning came faster than I wanted it to, and I awoke to the sound of a knock at the door. I


    pulled myself out of bed and carefully walked over to the door


    so I wouldn¡¯t wake Finnick.


    I opened the door to find Amalia on the other side. The maid smiled at me and then I noticed that she


    was holding a tray full of food.


    ¡°The car to Anemond is ready,¡± she announced. ¡°The Alpha King wishes for your to join him downstairs


    within half an hour. Before then, I¡¯ve brought you breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I agreed. ¡°Thank you, Amalia.¡±


    The maid nodded, and after I epted the tray, I closed the door and let out a sigh. Anemond. I


    couldn¡¯t believe all of this was happening to me. Asher Collins had somehow snuck his way back into


    my life and was bringing me back to the source of all of my trauma and nightmares.


    This half-hour would likely be thest thirty minutes of my life that I would be


    able to have calmness. Anemond loomed over me like a monster I just couldn¡¯t escape. I couldn¡¯t even


    think of the word without shivering.


    And now that my mother¡¯s pendant was gone, I had nothing to pray to, nothing. to watch over me. My


    rtionship with the Moon Goddess wasplicated, and half of the time, I wasn¡¯t sure I believed in


    her. I had long lost most of my faith in a being who¡¯d matched me with Asher and then robbed me of


    everything.


    Speaking of the Alpha King, I couldn¡¯t help but hope that the incidentst night hadn¡¯t caused too much


    suspicion. I should have maintained myposure, but it was all so shocking that I couldn¡¯t keep it all


    in. And then the situation with Prince Rayden¡­ everything had be soplicated so quickly.


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    I had to tread carefully now if I wanted to survive. I had to protect Finnick at all costs, so I needed to be


    careful from here on out.


    Suddenly, Finnick sat up and let out a yawn. He blinked his gray eyes at me sleepily and then yawned


    again.


    ¡°Mommy, are we leaving now?¡± he asked, and then he rubbed his eyes.


    ¡°Yes, honey,¡± I replied. ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s time. But before we go, let¡¯s try to eat. some food, okay? This


    food looks really yummy and you¡¯ll need your strength for today..¡±


    ¡°Okay, Mommy,¡± he said, and he stretched his little arms above him. I brought the tray over to the table


    in the corner and began to set up tes for the two of us. I filled each with eggs, bacon, fruit, and


    biscuits, and once it was all assembled, Finnick joined me at the table.


    We ate quickly, and once our bellies were full, I helped Finnick get dressed and then dressed myself.


    We picked up a few of our things that we wanted directly with us, and when we were finally ready, a


    few servants arrived to grab the rest.


    ¡°Ready, baby?¡± I asked Finnick, and after he nodded, I took his hand in mine, and the two of us walked


    down the stairs.


    A mass of people had gathered in the lobby. Alpha Gareth, Sofia, Dominic, and


    a few guards were there, along with Asher and his son. Rayden was nowhere to be found, which was


    somewhat of a relief after yesterday, but at the same time, I felt a little sad. I hoped the prince hadn¡¯t


    been punished too harshly for what had happened in the garden. I didn¡¯t want to cause too much


    trouble to the Alpha family who had always been so kind to me over the years.


    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting,¡± I apologized to everyone as we joined them.


    Luna Sofia¡¯s blue eyes filled with tears that welled up further as she took a step toward me.


    ¡°Oh, Ca ssy,¡± she breathed. ¡°I¡¯m going to miss you so much.¡±


    She embraced me warmly, and then she squatted down to give Finnick a hug.


    ¡°We¡¯ll miss you too, sweet boy,¡± she said, and then she nced at me. ¡°I hope you have a good and


    safe journey to Anemond.¡±


    Alpha Gareth nodded. ¡°Yes, safe travels to you both.¡±


    Beside him, his youngest son was sniffling. Finnick was his best friend in the world, and I knew this was


    going to be difficult for both of them. Dominic approached Finnick, and the two hugged each other


    tightly.


    They didn¡¯t say much, but their expressions said it all.


    ¡°I¡¯lle visit you in Anemond, Finnick,¡± Dominic promised. ¡°When grow up.¡±


    I


    Finnick nodded solemnly and wiped a tear from his cheek.


    Asher waited patiently for us to finish, and then cleared his through. ¡°It¡¯s time for us to leave.¡±


    The rest of us nodded, and then gathered our things and walked out onto thewn. Two cars were


    parked outside- one fancy and extravagant, while the other was more ordinary.


    When Finnick caught sight of the extravagant car his eyes widened. He ran to


    the luxury car and stared at me with huge eyes.


    ¡°Wow, Mommy!¡± he eximed with excitement. ¡°This is amazing!¡±


    ¡°Of course it is,¡± Asher¡¯s son Marco said with a roll of his eyes. ¡°My father is the king, remember?¡±


    Finnick nodded and then turned to me again. ¡°Can I sit in the front seat) Mommy?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°The front seat isn¡¯t safe, sweetheart. You¡¯re too young.¡±


    Finnick sighed in disappointment. Living in a vige as small as this one, he¡¯d had few opportunities to


    ride in a car before. The furthest we¡¯d ever gone was with Marley to the neighboring vige in her car.


    ¡°Sweetheart,¡± Marco scoffed, and I fought the urge to get annoyed. I¡¯d never expected such meanness


    from someone so young, but perhaps he got that from his mother.


    ¡°Marco,¡± Asher chastised him.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he said, but he continued to re at Finnick. Luckily, my son didn¡¯t scare easily and kept his


    gaze steady.


    I looked back at the more ordinary car. I gripped my bag tighter and began to walk toward the direction


    of it. Se rvants were filling the trunk with the rest of our belongings, and I wanted to get settled for the


    long journey.


    However, I was stopped by Asher¡¯s grip on my arm.


    ¡°You will take the same car as me,¡± he said inly.

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25


    Chapter 25 Where was she from?


    CA SSANDRA


    The Alpha King¡¯s tone told me all I needed to know. This was not a request, it


    was an order, and it was one I couldn¡¯t refuse.


    ¡°Oh,¡± I remarked quietly, and then I nodded. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you.¡±


    Asher released his hold on my arm and then nodded back before gesturing to the luxury car. ¡°Let¡¯s go


    then, Mrs. Keller,¡±


    My name on his lips sounded so strange, but I couldn¡¯t let myself freeze up now. I wanted nothing more


    than for him to call me by my true name, but that could never happen again.


    I followed the Alpha King to the car, and once we were there, a se rvant held the door open for us. Just


    as we were climbing in, I heard a familiar voice calling my


    name.


    ¡°Ca ssy!¡± Marley yelled, and when I turned around, I saw her running toward me with great speed.


    Jasper wasn¡¯t too far behind, and a smile broke out on my face.


    I met her halfway, and she threw her arms around me when we met. We hugged each other tightly, and


    once we parted, Jasper and I exchanged nods.


    ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re leaving,¡± Marley said sadly, and her eyes welled up at little with tears. ¡°What


    am I going to do without you, Ca ssy?¡±


    I smiled back at her and rested my hand on her arm. ¡°You¡¯re going to be an excellent healer, Marley. I


    promise you can do this.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Marley replied, but I shook my head.


    ¡°You can do this,¡± I repeated. After a moment, my best friend nodded and then wiped the tears from her


    eyes.


    I knew the transition would be difficult, but Marley was more than capable of handling things without


    me. Our patients needed her, and she would do well with the clinic in my absence.


    ¡°Come back and see me,¡± Marley insisted, and I nodded my head.


    ¡°I will,¡± I promised, but we both knew there was little chance of that actually happening. Once I got to


    Anemond and became a royal healer, it was unlikely that I would be able to leave. My duties would lie


    in treating the Alpha King of his


    ailments.


    We hugged onest time, and then I returned to the car. I helped Finnick get settled into our seats in


    the back, and then the car door was closed behind me. Marco was seated beside us, and Asher was in


    the passenger seat. As the Alphal King, he should have been ced in the back and out of harm¡¯s way,


    but he insisted on taking the passenger seat. Maybe it was him being gentlemanly, but I suspected this


    arrangement was made so he could study me in the rearview mirror.


    The car drove out onto the main road, and when I turned to look back, Marley was waving goodbye. I


    waved back and watched her figure grow smaller and smaller until it was gonepletely. I forced my


    tears back and then turned back to


    look at the road ahead of us.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    We continued down the main road until we reached the turn that took us out of


    Wild Crawler territory, and a strange sensation went through me. Once again, I was leaving behind all


    that I knew, only this time, I was going right back where I started.


    The four of us, along with the driver, rode along in silence for a few hours. Finnick closed his eyes and


    fell asleep, and then Marco right behind him.


    As they dozed soundly, Asher¡¯s eyes met mine through the mirror and then


    narrowed.


    ¡°So, Ca ssandra,¡± he said in a softened tone so as not to wake the boys. ¡°I heard from Alpha Gareth


    that you arrived at the Wild Crawler Pack five years ago.¡±


    My heart sank a little in my chest. His tone was casual enough, but why was he bringing this up now?


    Sure, there was plenty of time to make small talk between


    here and Anemond, but my past seemed like a loaded topic.


    So, why was he asking?


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± I answered anyway. ¡°My husband brought me to the Pack. five years ago. We got


    married, so I settled down there with his people.¡±


    ¡°So, where are you from then?¡± Asher asked.


    I searched my mind quickly and then came up with an answer.


    ¡°The Moon Chase Pack, Your Majesty.¡±


    I had been preparing for this question for a while, though I hadn¡¯t thought of the answer in a long time.


    Years ago, worry had painted my mind- what if someone. were to question my origin- and Emmett had


    helped me craft a past for myself.


    The Moon Chase Pack. Emmett had decided that was the perfect answer. Members of that Pack used


    to be nomads, he¡¯d exined. They traveled along the territory line as a Pack and moved with the


    guidance of the moon.


    ¡°The Moon Chase,¡± Asher repeated back, and through the mirror, I could see his raised brow. He


    seemed a little taken aback.


    What answer had he expected?


    ¡°So, Mrs. Keller, why haven¡¯t you registered your origin in Wild Crawler?¡± he asked suspiciously. ¡°You


    know that¡¯s illegal, right?¡±


    I thought quickly on my feet.


    ¡°I was wounded back then,¡± I exined. ¡°My husband, Emmett, was busy taking care of me. I suppose


    he must have forgotten.¡±


    ¡°Wounded?¡±


    The Alpha King¡¯s interest seemed piqued, much to my dismay. I needed to stay sharp.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied. ¡°I was severely wounded after being attacked while traveling in the forest. Emmett


    saved me, and then we fell in love.¡±


    It was a lie, but a good one. It was a better idea to tell a story close to the truth. If Asher really wanted


    to investigate the matter, he would discover that Emmett had in fact, spent months on my treatment. It


    was no secret in the Wild Crawler Pack.


    Asher¡¯s lips curled into a frown.


    ¡°I see,¡± he remarked, and then he sat back in his seat. He didn¡¯t ask me a single question after that.


    We continued the ride in silence. Finnick woke up a couple of times and stared, out the window in awe.


    This was the furthest he¡¯d ever traveled, and he was impressed by all of the sights. Marco, meanwhile,


    was bored and huffy. If I had to guess, I¡¯d say the young prince wasn¡¯t too pleased to be riding with a


    pair of country


    I didn¡¯t let him bother me, though, and neither did Finnick. My boy was too strong and tough to be


    affected by such a spoiled child.


    When they both fell back asleep, I decided I should close my eyes as well. We still had quite a ways to


    go to Anemond, and I¡¯d barely slept the night before, and I¡¯d need all of my strength to make it through


    this.


    So, I leaned back into my seat and let my mind wander. I took a long, deep breath, and allowed myself


    to sink in further.


    I drifted off into sleep, and after a few hours, a voice woke me up. It was the driver, verbal atst.


    ¡°Your Majesty, we are arriving at the Merliscire Pce.¡±

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26


    Chapter 26 Merliscire Pce


    CA SSANDRA


    I peered up at the clock at the front of the car. The disy read noon, and despite the ride being long, it


    seemed like it should have been muchter.


    When I peered out the window, a strange feeling formed in the pit of my


    stomach.


    Merliscire Pce. It was just as magnificent as ever, with tall, pirs


    constructed of white marble that glinted with specks of gold, a surplus of long windows, and expansive


    balconies that gave a beautiful view of the


    perfectly-manicured grounds. The grass was a lustrous shade of emerald, and the driveways were


    paved in rich red brick.


    At the front of the pce was an enormous gold fountain. It was in the shape of a wolf with its head


    raised high toward the moon. It had been crafted centuries ago and was meant to pay tribute to the


    Moon Goddess. The water sshed high into the air and shimmered on its way down.


    Anemond may have been the source of my nightmares, but I couldn¡¯t deny. there was something


    beautiful and magical about the pce.


    The car pulled up the drive and stopped right at the marble stairs that led to the entrance hall. The


    moment I caught sight of the stairs, a memory struck me.


    I remembered the first time my father had brought my brother Ector and me to the pce. Even back


    then, we were both awestruck by the sight of it and its luxuriousness. When we¡¯d first stepped foot


    inside, Father had told us to not wander or look about, as it would be impolite, but we couldn¡¯t resist.


    We¡¯d never witnessed a beauty such as the Merliscire Pce before, and we likely never would again.


    I was pulled back to reality when Finnick began to stir. His eyes blinked open slowly and then widened


    when he realized where we were.


    ¡°We¡¯re here?¡± he breathed, and then his lips curled into a grin. His innocence


    touched something deep within me, and for a moment, I felt like I was a young girl again. How I wished


    this ce hadn¡¯t tainted my life in the way it had, so I too could feel excited about this ce.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said simply, and then I helped Finnick with his seatbelt. Marco, meanwhile, couldn¡¯t have


    moved faster. He undid his own seatbelt with ease and thenunched himself out the door. Asher got


    out silently as well, and as Finnick and I climbed out of the car, I watched the young prince embrace his


    father.


    Asher gave him a brief hug and then carefully pulled away from his son and turned to the se rvants


    who¡¯d just arrived. He shed them a stern expression, and they immediately went to the trunk and


    began to unload our luggage. I watched the exchange in awe. It wasn¡¯t impolite exactly, but the scope


    of Asher¡¯s power was impressive to see.


    I looked around at the se rvants to see if I could recognize any of them, and yet, none looked familiar.


    Perhaps the Alpha King had brought in a whole new crew when he¡¯d been coronated, or perhaps, I just


    couldn¡¯t remember any of them. After all, I hadn¡¯t visited the pce all that often in the first ce, even


    before my father was framed. Asher had never liked meeting me at the pce, He preferred toe to


    me instead at Rosepetal, the mansion I¡¯d moved to after we¡¯d discovered we were


    mates.


    Asher always liked to refer to Rosepetal as ¡°our home¡±


    But in the end, it turned out to be my prison and the ce I nearly lost my life.


    When Finnick tugged at my sleeve impatiently, I pushed away my thoughts of the mansion and


    returned to the present.


    ¡°This is amazing, Mommy,¡± he whispered, and I smiled down at him.


    ¡°It is,¡± I agreed in an equally soft voice. ¡°Now, stay close to me, baby. This ce is big and I don¡¯t want


    you to get lost.¡±


    Finnick nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    A few minutester, the head of the se rvants appeared and led us into the pce. Se rvants held the


    doors open for us, and as we crossed through and into the entryway, the weight of everything crashed


    over me.


    We approached the marble staircase, and as I followed the se rvants and Asher, the pain of my injuries


    red slightly. I hadn¡¯t taken any medicine today, and it was definitely making things difficult. But, I


    pushed the pain aside and focused on my surroundings. The childlike side of me reveled in the


    nostalgia and wanted to see how the pce of my childhood had changed, but the more rational part of


    me couldn¡¯t stop remembering the bad times.


    Right here in Merliscire, Asher¡¯s father, the former Alpha King, had sentenced my father to lifelong


    imprisonment and then banished my brother..


    Here, the Alpha King was at his highest power and ruled over Wega as an absolute authority. I


    couldn¡¯t let my nostalgia forget that.


    ¡°Bert,e here,¡± Asher summoned the head se rvant to him once we reached


    the first level.


    Bert was a middle-aged man with wrinkles that lined his tanned cheeks. His eyes were a deep warm


    brown, and his smile was kind. He approached the Alphal King dutifully and asked what he could do to


    assist him.


    ¡°Prepare a room at once for Healer Cas sandra and her son,¡± Ashermanded. ¡°And then call the


    Chief Healer to my study.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Bert answered, and then after a pause, he softened his. voice. ¡°Lady Adalyn is


    waiting for you, Your Majesty. She wishes to have lunch with


    you.¡±


    The Alpha King frowned for a moment and then shook his head. ¡°Tell Lady Adalyn that I¡¯ll need to deal


    with some business first. However, Marco will join her.¡±


    He patted Marco on his shoulder. ¡°Bert will lead you to your mother.¡±


    ¡°But I want to stay with you, Daddy!¡± Marco insisted, and he tugged on his father¡¯s shirt.


    Asher shook his head again. ¡°No, you need to go to your mother.¡±


    Marco didn¡¯t want to ept this answer and started to whine. Meanwhile, Asher¡¯s frown only


    deepened. His gray eyes shed over to Bert, who understood the expression immediately.


    ¡°Come with me, Your Highness-¡± Bert pleaded, but Marco wasn¡¯t having any of it. The young prince


    pouted, stamped his foot, and pointed at Finnick.


    ¡°If he¡¯s going to follow you, so am I,¡± he dered, and his eyes shot daggers at Finnick.


    I stood there in shock until I realized what was happening. There was a reason. Marco was constantly


    giving my son and me sour looks.


    Was he jealous? Was he worried Finnick would steal his father and his attention away from him?


    I was slightly amused, but at the same time, a bit worried. It was said that children could always sense


    something adults couldn¡¯t. All I could do was hope that. Marco¡¯s trait of jealousy came from his mother.


    Adalyn was the embodiment of jealousy and insecurity.


    Footsteps on the marble suddenly rang out, and a figure approached, as if my thoughts had summoned


    her.


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    ¡°Asher, are you here?¡± a sweet voice called out.


    Adalyn appeared before us, d in a red silk dress. When she reached the Alpha King, she took his


    hand in hers and smiled. Her brilliant amber eyes. glimmered as she gazed at Asher lovingly, but that


    excitement faded when she noticed me.


    ¡°Who is this?¡± she asked in a surprised tone. ¡°Do we have a guest, darling?¡±

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27


    Chapter 27 Alpha¡¯s study


    CA SSANDRA


    Adalyn¡¯s eyes lingered on me for a while, and for a moment, I felt like prey. The royal family all seemed


    to have that effect. They were the predators while the rest of us were just lucky to survive.


    Asher¡¯s wife was even more beautiful than I¡¯d ¡®remembered her to be. She was tall, with deeply tanned


    skin, straight dark brown hair that fell to her middle back, and an angr face with high cheekbones.


    Her amber eyes were framed by long, dark eyshes, and her full lips were painted a dark red to


    match her dress.


    Those cat-like eyes stared into mine and studied me carefully. She was smiling, but there was no


    kindness in her gaze. A shiver traveled down my spine. There was no way for Adalyn to know my true


    identity, and yet, I couldn¡¯t help but fear her.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Asher spoke finally. ¡°This is Ca ssandra Keller and her son, Finnick. She is a healer from the


    Wild Crawler Pack.¡±


    ¡°The Wild Crawler Pack,¡± Adalyn repeated back, and her tone dripped with disgust. She was still just as


    snobby as I remembered her being, and she wrinkled. her nose at the mention of my Pack. ¡°Interesting.


    What is she doing here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll exin to youter,¡± Asher said absently, but that answer didn¡¯t seem to satisfy her.


    pout.


    ¡°Come and join me for lunch and you can tell me all about it,¡± she said with a


    The Alpha King shook his head. ¡°Go ahead with Marco. I have some business to attend to.¡±


    Adalyn was clearly unhappy with his words, but her pout faded. She straightened her posture and then


    nodded obediently.


    ¡°I will wait for you in your room after lunch,¡± she said.


    I was confused by her statement. His room? Did they not share a room like a husband and wife


    normally do?


    However, Asher¡¯s tone and expressions toward her weren¡¯t exactly loving. They didn¡¯t seem like a


    happily wedded pair. They didn¡¯t even have the familiar air of close friends.


    Strange emotions rose from my core, but I couldn¡¯t ce them. Was I curious? Or satisfied by this


    realization?


    ¡°Mommy, I want to go with Daddy,¡± Marco whined. For a moment, I thought she¡¯d give in to his


    demands, but Adalyn instead red at her son. Marco stopped whimpering immediately and gulped.


    That seemed to be the end of that.


    Meanwhile, Asher said nothing. He eyed Bert, who immediately disappeared down the hall after giving


    the Alpha King a bow of respect.


    floor.


    Asher then turned to me and Finnick.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± hemanded, and then he continued up the stairs to the next


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    I followed after him without question, and as we walked away, I could feel Adalyn ring at my back.


    But I ignored herpletely. What else could do? She was the Alpha King¡¯s wife, after all. I had to


    maintain myposure here.


    We continued ascending until we reached thending on the third floor. Finnick grasped my hand and


    squeezed. When I looked down, his face was in awe. I smiled down at him and then turned my


    attention back to what was in front of us.


    Ash¨¦r led us down the hall. Once we reached the end, we stopped at a set of double doors. A pair of


    se rvants stood on either side and after they bowed at Asher, they opened the doors for us and allowed


    us inside.


    To my utter surprise, we were in the Alpha King¡¯s study. Even when I¡¯d visited he Merliscire Paace with


    my father, I¡¯d never set foot there. I was always relegated


    to the first floor or led by the se rvants to y in the gardens. I¡¯d always loved the gardens. They were


    full of beautiful flowers and interesting nts native to Wega. It was my favorite part of the pce.


    But the study was something else entirely. It was a confidential, secretive ce, somewhere only to be


    entered by the Alpha King and those he trusted.


    In a million years, I¡¯d never have guessed that Asher would bring me here.


    Finnick and I stepped into the room, and when we did, my jaw dropped. It was a sp acious room,rger


    than the lobby of the Wild Crawler Pack House. The walls, were jet ck, and the floors were a deep


    gray marble with silver flecks. Arge ckwood desk was ced near the floor-to-ceiling window,


    which gave a view of the grounds outside the pce. To the left was a small library. The shelves


    reached so high they nearly touched the ceiling, and they were arranged in a half-circle.


    On the right-hand side, a coffee table and a few leather couches were arranged like it was a meeting


    room. It reminded me of Alpha Gareth¡¯s, only it was more


    luxurious.


    ¡°This is huge,¡± Finnick gasped. I was a little surprised to hear him speak. He¡¯d remained polite and


    silent nearly this entire time, just as I¡¯d told him to. But now, he was too in awe to remain silent.


    ¡°Shh,¡± I said quietly, and then I nced at Asher. Luckily, the Alpha King didn¡¯t seem to hear Finnick¡¯s


    deration. He simply wandered over to his desk and began rooting through it. I led Finnick over to the


    shelves as we waited and then crouched down next to him.


    ¡°You have to stay quiet, Finnick,¡± I whispered. ¡°The pce is a very big ce. and the Alpha King is a


    very busy man. He is a figure we have to respect, okay? He has plenty of things to upy him, so we


    can¡¯t waste his time.¡±


    Finnick nodded, and his expression grew serious.


    understand,¡± he said very maturely, and then he nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mommy.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry,¡± I assured him. ¡°I know you¡¯re excited about all of this. Truth be


    told, I¡¯m excited too. But we have to remain respectful. We¡¯re guests of the king and need to conduct


    ourselves politely.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Finnick agreed, and then he nodded again.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, and I kissed the top of his head. ¡°I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you too, Mommy,¡± Finnick replied, and after we briefly hugged, I rose to my feet. I¡¯d half


    expected Asher to be ring at us when I turned around, but to my surprise, the Alpha King was still


    searching through his desk.


    Finnick and I waited patiently with our hands behind our backs. I wasn¡¯t sure what Asher was searching


    for, but it seemed to be of the utmost importance if it was holding his attention for this long.


    Finally, he seemed to find what he needed and retrieved a small stack of papers from a drawer. He


    carefullyid them out on his desk, scanned them with his serious. gray eyes, and then looked up at


    me. Wordlessly, he rose to his feet and then. walked over to the couches. He exhaled heavily, and then


    seat himself in thergest


    one. He took a moment and then gestured at the sofa across from him.


    ¡°Take a seat,¡± he addressed me. ¡°I have a few things I wish to discuss with you


    before the Chief Healer arrives.¡±

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28


    Chapter 28 Three months


    CA SSANDRA


    A lump formed in my throat in response to Asher¡¯s words. What did the Alpha King want to talk to me


    about?


    I forced down my fear and simply nodded. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    I nced down at Finnick, and my son nodded as well. He took my hand and then I led him over to the


    meeting area of the study. Finnick sat first, and then I took a seat to the right of him, closer to Asher.


    Even though I knew nothing bad would happen, I wanted to put myself in a ce of protection just in


    case.


    Momentster, a knock was heard at the doors.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Asher called out in a regal tone. The doors opened to reveal a pair of servants holding trays.


    They quickly hustled over to us, set the trays down on therge ebony coffee table, and then bowed


    respectfully at Asher.


    ¡°Do you require anything else at the moment, Your Majesty?¡± one of the se rvants, an older red-headed


    woman asked politely.


    Asher shook his head. ¡°Not at the moment. Leave us, please.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± the pair replied in unison, and without another word, they crossed to the other side


    of the chamber and left.


    Once the doors were closed, my eyes fell to the trays. They wereden with a beautifully painted


    teapot, a few cups, and two tes of cookies, some of which I recognized as Finnick¡¯s favorites.


    Beside me, I heard my son¡¯s stomach rumble. It was around lunchtime, so it wasn¡¯t a surprise that he


    was hungry.


    ¡°Please, help yourself,¡± Asher addressed him directly. His tone was gentle, and he gave the boy a small


    smile.


    I was surprised by the exchange. Had the pair spoken before this moment? Or was this their first time?


    Finnick stared at Asher for a moment and then shook his head. ¡°Thank you, Sir,


    but I¡¯m not hungry.¡±


    His stomach betrayed him yet again and let out an even louder rumble. Asher


    chuckled in amusement and then leaned forward.


    ¡°They¡¯re not poisoned, Finnick,¡± he said, and then his eyes darted to me. ¡°Are you refusing because


    your mother told you I¡¯m a bad guy?¡±


    It took all of my effort to keep from gasping. Heat spread to my cheeks, and my hands began to shake


    at my sides. How did he know I¡¯d said that?


    I opened my mouth but no sound could escape. How could I exin myself?


    Finnick¡¯s eyes widened as well, and his cheeks flushed scarlet. He quickly looked away from Asher and


    focused on the marble floor.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing to do with my mommy,¡± he whispered. ¡°I¡¯m¡­, I¡¯m just not hungry right now.¡±


    The room fell intoplete silence after that. A minute or so passed us by, and Asher spent the


    entirety of it watching Finnick until finally, he softened his gaze.


    ¡°Alright,¡± he replied. I expected him to push the issue further, but was incredibly relieved when he


    didn¡¯t. ¡°Now, as I was saying, Healer Ca ssandra¡­¡±


    His voice trailed off, and then he leaned forward in his seat and rested his elbows on his legs. The


    muscles in his arms flexed a little at the motion, and his wavy hair fell into his face. He brushed it


    behind his ears and then continued to speak.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re wondering what I want,¡± he began, and his tone grew far more serious than it¡¯d been


    with Finnick. ¡°It¡¯s simple enough. I want to uncover the reason behind the dark mark on my skin.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I understand.¡±


    ¡°Let me finish,¡± Asher interjected, and after I nodded, he continued. ¡°Your research and subsequent


    treatments must remainpletely confidential. You will not be allowed to tell anyone about this, or


    else you will face major consequences.¡±


    I nodded again and forced back a gulp. I knew what it would mean to betray the king. I would be


    confined to prison for the rest of my life or worse. I couldn¡¯t allow that to happen, not when Finnick was


    depending on me.


    ¡°I will be speaking with the Chief Healer soon,¡± the Alpha King mused. ¡°He will appoint you to the


    position of Private Healer to the King. This will allow you to stay, in the pce and grant you permission


    to visit me frequently.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty,¡± I said graciously.


    Asher sat back in his seat and crossed his legs. ¡°You will have three months to find the reason behind


    my illness. This should be more than enough time toplete your research and conduct treatments.¡±


    I paused as his words sank in.


    Three months?


    That was a very short amount of time. Yet, it was understandable. The disease had a tendency to


    cause its victims to deteriorate at a rapid pace. Three months of enduring the illness would take its toll


    on the king.


    Asher¡¯s steel eyes stared right into my very soul, and a thought crossed my mind. He didn¡¯t tell me


    what would happen after three months. What if I couldn¡¯t find the cause of the disease? Would I be


    executed? Imprisoned?


    And what would happen if I did find the cure? Would I be allowed to leave Anemond and return to the


    Wild Crawlers, where Finnick and I belonged?


    Three months.


    I wanted to ask him all of these questions, but I couldn¡¯t. So, I asked the one


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    question I knew that would be allowed.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± I began, and I cleared my throat. ¡°Why me?¡±


    The Alpha King frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Why am I being entrusted to this secret?¡± I asked. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t this be a matter for the Chief Healer?¡±


    Asher raised his chin slightly. ¡°You don¡¯t know much about Anemond,


    Ca ssandra. And you¡¯re wrong. I don¡¯t trust you. I chose you because you¡¯re a healer from Wild


    Crawler, where the disease has spread wildly. You know more about it than anyone else in the


    kingdom. Besides, the ident with Marco has proven that you¡¯re incredibly intelligent and best suited


    for the job. It¡¯s as simple as that.¡±


    His head tilted to the side slightly as he awaited my reply, and I searched my brain for the right words to


    say. I didn¡¯t know what I¡¯d expected him to say, but I felt a pang of emotion at his response.


    I hadn¡¯t expected him to trust mepletely, but there was a hidden part of me, the one that had once


    known him better than anyone, that wished he did. That part hoped that maybe, deep down, he might


    feel something for me. Not exactly love, as he¡¯d once felt for Cora, but something that made him want


    to trust me.


    But the rational part of my brain knew that this was for the best. I needed to shove all of my stu pid


    ideas and notions aside and keep my mind sharp. This wasn¡¯t about my emotions or my desire to


    connect with the man I once loved. This was about my son and his safety.


    I had three months to treat the Alpha King, and if I could manage to do that, maybe I could return home


    with Finnick and leave the nightmare of Anemond behind forever.

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29


    ASHER


    Chapter 29 Her secret


    Why did I trust Cas sandra Keller?


    That was a great question. But I waspletely surprised when the healer asked it, and even more


    surprised when I realized her question had a point.


    I hadn¡¯t told anyone about my ailment apart from Lancel. My most trusted guard had been attempting to


    investigate the mark for me, but it hadn¡¯t been going well. Besides him, no one else knew I had the


    disease. Not the royal healers or even Adalyn.


    So, why was I willing to entrust this secret to a healer from a mostly forgotten


    Pack on the border?


    In all honesty, I didn¡¯t know why, but something in my gut told me she could be trusted. When I¡¯d shown


    her my mark back in Alpha Gareth¡¯s meeting room, I hadn¡¯t thought about it twice. Trusting her felt


    natural as if she were someone I¡¯d known for years.


    But in reality, it was unnatural, strange even.


    Why would I trust a vige healer?


    So, I reached into my mind and crafted an answer for Ca ssandra Keller that seemed passable. I told


    her it was nothing, just a calcted choice. I hated to lie, but I needed to do so to cover for myself.


    My father, thete Alpha King, once told me that the king should trust no one. I¡¯d never believed him


    until I myself became king and realized that Anemond was full of traitors and liars who sought to sway


    me in their favor. They smiled at me and treated me favorably, but their reasons for doing so only came


    down to one thing.


    Power.


    Everything would change if I wasn¡¯t the king, and the Moon Goddess only knew there were plenty of


    others who wanted to rece me.


    My stepmother and stepbrother, Adalyn¡¯s family, the malicious Northerners¡­ they all wanted my


    power, and that was all. I was alone.


    Ca ssandra Keller considered my answer for a moment, and then she tucked her long copper hair


    behind her ear and nodded.


    ¡°I see,¡± she said simply. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, Your Majesty.¡±


    I


    ¡°Good,¡± I replied, and for a moment, I continued to study her. Something about her was familiar, I just


    knew it.


    Again, I was reminded of Cora, though I couldn¡¯t ce why. Though Ca ssandra was impossibly lovely


    as well, they looked nothing alike. They hadpletely different faces and their demeanors were


    entirely different. Cora was lively and outgoing, while Ca ssandra was calm and thoughtful. Still, there


    was something there that made me like Ca ssandra, along with her son.


    I looked at the boy. ¡°How old is your son, Healer Ca ssandra?¡±


    For a moment, the healer looked panicked, but I couldn¡¯t figure out why. Despite her quiet nature, she


    was prone to fear and it made her seem suspicious.


    ¡°I¡¯m five years old,¡± Finnick spoke up before she could answer, and Ca ssandra¡¯s deep green eyes


    widened as if he¡¯d said something he wasn¡¯t supposed to.


    ¡°Yes, Finnick is five years old now, Your Majesty,¡± she managed. Uneasiness painted her features, and


    she appeared as if she wanted to run away.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    What was it about this woman? Why was she so scared? Was she simply ufortable with me


    because of my station? Or was it something further?


    Ca ssandra plucked one of the small teacups from the silver tray and then carefully picked up the


    teapot. She streamed steaming hot tea into her cup and then gently set the teapot back down. She


    passed the cup down to Finnick, who epted it quietly and then filled another for herself.


    I waited until they were finished and then continued with my questions.


    ¡°Did your father have gray eyes, Ca ssandra?¡± I wondered. ¡°Or perhaps your husband? Emmett, you


    said his name was?


    I wasn¡¯t sure what inspired me to keep pressing further, but I was still a little curious of Finnick¡¯s eye


    color. Was there something in his bloodline that made the pair familiar to me?


    Ca ssandra¡¯s hand suddenly twitched, causing her teacup to crash to the ground. It shattered upon


    impact and the pieces flew everywhere, all over the floor. Hot liquid sprayed me, and I hissed


    instinctively in response.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Your Majesty!¡± she apologized profusely, and her big eyes shed in horror. She rose to


    her feet in a sh and started collecting the shards from the floor. Meanwhile, I reached forward,


    grabbed a napkin, and began to dab at my shirt. Luckily it didn¡¯t leave a huge mark, but my skin was a


    little warm.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok


    I grumbled as I dried myself off. ¡°It was an ident.¡±


    But something in my mind wondered how much of an ident it was. The timing of Ca ssandra


    dropping the cup seemed a little convenient. Had something about my question flustered her so greatly


    that she slipped?


    One thing was for sure, Ca ssandra Keller had something to hide.


    Was it a plot or some kind? An attempt to bring me harm? Or something else.


    My mind didn¡¯t want to consider the possibility, but I was also no stranger to odd plots and attempts to


    seize my power.


    Years ago, my wicked stepmother had once tried to drag me from my crown. She¡¯d hired a young


    maiden with simr features to impersonate Cora in an attempt to seduce me. She had wanted to find a


    way into my heart and my secrets, so she could use them against me at ater date. My stepmother


    had hoped that she could use the girl to infiltrate Pack meetings, but unfortunately for her, the maiden


    she¡¯d hired was a lousy imitator. I¡¯d seen right through her disguise and knew at once that she wasn¡¯t


    my Cora.


    Was Ca ssandra an imitator as well? Did she have a secret to hide, a reason to act so suspicious and


    afraid of me at all hours?


    As the healer flittered about and tried to clean up her mess, I studied her son


    and was surprised to find the small dark-haired boy was studying me as well. His gaze was far more


    intelligent than a normal boy of five years and his aura struck me as strange, familiar somehow. I


    couldn¡¯t ce my finger on it, but there was


    something about the boy that raised my eyebrows.


    Finnick¡¯s gray eyes, a simr shade as my own, blinked at me innocently enough, but his posture was


    straight and polite as if he were much older than his years. His hands were folded neatly in hisp and


    he didn¡¯t fidget even once.


    He was nothing at all like Prince Marco. My curly-haired son was restless, attention-seeking, and had a


    bit of a temper issue. But not Finnick. He was calm, cool, and collected, something I admired greatly. In


    some ways, the young boy reminded me of myself when I was his age. I had always been the quiet one


    in my group of friends as well.


    How could this mild-mannered boy be Ca ssandra¡¯s son? Sure, their faces shared some simrities,


    but their natures seemedpletely different. She shared his kindness and politeness, but the healer


    was constantly on edge around me.


    Something more was going on.


    Whatever it was, I would figure out her secret eventually.

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30


    Chapter 30 Reunion with her nanny


    CA SSANDRA


    I could only me myself for my own carelessness. Finnick¡¯s eyes. Why hadn¡¯t I found a better excuse


    for their coloring, and why had I let myself tense up so much when the Alpha King had inquired about


    them?


    I should have been more prepared, more calm¡­ but everything about Asher Collins¡¯ presence set


    every nerve in my body on fire. I was a deer, cornered by his steel-like gaze.


    I couldn¡¯t even keep my grip on a simple teacup. When it shattered all over the floor of the king¡¯s study,


    I found myself wishing I¡¯d shattered with it to avoid the embarrassment of facing him.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Your Majesty!¡± I cried, and then I lept to my feet and started collecting the pieces from the


    floor. All the while, my forehead broke out in sweat, and heat spread through my cheeks. This was


    beyond mortifying.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Asher muttered as I cleaned around the room. ¡°It was an ident.¡±


    Yet, his tone said otherwise. I¡¯d made a huge mistake. I¡¯d broken pce property and probably burned


    the Alpha King¡¯s skin with my carelessness.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to do that, Healer Ca ssandra,¡± Asher said as he dabbed at his shirt. ¡°A s rvant will sort


    that out.¡±


    I rose to my feet instantly and then bowed my head.


    I


    ¡°My apologies,¡± I said quietly. I set the shards down on an empty part of the table and then brushed my


    hands on my trousers before I sat back down. Beside me, Finnick looked bbergasted, and I couldn¡¯t


    me him. I wasn¡¯t conducting myself properly at all, and I hoped he wasn¡¯t too embarrassed by my


    actions.


    ¡°Are you okay, Mommy?¡± he whispered, and I nodded my head and patted him


    on the shoulder.


    Asher sighed and then stood and walked over to his desk. He reached into a drawer and retrieved a


    bell. He rang it three times and then reced it in the drawer. Once he was finished, he sat back down


    on the leather sofa and crossed his


    legs.


    He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could utter another word the doors to the study opened,


    and a maid entered the room.


    She approached Asher quickly and then bowed. ¡°At your service, Your Majesty.¡±


    Asher wordlessly gestured to the floor, and the maid spotted the shards immediately. She gave the


    Alpha King a small nod and then got to work cleaning.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± I apologized as she dusted the floor. ¡°My hands slipped-¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize, miss,¡± the maid replied. ¡°It¡¯s my job to clean.¡±


    She smiled up at me, and suddenly, realization crashed over me. This maid wasn¡¯t just any maid.


    She was Erika.


    My former nanny.


    My mother had died when I was young, and my father had been a busy Ga mma in the king¡¯s service,


    so, he hired a nanny to look after me and my brother Ector while he was away working. Erika was a


    perfect match for us. She was kind-hearted and caring, and we loved her as if she was another


    member of the family. When we grew up, Erika remained one of our maids.


    Erik¨¢ had meant the world to me.


    But after my father had been imprisoned and my brother had been banished, the house of my family


    had been sealed up. Erika had been dismissed and forced to leave. I¡¯d wanted to hire her as my private


    maid in Rosepetal, but back then, the Beta¡¯s family, along with the others in court, wanted the Alpha


    King to execute me.


    Asher was doing his best to clear my father¡¯s name, but it was of no use. I couldn¡¯t let Erika get


    involved in the mess. She was too kind and dear to me to risk. getting hurt.


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    I hadn¡¯t seen Erika in five years, but her smile was just as sweet as always.


    She was older now, and her dark blonde hair was streaked with a few grays, but her hazel eyes were


    brighter than ever.


    I wanted to talk to her, cry with her. I hadn¡¯t been able to share my sorrow with anyone after my father¡¯s


    death. I knew Erika would have understood and offered me. a shoulder to lean on. She would soothe


    me and tell me that it would all be okay.


    But Erika didn¡¯t know me now. I wasn¡¯t Cora anymore.


    Besides, she wouldn¡¯t recognize me anyway, and even if she did, things weren¡¯t safe. So, I pushed my


    sadness down and just smiled back.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said simply. Erika nodded and then continued cleaning. Once she was done, she turned


    to the Alpha King who gestured for her to leave. Erika bowed once and then left the chamber.


    Just as she left, another person walked in. He was an extremely tall man with long auburn hair, a thick


    beard, and an incredibly freckledplexion. His eyes were as ck as coal, but they weren¡¯t unkind.


    He wore soft gray pants, at button-down shirt, and a pin with the royal crest on it.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± he greeted the Alpha King respectfully.


    ¡°Wee,¡± Asher replied, and then he turned to me. ¡°This is the Chief Healer, Marten. Marten, this is


    Ca ssandra Keller, the healer from the Wild Crawler Pack.¡±


    ¡°A pleasure to meet you,¡± Marten addressed me politely.


    smiled. ¡°You as well, sir.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Keller, I must speak with Marten privately,¡± Asher said. ¡°You¡¯re wee to leave us now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± I replied, and I turned to Finnick. ¡°Let¡¯s go, sweetheart.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Mommy,¡± Finnick said happily, and I helped him off of the sofa. We quietly walked out of the


    study, and once we passed through the double doors, I released the breath I didn¡¯t realize I¡¯d been


    holding.¡±


    That encounter had been messy, and I was relieved for it to be over.


    I led Finnick down the hall and once we reached the stairs, I nearly froze in


    ce. Adalyn stood at the staircase, and her beautiful face had a strange expression on it. She stared


    me down with her amber eyes and then raised an


    eyebrow at me.


    I nodded at her once and attempted to walk past, but she didn¡¯t let me go that easily.


    ¡°Cas sandra Keller,¡± Adalyn sneered, and she crossed her arms against her chest. ¡°That¡¯s your name,


    isn¡¯t it? What were you discussing with my husband?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, My Lady,¡± I addressed her politely, and her cheeks flushed scarlet.


    ¡°How dare you speak to me like that?¡± she demanded. ¡°You must tell me at once. You¡¯re obliged to


    follow my orders.¡±


    The situation was serious, but I wanted tough. She hadn¡¯t changed a bit after all of these years. Cora


    would haveughed in her face, but I wasn¡¯t that woman anymore. Cora was long gone, and I was no


    longer in a position of power.


    ¡°I obey the King¡¯s orders, My Lady,¡± I said instead, and Adalyn seethed.


    ¡°How dare you!¡± she shouted. ¡°You¡­ bumpkin!¡±


    It was clear that Marco had inherited her disposition. Adalyn¡¯s hands curled into fists at her side, and


    for a moment, I thought this would turn to violence. But she managed to collect herself and take a


    breath. She hated a scene and besides, it for her to conduct herself that way to the Alpha King¡¯s guest.


    Wast


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that,¡± she said, and then she turned on her heel and strode


    away. When she disappeared down the hall, a tinyugh rose from my chest. I hadn¡¯t expected Adalyn


    to act this way. I assumed she was more clever, but she


    was still prone to such anger¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny, Mommy?¡± Finnick asked. His eyebrows furrowed, and his lips parted slightly in


    confusion.


    ¡°Nothing, my love,¡± I insisted.


    ¡°Thatdy looked horrible,¡± Finnick whispered, and I wanted tough again.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, darling,¡± I said, and then I took his hand and began to walk down the stairs.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like her,¡± he added, and this time, I grinned.


    ¡°Me either.¡±


    But as much as I wanted to keepughing, I couldn¡¯t allow myself. Adalyn was simple, but she was


    capable of all kinds of evil. I couldn¡¯t underestimate her, not for a second. If she wanted something, she


    would go after it, so I needed to stay sharp.

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31


    Chapter 31 Her grave


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    CA SSANDRA


    The dream began just like many others before it.


    I knelt on the floor, begging the intruder to see Asher until my throat was raw. But the soldiers never


    listened.


    Their faces were ck, undiscernible no matter how much I stared at them. They were like shadows,


    mocking my every word, my every whimper, my every cry.


    As my voice caught in my throat, one of the shadow men took a step forward and gripped my arm. He


    pulled me harshly to my feet, gripped my face, and pried my mouth open. I kicked and kicked, but the


    effort was useless. The shadow man forced a liquid down my throat, and as it streamed into my mouth,


    I began to gag. It was cold and harsh and burned every bit of the way down.


    My mind started to swirl as the room spun around me. I copsed to the cold ground and froze, unable


    to move.


    The shadow men spit and snarled at me. They cursed me, called me an indecent, terrible woman, and


    swore that I deserved every bit of what came next. And then, they left the room, locking the door


    behind them as I sobbed and shook.


    Then, the smell of smoke- soft, at first, but then it filled the room. My eyes burned and my skin itched


    as I struggled to breathe, but I couldn¡¯t move. I was frozen, trapped on the ground, unable to scream.


    Fire consumed me until there was nothing left.


    ¡°Mommy?¡± a small voice woke me up, and then suddenly, a push rocked my body. I woke with a start


    and startled Finnick, who stood beside my bed.


    ¡°Finnick?¡± I managed to say and then I shot him a confused nce. ¡°What¡¯s¡­ what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Are you having bad dreams again, Mommy?¡± Finnick wondered, and his serious gray eyes stared into


    mine with concern.


    Truth be told, I¡¯d been having nightmares every night since I¡¯d arrived in Anemond. They varied in


    subject, but they mostly centered around Finnick in Asher. In those dreams, in particr, Asher


    discovered Finnick¡¯s identity and wanted to take him far away from me. The Alpha King would stare


    deeply into my eyes as they hauled Finnick away kicking and screaming, and then a mysterious fire


    would appear and engulf the room with mes.


    They always ended in mes and me waking


    un with a scream.


    Sometimes, the mu ffled screams against my pillows would wake Finnick up. On those nights, I


    repeated the same story- that I was just exhausted these days and was struggling to adjust to life in


    Anemond.


    Finnick never seemed to believe me, but he respected my words and didn¡¯t pry further.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± I assured him now, and then I kissed his forehead. ¡°I¡¯m going to go for a walk, baby. Why


    don¡¯t you get back to bed and try to get some rest?¡±


    ¡°Can Ie too?¡± my son inquired, but I shook my head.


    ¡°I need you to get some rest,¡± I repeated softly, and I ran my hand through his hair. ¡°I¡¯lle tuck you


    in, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± he murmured, and he nodded his head politely. I climbed out of bed and then crossed ourrge


    room until I was over in Finnick¡¯s area. I helped him into bed and then pulled up the plush white


    comforter around him and secured the sides.


    Finnick let out a small sound of contentment. His new bed was far morefortable than the one back


    home, and aside from my nightmares interrupting him every so often, he was sleeping much better


    here. The feeling was bittersweet. I was d my son wasn¡¯t upset about his new living quarters, but I


    was sad that I¡¯d never feelfortable here, no matter how fine our surroundings were.


    There was simply too much hurt, too many bad memories.


    ¡°I love you, Finnick,¡± I whispered, and I kissed his forehead.


    ¡°I love you too,¡± Finnick replied, and then he closed his eyes. About two minutester, his breathing


    changed, and he slipped right back into sleep. I smiled down at him. He was an angel for caring about


    me the way he did.


    Once I was sure he was asleep, I crept to the door and slipped out into the hallway.


    It¡¯d been nearly a week since we¡¯de here to Anemond, and I¡¯d made few breakthroughs. Asher


    had supplied me with a smallb here in the pce, along with an assistant, a young woman named


    Becky. Becky was a quiet girl, not nearly as talkative as Marley, but she was intelligent and very helpful.


    She also didn¡¯t ask as many questions, which is why I assumed Asher had appointed/her to help me.


    The Alpha King had also assigned Finnick a babysitter to take care of him while I worked. She was a


    nice olderdy who seemed very attentive to my son¡¯s needs. I¡¯d wanted to request Erika, but I


    couldn¡¯t. As much as it pained me, I needed to pretend I didn¡¯t know her.


    Every day, I would visit the Alpha King¡¯s study at sunset and check the mark on his body. I had to wait


    until he was finished with his daily duties and appointments so it wouldn¡¯t alert anyone else to the


    matter.


    At first, it was an awkward experience. With the proximity required to examine the mark, I could feel his


    hot breath every time I leaned in to examine the mark. As I studied his skin closely, I could feel his


    steel-like gaze on-me, and the warmth of his body radiated onto mine. The smell of his earthy cologne


    danced across my nose and reminded me of different times, times when he was mine and would press


    his lips against mine,..


    But I would force myself to not get drawn into the appeal. I had to remain professional and attentive to


    his condition.


    We hardly spoke during this time, and when we did, it was only about his symptoms and how he felt


    that day physically. He always kept it short and to the point.


    Luckily, I also hadn¡¯t seen Adalyn at all. I figured Asher¡¯s wife was making it a point to stay away from


    me, which I didn¡¯t mind at all.


    Yet, I was still uneasy. Something here wasn¡¯t right and I couldn¡¯t put my finger on why.


    I managed to make my way down the stairs mostly undetected. A few guards I¡¯de to know nodded


    as I walked by, but other than that, the dark pce was quiet.


    I took the back way to the doors that led to the gardens and slipped outside. I wandered out into the


    cool night absently, enjoying the slight breeze as it tangled through my hair. My nightgown red


    around me slightly, and I let out a sigh of relief. There wasn¡¯t so much pressure to appear a certain way


    out here. I could breathe and allow myself to rx.


    I wandered down past the beautiful, fragrant garden until I reached Othe expansive dew-covered


    lawns. The grass was cold against my feet, but it was a wee sensation.


    As I walked, I began to lose track of my destination. I allowed my mind to wanderpletely, forgetting


    all about Asher and Adalyn, and the nightmares that gued me. I wasn¡¯t sure how long I¡¯d been out


    here until I stopped in ce and became aware of my surroundings.


    I had reached the gates of Rosepetal, my old mansion. A strange sensation traveled through me as I


    stared up at the white brick building and nostalgia rushed into my brain. It was the same as ever, just


    as beautiful as it¡¯d been back then. Tall rosebushes were nted on the other side of the gate, and as I


    inhaled the red blooms deeply, it felt as if nothing had changed.


    I knew it was a bad idea, but there was an indescribable feeling in my heart that told me to push the


    gate open. So, I did just that.


    The lock was rusty, so I was able to get it open quite easily. I peered around to make sure I wasn¡¯t


    being watched, and once I was certain there was no one around, I opened the front doors and entered


    the mansion.


    I¡¯d expected Rosepetal to look deste and deserted, and yet, much to my surprise, the mansion was


    well-tended. The walls and floors, along with the furnishings, were pristine, and there was not even a


    trace of the inferno..


    I continued down the marble floors until I reached the back doors that led to


    the gardens. I stepped back outside, and when I did, I was pleasantly surprised again.


    The gardens were even more beautiful than they¡¯d been back then. Hundreds of rosebushes were


    arranged into paths and were filled with white blooms. Their fragrance filled the air with sweet perfume,


    and after I inhaled deeply, my eyes fell to the ground. Beautiful white stones paved the paths made by


    the roses and led to a point just beyond me. My eyes followed along the path and as I took a few steps


    forward, suddenly, I caught sight of something that made me freeze.


    Since the mansion had been empty, I¡¯d assumed there wouldn¡¯t be anyone else here. And yet, a


    silhouette was standing at the edge of the garden. I gulped. Who was that?


    Suddenly, they tilted their head, and I realized it was Asher.


    I narrowed my eyes to see what he was standing in front of, but I couldn¡¯t see it from back here. So, I


    took small, quiet steps until I reached a tall bush. I ducked down to make sure I wasn¡¯t spotted, and


    once I was certain he hadn¡¯t seen me, I peered over at Asher.


    My heart stopped.


    He was standing in front of a white marble tomb.


    My eyes widened and I held my breath as I read the name engraved on the


    grave.


    Cora Felix.

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32


    Chapter 32 He protected her?


    CA SSANDRA


    My heart sk ipped a beat in my chest and every inch of my skin broke out in goosebumps.


    Was this real?


    Was that really my tomb?


    But as I stared on at the marble monument, I knew it to be true. That tomb was indeed for Cora Felix.


    Had Asher built it himself? And furthermore, did he have Rosepetal reconstructed? There was no other


    logical reason for the mansion to be intact after the inferno. The ze had rendered everything


    damaged and destroyed.


    I stared at the Alpha King and frowned. His stance, his bowed head¡­ he appeared to be in mourning.


    As sad as it was, it made little sense to me, and many questions swirled around my mind like a


    tornado. Why did he do all of this? Was he sorry for me? Why had he left me alone that night and why


    didn¡¯t hee to my rescue if he was so sad?


    My instincts told me to run to him and demand answers, but after a moment of deliberation, I managed


    to get myself under control.


    What would change if I got the answers anyway? It was toote. Cora Felix was long gone.


    I decided the best course of action was to turn around and leave. If I was quiet enough I could slip right


    back over to the pce and put this strange encounter behind me. I could bring Finnick into my bed


    and snuggle him until I fell back asleep. Perhaps his mere presence would be enough to push the


    nightmares away.


    I turned on my heels and started creeping forward. Each footstep was cautious


    and careful until I identally lost my momentum and brushed against one of the rosebushes that lined


    the path. The thorns brushed the skin of my arms and I cried out a little in surprise. My hands suddenly


    flew to my mouth at the sudden sound.


    ¡°Shoot,¡± I whispered, and even though I said a silent prayer that Asher hadn¡¯t heard, it wasn¡¯t enough.


    ¡°Cas sandra Keller?¡± the Alpha King¡¯s voice called out angrily, and when I turned around, I saw him


    coming toward me swiftly. The cold light of the moon made his gray eyes even more piercing, and his


    nostrils red as he red at me. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    The moment he reached me, he lunged and gripped my arm. The sudden force made me cry out. He


    was angrier than I¡¯d seen him before and heat spread to my cheeks as I fought back nervous tears.


    ¡°Y-Your M-majesty,¡± I stammered as I fought to find my words. ¡°I¡¯m s-sorry¡±


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he demanded again, his tone even more severe this time. I was in deep


    trouble, that much was certain.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to sneak about and watch you, Your Majesty,¡± I insisted as I fought back the lump in my


    throat. ¡°I was¡­ I was just taking a walk, but I got lost out on the grounds. There¡¯s still so much of the


    pce I haven¡¯t seen and the roses. were so beautiful¡­¡±


    My lower lip trembled as the lies poured out of me, and my entire body shook with nervousness.


    Asher¡¯s eyes narrowed suspiciously, but he lessened his grip. around my arm. He studied me for a


    while in silence, as if he were evaluating my lies. My heart thrummed in my chest like a hummingbird¡¯s


    wings, and as his lips drew into an irritated line, I wondered what he was going to do to me.


    ¡°Do you know anything about Cora?¡± he asked finally, and it took all of my effort to keep from gasping


    in surprise.


    ¡°No, Your Majesty,¡± I managed, and then I shook my head for good measure. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± he remarked, and then his re intensified. ¡°I think you¡¯re lying Ca ssandra.¡±


    ¡°No, Your Majesty-¡± I insisted, but Asher raised his hand to silence me.


    ¡°I saw your expression just now,¡± the Alpha King said sternly. ¡°If you were simply lost on the grounds,


    you wouldn¡¯t have made that face at the mention of Cora. You must have known her or known about


    her. Unless you were stalking me-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know her, Your Majesty, and I wasn¡¯t following you,¡± I pleaded with him. His lips curled


    downward into a frown, and he sighed. His grip suddenly tightened again and when he tugged, I


    identally bumped into his chest with a solid thud.


    My heart raced even faster. I had no idea what was happening and what he was about to do to me.


    Suddenly, I heard a noise behind us. It was a strange rustling sound, and when my eyes fell to the


    ground, I spotted an enormous viper heading toward us.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± I cried out as the beast hissed at us. Asher dropped my arm and gasped.


    The viper was enormous, bigger than any I¡¯d seen before. Itsrge body was studded with ck and


    red scales, and even from here, I could see its pointed fangs.


    It slithered toward us with incredible speed, and before I could react, it lunged right at me to attack.


    There was no way to escape. I was trapped by the enormous snake. I closed my eyes at thest


    second, ready to be attacked. And yet, as braced myself for impact, it never came.


    Momentster, a strange gurgling sound and a sudden thud.


    My eyes flew open to a gruesome sight.


    The ck-scaled vipery on the ground, itsrge body ripped open from its


    mouth all the way to the bottom of its tail. Blood seeped onto thewn and glinted crimson in the


    moonlight. My jaw dropped as I took in the sight, and then they raised to see Asher standing off to the


    side. His hand was raised in the air, blood dripping from his ws.


    My voice caught in my throat as I fought to find the right words to say. The Alpha King had taken out


    that viper like it was nothing.


    Suddenly, I spied a mark on Asher¡¯s wrist. I took a step forward and horror spread through me.


    He¡¯d been bitten.


    ¡°Your Majesty-¡± I started to say, but before I could finish my sentence, Asher began to tremble.


    Perspiration broke out along his forehead and his entire body shook. Then, he copsed to his knees


    wordlessly, his head practically falling from his neck as he slumped over.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Asher!¡± I cried out, forgetting all formalities, and I dropped to the ground beside him. I wiped the sweat


    from his brow and then grasped his arm. His wrist had started to swell and his gray eyes were absent


    as they looked at a point beyond


    1.


    I tried to steady him, but he was much too big and heavy for me to hold up. Secondster, he copsed


    on top of me and the two of us fell onto the wet grass.


    My efforts to push him off of me were useless.


    ¡°Stay with me!¡± I insisted.


    Asher¡¯s mmy cheek pressed against mine and the sound of his shallow breath filled my ears.


    Suddenly, a whimper, followed by a single sentence.


    ¡°Cora,¡± he whispered. ¡°I miss you so much, Cora.¡±

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33


    Chapter 33 Troubles


    CA SSANDRA


    Why had there been a viper near the Pce?


    And why had Asher uttered my true name before he¡¯d lost consciousness in the garden?


    The questions swirled around in my mind as I stared down at Asher. The Alpha King was fast asleep


    and tucked tightly into bed. His forehead was still shiny with- sweat and his chest heaved as he


    breathedboriously.


    Just after he¡¯d been bitten by the viper, I¡¯d screamed my head off and caught the attention of several


    guards out on the grounds. They¡¯d rushed over to Rosepetal and helped get the king back to his room


    in the pce.


    One of the guards, an older one whose name I couldn¡¯t recall, had asked if I wanted the aid of the other


    royal healers, but I¡¯d turned down the offer. I didn¡¯t want to risk the others seeing the dark mark on


    Asher¡¯s skin. Injured or not, I¡¯d made a promise to keep the king¡¯s disease a secret.


    Since I¡¯d been appointed as Asher¡¯s private healer, the guards had no problem with me treating him


    personally. They¡¯d even gone out and retrieved my medical supplies from the pceb for me.


    The viper¡¯s body had been retrieved and sent to theb with my assistant, Becky. I was assured that


    once the results were finished, they would be brought to me straight away.


    Once I had my supplies, I had one of the guards remain at the door for me, and the other standing just


    outside the chamber. They¡¯d granted me my privacy and allowed me the space to treat Asher.


    I attempted to steady my hands as I cleaned the wound on his wrist, but it was no use. I was a


    complete and total wreck. Seeing Asher this way made my heart


    ache in ways I didn¡¯t know it could. I¡¯d never been this way before. Emmett had always praised me for


    my calmness when it came to the horrific things I¡¯d seen during medical treatment. I¡¯d always been able


    to prioritize my patient¡¯s health over my own emotions, but today¡­


    Today I was scared.


    But despite my fears, I took a long, deep breath and tried to concentrate. I needed to stay sharp and


    focused if I was going to be of any use here. Asher needed me to remain calm and collected.


    I worked quickly and dabbed the bite carefully with my supplies. Once the wound was clean, I could


    begin to apply medicine to it and get the swelling under.. control.


    Just as I set my rags down, I heard amotion from outside the chamber.


    ¡°Lady Adalyn-¡± a guard¡¯s voice called out, and then suddenly, the doors flew open, and in walked


    Asher¡¯s wife.


    Adalyn¡¯s beautiful face was rendered furious. Her amber eyes were piercing as they bore into mine with


    sharp intensity, and for a moment, I thought her gaze was going to set me on fire.


    ¡°You murderer!¡± she hissed as she stormed into the room and raced towards me. Her hand was raised


    high and her finger pointed right at my face as her ivory nightgown billowed around.. ¡°You backwoods


    piece ofmoner trash! I bet this was all your doing!¡±


    ¡°Lady Adalyn,¡± I tried to reason with her, but it was of no use.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare speak my name,¡± she practically growled as she drew closer. ¡°I mean it. You¡¯re a


    murderer and a conspirer. I¡¯m willing to bet you used some kind of peasant ck magic to control the


    viper!¡±


    ¡°Lady Adalyn, please,¡± I pleaded with her as I took a step backward. ¡°You¡¯re not making any sense. I


    don¡¯t have any type of magical abilities-¡±


    ¡°I told you not to speak my name!¡± Adalyn shouted, and then she lunged at me. I closed my eyes and


    braced for impact, but when it never came, I peeked and saw a guard restraining the Alpha King¡¯s wife.


    Let


    ¡°Release me!¡± she screamed at the guard, and when she reached toward me, her fingernails shifted


    into long, shiny ws.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mydy,¡± the guard apologized as he tried to hold Adalyn still, ¡°Your cannot harm the royal


    healer, not when she¡¯s treating the Alpha King.¡±


    ¡°Her?¡± she hissed. ¡°Treating my husband? I don¡¯t think so-¡±


    Adalyn then let out a girlish shout and continued to thrash, but it was no use. The guard¡¯s grip on her


    was too strong. Once I was certain she wouldn¡¯t be able to break free, I stared deeply into her crazed


    eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s toote, Lady Adalyn,¡± I said coldly and calmly, and I raised my chin slightly. ¡°As the king¡¯s private


    healer, I¡¯ve already started to administer the treatment. Besides, I¡¯m the only one here in the pce


    with the knowledge needed to treat the viper bite. The beast was nearly identical to the one that bit


    Prince Marco back in the Wild Crawler Pack, and I was able to cure him quickly if you recall. So, if your


    don¡¯t wish for the Alpha King to meet a tragic fate, you will please be quiet and allow me to work.¡±


    Adalyn¡¯s eyes shot daggers toward me and her nostrils red. She opened her mouth as if she was


    going to speak, but then no sound came out.


    Had I bested her? Did she know that she had no choice but to trust me and let me care for Asher like


    the healer I was?


    She stopped thrashing about and stiffened. The


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    d¡¯s oves were s


    as they peered down at her, but after a moment, he released his hold on her. Part of me wanted to


    brace myself for an attack, but the other part knew I needed to stand my ground. Adalyn couldn¡¯t bring


    me harm, not when the Alpha King¡¯s life was at stake.


    Her lower lip trembled, and then she raised her chin.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she said quietly. ¡°Do what you must. But if anything goes wrong, I¡¯m holding you personally


    responsible and will tear you limb from limb myself.¡±


    Her tone dripped with irritation, but her posture suggested she wasn¡¯t going to put up a fight. I waited


    until her arms were crossed in front of her to turn my attention back to Asher. His wife¡¯s temper meant


    nothing to me right now. There was still work to be done if he was going to survive the night.


    I continued what I was doing before Adalyn burst into the chamber. I reached into my healer¡¯s pack and


    retrieved a few vials and containers I¡¯d filled with herbs, salves, and ointments.


    I hadn¡¯t exactly lied to Adalyn. The viper in question had been simr to the one that had bitten her son


    back in Wild Crawler territory. Yet, the poison didn¡¯t seem to be the same. I wasn¡¯t entirely certain if the


    medicinalbination I was drafting in my mind was going to be effective or not, but that wasn¡¯t going


    to stop me from


    trying.


    I poured all of the ingredients into arge bowl and mixed them together until they made a sort of


    chunky paste. The smell wasn¡¯t the best, but medicine never was. I took a big scoop of it in my gloved


    hands and then carefully transferred it


    over to Asher.


    Before I applied a thick mass of it, I studied the bite on the Alpha King¡¯s wrist. Unfortunately, the bite


    was still swollen, and Asher¡¯s body was damp with sweat. I carefully used my other hand to touch his


    forehead. He was hot to the touch, which told me he still had a fever. I was a little worried.


    Why had his condition not improved yet?


    As I applied the herb salve onto the bit, a loud and concerned voice traveled into the chamber.


    ¡°What happened to my dear little brother? You must allow me to enter at once!¡±

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34


    Chapter 34 King¡¯s brother


    CA SSANDRA


    Though it¡¯d been a long time since I¡¯d heard it, I recognized the voice almost immediately. I stiffened a


    little at the sound and turned around to see themotion. Momentster, in walked Kane Collins.


    Asher¡¯s elder stepbrother.


    I¡¯d only met Kane a handful of times when we were younger, Back then, he was yful, with an air


    about him that made him easy to talk to and be around. But ever since my return to Merliscire Pce,


    I¡¯d heard se rvants and guards alike whisper about the Alpha King¡¯s brother. It was said that he¡¯d


    be something of at womanizer, someone who cared more about his sexual desire more than his


    power.


    I¡¯d heard rumors of his conquests all throughout the pce and I couldn¡¯t help but feel bad for his


    victims. It was a shame that Kane was no longer the person he had been years ago, but then again,


    none of us were. We¡¯d all endured our own traumas and experiences that made uspletely different


    people, myself especially.


    ¡°Lord Kane-¡± the guard at the door tried to stop him, but it was no use.


    Kane looked exactly as he had before. He was incredibly tall and lean, with a tannedplexion and


    golden hair that glinted even in the dark chamber.. He was handsome, but his beauty was cold. His


    eyes were a bright blue, but his furrowed brow took away from their loveliness.


    ¡°I wish to see my brother,¡± Kane demanded, and as he moved closer, I realized there was someone


    behind him. I peeked around the Alpha King¡¯s stepbrother, and when I caught sight of who had followed


    him into the chamber. I froze in ce.


    Another face I¡¯d know anywhere, only this one less beautiful and more sullen. It belonged to Margaret


    Collins. Asher¡¯s wicked stepmother and the former Luna of the Crescent Pack.


    Margaret hade from amoner family and had been under the employment of Asher¡¯s mother


    up until her untimely death. Asher¡¯s father, the former Alpha King, wasted no time and married


    Margaret right away. Back then, rumors and gossip had spread all around Anemond that she had


    seduced the Alpha King long before the Luna¡¯s death.


    Asher¡¯s mother had been revered and loved by everyone, but this new woman¡­ no one found her


    trustworthy. But it didn¡¯t matter. She became the new Luna of the Crescent Pack, and everyone who


    despised her had to kneel at her feet.


    At first, Margaret was cold but cordial. She treated everyone with an air of superiority, but she was


    mostly agreeable. However, her true intentions were revealed with time. She made it her sole priority in


    life to ruin things for Asher.


    Margaret did everything she could to try to pull Asher from the line of session. She tried to insert her


    own son-Kane- as the next in line, but luckily, her efforts were in vain.


    Not only did she hate Asher¡¯s family, but she hated mine as well. In her eyes, the Felix family- known


    for being the leader of the royal warriors- were always on the side of Asher Collins, which made us


    enemies.


    To this day, I had a strong feeling that Margaret had been involved in the tragedy that ended my family.


    All those years ago, Asher¡¯s stepmother alone had the opportunity to delude the old Alpha King and


    convince him of my father¡¯s guilt. I¡¯d always known that she was one of the ones responsible for his


    downfall. Back. then, I¡¯d tried to find evidence, but my efforts were never fruitful.


    I hated Margaret Collins just as much, if not more, as Asher did. For a moment, I didn¡¯t even realize I¡¯d


    been ring at her until the older woman red right back at me. Despite her wickedness and evil


    demeanor, she was still just as beautiful as she¡¯d been back then. Her chestnut brown hair fell in


    perfect waves down past her shoulders, and her almond-shaped eyes, the same shade of blue as


    Kane¡¯s were perfectly shaded with makeup. Her full lips were pulled taught in a straight line as she


    stared at me suspiciously.


    I averted my eyes quickly. Margaret was dangerous, even more so than Adalyn. She was a


    maniptive and power-hungry woman who would do anything to give


    herself and her son an edge in this world. I couldn¡¯t trust her even now.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°How is he?¡± Kane demanded when he reached Asher¡¯s bedside, and before I


    could stop him, he touched the Alpha King¡¯s forehead. ¡°He¡¯s so warm. How long has


    he been this feverish?¡±


    ¡®He¡¯s been this way for nearly an hour,¡± I answered him calmly. ¡°For now, he¡¯s stable, and I¡¯m doing


    everything in my power to bring his temperature down.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Kane remarked simply, and he nodded his head. His dark eyebrows creased together further and


    worry painted his expression. ¡°He¡­ he was bitten by a viper?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes. Out in the gardens. It all happened so suddenly, but as I said, I¡¯m doing all in my power


    to treat his bite. I have a salve here made of herbs and


    medicine that should do the trick.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Kane replied, and he continued to nod his head slowly. I was a little surprised by his reaction to


    this news. Back when I¡¯d known him, I didn¡¯t think he was particrly close to Asher. Even beyond not


    sharing the same bloodline, the two hadpletely opposite personalities and demeanors.


    Without another word, I continued to apply the salve to Asher¡¯s wrist, and as the minutes passed by, I


    realized Kane was studying me. I could sense his gaze immediately and heat rose to my cheeks.


    ¡°Have we met, healer?¡± he asked finally. ¡°You look familiar.¡±


    nearly jumped out of my skin in surprise.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve had the pleasure, my Lord,¡± I replied politely despite the rapidness of my


    heartbeat. ¡°My name is Ca ssandra Keller. I just arrived recently from the Wild Crawler Pack.¡±


    ¡°The Wild Crawlers?¡± Kane repeated back, and his frown deepened. ¡°Hmm. I see. I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve


    had the pleasure. I just¡­ I could have sworn I¡¯d remember a face as lovely as yours.¡±


    Part of me was panicked at Kane¡¯s questions, but the other part knew that it could all be exined


    away easily. The Alpha King¡¯s stepbrother was a known womanizer. For all the rest of the pce knew,


    I was just another on his list of attempted conquests.


    ¡°Oh please, Kane,¡± Adalyn spoke up for the first time, and she rolled her amber eyes in disdain. ¡°That


    line is old and tired.¡±


    ¡°Whatever,¡± he remarked, and then he chuckled.


    I did my best to ignore them. I needed to focus on treating Asher. Once I was certain the herbs were all


    in ce, I dunked a clean rag into a bowl of cold water. After I wrung it out, I carefully applied it to


    Asher¡¯s forehead. Though he was unconscious still, he let out a soft sigh of contentment in his sleep.


    As I finished administering his treatment, worry rose up from deep in my chest. I¡¯d managed to push


    aside Kane¡¯s questions, but had my answers been enough?


    Did the Alpha King¡¯s stepbrother suspect me?

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35


    Chapter 35 Had hee?


    CA SSANDRA


    Luckily the small crowd of people that had gathered in the chamber left after nearly an hour. Adalyn


    had wanted to stay and keep watch over Asher, but Margaret insisted that the Luna apany her


    instead. It took a little pleading on Asher¡¯s stepmother¡¯s part, but Adalyn finally agreed and left along


    with the rest of the family.


    Once they were gone, relief flooded through me. This had be quite a messy affair, and I didn¡¯t


    need the added pressure of a million eyes on me while I tried to get Asher¡¯s condition under control.


    When I was certain that no one else was going to burst into the room, I carefully lowered the nket I¡¯d


    tucked around Asher. Kane had seemed curious about why it was there when Asher was so feverish,


    but I¡¯d made up some kind of excuse that it was used for treatment. However, keeping him warm was


    the worst thing I could have done.


    In all reality, the nket had been a means to cover up Asher¡¯s dark mark. I hadn¡¯t wanted his family to


    know about the Alpha King¡¯s strange disease. It would have only added to the chaos and made


    Adalyn¡¯s bloodlust rise further.


    I ced my hand on his head. Despite the cool rag I¡¯d used to soothe him, his skin was still


    exceptionally warm, and his lips hadn¡¯t lost their blueish hue. This wasn¡¯t good. I was worried that if the


    fever continued, the consequences could be dire.


    ¡°Asher,¡± I whispered. ¡°Oh, Asher.¡±


    I stared down at him for a moment and then walked over to the door where the guard had resumed his


    post.


    ¡°Can I help you, miss?¡± he asked as I approached, and his dark eyes grew serious.


    ¡°Yes, could I have a pair of se rvants retrieve a few items for me?¡± I wondered, and when the guard


    nodded in response, I listed off the things I needed. ¡°I could use some fresh towels, some cool water,


    ice, and a dry nket for the king.¡±


    mea


    ¡°Of course,¡± the guard replied, and after he gave small nod of respect, he walked out the doors and


    ryed the information to the one posted outside. When he returned, he offered me a solemn nod.


    ¡°The se rvants will return shortly, healer.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied, and after I offered a small smile of gratitude, I returned to Asher¡¯s side. I


    carefully lifted his muscr arm and pulled it closer so I could


    examine the bite.


    Just as I was scared of, the bite was still swelling.


    The herbs weren¡¯t working this time.


    The venom from this particr viper seemed much stronger than the one back in Wild Crawler territory.


    I¡¯d assumed that the two were the same, but apparently, my assessment had been incorrect.


    I decided quickly that the best course of action was to cool down his body.


    The se rvants entered the chamber not long after with the materials I¡¯d requested, and once they were


    gone, I asked the guard for a little privacy. He agreed to my request and told me he would be lingering


    outside the door. I was a little surprised that I was being granted this much privacy, but I wasn¡¯t about to


    question the blessing.


    Once we were alone, I unbuttoned Asher¡¯s white shirt. Once it was open, I carefully lifted him to the


    best of my ability and slipped it off. Heat spread to my cheeks. I hadn¡¯t expected for things to be this


    intimate.


    Next came the trousers, and my cheeks felt as if they were on fire as I folded them and set them on the


    ground. I gave the Alpha King his privacy and averted my eyes from his area


    When I rolled him on his side, a gasp escaped me.


    His lean yet muscr back was covered in scars. The marks marred the entirety of his back, from his


    spine down to his waist, and as I leaned in closer, I realized they were burn marks.


    What was going on?


    Why was he covered in such marks?


    As much as I didn¡¯t want to consider the idea, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Asher had gotten the scars


    from the inferno. Had hee to Rosepteal after all to


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    rescue me? Did he rush into the inferno?


    Under normal circumstances, werewolves healed very fast, especially a young, strong, and capable


    Alpha like Asher, but the scars suggested that he had been severely burned by fire.


    I resisted the urge to reach out and touch the marks for a while until I could no longer fight it. I gently


    traced the outline of the worst one that ran down his spine, and tears sprang up in my eyes. I tried to


    push the thoughts from my mind, but it


    was no use.


    After I¡¯d recovered with the help of Emmett, I¡¯d finally heard about the inferno. Back then, everyone in


    Wega had known about it and was constantly buzzing about it. The fire hadsted an entire day and


    burnt everything to the ground. Coral Felix had met her demise at its hands. Some said it must have


    been a relief to the Alpha King that he had finally gotten rid of her.


    After my alleged death, rumors spread that I¡¯d started the ze myself to get the king¡¯s attention, that


    I¡¯d done it deliberately. Everyone in Wega seemed to hate me.


    They seemed d that I was gone.


    At the time, it¡¯d hurt greatly to know that people thought of me that way, that they didn¡¯t know the truth


    of what I¡¯d been through. But Emmett had told me to remain strong.


    I wiped the tears from my cheeks. Why was Asher covered in burn marks? Had


    hee to save me after all? And if he had¡­ why hadn¡¯t he been sessful? Why had I been left


    alone to die?


    As a cry rose up within me, I managed to push it back down. It didn¡¯t matter and it wouldn¡¯t change


    what had happened. I had to remind myself over and over that the past was in the past. Right now, all


    that mattered to me was making sure that Asher would survive the night.


    I had to save the Alpha King.


    Suddenly, my thoughts were interrupted by the creaking of the door. I stiffened up immediately and


    wiped the remainder of my tears.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± I called out in a stern but polite tone, and I quickly draped a nket over Asher¡¯s bare


    skin. I couldn¡¯t let anyone see any of the marks that painted the Alpha King¡¯s skin.


    ¡°It¡¯s Becky,¡± a feminine voice called out to me. ¡°I¡­ I have the test results, Ca ssandra.¡±


    My heart stopped in my chest as her tone registered in my mind. My assistant didn¡¯t sound hopeful. In


    fact, she sounded downright worried.


    Panic surged within me, but I took a long, deep breath, and made sure that Asher was tucked in tightly.


    No matter the results, I needed to stay strong and brave. I would do everything in my power to make


    sure that the Alpha King was going to make a full recovery.


    ¡°Enter,¡± I said finally, and Becky entered the room.

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36


    Chapter 36 The poison


    CA SSANDRA


    As my assistant walked toward me, my mind ached with a million questions. What were the results?


    Was this dire? Were we going to be able to save Asher after all?


    Becky pushed her round sses up the bridge of her nose. She was a beautiful girl- petite with short


    dark red hair and a pale, angr face full of freckles- and under normal circumstances, she had a


    pleasant demeanor. But tonight, her russet eyes were underscored by dark circles. She looked visibly


    worn out. Herb coat had been hastily pulled on over her night clothes. I felt bad that she¡¯d been


    awoken at thiste of an hour.


    ¡°Ca ssandra,¡± she greeted me as she approached, and then her eyes fell to Asher. ¡°How is the Alpha


    King?¡±


    ¡°Not great,¡± I admitted, and then I gestured toward the stack of papers in her hands. ¡°You have the


    results?¡±


    ¡°Sort of,¡± Becky replied, and her eyebrows creased together. ¡°But sort of not at the same time. I¡­ I


    couldn¡¯t identify the venom.¡±


    My heart dropped in my chest.


    ¡°Oh,¡± I whispered, and when my lower lip began to tremble, it took all of my effort to keep from falling to


    the ground. The world spun around me a little until I took a long, deep breath.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t resemble any of the ones in our texts,¡± she continued on.


    ¡°Did you check the book in myboratory?¡± I asked.


    Surely the book that Emmett had recorded strange poisons in would have the answers we needed.


    But Becky shook her head and frowned.


    ¡°Which one?¡± she asked.


    I realized then that I hadn¡¯t actually taken the time to show my assistant the book. Things had been so


    frantic and hectic around heretely that I hadn¡¯t gotten


    around to it.


    ¡°We need to go back to theb,¡± I said. ¡°I think there¡¯s an answer in that book. somewhere. There has


    to be.¡±


    ¡°I can go-¡± Becky insisted, but I shook my head.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be faster if Ie with,¡± I said, and I peeled my gloves off and dropped them into the waste basket


    beside me. ¡°I¡¯ll just need to alert the guards before we go.¡±


    Becky nodded. ¡°Right.¡±


    Without another word, the pair of us crossed over to the double doors and stepped out into the hallway.


    The guards seemed surprised to see us.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t allow anyone to enter the chamber,¡± I requested, and the guards nodded.


    ¡°Yes, Healer Ca ssandra,¡± one said, and the pair raised their staffs to show they were serious.


    go.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said with a courteous smile, and then I turned to Becky. ¡°Let¡¯s


    The two of us wasted no time and traveled down the halls until we reached theboratory.


    The lights were brighter than I¡¯d anticipated, and after I took a moment to let my eyes adjust to the


    harsh light, I headed over to my station. The room was enormouspared to what I was used to back


    in my clinic in Wild Crawler territory. I¡¯d been assigned my own workspace in the white-paintedb, fit


    with a


    I approached the bookshelf adjacent to my desk and scanned the rows until | found Emmett¡¯s book. I


    held it aloft to show Becky, and after my assistant¡¯s face brightened with understanding, I began to sort


    through the pages.


    ¡°Can you hand me the results?¡± I asked Becky, and without any hesitation, she brought the papers over


    to me. Once they were in my hands, I set them on my desk. and began to rifle through Emmett¡¯s book.


    My eyes scanned the pages quickly while my brain processed the various entries.


    It took me nearly fifteen minutes to sort through the book until finally, something seemed promising. My


    eyes widened as I took in the information on the page, and my lips curled into a smile.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I found something,¡± I proimed.


    There was a particr entry in Emmett¡¯s book that seemed promising. When Ipared the


    composition of the venom to the description in the book, I found a good amount of simrity.SIO


    Much to my surprise, what was guing the Alpha King was technically poison.


    Before I bookmarked the pages, I caught sight of a sentence that made me hesitate. It was written very


    tinily in the margins of the book.


    ¡°The poison was invented by a sorcerer named Udosyn.¡±


    I froze.


    What?


    Sorcery had long since been wiped out in the empire of Wega. What did the sentence mean? How


    could a poison be the work of a sorcerer?


    Surely Emmett was mistaken or the sentence was a joke I didn¡¯t understand. Either way, I didn¡¯t have


    time to ponder it. We needed to act fast if we were going to


    save Asher.


    I instructed Becky to remain in theb and continue studying the venom, meanwhile, I assembled some


    medicines and herbs from theb¡¯s supply shelves. I worked quickly and filled a spare kit with the other


    necessary things like gloves, syringes, and cotton pads, and then I rushed out the door as fast as my


    feet could


    carry me.


    Normally, I would have taken care to remain quiet at an hour like this, but time. was of the essence. I


    figured no one had entered the Alpha King¡¯s chamber while I was gone, but I didn¡¯t want to waste a


    second anyway. Asher needed me and he needed me quickly.


    However, the moment I turned a corner toward the right hallway, I was stopped in my tracks. Kane


    stood there against a pir, his arms crossed against his chest, and his blue eyes s


    ¡°Healer Ca ssandra,¡± he greeted me with a tilt of his head. ¡°Have you found the


    cure?¡±


    I gave him a polite expression.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said, and then I corrected myself. ¡°Well, at least I think so. I need to administer the treatment to


    be sure-


    ¡°I see,¡± Kane remarked.


    ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me-¡± I started to say, but then Kane stepped away from his perch and blocked my way.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand any of this,¡± he said in a suspicious tone. ¡°My brother isn¡¯t a weak man. The viper,


    the garden¡­ something about all of these events is rather strange,


    His brilliant eyes narrowed at me and his dark eyebrow raised up.


    ¡°You seem very worried,¡± Kane continued on. ¡°I noticed it even there in the chamber. You seem to care


    in a more personal way than the other royal healers. Do


    you¡­ have you¡­ perhaps, fallen in love with my younger brother?¡±


    I froze and heat rushed to my cheeks. Had Kane really just asked me such a


    question?


    ¡°No,¡± I insisted, and I raised my hands up. ¡°No, my Lord, I don¡¯t have any such feelings. He¡¯s my


    patient, that¡¯s all. Any show of caring is simply professional. He is our king after all.¡±


    Kane didn¡¯t seem convinced. He continued to study me until I spoke up again.


    ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll please excuse me, My Lord, I need to attend to the king-¡±


    I took a step forward and much to my surprise, Kane stepped aside. Asher¡¯s stepbrother¡¯s expression


    softened, but only slightly.


    ¡°As you wish,¡± he said, but then he let out a smallugh. ¡°But just so you know, Healer Ca ssandra, if


    you¡¯re holding something back, you¡¯d better do it well. My brother is much smarter than I am. He¡¯ll


    discover your secret. Mark my words.¡±


    I held back a shiver and then continued walking down the hall, pretending I hadn¡¯t heard his warning.

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37


    Chapter 37 Attraction and Control


    CA SSANDRA


    By the time I had Asher¡¯s condition stable and under control, I was utterly exhausted. The clock on the


    wall read 4:00 AM, and I was certainly feeling the effects of being up sote.


    It took a lot of effort and plenty of medicine, but Asher finally looked better than he had before. His


    breath was steady, no longerbored, the blueness of his lips had faded, and the swelling of his bite


    went down. Yet, he still hadn¡¯t regained consciousness, so I needed to stay with him and make sure he


    was truly alright.


    I pulled a chair up over to Asher¡¯s bedside and then slumped into it with a long, heavy exhale. This felt


    like the longest night I¡¯d ever experienced, longer than the night Finnick and I had spent in the woods.


    I rested my head in my hands for a moment and closed my eyes. My adrenaline was finally wearing


    down and sleepiness was starting to take hold.


    As I sat there, Kane¡¯s earlier words yed like a repetitive song in my mind. There was a chance


    Asher¡¯s stepbrother was right- Asher had been suspicious of my identity from the start. I was starting to


    run out of luck very quickly. The longer I stayed here in Anemond, the more difficult it would be to keep


    my past a secret.


    My only way out of here was to discover the cause of the mysterious disease that gued the Alpha


    King. But how could I discover the source when I had no clue of its origins?


    My head swam with dizziness and I slumped in my seat a little. This was bing a major disaster


    very fast. I needed to do anything in my power to keep -my identity hidden from those who would use it


    to destroy me and my son.


    I leaned back in my seat and settled in. I struggled to keep my eyes open and every so often, my entire


    body twitched from the effort. I was exhausted.


    Nearly two hourster, I hadn¡¯t realized I¡¯d fallen asleep and awoke to a soft touch against my cheek. I


    blinked my eyes open sleepily, and then Asher¡¯s face. came into focus.


    Panic set in for a moment, and then my eyebrows creased together.


    ¡°Asher?¡± I whispered, forgetting all formality.


    The Alpha King nodded and stared deeply into my eyes. His expression was full of affection and his


    finger brushed against my lips. I shivered. What was happening?


    My heart raced in my chest and the distance between us narrowed until I could feel his breath against


    my face. Part of me thought I was dreaming, but the other part wasn¡¯t quite sure. This all felt so real.


    Asher¡¯s lips pressed against mine, and for a moment, I hesitated, until I went against my own instincts


    and kissed him back. I knew it was a bad idea, but I did it


    anyway.


    Heat spread up from my core.


    Asher and I were kissing.


    He pressed up against me further and then swiftly lifted me up from the chair. I wasn¡¯t sure where this


    was going but I wasn¡¯t about to question it. He was warm and inviting, and the scent of his wonderful


    cologne invaded my nostrils. He was enticing in every way, and my body was going numb from


    pleasure. I wrapped my legs around his torso f¨®r stability.


    Asher held m¨¦ against him gently and ran his hand and then we copsed onto the bed. He arranged


    himself on top of me and then leaned down and kissed me again. We continued on like this for a while


    until I carefully sat up and began to unbutton my nightgown. Asher took over by the third button and


    then eased me out. of the dress, leaving me in nothing but my underwear.


    Asherid me back down on the pillow and stared at me. His expression was intimate like he was


    looking at the sun for the first time, and I couldn¡¯t help but be in awe of this reverence.


    He pulled me against him then, and as I lifted up from the bed, my hair red out around me. The


    Alpha King¡¯s hands got lost in the coppery strands, and when he tugged slightly, a soft sigh escaped


    me. I didn¡¯t like to admit it to myself very often, but I enjoyed a little roughness when it came to


    intimacy.


    Asher¡¯s lips curled into a grin at this discovery, and then he pulled again, a little harder, before he


    brought his lips down against mine. We kissed for a while and then he pulled away and kissed my


    neck. His breath was hot against me, and I moaned with delight as he cupped my breast and ran his


    thumb over my nipple. I hadn¡¯t been touched like this in years, and my body yearned for it.


    Asher ran his fingertips along my bare skin and I shivered in anticipation. This moment was unlike any


    other. I wasn¡¯t sure how far this was going to go, but if I had it my way, we¡¯d never leave this bed.


    I


    Eventually, before our intimacy could reach the next logical step, I caught his hand and held it in ce.


    Asher froze and his eyebrows creased together in confusion.


    We caught our breath and then there was a long, drawn-out silence between us that spanned for what


    felt like hours but was likely only a few minutes. I stared deeply into his beautiful gray eyes and


    searched my mind for the right words to say.


    What could be said?


    Should I apologize? Exin myself?


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Ca ssandra,¡± Asher breached the silence, and he offered me an apologetic expression. ¡°I


    don¡¯t know what came over me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± whispered, and then I broke my gaze to look for my discarded nightgown. ¡°Are you feeling


    better now?¡±


    The Alpha King nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m feeling much better. Thank you, Ca ssandra, for taking care of me.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I replied, and I carefully rose from the bed and began to dress myself. Asher helpfully held


    my hair back as I pulled my dress on, and once I had it


    securely buttoned, he dropped the strands and let them fall down my back.


    I studied him again, wondering what else to say until I finally managed to speak. ¡°I should leave. The


    hour iste and Finnick is probably wondering where I am.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Asher whispered. I wondered for a moment if he would stop me, but I was relieved


    when he made no move. ¡°Ca ssandra, is there anything you want?¡±


    I frowned. ¡°What do you mean, Your Majesty?¡±


    Asher ran his hands through his hair. ¡°I want to repay you for saving my life. Is o¨´ for saving my life. Is


    there anything you require, anything at all that would make you happier here in the pce?¡±


    I considered


    I considered the idea briefly, but nothing came to mind. I wouldn¡¯t be able to find happiness here in


    Anemond, no matter what favor he could grant me, so it was probably best to turn him down.


    But when I opened my mouth to speak, a thought crossed my mind..


    Maybe there was something after all.


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± I said, and I raised my chin slightly. ¡°I want your maid, Erika, to be appointed as Finnick¡¯s


    babysitter.¡±

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38


    Chapter 38 Believe the ones you trust


    CA SSANDRA


    ¡°Mommy, look! Erika taught me how to make a paper crane!¡±


    When I entered our bedroom, Finnick came charging toward me, his little arms extended out in front of


    him. His normally serious gray eyes were wide with excitement and his lips were curled into a happy


    grin.


    He presented me with the little crane and I held out my hand to ept it. He set it there gently and then


    looked up at me with glee.


    ¡°Wow, baby!¡± I eximed with genuine excitement. ¡°This is incredible. You did such a great job!¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Mommy!¡± he replied, and then I turned to Erika.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I mouthed, and the maid winked back at me. Her warm eyes were friendly as she smiled


    and for a moment, I remembered what it was like to know her as a child. She¡¯d taught me the same


    thing when I was young and the tiny crane in my hands reminded me of happier times.


    A week had passed since the viper had attacked Asher in the garden. These days, I returned to my


    quarters earlier than I did before. The Alpha King/repeatedly dismissed me sooner than expected due


    to Pack business he was reportedly busy with, but I had the sense that there was more to it than that.


    There was definitely some awkwardness between us after what had happened. that night. Neither of us


    had acknowledged it, but I didn¡¯t mind. I was relieved to not address/our actions or face his questions


    at all.


    Besides, getting dismissed from the Alpha King¡¯s study early meant I got to spend more time with


    Finnick and Erika before she finished her hours for the day.


    Requesting Erika¡¯s care had been risky, but at the end of the day, I didn¡¯t regret


    it at all. Finnick adored the maid more than anyone here in the pce, and it was nice to have her


    around, even if she didn¡¯t know my true identity.


    ¡°Would you care for some tea, Ca ssandra?¡± Erika asked me as I closed the door. behind me, and she


    gestured at me with a teapot. ¡°I¡¯ve just brewed some. It¡¯s nice


    and hot.¡±


    ¡°That would be wonderful,¡± I said with a smile, and then I joined her and Finnick over at the small table


    in the corner of the room. Erika was always so kind and attentive to everyone and their happiness.


    She poured me a hot cup of tea, and when the jasmine-scented air filled my nose, I let out a contented


    sigh.


    ¡°Someone I knew long ago loved jasmine tea too,¡± Erika remarked with a small


    smile.


    My stomach suddenly turned and a lump formed in my throat. But I managed to stay calm.


    ¡°Oh?¡± I tried to say in a casual manner.


    Erika nodded. ¡°Yes. It was her favorite tea. I prepared it for her nearly every day. I miss her dearly.¡±


    ¡°Who¡­ who was she?¡± I wondered though I knew the answer.


    The maid got a strange look on her face, almost as if she was going to cry. ¡°A young woman, not much


    older than yourself. She was like a daughter to me. But her name is unspeakable here in Merliscire. In


    all of Anemond, in fact.¡±


    ¡°What happened to her?¡± I asked quietly.


    Erika¡¯s lower lip trembled and her warm eyes grew apologetic, like she was embarrassed to be sharing


    something so personal. I leaned forward and ced my hand on her arm.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me-¡± I started to say, but Erika shook her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ca ssandra,¡± she assured me. ¡°I don¡¯t mind. It¡¯s just sad, that¡¯s all. The poor girl got caught


    up in some trouble and then¡­ well¡­ she perished in that horrible fire.¡±


    The sight of my old nanny tearing up tugged at my heartstrings. I wanted to reveal myself right away,


    but I knew it wasn¡¯t safe. Yet I couldn¡¯t help but ask more questions.


    ¡°Are you referring to Cora Felix?¡± I whispered and Erika blinked at me with surprise.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, and then she frowned in confusion. ¡°How do you know about her? Aren¡¯t you from the


    Wild Crawler Pack? The one that¡¯s at the very edge of the Wega border? I¡¯m surprised you¡¯d know


    her name-¡±


    ¡°I heard it from others,¡± I spoke before she could continue questioning me. ¡°Back when it happened, I


    mean. It was all anyone could talk about those days.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was,¡± Erika agreed quietly, and then she dropped her head in sorrow. ¡°They didn¡¯t ever find her


    body. Did you know that?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± I replied. The sight of the maid so upset was nearly enough to bring me to tears but I held


    them back. Beside me, Finnick seemed confused, but he didn¡¯t ask any questions. He simply sipped at


    his tea like a polite gentleman and yed with his crane.


    ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± I asked her, and when she nodded, I continued. ¡°You seem sad about her


    passing, but from the way others spoke about her¡­ wasn¡¯t she a terrible person? I heard awful things


    about her wanting to use the king to save her guilty family.¡±


    Erika shook her head and her gray-streaked blonde hair red around her. ¡°No, those were just terrible


    rumors. The Felix family, they were never evil, and neither was Cora. Her family never wouldmit a


    crime and she would never try to manipte the king for her own gain. Besides, sweet Cora loved the


    king too much. to ever use him for her own gain. No matter what they say, I don¡¯t believe the rumors for


    a second.¡±


    This time, I had to turn away to keep Erika from seeing the tears that started to spill down my cheeks.


    My tough exterior was cracking. I wanted to tell Erika everything. I wanted to scream out that I was


    Cora Felix and that I loved her just as much now as I did back then. I wanted the woman to hug me as


    she¡¯d done in the old days.


    But I couldn¡¯t.


    So, I took a deep breath and turned back around. My nails dug into my palms at my sides until I


    decided to try the tea. Perhaps the jasmine flowers would help calm my nerves.


    ¡°Mommy, why are you sad?¡± Finnick asked quietly, and he gently tugged on my


    sleeve.


    I searched my mind quickly for an excuse.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m just moved, sweetheart,¡± I exined after I took a sip of tea. ¡°Cora Felix¡¯s story¡­ it¡¯s rather


    sad. I¡¯m not sure that I believe she was guilty either.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Erika whispered, and when I nodded, she finally smiled again.


    ¡°Really,¡± I confirmed, and then I turned to Finnick. ¡°What about you, Finnick? What do you think?¡±


    Finnick considered the idea. I could practically see the gears within his mind turning as he searched his


    brain for an answer. He set his crane down on the table and then faced me directly.


    ¡°I would believe her,¡± he said thoughtfully.


    ¡°You would?¡± I asked.


    Finnick nodded. ¡°Dominic told me once that it¡¯s important to believe the people you trust and cherish no


    matter what.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s wise advice,¡± I agreed, and then I leaned over and kissed Finnick¡¯s head. ¡°You¡¯re such a kind


    soul, Finnick.¡±


    ¡°Both of you are,¡± Erika remarked, and then she smiled warmly at us. We didn¡¯t say anything more after


    that, but something in my soul felt better than it had in


    years.

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39


    Chapter 39 Jealousy and Mystery


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ASHER


    ¡°Checkmate!¡± Kaneughed as he shifted his pawn.


    An agitated grumble rose out of me and I sat back on the couch in irritation.


    ¡°That¡¯s the third time you¡¯ve lost today,¡± my stepbrother remarked, much to my annoyance, and then he


    grinned at me. ¡°So strange, brother. Ever since we began ying years ago, you¡¯ve never lost a single


    match. Tell me, what¡¯s bothering you?¡±


    I remained silent and did my best to ignore him as I crossed my arms against my chest. It had been a


    huge mistake to invite Kane to y chess with me, but I¡¯d needed something to distract me from


    thinking about Ca ssandra Keller. That being said, this experience only added to my frustration.


    ¡°Let me take a guess,¡± Kane continued on, and he rubbed his chin and gave me a mischievous, boy-


    like expression. ¡°It¡¯s the healer, Ca ssandra, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    I wanted to curse him out at even mentioning her, but I held my tongue and rolled my eyes instead.


    How dare he pretend to know me?


    ¡°Don¡¯t deny it,¡± my brother prodded, and then he chuckled. ¡°She¡¯s really rather


    cute.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s alright,¡± I mentioned off-handedly, and I regretted my words immediately. Kane sat forward and


    leaned on his elbows.


    ¡°She¡¯s more than alright,¡± he replied with a shake of his head. ¡°I can see the lust in your eyes, brother.


    You want to f**k her, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Kane!¡± my voice hardened, and I nearly rose from my seat at his crude remark. He was entirely


    unbothered, though, and pressed further.


    ¡°Well, well,¡± Kane mused, and then heughed. ¡°Sorry for my bluntness, but do


    you really think you¡¯re hiding it that well? Everyone in Merliscire knows you fancy the woman. Besides,


    you¡¯re rather obvious about it, Asher. You personally had her promoted to be your private healer, and


    we all know that you let her stay in your chamberte in the day¡­ every day.¡±


    ¡°In my office,¡± I corrected him through narrowed eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± Kane retorted, and he sat back in his brown leather armchair. ¡°The office, your


    chamber¡­ either way, Adalyn is sore about it.¡±


    Adalyn?


    Sore?


    This wasn¡¯t a good thought..


    ¡°How do you know?¡± I pressed, and I tucked my hair behind my ear.


    ¡°It¡¯s clear as day, my brother,¡± Kane replied. ¡°Adalyn is jealous. You can practically smell it in the air


    when she enters the room. She wants to kill your cute healer. So, I¡¯d advise you to be careful.¡±


    ¡°Adalyn?¡± I frowned. ¡°No, she wouldn¡¯t dare do something like that. It isn¡¯t like her to be prone to


    violence.¡±


    ¡°Adalyn may have been a more simple-minded girl in our youth, but she¡¯s changed, Asher,¡± my


    stepbrother insisted, and this time, the yfulness in his tone. disappeared. ¡°She knows you don¡¯t want


    her, not in the way she needs you to. Jealousy has twisted her heart, that much is clear. I understand


    that you want to think the best of her, but how can you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± I said, and a strange expression crossed Kane¡¯s face.


    ¡°You haven¡¯tid a finger on a woman since Cora died, Asher,¡± he said gently.


    The room fell into silence at the mention of Cora¡¯s name. The two of us hadn¡¯t spoken about her in


    ages. I¡¯d practically ouwed any remarks about my former mate, yet there was something nice about


    hearing her name aloud.


    ¡°Asher, you need to move on,¡± Kane continued on, and then he sighed. ¡°You can¡¯t live in a memory


    forever. She¡¯s haunting you and will continue haunting you until you decide to move on.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what to say. I knew three was some truth to my stepbrother¡¯s words. As much as I didn¡¯t


    want to admit it, I knew Adalyn was prone to jealousy, and I knew that that jealousy had only surged


    with time. I couldn¡¯t touch her, not when the memories of touching Cora still lingered in my mind. I


    hadn¡¯t desired a single woman since Cora.


    That is until Ca ssandra Keller arrived in Anemond.


    But how could I forget Cora? I missed her every day of my life and was reminded of my mistake with


    every passing moment.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s been a very long day,¡± Kane spoke up again, and he rose to his feet. ¡°I¡¯m going to get some


    rest, but before I do, I have to tell you something about your


    healer.¡±


    ¡°Enough about her-¡± I started to say, but Kane waved me off.


    ¡°Please,¡± he insisted, and when I sighed, he tilted his head slightly. ¡°This is important, Asher. The night


    you were attacked by the viper¡­ Ca ssandra Keller was quite protective over you. She wouldn¡¯t let any


    of use too close to you while she was treating you. It seemed like she was prepared to do anything


    if it meant


    saving you.¡±


    I opened my mouth to speak, but no sound could escape.


    Had Cas sandra really been so protective of me? I¡¯d had no idea.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I managed to say through my frown. ¡°For telling me.¡±


    Kane nodded and then shed me a slightly yful smile as if he were amused by his own words. It


    was hard to say if he was simply teasing the issue or if he was being truthful, but that was always the


    story with Kane.


    Once he was gone, I released a sigh and closed my eyes. I was still so tired


    from the whole ordeal that it felt nice to rx in the quietness of my chamber.


    Not long after, I heard a knock at my door.


    ¡°Enter,¡± I called out, and momentster, Lancel stepped into the room. He¡¯d been on a mission for a


    while now out in Wild Crawler territory, doing some investigative work for me, and I was both relieved


    and nervous to see him.


    ¡°What took you so long?¡± I wondered with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°My apologies for the dy, Alpha,¡± Lancel replied dutifully, and he gave me a small bow of respect. ¡°I


    would have arrived back in Anemond sooner, but while I was there in Wild Crawler territory, I found


    something suspicious and had to follow the lead.¡±


    ¡°Suspicious?¡± I said. ¡°About the fire?¡±


    My most trusted guard nodded. ¡°Yes, Alpha. I spoke with the guard there, the one who first reported the


    fire to us when we were in Alpha Gareth¡¯s garden. I knew he had more knowledge about that night than


    anyone else, so I chose to speak with


    him first.¡±


    ¡°Proceed,¡± I said, and I leaned forward. That night had been strange on all counts and I wanted to know


    more about what had caused Ca ssandra¡¯s house to


    catch on fire.


    ¡°The guard reported that that night, he¡¯d gone to Ca ssandra Keller¡¯s house to retrieve her things, and


    when he got there, a man stood in the entryway,¡± Lancel continued.¡± The man was wearing some kind


    of mask that concealed his face.


    ¡°What?¡± I breathed in surprise. This all sounded so strange.


    ¡°The masked man was apparently sneaking into the healer¡¯s house, but we don¡¯t know why,¡± Lancel


    said. ¡°The healer¡¯s house was a total mess as if the man were searching for something.¡±


    ¡°What happened next?¡± I demanded as my curiosity grew.


    ¡°Apparently, Alpha, the guard went to chase the man, but it was toote,¡±


    Lancel said, and his eyes grew weary. ¡°The man had already set the upper part of


    the house aze.¡±


    ¡°Great Goddess,¡± I cursed.


    Why would someone break into the house, destroy it, and then set it aze?


    What was the man searching for? And why was Cas sandra¡¯s house the target?


    Was this a random robbery or something more sinister?


    ¡°There¡¯s more, Alpha,¡± Lancel said. ¡°After the guard told me the story, I searched the grounds and


    found a set of footprints, along with a lingering scent. I followed them all the way to the forest, but then


    they ended and disappeared once they reached the tree line.¡±


    ¡°Disappeared?¡± I repeated back and Lancel nodded.


    ¡°The tracks ended there and his scent vanished,¡± he remarked. ¡°Alpha, it¡¯s as if the man just vanished


    into thin air.¡±

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40


    Chapter 40 Dinner with his stepmother


    CA SSANDRA


    Erika was preparing to leave for the evening when we heard a knock at the door. It was the end of the


    day, so I was surprised by the sound.


    Who was there at this hour?


    ¡°I¡¯ll get it,¡± Erika said in a helpful tone, and before I could stop her and do it myself, the maid went to the


    chamber door. On the other side stood-a se rvant dressed in the royal family¡¯s colors.


    ¡°Hello,¡± I addressed him, and I took a step forward. ¡°Can I help you?¡±


    ¡°Lady Adalyn and Mistress Margaret sent me to deliver a message,¡± the se rvant said politely. ¡°They


    wish to invite you to dinner, Miss Ca ssandra, as a token of their gratitude for curing the Alpha King and


    Prince Marco.¡±


    I was instantly taken aback.


    Adalyn and Margaret wanted mypany?


    This was a trap. It had to be. Why else would the pair of vicious and vengeful women seek out my


    company?


    The room fell silent as I considered my options..


    There was no part of me that wanted to go through with this. And yet, despite my suspicions, I knew I


    couldn¡¯t deny their invitation. The se rvant wasn¡¯t asking me if I wanted toe, he was simply the


    messenger sent to retrieve me.


    Adalyn and Margaret wanted something from me, that much was certain, and I knew they were both


    capable of going to great lengths to get their way, sol needed to cooperate.


    ¡°Can you watch Finnick for just a while longer?¡± I requested and Erika nodded wholeheartedly.


    ¡°Of course, Miss Ca ssandra,¡± she said, and then she gestured forward. ¡°Now, go along. It¡¯s best not to


    keep yourpany waiting.¡±


    Her words alone were vague, but her inflection and tone said what we both were thinking- Adalyn


    wasn¡¯t someone to toy with.


    ¡°Give me one moment, please,¡± I asked the se rvant, and after he nodded. politely, I rushed over to the


    small dresser beside the bed. I stared into the mirror and made sure I was presentable. After I ran a


    quickb through my long hair, I deemed myself worthy and walked back over to the door.


    ¡°Please behave for Erika,¡± I instructed Finnick, and I gave him a small smile. ¡°I¡¯l be backter this


    evening.¡±


    Finnick nodded politely. ¡°Yes, Mommy.¡±


    After I ruffled his curly hair, I turned back to the se rvant. He held the door open for me,and then we


    stepped out into the hall. The moment the door closed behind us, a lump formed in my throat. This was


    definitely terrifying.


    But I took a deep breath and forced myself to find some calmness. I had to stay strong and keep my


    wits about me.


    The ser vant quietly led me to a dining room on the first floor. I was a little surprised that we weren¡¯t


    dining in therger chamber, but I wasn¡¯t about toin. I normally ate with Finnick in our


    chambers, so this was an interesting change of scenery, even if it was with the Alpha King¡¯s wife and


    stepmother.


    The se rvant held the doors open for me, and the moment I set foot in the room, I could feel an


    awkwardness in the air.


    Despite the smaller size, the room was beautiful. The floors were a pale marble with streaks of ck


    and gold, and there was a glittering chandelier hung high above us.


    Adalyn and Margaret sat on one side of the long, ck marble table at the center of the room. When


    my eyes met theirs, a shiver traveled down my spine. Their steel-like gazes were chilling and


    ufortable in ways I couldn¡¯t fathom.


    What was going on?


    Why was I here?


    ¡°Healer Ca ssandra,¡± Margaret greeted me in a sickly-sweet tone. ¡°So nice of you to join us.¡±


    ¡°Good evening,¡± I said politely as the se rvant guided me to the seat opposite of Adalyn. ¡°Thank you for


    inviting me to join you.¡±


    ¡°It was no trouble at all,¡± Margaret replied with a slight tilt of her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothingpared to what


    you¡¯ve done for our family. Treating my son and grandson in such a short amount of time. They¡¯re lucky


    to have had you around.¡±


    ¡°It was nothing,¡± I murmured.


    Margaret waved her hand in the air. ¡°Nonsense. Don¡¯t be, dismissive, healer. Your quick thinking saved


    both of their lives.¡±


    As the Alpha King¡¯s stepmother continued on, I could feel Adalyn ring at me from across the table. I


    was certain she wanted to interrogate me and ask what L was doing in Asher¡¯s study every day, but


    there was no chance of that happening with Margaret in the room. The older woman was too much of a


    force to allow that kind of indecency, especially at dinner.


    ¡°Thank you so much for the kind words,¡± I sair when Margaret finished and sipped at her wine. ¡°Being


    able to provide care for the royal family is a great honor.¡±


    Another se rvant, a v


    girl, came by and refilled Margaret¡¯s ss, and then came around and filled mine and Adalyn¡¯s. I wasn¡¯t


    much for wine, but I politely smiled anyway when she approached.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I whispered. The se rvant nodded and then quietly snuck out of the chamber when


    Margaret waved her hand.


    Asher¡¯s stepmother watched me for a moment, and then smiled a strange smile.


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    ¡°So, Healer Ca ssandra,¡± she began slowly as she swished her wine around gently in the ss. ¡°Why


    did my son bring you all the way here to Anemond?¡±


    So that was it.


    Margaret wanted to use me to get information about Asher.


    ¡°The Alpha King brought me here to make sure Prince Marco would be fine after the treatment I gave


    him in Wild Crawler territory,¡± I exined, but Margaret and Adalyn didn¡¯t seem satisfied by my reply.


    ¡°Liar,¡± Adalyn blurted, and her amber eyes narrowed. ¡°There¡¯s more to it than that, there has to be.¡±


    I had two choices. I could sumb to my inner fear or I could stand my ground.


    So, I smiled nicely, like I hadn¡¯t heard her words.


    ¡°There was a strong possibility that Prince Marco hadn¡¯t fully recovered from the viper¡¯s bite,¡± I said in a


    sweet tone, and I straightened my posture. ¡°The Alpha King and I were worried there may be left over


    toxins in the young prince¡¯s body-¡±


    Adalyn suddenly gasped, and her skin turned white as a sheet. Her full, red-painted lower lip trembled


    and she struggled to contain herself.


    ¡°No!¡± she insisted. ¡°No, you¡¯re lying!¡±


    ¡°Adalyn!¡± Margaret hissed at her outburst, and then she turned to me. ¡°Now, tell me, Ca ssandra, what


    are you and your assistant doing in theboratory?¡±


    I didn¡¯t miss a beat. ¡°We¡¯re using theb to test the venoms and also creating serums to treat that sort


    of thing moving forward. The King was concerned about the vipers and wanted to make sure that there


    would be cures and aids in the future. to treat anyone who may get bitten.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Margaret mused. ¡°Going forward¡­. Is that a possibility?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know,¡± I said simply. It wasn¡¯t a lie, not exactly. Becky and I were working on antidotes and


    cures for the snakes¡¯ bites, but that wasn¡¯t the only research being conducted. However, I had to


    continue to keep the Alpha King¡¯s condition a secret.


    Margaret leaned forward. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously as she studied me, and her lips drew into a


    thin line.


    ¡°Healer Ca ssandra,¡± she said my name with a tone of malice. ¡°I hope you¡¯ understand that you need to


    be utterly honest with me. Any lies thate from your lips may cause consequences. Severe


    consequences.¡±

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41


    Chapter 41 Splendid idea


    CA SSANDRA


    As I stared back at Margaret, I pushed down my disbelief and tried to keep my face as neutral as


    possible. Asher¡¯s stepmother¡¯s words were harsh, but I couldn¡¯t let her threaten me.


    ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯m beingpletely honest with you,¡± I said calmly. ¡°The Alpha King was especially


    concerned after the viper appeared here at Merliscire, and wanted a thorough investigation done on the


    beast.¡±


    ¡°Were there any findings?¡± Margaret practically demanded. The woman¡¯s nostrils red in agitation,


    and her mouth pursed as she awaited my reply.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I confirmed, and I made sure to keep my tone as even as possible as leaned forward. ¡°The viper


    that attacked the Alpha King seemed to be raised deliberately by someone-¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± she interrupted me, and her eyes narrowed further.


    ¡°The essence released in the bite wasn¡¯t venom,¡± I revealed. ¡°It was an artificial


    poison.¡±


    The moment the words left my lips, a strange feeling moved through me. I didn¡¯t regret blurting out the


    words, but I wasn¡¯t sure how the pair of women would react to it.


    Adalyn¡¯s face shifted first and contorted into an expression of shock and.


    concern.


    ¡°That¡¯s in


    she managed. ¡°No one would dare to sneak a poison under the Alpha King¡¯s nose. There¡¯s no way


    someone in Merliscire would dare.¡±


    Meanwhile, Margaret¡¯s face looked panicked, but only for a single second. She regained her


    composure quickly and nodded.


    ¡°Adalyn is right,¡± she agreed. ¡°No one in Anemond would dare.¡±


    Part of me wondered if Margaret had something to do with any of this. The older woman¡¯s face was


    highly suspicious, and she had a track record of


    wickedness. Had she directed this behind closed doors?


    I wouldn¡¯t put it past her, but I wasn¡¯t sure. If it really was Margaret who wanted to kill Asher, she could


    have done it much earlier.


    And furthermore, what would she gain in killing the Alpha King?


    Sure, she might still be deluded into thinking that her son could take the throne, but she wasn¡¯t an idiot.


    If Asher died, Kane would be the first suspect, and Margaret would beplicit as well.


    I turned to the food I¡¯d been ignoring on my te and raised my knife.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a theory,¡± I mused as I carved into my steak.


    The room fell into silence as I attended to my food, and after a little while, Adalyn and Margaret


    followed suit. We all ate quietly, and the sound of our knives and forks against the tes was the only


    sound.


    Finally, a little whileter, Margaret cleared her throat.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said in a softened tone. ¡°Please forgive me, Healer Ca ssandra, and don¡¯t take offense


    to my questions. I¡¯m just worried about my son and my grandson.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I said, even though I didn¡¯t mean it. I wasn¡¯t going to press the issue further, but I was


    definitely taking note of the way Adalyn and Margaret were acting. This whole encounter was


    suspicious and strange. Neither woman could be trusted. Hell, no one in this pce could.


    ¡°How old is your son, Cas sandra?¡± Margaret changed the subject.


    As the older woman sipped at her wine, I swallowed back a gulp.


    ¡°Five years old,¡± I answered.


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    I felt a little uneasy answering Asher¡¯s stepmother¡¯s question, but it would have been strange for me to


    refuse to say or even to lie.


    Margaret and Adalyn perked up at the mention of ¡°five years¡±, and for a moment, my heart raced as


    they nced at one another. But then, they resumed earring.


    ¡°Prince Marco is six,¡± Margaret mentioned with a smile. ¡°Since they¡¯re so close in age, I¡¯m sure Finnick


    and Marco could be good friends.¡±


    It took all of my energy to not frown in confusion. Marco was six years old? I¡¯d assumed that given our


    past, Adalyn would have given birth five years ago. But six? She hadn¡¯t seemed pregnant six years


    ago.


    ¡°That¡¯s a splendid idea,¡± I remarked as I pushed the thoughts away. ¡°Finnick is a little shy, but I¡¯m sure


    he would love to have a friend here. He left his best friend


    back in the Wild Crawler Pack.¡±


    ss.


    ¡°Another peasant?¡± Adalyn scoffed rudely as she swirled, her wine around in her


    ¡°The son of the Wild Crawler¡¯s Alpha, actually,¡± I retorted. Maintaining a calm. tone of voice was nearly


    impossible, but I managed to do it well enough. I wasn¡¯t looking to start a fight with Asher¡¯s wife, but the


    beautiful, mean woman wasn¡¯t making it easy.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± she said, unimpressed. ¡°Not much better than a peasant, then.¡±


    ¡°Adalyn, h¨²sh,¡± Margaret hissed with a roll of her eyes, and then she turned to me with a calcted


    expression. ¡°Who takes care of Finnick while you¡¯re working, Healer Ca ssandra?¡±


    ¡°Erika,¡± I replied. ¡°The Alpha King generously designated her to be a babysitter for me. It¡¯s been a huge


    relief and help. I appreciate his kindness.¡±


    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon,¡± Adalyn muttered, but Margaret and I ignored her.


    ¡°Perhaps young Finnick could join Prince Marco¡¯s sses in the afternoons,¡± Margaret proposed, much


    to my surprise, and then she nced over at Adalyn. ¡°What do you think, Adalyn?¡±


    ¡°Him, join Marco?¡± Adalyn replied in a shocked tone, and her eyebrows


    furrowed.


    Every afternoon, Prince Marco attended sses that taught him different facets. of a royal education.


    Maths,nguages, history, and the arts were on rotation every day, along with sses on etiquette. I


    wasn¡¯t sure if Finnick would be wee to join the sn ooty young boy, but I didn¡¯t mind the idea of


    Finnick getting to learn. Back in the Wild Crawler Pack, he was still new to reading, though he¡¯d taken


    to it quickly. Perhaps a royal education could prepare him one day to take over for me as a


    healer.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Adalyn spoke again and interrupted my thoughts. She toyed with therge blue-white


    diamond ring on her finger and examined it absently before looking at Margaret. Asher¡¯s stepmother


    stared at her expectantly, and Adalyn returned her hands to herp. I was a little surprised at how


    quickly she was whipped back into shape, but I knew Margaret was impossible to say no to.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Adalyn agreed, and her amber eyes darted over to me: ¡°I suppose Prince Marco would be


    happy to make a new friend.¡±


    Her demeanor suggested she still wasn¡¯t fully convinced, but we both knew that her hands were tied.


    She offered me a small smile that wasn¡¯tpletely genuine, and I offered one right back. This was an


    impossible game we were ying, but I had to let her think she had the upper hand if I was going to


    survive.


    Meanwhile, Margaret turned back to me and smiled slowly.


    ¡°What do you think, Healer Ca ssandra?¡± she asked. ¡°Do you think Finnick would like to join Prince


    Marco? I think it would do the boy a great deal of good to learn something.¡±


    Though her tone was kind, I knew her words were a subtle dig at my pretend. upbringing, as well as


    Finnick¡¯s. No matter what, the two women would always think they were more intelligent and educated


    than we were, and furthermore, better


    than us.


    Little did they know, I was better at hiding my intelligence. I would stay smart about all of this and y


    along.


    So, I smiled. ¡°I think that¡¯s a great idea.¡±

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42


    Chapter 42 Prince is adopted


    CA SSANDRA


    Once dinner was over, a se rvant guided me back to my chambers, and when I entered the room, the


    lights were dimmed and Finnick was fast asleep.


    Erika sat at the table, reading a book by candlelight, and when she looked up to face me, her kind eyes


    were wide with concern.


    ¡°You look stressed, Ca ssandra,¡± she noted quietly, and she patted the seat beside her. ¡°Come, tell me


    what¡¯s wrong. Did something bad happen at dinner?¡±


    I crossed over to the table and took the seat next to her. The entire way there, the weight of the


    conversation earlier hit me hard, and my hands began to shake.


    ¡°Lady Margaret made me an offer earlier,¡± I remarked. ¡°She suggested that Finnick should join Prince


    Marco in his afternoon lessons.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Erika said simply, and her brows furrowed. ¡°That¡­ seems¡­ generous.¡±


    I could tell the maid was stringing her words together carefully in hopes not to offend me, but little did


    she know, she could never say anything to hurt me.


    ¡°It is,¡± I replied, and I leaned my elbows on the table and ced my hands on my temples. I massaged


    them for a moment and then continued processing my thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m worried about Finnick, though. He


    can be¡­ audacious at times, and I¡¯m worried that he could say something to offend the prince. Thest


    thing I want is for Finnick to be punished for something he didn¡¯t mean to say.¡±


    Erika considered my words and nodded to herself for a moment. She seemed -like she was on the


    verge of saying something but the words didn¡¯te. After a


    minute of hesitation, she let out a soft sigh and touched my arm.


    ¡°Ca ssandra, there¡¯s something you should know about Prince Marco,¡± she said quietly, and then she


    looked around the room. ¡°But this must stay between us.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I replied as my heart began to race. The maid¡¯s tone was serious, and though there was


    no way for our privacy to be betrayed in the room, I leaned forward anyway.


    ¡°I used to primarily clean the Alpha King¡¯s study,¡± she began. ¡°It was and still is, as you know, a


    forbidden ce to just about everyone in Merliscire. The only ones. allowed in when the Alpha King


    isn¡¯t present is housekeeping.¡±


    I nodded in understanding.


    ¡°Now, Prince Marco understood the rules,¡± Erika continued. ¡°And yet, he still tried to get me to open up


    the study for him. He knew that I had a key and could grant him ess. I exined to the young boy


    that I couldn¡¯t do it, and he cried and bellowed and threw a huge tantrum. He iled his arms about and


    sobbed until he was red in the face.


    ¡°Oh wow,¡± I remarked. Even when Finnick was a tiny boy, he¡¯d never thrown a tantrum like that before.


    He¡¯d always been so calm.


    ¡°Eventually, I couldn¡¯t take it anymore,¡± she admitted in an embarrassed tone. ¡°I knew it was against


    the rules but I agreed to give him a glimpse. I made the boy promise he would leave right after.


    Suddenly, he stopped crying and nodded. I thought he understood. I let him-inside for just a moment,


    but when I told the prince it was time to leave, he wouldn¡¯tply.¡±


    She let out another sigh and her expression grew more weary.


    ¡°No matter what I said, Prince Marco refused to leave. He threw yet another fit and insisted that he


    belonged in his father¡¯s study. Then, suddenly, out of nowhere, the Alpha King arrived.¡±


    ¡°Oh no,¡± I whispered.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Erika said. ¡°He was vexed when he saw the prince in his study and demanded to know why


    he was in there. The prince was scared of being punished, so he blurted out that it was my fault.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I murmured, and I shook my head. The boy was even more spoiled and


    rotten than I thought.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Erikamented. ¡°He tried to me the entire affair on me. Granted,, I was to me for


    complying, but he was making it seem as if I¡¯d told him to go into the study. Luckily, the Alpha King


    trusted me enough to know the prince was lying.¡±


    I frowned as her words sank in. Had Marco learned such behavior from Adalyn? Surely a six-year-old


    boy wouldn¡¯t know how to use such tricks to avoid punishment.


    ¡°Did he punish Prince Marco?¡± I asked


    ¡°No,¡± Erika replied and she shook her head slowly. ¡°The Alpha King hardly scolds him. In fact, he spoils


    him more than any child should be.¡±


    I turned around to look at Finnick, who was tucked in and fast asleep in bed.. Bitterness rose in me as I


    thought about Prince Marco and the way the Alpha King treated him.


    ¡°He seems like he¡¯s a good father,,¡± I said when I turned around, and I absently tugged on a lock of my


    long hair. ¡°He must love the prince and his mother¡±


    ¡°He does love Marco,¡± Erika said. ¡°But there¡¯s something else to know about all of this. Prince Marco


    isn¡¯t Adalyn¡¯s. He was adopted.¡±


    My heart sk ipped a beat and my jaw dropped a little.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Adopted?¡± I repeated back in surprise.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Erika ?onfirmed. ¡°Six years ago, the Alpha King was out on an inspection. He was investigating


    the other Packs. He found Marco abandoned out in the forests by the border. No one was around, he


    was all alone. So, the Alpha King adopted him.¡±


    I blinked in shock. I¡¯d assumed Marco was Adalyn¡¯s. The two shared simr features, but then again,


    perhaps they weren¡¯t as alike as I thought.


    It also exined how Marco was six instead of five. Adalyn hadn¡¯t been


    pregnant after all.


    ¡°Back then, everyone was against it,¡± Erika continued on. ¡°Mostly because Marco wasn¡¯t born into the


    royal family and couldn¡¯t be able topete for the threr in life. But the Alpha King insisted on


    adopting the boy.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I wondered.


    ¡°I think it was a matter of timing,¡± she mused, and her expression grew sad. ¡°The Alpha King found


    Mar?o two months after Cora¡¯s death. And Lady Cora had been pregnant when she died. If she hadn¡¯t


    perished in the fire, she¡¯d have given birth the following month. So, that¡¯s why he decided to bring


    home Marco He believed the boy would be a chance to redeem himself given by the Moon


    Goddess.¡±


    I sat there inplete shock, lost for words. This was all too much to take in. Marco, Asher¡­ All of it. I


    hadn¡¯t known any of this.


    As I considered all of the information, Erika¡¯s cheeks reddened..


    ¡°I¡¯ve said too much,¡± she murmured. ¡°Forgive me, Ca ssandra, but I must leave.¡±


    She rose to her feet before I could say a word and straightened out her apron.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to take care of Finnick when he¡¯s with Prince Marco,¡± she assured


    1. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about any of it.¡±


    I opened my mouth to speak, but Erika had already turned and walked toward the door. She slipped out


    a moment after, and when the door closed, I heard rustling in the back of the room.


    ¡°Mommy?¡± Finnick called out sleepily, and when I turned around, my son was sitting upright. He rubbed


    his eyes and yawned.


    I stood up and walked over to him. When I reached his bedside, he frowned.


    ¡°Mommy, why are you crying?¡± he asked, and I raised my hand to my cheek. It


    was wet to the touch.


    When had I started crying?


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, baby,¡± I assured him as I wiped the tears away, and then I decided to lie. ¡°I¡¯m just


    homesick, that¡¯s all.¡±

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43


    Chapter 43 Kids fight


    1.


    CA SSANDRA


    The next day in theb, I was hard at work when I realized Becky was staring at


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked, and I smoothed my hair down. ¡°Is my hair sticking straight up or something?


    Do I have something in my teeth?¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± Becky assured me, but her expression said otherwise. ¡°Did you have some trouble sleeping


    last night?¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡± I wondered.


    ¡°Your eyes are swollen,¡± my assistant pointed out gently. Heat spread to my cheeks, and I took my


    protective goggles off. I was hoping it wasn¡¯t that noticeable, but apparently, that wasn¡¯t the case.


    After I¡¯d gotten Finnick to sleep, I¡¯d gone to my own bed and cried into the early hours of the morning.


    Hearing about Marco and the way Asher had used him to mourn my loss had been such a heavy


    burden to learn about, and I wasn¡¯t processing it well.


    But I couldn¡¯t think of that now. There was too much work to be done.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± I said slowly, and then I shifted the subject. ¡°Becky, have you found anything more about


    Udosyn?¡±


    I likely knew the answer, but I couldn¡¯t help but ask anyway. Becky and I had checked all of the medical


    books that the royal healers had ess to, but there was


    no mention of Udosyn.


    But surprisingly, Becky didn¡¯t say no straight away.


    ¡°Becky?¡± I prompted her again. ¡°What is it?¡±


    1/5


    ¡°Well¡­¡± she said, and she pushed her sses up the bridge of her nose. ¡°It might be a mistake or a


    bad note-¡±


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    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter,¡± I assured her. ¡°Any bit of information helps.¡±


    ¡°Well, I realizedst night that I¡¯ve heard the name Udosyn before,¡± she revealed. ¡°From a story


    anyway.¡±


    ¡°A story?¡± I repeated back, and then I leaned back against the counter behind. me and crossed my


    arms. ¡°What story?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s one my mother told me when I was young,¡± Becky replied, and then she cleared her throat. ¡°I was


    so little when I heard it that I had to make sure I wasn¡¯t- imagining it. So, I went and spoke with my


    mother this morning. She told me that she couldn¡¯t remember it clearly either, but after a while, she told


    me that she thinks Udosyn was actually the name of the poison?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m lost,¡± I admitted.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Becky apologized, and she took a moment to collect herself. ¡°It¡¯s all a little hazy. But ording


    to the story, as my mom remembers it, Udosyn was created by an academy of sorcery known as


    Ewonmiams. They were infamous for creating different kinds of poisons and drugs. Apparently, Udosyn


    was their most sessful and dangerous one.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± I remarked, and my eyebrows knitted together. ¡°How did your mother know about this?¡±


    ¡°She used to be an assistant in the royal library,¡± my assistant answered, and she tucked a lock of dark


    red hair behind her ear. ¡°I guess she read it in one of the books. But that was many years ago. She


    couldn¡¯t remember the rest of the story.¡±


    I nodded my head as I thought about it. I didn¡¯t know much of anything about sorcery. Not many people


    in Wega did either for that matter. All I could recall was mentions of it from historical books. See,


    sorcery had been wiped out of the continent centuries ago because people believed it to be evil and a


    vition of the Moon Goddess¡¯s blessings.


    ¡°Is there a way I could try to find the book your mother talked about?¡± I wondered, but Becky shook her


    head.


    ¡°The royal library can only be essed by the royal family,¡± she replied with an apologetic nce.


    ¡°You¡¯d need permission from the Alpha King if you wanted to


    visit.¡±


    I nodded again. Of course. Things couldn¡¯t be easy, especially here in Anemond. This ce was full of


    secrets.


    ¡°Thank you for trying,¡± I said earnestly. ¡°Seriously, Becky. I know it¡¯s just a little information, but it might


    go a long way in helping us find the truth.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Becky replied, and she offered me a smile. For a moment, she reminded me of Marley. My


    heart ached. I missed my friend dearly.


    Just as I was about to put my goggles back on and turn back to my work, the doors of theboratory


    flew open, and in burst Erika. The maid¡¯s normally kind eyes were frantic, and her hair was falling out of


    its perfect bun.


    ¡°Miss Ca ssandra,¡± she managed through heavy breath, and she took a moment to collect herself. ¡°I¡¯m


    so sorry to rush in like this.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize, Erika,¡± I assured her, and I rushed over to her side. ¡°What¡¯s going on? You seem


    stressed.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me for saying it, but I am,¡± Erika said. ¡°I¡¯m in a hurry and you need to be as well.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I demanded. I hadn¡¯t meant for my tone to be so harsh, but I was getting scared


    by the look on her face.


    ¡°Finnick fought with Prince Marco,¡± the maid revealed, and panic flooded through me.


    No.


    No, no, no.


    I knew this would happen.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I said. I quickly peeled my whiteb coat off and threw it to the closest counter, not caring


    much where itnded. Once it was off, I turned to Becky.


    ¡°I need to go,¡± I informed her. ¡°Please, continue working on the research. I¡¯ll be


    back when I can.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Becky agreed, and then she gestured to the door. ¡°I¡¯ve got this. Get going, Cas sandra.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Right.¡±


    Without another word, I followed Erika out the door and into the hall.


    Theboratory was on the other side of the ssrooms where Prince Marco¡¯s lessons were held, so


    the maid and I had to hasten our paces. The halls were full of various guards and se rvants, and I had


    to maneuver around a handful of them to keep from tripping over myself. I¡¯d never been graceful, and


    my sudden speed wasn¡¯t helping things at all.


    Meanwhile, I considered every possible scenario I could be walking into. I¡¯d had a bad feeling about


    these lessons, and the idea of my boy getting into a fight with the Alpha King¡¯s son filled me with utter


    dread.


    What if Finnick had broken a bone? Or what if Marco had seriously hurt Finnick? If the first was true,


    we were likely in a heap of trouble that neither of us was prepared for. Laying a hand on a member of


    the royal family was a crime worthy of severe punishment. Even if Finnick was a child, I couldn¡¯t protect


    him from this.


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic,¡± I whispered to myself. ¡°Breathe, Ca ss.¡±


    Finally, Erika and I reached the ssroom. When we burst through the doors, Adalyn was already


    there. The Alpha King¡¯s wife had Prince Marco in her arms. The young boy was sobbing hysterically


    while Adalyn¡¯s amber eyes were shooting daggers in Finnick¡¯s direction. She looked as if she were


    prepared to spring at my son at any moment.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I demanded. I rushed to Finnick¡¯s side and swept him in my arms wordlessly.


    Finnick¡¯s solemn gray eyes were filled to the brim with tears, but they didn¡¯t spill onto his cheeks.


    ¡°Mommy,¡± he whispered just loud enough for me to hear, and after he gave me a sad look, he turned to


    Adalyn. With how vicious the normally beautiful woman¡¯s expression was, I half-expected Finnick to cry


    just as hard as Prince Marco, But my son was braver than the other boy. He managed to hold his head


    high and stare back at Adalyn as if he were older than his years.


    When I turned my attention toward Adalyn, she offered me an even fiercer expression. Her amber eyes


    shed and her lip curled into a snarl. Even from here, I could see her long nails had sharpened into


    ws.


    ¡°Look at what your filthy peasant son has done,¡± she snarled, and she gestured at Prince Marco, who


    was still sobbing. ¡°He¡¯s going to pay forying a hand on my Marco.¡±

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44


    Chapter 44 Grievance


    CA SSANDRA


    As Adalyn continued to re daggers in my direction, I turned to look at


    Finnick.


    ¡°Did youy a hand on Prince Marco?¡± I asked as evenly as I could possibly manage. Finnick took a


    moment and then shook his head.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything,¡± he said quietly, but his expression told a different story. Finnick tended to nce


    down at the ground when he was lying, and he¡¯d done just that a moment ago. So, I took a breath and


    repeated myself.


    ¡°Finnick, this is serious,¡± I said in a much sterner tone. ¡°I want the truth. Did youy a hand on Prince


    Marco?¡±


    Finnick took a moment of pause, and then he nodded.


    ¡°Sort of,¡± he admitted. ¡°But it was just a light push, Mommy. And Marco hit me


    first-¡±


    ¡°Prince Marco,¡± Adalyn corrected him through bared teeth, and then she rushed over to us. She


    seemed as if she were going to sn atch my son away, but held firm. and lifted him up before she could


    do anything.


    I red at Asher¡¯s wife as she stopped in front of us. No one, royal or not, was going toy a single


    finger on my son.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take my son and leave-¡± I started to say, but as I turned to move, Adalyn¡¯s hand mped down on


    my shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell the Alpha King,¡± she spat. Her nails dug into my skin, but the pain didn¡¯t matter. I was in


    protective mode and my only concern was my son.


    ¡°Tell him whatever you like,¡± I retorted, and I yanked my shoulder away with


    impressive force. ¡°But I¡¯ll be taking my son away now.¡±


    Prince Marco began to wail.


    ¡°My father is going to punish you!¡± he cried, and he pointed his finger at Finnick. ¡°You¡¯re going to be in


    trouble!¡±


    Finnick opened his mouth to speak, but I shushed him immediately. I didn¡¯t wait for Adalyn to dismiss


    me. I simply turned and rushed right out of the room and into the busy hallway. I walked as quickly as I


    could with Finnick in my arms, and I held him tightly against me.


    ¡°Mommy,¡± Finnick whimpered as I sped toward our chamber. ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m


    sorry-¡±


    ¡°Why did you push Marco?¡± I asked him sternly.


    ¡°He deserved it,¡± Finnick insisted, but I wasn¡¯t having it. I set him down on the ground and stared at


    him.


    ¡°There¡¯s never an excuse for physical violence,¡± I chastised him. ¡°Now, tell me Finnick, why did you


    push the prince?¡±


    Finnick was quiet for a moment, and then he began to sniffle. It was soft at first, and then it grew a little


    louder. I paused for a moment and looked at him.


    ¡°Finnick?¡± I prompted him quietly.


    When the tears fell down his cheeks, my heart began to ache. Finnick hardly ever cried.


    ¡°He was making fun of me,¡± Finnick revealed through his sniffs, and the whites of his eyes turned


    slightly red. ¡°Heughed at me, Mommy, for not having a daddy. So, I told him that he was abandoned


    by his parents.¡±


    I was shocked. I hadn¡¯t realized Finnick had overheard what Erika had said to mest night. Even if I¡¯d


    known, I¡¯d never have expected him to repeat it back to Marco. Finnick wasn¡¯t usually that mean.


    ¡°Finnick, that¡¯s not okay,¡± I said loudly. ¡°You don¡¯t say things like that to people.¡±


    Anger swelled within me. I didn¡¯t understand what had gotten into Finnick. I hardly ever raised my


    voice, but my son needed to know he was in trouble.


    Finnick knew right away and suddenly began to s ob.


    ¡°I hate you, Mommy!¡± he eximed, and before I could say anything else, he


    took off down the hall toward our chamber.


    ¡°Finnick!¡± I called after him, but it was no use. Tears welled in my own eyes. My worst fears were


    coming true.


    This ce was toxic.


    Footsteps rang out behind me, and I readied myself for the stern hands of guards, but when I turned, it


    was just Erika.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked, and when I shook my head she sighed. ¡°Shhh¡­ don¡¯t cry. Finnick didn¡¯t


    mean it. The boy is young.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s never said that to me,¡± I whispered through my cries.


    ¡°I know,¡± she assured me. ¡°He¡¯s not that kind of boy. I must tell you, Ca ssandra.. This is all my fault. I


    stepped out of the ssroom to grab some water and left the boys alone. I didn¡¯t expect them to


    quarrel.¡±


    The maid looked terrified and I didn¡¯t me her. Adalyn was on the war path and would likely seek


    revenge on anyone involved in the situation.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± I said as I wiped my cheeks. ¡°Thank you for getting me. I appreciate it. I¡¯ll handle


    Finnick from here.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Erika said, and she offered me a small, apologetic smile. ¡°Thank you, Ca ssandra. Please, take


    care.¡±


    The maid turned and walked down the hall. Once she was gone, I continued toward my chamber.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    When I got there, Finnick was in bed with his head buried in his nket. I quietly closed the door


    behind me and then approached.


    ¡°Finnick?¡± I called out softly. ¡°Finnick, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Finnick raised his head up slowly. I took a seat beside him on the bed and we


    sat there in silence for a minute or two.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you overheard usst night?¡± I asked. ¡°And why would. you repeat our words


    back to Marco?¡±


    Finnick sniffled. ¡°Marco is always saying bad things about you, Mommy. I¡­ just wanted to say bad


    things to him too.¡±


    I swept him into my arms. ¡°Honey, it doesn¡¯t work like that. I know you meant well, but you can¡¯t say


    things like that to people, even if they¡¯re mean. You also shouldn¡¯t keep things from me-¡±


    Finnick squirmed. ¡°You always keep things from me, Mommy.¡±


    I was taken aback. He was right. I was so full of secrets l,could hardly breathe.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, baby.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry too,¡± he whispered. ¡°I should probably say that to Marco too.¡±


    ¡°When the opportunity presents itself, you should,¡± I agreed. ¡°For right now, everyone needs to take


    some time to cool down.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, did Daddy leave because he didn¡¯t like me?¡± Finnick wondered, and my heart ached again.


    ¡°Why would you say that?¡± I asked in shock.


    ¡°Because that¡¯s what Marco said,¡± he replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± I assured him, but he didn¡¯t seem convinced.


    ¡°Daddy never seemed to like me,¡± he said.


    I sat there in surprise for a moment as Finnick¡¯s words settled in.


    Emmett had never been good with emotions. He only seemed to care about two things- his patients


    and his career. In fact, he never showed much affection for Finnick or me for that matter. Of course,


    he¡¯d never wanted to marry or have


    children in the first ce, but that wasn¡¯t fair


    for Finnick.


    I considered my words carefully. Emmett hadn¡¯t been a great example of loving parenting, but I wasn¡¯t


    like him.


    ¡°Finnick, Daddy loved you very much,¡± I assured him softly. ¡°He just didn¡¯t know how to express it.¡±


    ¡°Promise me you aren¡¯t lying,¡± Finnick whispered.


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± I said, even though I wasn¡¯t convinced.


    I hadn¡¯tpletely lied to him. If it weren¡¯t for the inferno that¡¯d destroyed my life, Asher could have


    been a loving father to Finnick. That much was obvious by the


    way he treated Prince Marco.


    Bitterness rose up in me again.


    It always came back to the inferno.


    Finnick nodded carefully. ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s sad and lonely here. Can we visit Anemond?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, baby,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve been so busy. I just have a lot of work to do-


    ¡°Oh,¡± Finnick whispered, and he bit his lower lip. He was so crestfallen that I needed to find something


    to cheer him up. Pce life wasn¡¯t easy and I knew he was homesick and lonely. I had to do something


    to reassure him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to the Alpha King, okay Finnick?¡± I said as I drew him into an embrace.


    ¡°We¡¯ll find a time to visit Anemond. I promise.¡±

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45


    Chapter 45 Telltale


    ASHER


    As the Alpha King of Wega, I often had to endure things that I didn¡¯t want to, and this meeting was no


    exception.


    I wasn¡¯t usually one to drift off during important conversation, but this particr one wasn¡¯t holding me


    as much as I wished for it to.


    I¡¯d invited a few of my more trusted councilors into my study to discuss some business, and as I sat


    back in the leather armchair at my desk, their discussion danced by my ears. I¡¯d had the housekeepers


    make some rearrangements, so the councilmen were seated around me rather than all of us sitting in


    the more informal seating area of my study.


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    I fidgeted in my seat. These days, I was more restless than I¡¯d ever been. There was much to attend to,


    but ever since the viper attack in Rosepetal¡¯s garden with Ca ssandra Keller, I¡¯d been off my game.


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡± one of my councilors, an older gentleman named Jacoby prompted me out of my


    stupor. His dark eyes were wide with concern as they studied me, and I straightened my posture so he


    wouldn¡¯t get the wrong impression.


    ¡°Yes, sorry,¡± I apologized, and I waved my hand. ¡°Please, repeat what you said.¡±


    ¡°We were just discussing the forting visit, Your Highness,¡± Jacoby managed as he nced at the


    other three councilors in confusion.


    In a few days, the Crescent Pack, and Anemond for that matter, would be receiving a group of


    diplomats from North, Yurene. The group used to be a small pack, but their old Alpha was very warlike


    and vicious. In thest few decades, their numbers had grown as they¡¯d annexed several packs in its


    vicinity.


    Normally, this wouldn¡¯t be perceived as an issue, but their new king, who¡¯d just


    ascended took the throne a mere year ago, seemed to prefer another way of taking.nds from other


    Packs. They made ¡°peaceful¡± diplomatic rtions with the Pack they wanted to annex and then broke it


    down, economically and then physically.


    I¡¯d received their request to visit a month ago.


    ¡°What do you have to say about the meeting?¡± I prompted my councilors, and each exchanged nervous


    looks with one another


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind my being candid, Your Majesty, I must say that I don¡¯t think this is the best idea,¡±


    Jacoby said slowly.


    ¡°I have to agree with Jacoby, Your Majesty,¡± Aremine, another older councilor.. added quietly. His tone


    was even more timid than Jacoby¡¯s but his fierce blue eyes told another story. Aremine had been


    around since my father had been in power, and I considered him to be one of the wisest men in the


    room,


    ¡°Exin,¡± I said simply, and I crossed my arms against my chest.


    ¡°Well, Your Majesty, this visit may have ill intentions,¡± Aremine said. ¡°Their Pack has a documented


    history of using these visits as a jumping off point before they try to seize furthernd for their gain.


    This could be their y now-¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know that for sure,¡± Karsh, the youngest of the councilors spoke up. ¡°This could be a


    peaceful meeting of leaders-¡±


    ¡°Be serious,¡± Aremine snapped, and his brow furrowed after he rolled his eyes.


    ¡°I am,¡± Karsh insisted. ¡°It would be st upid of them to y the same tricks here in Wega. The empire


    is too strong to be defeated.¡±


    ¡°Such is true,¡± Jacoby remarked, but he didn¡¯t seempletely sure. He was ying the two sides of


    the debate too evenly, but that was in his nature.


    ¡°The empire is strong,¡± Aremine allowed, but then he turned to me. ¡°But Your Majesty, there¡¯s strength


    in numbers, and their Pack certainly has them. Should we allow them toe here to Anemond?¡±


    ¡°If we don¡¯t seize the opportunity to guide their visit, they¡¯ll simplye here by force,¡± I said with a


    sigh. ¡°It¡¯s better for them to be here right under my nose rather than behind my back.¡±


    ¡°Wise words, Your Majesty,¡± Karsh chimed in, and Aremine rolled his eyes again.


    ¡°How do you suggest we treat the diplomats, Your Majesty?¡± he asked me. ¡°As friends? Wee


    guests? Or should we be much fiercer in our interactions? Intimidation is a worthy tool-¡±


    ¡°Sure, until they speak bad things about Wega when they return to their own country,¡± Jacoby said.


    ¡°This will only hurt the empire¡¯s image and bring about more chaos!¡±


    As the councilors debated how to handle the visit, I closed my eyes and leaned back in my chair. As


    the cold leather hit my skin, a sigh of relief escaped me. My head was beginning to ache again


    As bad as it was to admit, I didn¡¯t care about the diplomats from Yurene, not even a little bit. The whole


    country was no matter to me. Besides, Karsh was right. Wega wouldn¡¯t easily be taken down by a


    small country¡¯s nasty tricks. T


    My councilors always worried too much, and they tended to drag out simple meetings over the span of


    days. But I couldn¡¯t exactly dismiss them, not when I needed their advice.


    Suddenly, a knock was heard at the door and the councilors stopped speaking.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± I demanded in annoyance, and I pinched the bridge of my nose between my fingers.


    What now?


    ¡°It¡¯s Merle, Your Majesty,¡± one of my guards answered from the other side. ¡°I have Prince Marco here to


    speak with you. He says it¡¯s urgent.¡±


    d to have some


    I exhaled. Though I didn¡¯t know what was going on, I was d reprieve from this meeting.


    ¡°Send him in,¡± I called out, and then I turned to my council. ¡°You¡¯re all


    dismissed.¡±


    The councilors obediently rose to their feet and hurried out of the room. Just as they left, Marco burst


    into the room and rushed over to me.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± he sobbed as he barelled into me. A small gasp escaped me upon impact and annoyance


    bloomed in my mind.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I demanded. Momentster, Adalyn appeared in the doorway. Her cat-like eyes


    were aze with anger and her arms were crossed against her chest. I waved her forward. ¡°Come in.¡±


    Adalyn skulked into the room and immediately, I knew I was too tired to deal with this.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked again.


    ¡°It¡¯s that Ca ssandra Keller,¡± Adalyn spit. ¡°And her little mutt of a son.¡±


    All the while, Marco sobbed and tugged at my shirt.


    ¡°He wanted to kill me!¡± he cried out. ¡°Finnick wanted to kill me!


    ¡°How?¡± I demanded as I tried to wrap my brain around the situation.


    ¡°He pushed me,¡± Marco exined. ¡°Hard!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I frowned. ¡°Why would he-¡±


    ¡°He humiliated Marco,¡± Adalyn chimed in.


    ¡°How did Finnick Keller do that?¡± I demanded as my head began to pulse with pain. I was tired of this


    interaction already and no one was speaking inly.


    ¡°H-he told Marco he was adopted,¡± Adalyn said.


    I frowned. How did Finnick Keller know this? Surely it wasn¡¯t a secret, but how


    would a young child like him know about this?


    ¡°It had to have been his peasant mother,¡± Adalyn continued. ¡°Surely she nted such words in his


    head.¡±


    Ca ssandra?


    There was no way she would have done such a thing, I just knew it. Something more was going on


    here.


    ¡°Take Marco to his room,¡± I ordered, and then I turned to the prince. ¡°And stop crying. You aren¡¯t hurt.


    Besides, you¡¯re old enough to handle things yourself. Fight back rather than cry.¡±


    Marco stopped immediately and nodded.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what was going on, but things were strange around here. I needed to get to the bottom of


    this mess.

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46


    Chapter 46 Do you care?


    CA SSANDRA


    As I stood outside Asher¡¯s study, my heart beat like a drum. I was there to ask the Alpha King for


    permission to both visit the royal library and take a day off of my duties to show Finnick Anemond, and I


    was incredibly anxious. I had no idea if Prince Marco or Adalyn hade to him to report what had


    happened between the boys yesterday, and I wasn¡¯t sure how Asher had taken it if they had.


    I took a long, deep breath and then knocked on the door. A moment or two passed and then the door


    creaked open. Asher stood on the other side.


    ¡°Ca ssandra,¡± he greeted me calmly. ¡°Come in.¡±


    and


    He inclined his head toward the study and held the door open for me. I crossed the threshold carefully


    and nced around the room. Everything seemed as normal and there didn¡¯t seem to be any


    weirdness in the air.


    Once the door was closed behind us, Asher took a seat at his desk and turned his attention to a stack


    of documents in front of him. I¡¯d half-expected his steel-like gray eyes to re at me when I entered,


    but the Alpha King didn¡¯t seem all that interested in my presence.


    ¡°Take a seat,¡± he instructed absently. ¡°I need to finish some signatures.¡±


    I did as I was told, and as I sat there, I wasn¡¯t sure how to proceed. Did I need to speak up about the


    incident or should I wait for him to bring it up? Which option. would be perceived better?


    Asher got up and left the study before I could make that decision. My foot -bounced as I waited for him


    to return and I carefully folded my hands in myp. I


    needed to calm down if I was going to handle all of this professionally.


    The Alpha King returned five minutester and then sat back down at his desk.


    ¡°My apologies,¡± he said as he swept his dark brown hair away from his


    handsome face. ¡°Now, why are you here, Ca ssandra? Health checks aren¡¯t until next


    week.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to ask you a couple of favors, Your Majesty,¡± I replied politely, and Asher raised a dark


    eyebrow.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes. First of all, I wanted to ask if I could have ess to the royal library. For a visit,


    anyways.¡±


    ¡°The royal library?¡± he repeated back. ¡°What ever for?¡±


    I quickly exined Becky¡¯s findings about Udosyn, and as I shared the story, Asher listened intently.


    His frown only deepened with every sentence and heat rose to my cheeks in anticipation. Did he think


    we were speaking nonsense? Or that Udosyn was a fairytale meant to stay hidden?


    ¡°Okay,¡± he remarked, and his expression softened as he gave me a thoughtful nod. ¡°You have my


    permission. I¡¯ll let the librarian know you¡¯reing.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said in surprise. I hadn¡¯t expected that to go as well as it did. Normally there was


    resistance or further questioning, but Asher seemed perfectly calm.


    ¡°Now, you mentioned you had multiple things to request,¡± Asher brought up, and he smirked. ¡°What


    else can I do for you, Ca ssandra?¡±


    My new name on his tongue sent a tingle down my entire body, and for a moment, I had to remind


    myself to behave. He was looking so incredibly handsome in his sapphire blue button-down shirt, and I


    couldn¡¯t help but notice the way the color set off his eyes.


    I cleared my throat and my mind. I needed to focus.


    ¡°I also would like a few days to explore Anemond with my son,¡± I stated. ¡°He¡¯s never been to the city


    before and he asked if we could go. Is that alright?¡±


    Asher considered the idea and then nodded. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s fine by me. You could use some days off after


    how hard you¡¯ve been working. Feel free to travel the city.¡±


    For a moment, I was a little shocked. I expected more resistance, but he seemed perfectly fine with my


    requests, and on top of that, he was giving me a little praise?


    What was going on?


    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty,¡± I said again, and then we fell into silence. I wasn¡¯t sure what else to say.


    Lately, every time I was around him, I was reminded of our passionate kissing session. His sighs, his


    groans, the way his mouth had felt on my neck, my breasts¡­ it was hard to push out of my mind.


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡± the Alpha King asked finally.


    I snapped back into reality and considered my next move. As much as I didn¡¯t want to, we needed to


    acknowledge the incident between our sons.


    So, I cleared my throat again and told him everything. I tried to remain as


    I


    neutral about the matter as possible, and as I exined what had happened, Asher simply nodded his


    head.


    Once I was finished, he smirked.


    ¡°I already knew all of this,¡± he admitted.


    I gulped. ¡°You¡­ you did?¡±


    Was he going to punish us for what Finnick had done after all?


    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied, and then he frowned. ¡°Why were Finnick and Marco together in the first ce?¡±


    ¡°It was Lady Margaret¡¯s idea,¡± I exined. ¡°She generously offered for Finnick to join Prince Marco¡¯s


    studies.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Asher murmured, almost as if he already knew. His eyes dropped to the


    floor for a moment and then went back to me. ¡°Ca ssandra, I have another question for you, one I don¡¯t


    understand exactly. Was it you who told Finnick about Marco¡¯s background? And if so¡­ how did you


    come by this information?¡±


    My heart stopped in my chest. I had no idea how to answer him without incriminating Erika and I didn¡¯t


    want Finnick to get punished after all.


    But I had to be truthful.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault,¡± I said, and Asher frowned.


    ¡°Why did you tell Finnick?¡± he asked. ¡°And how did you find out?¡±


    His eyes held mine, and for a moment, I thought my breath would stop. Before I could utter a word,


    Asher rose from his chair.


    ¡°Ca ssandra, do you really care if Marco is my son?¡± he asked.


    My eyes broke contact with his as I searched for the right words to say. How could I handle this without


    offending or hurting someone?


    ¡°I just heard the information from someone else,¡± I admitted vaguely. ¡°But I don¡¯t care, Your Majesty,


    that Marco is adopted.¡±


    chin.


    Asher approached me slowly, as if he were stalking his prey, and raised his


    ¡°Do you care about what goes on between me and Adalyn? That the child isn¡¯t biologically ours?¡±


    A lump formed in my throat.


    Did I care about it?


    My brain spun in circles as I tried to make sense of all of this. Maybe I did, maybe not. I wasn¡¯t sure.


    But there was one thing I knew for certain, I had to answer the Alpha King. I couldn¡¯t refuse him, not


    any longer.


    So, I raised my chin.


    ¡°I was just surprised, that¡¯s all,¡± I remarked. ¡°You and Lady Adalyn make the perfect couple. I assumed


    that Marco was yours.¡±


    My lower lip trembled but I managed to keep calm as Asher stared into my eyes. He held my gaze for


    what felt like an eternity and then waved his hand.


    ¡°You¡¯re free to go, Ca ssandra,¡± he murmured.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47


    Chapter 47 Pet store


    CA SSANDRA


    As the days went by, I couldn¡¯t get the cold look on Asher¡¯s face out of my mind. It lingered there like a


    ghost and haunted my every move.


    The way he¡¯d dismissed me, the way his lips had drawn into a thin line¡­


    But what else had he expected me to do? I didn¡¯t want to stay here orp¨¨te with Adalyn for his


    affection. I wanted toplete my research, find a cure for the Alpha King¡¯s mysterious condition, and


    leave Anemond for good.


    And yet, the image of Asher¡¯s face made my heart wrench.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Finnick called out and interrupted my thoughts. I shifted my attention to my son and forced a


    smile. He was dressed up in brand new clothes and his normally serious face was bright and cheery.


    Though I tried to replicate his enthusiasm, he saw through me right away, and


    his smile turned into a frown.


    ¡°Mommy,¡± heined. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯ve been so distracted.¡±


    It was an intelligent observation and I knew I needed to save face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry baby,¡± I apologized. ¡°I¡¯ve just been so busy that I¡¯m a little tired. But you look so nice in your


    new clothes.¡±


    Finnick¡¯s frown shifted back into a grin.


    It was true. He¡¯d been gifted a whole set of new clothing from the royal staff, and he looked like a


    proper young man. Today, he¡¯d chosen a pair of tan trousers and a navy blue sweater that made his


    eyes even more gray than usual.


    ¡°Thanks, Mommy,¡± he said.


    I smoothed down the front of my own new sweater. Mine was a simr knit, but instead of blue, it was a


    nice deep green.


    ¡°Are you ready to go?¡± I asked, and when Finnick nodded, my smile was genuine. His excitement


    touched my heart and healed a little bit of the hurt from


    Asher.


    ¡°Grab your jacket,¡± I advised. ¡°We need to be prepared for it to be a little chilly.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mommy,¡± Finnick replied, and after he grabbed his jacket, I double-checked my purse and made


    sure I had everything necessary. Once I was certain I was ready, I grabbed my own jacket and took my


    son¡¯s hand in mine.


    We stepped out of the room and into the busy hall, and then we made our way to the entrance of the


    pce.


    Finnick and I were going to visit the main street of Anemond. Much to my relief the hunting festival had


    just ended, so it wouldn¡¯t be as bustling as usual.


    As we left the pce and made our way through the grounds and toward the city, I was reminded of


    when I was a child. Back then, there would be a festival market on the main street with different and


    wonderfully interesting things for sale. Trinkets, books, exotic taxidermied animals, and various other


    wares filled the many stalls and carts posted up on the streets, along with areas for food and


    beverages. made from precious nts that only grew in the hunting zone of the forest.


    Along with the things for sale, there were talent shows and performances that I watched with curious


    eyes. It was an exciting time here in Anemond, and I felt a strange feelinge over me as I thought


    about it all. It felt like another life, another century when I¡¯d been a part of that.


    When we finally made it to the main street, my jaw dropped a little.


    It was just as bustling as the hunting festival.


    Hundreds of people filled the streets, maneuvering around each other like schools of fish. For a


    moment, I was a little overwhelmed by the sheer amount of activity, and when I looked down at Finnick,


    I expected the same reaction. But much


    to my surprise, Finnick was thrilled. His eyes were wide and his infectious smile was on full disy.


    I couldn¡¯t me him. Back in Wild Crawler territory, we didn¡¯t have markets like


    this.


    ¡°Stay close to me,¡± I advised him, and after he nodded back, I took a deep breath, and we walked into


    the market.


    gripped Finnick¡¯s hand tightly as we made our way into the crowd.


    He tugged on me more than usual and with the other hand, he pointed out all of the various stalls and


    disys. He was in awe of everything, just as I¡¯d been when I


    was young.


    Various smells danced through the air, and with them, a chorus of music from a few musicians perched


    in the center of the market. Their exotic instruments sent a chill down my spine. This was all too


    familiar.


    I let Finnick guide me over to a shop nearby, and when we stopped in front of it, my jaw nearly dropped


    again and my eyes widened.


    Through the shop¡¯s window, I could see they were selling adorable puppies. When my eyes flew to the


    sign above the door, a strange feeling went through me.


    I didn¡¯t think the shop still existed.


    I¡¯d visited this ce with my father and brother when I was young.


    Back then, Ector and I had dragged Father to the shop. It took a lot of convincing but he finally caved


    and took us there. The moment we stepped foot in the shop, Ector and I were absolutely enamored by


    the cute puppies, and we desperately wanted Father to buy one for us.


    Our family had raised several ferocious hounds over the years that would aid well in battles, but we¡¯d


    never had a puppy before.


    We did our best to convince him, but Father didn¡¯t think it was a good idea.


    Back then, he¡¯d told us it was because they both were over the age of fifteen at that time. Ector would


    soon be old enough to be recruited as a young warrior, and as such he would be sent on missions that


    would keep him from taking care of a puppy. As for me, I would soon be considered a youngdy and


    my duties would keep me from also taking care of an animal.


    As he listed the reasons, Ector and I knew he was right.


    But in the end, I knew the decision wasn¡¯t because of Ector¡¯s uing military


    recruitment.


    Finnick stared through the window with enormous eyes, and I recognized that look immediately. Back


    in Wild Crawler, Finnick had begged for a pet, but Emmett had always refused. While he was great with


    healing people, he wasn¡¯t a fan of animals.


    My son turned his attention to me, and I shook my head lightly. I didn¡¯t want to disappoint him, but I had


    no choice.


    ¡°Honey, we can¡¯t have a puppy right now,¡± I said gently. ¡°We live in the pce


    and we can¡¯t do whatever we want. Maybe once we settle down-¡±


    ¡°What if we ask the Alpha King?¡± Finnick pleaded.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, sweetheart,¡± I replied. ¡°He¡¯s a very busy man with much bigger things to worry about. I


    don¡¯t think he would have the time to hear about a thing like this right now.¡±


    I knew there was a possibility I could ask Asher for this favor, but also¡­ I couldn¡¯t face him, not right


    now.


    Not after our encounter.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    As Finnick frowned and I contemted my situation with the Alpha King yet again, the chiming of bells


    rang out, and a man stepped out of the shop.


    He looked at Finnick and smiled. ¡°Would you like to take a look inside?¡±

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48


    Chapter 48 Kidnapper


    CA SSANDRA


    As the shopkeeper stared at us expectantly, a pit formed in my stomach. I wanted to turn down the


    man¡¯s offer and was about to open my mouth to do just that, but before the words could leave my


    mouth, Finnick jumped excitedly.


    ¡°Yes!¡± he dered, and then he whipped back around to look at me. ¡°Just one look, Mommy,


    pleaaaaaase?¡±


    My son¡¯s storm-gray eyes were as wide as the puppies¡¯ in the window. He wasn¡¯t normally one to beg


    so I was a little taken aback by his demeanor, but I was struggling to refuse his request. It wasn¡¯t very


    often we were able to do something like this.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to take one home with you today, kinddy,¡± the shopkeeper addressed me gently.


    ¡°You¡¯re more than wee to join the boy and look.¡±


    I considered the idea for a moment and then nodded. ¡°Thank you for your


    kindness.¡±


    I took Finnick¡¯s hand in mine and the two of us followed the man into his shop. As we crossed the


    threshold, I couldn¡¯t help but remember being here when I was young. The shop looked exactly the


    same, but the gentle olderdy who ran it didn¡¯t appear to be around.


    The moment the doors closed behind us, the puppies in the pen began to bark.


    Their hackles raised and their tails thrashed as if we were intruders instead of


    visitors. Finnick stiffened beside me, a little taken aback by the sound.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, honey,¡± I whispered gently, and I squeezed Finnick¡¯s hand.


    ¡°They¡¯re just a little excited,¡± the shopkeeper exined to us when we stopped in ront of the pen. ¡°It¡¯s


    been a slow day today and they haven¡¯t seen many people.¡±


    I was surprised by his exnation. The main street was full of so many people. It struck me as odd that


    this shop hadn¡¯t been more popr on a day like today. Had


    their customer base dwindled?


    Finnick tugged on my sleeve. ¡°Mommy, can I pet them?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to ask the nice man,¡± I answered softly, and when I turned to look at the shopkeeper, he


    gave me a small nod of approval. I then turned back to Finnick. ¡°Now, you¡¯ll have to be very gentle,


    okay? They¡¯re just babies.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± Finnick promised, and then he turned to the shopkeeper. ¡°Thank you!¡±


    He smiled. ¡°Of course, young man.¡±


    Finnick wasted no time after that and hustled right over to the pen of puppies. The little dogs swarmed


    toward him, and their bodynguage, shifted from guarded to ready for love. They all jumped up and


    began to beg for his attention.


    My son giggled in delight, and my lips curled into a smile. I knew it was going to be hard to drag him


    away from all of this when the time came, but for now, he deserved to feel the joy of being a child. Life


    in Anemond had been so difficulttely. He deserved some happiness, if only for a moment.


    A tiny brown puppy made its way into Finnick¡¯s arms and my heart panged at the sight of them


    together. The animal was a fluffy little thing with big ck eyes. and a wet pink tongue that licked


    Finnick all over.


    Finnick was delighted as the puppy squirmed around in hisp. It wasn¡¯t long before he turned to face


    me with a hopeful expression and it took all of my effort to keep from caving in. I simply shook my head


    and offered him ah apologetic nce.


    ¡°We can maybe get you some new toys from the market, but we can¡¯t get a puppy,¡± I exined. ¡°I¡¯m


    sorry, honey.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Finnick sighed, dejected, and suddenly, his eyes began to water. The sight of him so sad was


    almost enough to bring me to tears as well. I wished nothing more than to be able to get him a


    companion, but we couldn¡¯t.


    Momentster, the shopkeeper approached me and offered me a kind expression and a cup of


    steaming tea.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, mydy,¡± he assured me, and then he gestured to the cup. ¡°Would you like a cup of


    chamomile? It¡¯s awfully cold out there.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said gratefully, and I epted the cup. ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you to


    offer.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all,¡± he replied.


    I didn¡¯t think anything of it, but when I raised the cup to my lips, the steam reached my nose, and the


    smell of the tea caught me off guard. It smelled strange, nothing like chamomile.


    I frowned and lowered the cup. Something wasn¡¯t right, I could feel it in my bones.


    Suddenly, a figure appeared out of nowhere and rushed toward my son. Before I could react, the young


    woman grabbed him and red at me. Her light brown eyes


    were full of malice and sheughed cruelly as Finnick tried to break free from her


    ¨C


    hold. Thatugh only grew louder as he screamed.


    ¡°Finnick!¡± I cried out, and I started to rush to him, but I was stopped when the shopkeeper stepped in


    front of me.


    ¡°You¡¯ve certainly changed, haven¡¯t you?¡± he said cryptically as his lips curled into a mean smile.


    ¡°Emmett Keller sure did help with that, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    My eyes widened as his words sank in.


    This man knew Emmett?


    I knew at once from his cruel gaze that this man wasn¡¯t the shopkeeper and that Finnick wasn¡¯t his true


    target.


    I was.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I pleaded. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything, just let my son go.¡±


    ¡°I know who you really are,¡± the man sneered and he leaned in closer. ¡°And if you don¡¯te with me,


    your son will pay for it. Someone wishes to see you-¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± I interrupted, but the man¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°You¡¯ll know that soon enough,¡± he retorted. ¡°Now, what¡¯s it going to be?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯lle with you,¡± I blurted out, fully knowing there wasn¡¯t any other choice. ¡°But please, let my son


    go. Please.¡±


    hair.


    The man stared at me for a moment and then ran his hand through his ck


    ¡°Fine,¡± he replied, and then he signaled at the young woman. ¡°Let the child go.¡±


    The woman released her hold and Finnick rushed to me with impressive speed.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Finnick eximed as he ran right into me.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, baby,¡± I tried to soothe him as he began to cry. ¡°Shhh.¡±


    Finnick¡¯s body wracked with s obs and I held him close. This was a nightmare, the kind that only


    Anemond could provide.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to y any kind of tricks,¡± the man advised with a shake of his head. ¡°They won¡¯t go over


    well. Just follow me.¡±


    I nodded my head and then took Finnick¡¯s hand. I didn¡¯t want toply, but I


    had no choice.


    We followed the man toward the back door of the shop, and once we got closer, I caught sight of an old


    woman- the real shopkeeper from my memory- tied up with rope in the corner. Her mouth was taped


    closed and she thrashed as her eyes widened in my direction. Beyond us, the puppies barked again,


    and my mind was overwhelmed by everything.


    As the man opened the door, I knew I couldn¡¯t follow.


    I had to fight.


    So, I picked Finnick up, and once he was secured against me, I lunged, kicked the man as hard as I


    could, and then rushed out the door as he bellowed.


    ¡°Come back!¡± he screamed as I ran.

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49


    Chapter 49 Saved by a stranger


    CA SSANDRA


    Finnick cried in my arms and I wanted to soothe him, but we had to get as far away from this situation


    as possible.


    The back door of the shop out into a small alley. There was little room between the buildings at all, but I


    could spy a way out in the distance. I just needed to get us back out to the main street, and then we


    could disappear into the crowd of people


    and leave the crazed man and woman behind.


    ¡°Hang tight, baby,¡± I urged Finnick as I braced him against me. He sobbed quietly in my arms but kept


    his grip around me obediently.


    ¡°M-Mommy, who are those people?¡± he whimpered as he buried his head into my neck. ¡°Why are we


    running?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, honey,¡± I said. ¡°Just stay quiet and close your eyes.¡±


    The young woman suddenly rushed out into the alley with us. I continued to walk backward slowly.


    ¡°Please,¡± I begged her. ¡°We don¡¯t have to do this. We could forget about this entire thing-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± the young woman retorted, her eyes full of venom as they bore into mine with sharp


    intensity. ¡°You¡¯re not getting away from me that easily.¡±


    I took a breath as I continued to walk backward. She was moving slow for now, but her crazed


    expression told me this was about to be a chase.


    ¡°Help!¡± I cried out as loudly as my lungs would allow. ¡°Help us!¡±


    The womanughed. ¡°No one ising to save you!¡±


    ¡°Help!¡± I called out again, and when my call was unanswered, I knew I had no


    choice but to save myself. I turned around in one swift motion and took off down the


    alleyway.


    Make it to the main street, I repeated to myself in my mind. Just make it to the


    main street.


    I could hear the young woman chasing after us and my heart beat like a drum with every stride.


    What was happening?


    What had we done to deserve this?


    Desperation flooded through me as I ran and tears sprang out of my eyes as Finnick sobbed in


    confusion.


    I


    The footsteps behind me suddenly got louder, and when I turned around, the woman was a mere ten


    feet away.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t,¡± I begged again. The woman¡¯s vicious smile widened. ¡°Sorry,¡± she mocked, but before


    she could get any closer a trio of figures emerged from the shadows. Their movements were swift, and


    they descended upon the woman. quickly and threw her to the ground.


    ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s-¡±


    ¡°Shhh,¡± I instructed Finnick as I held him close.


    It was all happening so fast that I couldn¡¯t keep up. I took steps backward as the fight ensued. It was all


    a blur of limbs and shouts thatsted maybe thirty seconds at the most. Adrenaline surged through me.


    When my eyes managed to focus, I watched the young woman scramble to her feet and flee.


    Whoever these guys were, she didn¡¯t want anything to do with them.


    Fear flooded through me. What was all of that? And who were they?


    The trio of men approached us once she was gone, but though their bodynguage and statues were


    fierce and tough, their expressions held no malice.


    I frowned as I took in their appearances. Each of the men had long, shiny hair that fell nearly to their


    waist, and they wore clothing that was much different than those we wore here in Wega. Their


    leather attire was lined with dark fur, and they wore tall boots that rose past their knees. On the breasts


    of their strange coats was a deep green, swirling insignia I didn¡¯t recognize.


    Who were they?


    Were they foreigners?


    Suddenly, there was a noise behind me, and I turned to see a tall man standing about ten feet beyond


    us. I nearly jumped out of my skin in surprise. His face was concealed by shadows and I braced for


    trouble when I noticed the


    heavily-weaponed guards around him.


    men.


    However, the tall man paid me no heed and instead looked out at the trio of


    ¡°Find the woman and the man she¡¯s working with,¡± hemanded. ¡°Make sure.


    they don¡¯t escape.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the trio of muscr men said in unison, and then without another word, they rushed back


    down the alley.


    A lump formed in my throat.


    What just happened?


    The man stepped out of the shadows and into the light, and a gasp escaped me. He was easily the


    tallest man I¡¯d ever seen in my life. He was handsome in a rugged way, with shiny light brown hair that


    was just as long as the others. His skin was tan but heavily freckled and his eyes were a beautiful


    shade of navy blue.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± the man asked me in a heavily ented voice.


    I managed a nod after a moment. ¡°Yes. Thank you for saving me.¡±


    ¡°I take it you didn¡¯t know those people?¡± he asked, and when I nodded again, he raised his eyebrow.


    ¡°Hmm. I see. It must have been some sort of attempted robbery then. Perhaps werewolf trafficking. I


    must admit I¡¯m surprised. I didn¡¯t expect the Wega Empire to be this chaotic.¡±


    Heughed and then the rest of his men joined in.


    I was still a little rmed by everything, but the man¡¯s casual air helped put me


    at ease.


    When theughter stopped, the man turned back to me.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to be rude,¡± he apologized. ¡°Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kaleb Adams.¡±


    He extended his hand toward mine and I epted it gratefully.


    ¡°Ca ssandra Keller,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Ca ssandra,¡± he repeated back and then he looked down the alley. ¡°Ca ssandra, may I apany


    you back to the market? It¡¯s dangerous for a youngdy with a child to be walking alone in Anemond.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your generosity,¡± I said quickly. ¡°It¡¯s very kind of you to offer. I should probably try to get


    back home. My son is awfully upset and it¡¯s been a long day.¡±


    Finnick sniffled in my arms but maneuvered himself so he could face Kaleb. His eyes were red but his


    expression was calm. He was putting on a brave face for ourpany, and I couldn¡¯t help but admire


    his efforts.


    ¡°It would be my pleasure,¡± Kaleb pressed. I considered his offer for a moment. more and then gestured


    down the alley.


    ¡°There¡¯s an old woman tied up in the shop up there,¡± I remembered. ¡°I think she could use some help.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send my men to help her,¡± Kaleb said immediately, and then with one nod, his men scrambled down


    the alley toward the shop.


    air.


    ¡°Perhaps we should go help them-¡± I said, but Kaleb raised hisrge hand in the


    ¡°My men will be returning in a moment,¡± he announced, and then he cleared his throat. ¡°The ones who


    went after the woman and the man, I mean. I¡¯m not sure how to handle them once they¡¯ve returned.¡±


    It was a dilemma for sure. They needed to face some kind of consequences, but I couldn¡¯t risk them


    revealing their true intentions to anyone. They imed they knew my identity, my true one.


    I opened my mouth to offer a suggestion, but before the words could escape my mouth, the trio of men


    from earlier returned to the alley. My eyes widened in horror as they grew closer.


    In their hands were a pair of limp bodies.


    ¡°Keep your eyes shut,¡± I urged Finnick.


    The bodies of the man and woman were soaked in rich dark blood. My stomach turned at the sight and


    I fought back bile.


    saya


    ¡°Are those the ones who-¡± Kaleb started to say and I nodded before he could finish his sentence.


    I was shocked. Did they kill themselves because their mission failed? Or were they killed by someone


    else?


    I gulped. This was a terrifying situation.


    I never should have left the pce.


    ¡°I need to go,¡± I managed to say through my fear. ¡°Thank you for helping me, but I need to get out of


    here.¡±


    ¡°Where do you live?¡± Kaleb asked. ¡°We could give you a ride.¡±


    ¡°I live in the royal pce,¡± I answered. ¡°I work there as a healer. It isn¡¯t too far from here. I could walk


    back easily.¡±


    A strange expression crossed the tall man¡¯s face and then he smiled.


    ¡°What a coincidence,¡± he said. ¡°My destination is also the pce.¡±

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50


    Chapter 50 King of Yurene


    CA SSANDRA


    As much as I wanted to return to the pce on my own, I couldn¡¯t deny Kaleb¡¯s offer to escort Finnick


    and me. The tall man was kind and besides, he was nked by a group of muscr men who could


    defend us against any further threats. I couldn¡¯t allow myself to risk Finnick¡¯s safety again.


    As we walked, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder who Kaleb was. The foreign man had to be someone


    important if he had all of those guards to attend and protect him. Everything about him was poised and


    proper, and I admired the strong way he held himself as he strode. Normally, those with a stature that


    tall tended to slouch to make themselves smaller. But Kaleb held himself regally and proud.


    Kaleb chattered on as we moved through the thrall of the market. He was making many observations


    about our surroundings and about Anemond in general, which told me he was new to ournds. Every


    person we passed by stared at him with curiosity. I couldn¡¯t me them. Their height, hair, and attire


    made them stick out like a sore thumb even in a crowd like this.


    to ic


    I wanted in on the conversation, but I didn¡¯t feel quite up to talking. I was still so overwhelmed by


    everything that had happened today in the alley.


    However, I couldn¡¯t remain silent forever. It was impolite to keep


    quiet to


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Kaleb mused on about Wega, especially after he¡¯d gone through all of the effort to


    save me.


    So, I answered the questions he had as well as I could.


    As we chatted politely, I set Finnick down and let him walk beside me. I gripped his hand tighter than


    usual, but my son didn¡¯t seem to mind. His pallor was paler than usual, not that I could me him. I


    was ready to get him back to the pce as quickly as possible and in the safety of our chambers.


    Merliscire was full of terrors and dangers of its own, but at least I didn¡¯t have to


    worry about back alley assassins and potential kidnappers.


    It took us nearly twenty minutes, but we finally arrived at the gates of the pce. The moment we


    approached, a se rvant appeared from the shadows. Though I didn¡¯t know his name, I¡¯d seen his young


    face around the pce quite often.


    ¡°Healer Ca ssandra,¡± he greeted me with a warm smile. ¡°Wee back.¡±


    Suddenly, his expression shifted when he noticed Kaleb and his group of guards. The young man


    studied them for a second and then frowned.


    Kaleb didn¡¯t seem to notice the strangeness in his gaze.


    ¡°Where is the Alpha King?¡± he asked the se rvant bluntly, and we were all a little taken aback by his


    question.


    ¡°I beg your pardon, sir?¡± the se rvant asked, and then he cleared his throat. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Kaleb held his chin up ever so slightly. ¡°My name is Kaleb Adams.¡±


    The se rvant¡¯s skin paled and his eyes grew wide. He began to shake a little and then bowed in


    respect.


    ¡°M-my apologies, my Lord,¡± he stammered. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to be so rude.¡±


    Lord?


    Kaleb was a lord?


    I turned to look at him with confusion, but Kaleb merely smiled and shrugged. This day was proving to


    be a strange one indeed and I was ready to return to my chambers and breathe.


    ¡°Please follow me,¡± the se rvant waved us on.


    Our group crossed through the gate, and the moment they closed behind us, I


    breathed a sigh of relief, and Finnick did the same.


    ¡°I¡¯m d we¡¯re back, Mommy,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°Me too, honey,¡± I said quietly, and I squeezed his hand.


    The moment we stepped foot into the entryway of the pce, I felt myself growing antsy. I lingered


    there with the group for a moment and then I turned to Kaleb.


    ¡°Thank you so much again for saving us,¡± I said kindly but firmly, and then I gave him a small,


    apologetic smile. ¡°If you¡¯ll please excuse me, I need to be going.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Kaleb replied. He reached out and took my free hand in his, raised it to his lips, and kissed


    it. Heat spread to my cheeks as his deep blue eyes stared into mine.


    look forward to meeting you again, Ca ssandra Keller.¡±


    ¡°Y-you as well,¡± I stammered. When he dropped my hand, I gave a small bow of respect and then


    looked down at Finnick. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Finnick nodded in relief, and then the pair of us ascended the staircase.


    When we returned to our chambers, we were surprised to see Erika waiting for us. We¡¯d originally


    invited the maid to join us in the market, but she¡¯d told us that she wasn¡¯t a fan of being in crowds, so


    she politely declined.


    ¡°Erika?¡± I remarked as my eyebrows creased together. ¡°What are you doing


    here?¡±


    ¡°Hello,¡± she said cheerily, and her warm smile grew wider. ¡°I just wanted toe in and do a little


    something while you were gone.¡±


    It was then I realized that our chambers were practically sparkling. I looked around the room in awe.


    Lately, with how many hours I spent in theb, I didn¡¯t get much of a chance to tidy up our room. But


    Erika had taken care of itpletely. The shelves were dusted, the floors were polished, our


    belongings were put away in their proper ces, and there were vases of fresh, fragrant flowers


    everywhere.


    ¡°Oh, Erika,¡± I gushed. ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t have to do all of this.¡±


    I was a little embarrassed. I¡¯d meant to do all of this myself when we¡¯d returned


    from the market.


    ¡°I wanted to surprise you,¡± Erika assured me. ¡°It was really no trouble at all.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, and I gave her a genuine smile. She was one of the most thoughtful people I knew.


    It was nice to know that there was at least one good. person here in Anemond. I began to tear up as


    the day¡¯s events ran through my


    mind.


    side.


    ¡°Ca ssandra, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Erika asked immediately, and she rushed to my


    ¡°Something happened in the market,¡± I said quietly, and then I turned to Finnick. ¡°Go wash your hands


    and change your clothes, then you can go y with


    your toys.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Mommy,¡± Finnick said obediently, and after he gave me a hug, he disappeared into the


    bathroom. Once I heard the sink running, I turned back to


    Erika.


    ¡°What happened?¡± she asked softly.


    I told her everything, minus the part where the two kidnappers mentioned knowing my true identity. As


    the story went on, Erika¡¯s skin paled and her eyes


    widened.


    ¡°Oh, Ca ssandra,¡± she breathed. ¡°Oh, how horrible! I¡¯m so grateful you¡¯re alright.¡±


    ¡°I


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. ¡°It was all thanks to Kaleb.¡±


    ¡°Kaleb?¡± she repeated back.


    I told her all about the tall foreign man who¡¯d saved us, and once I was finished, her expression shifted.


    ¡°What does this man look like?¡± she wondered as her eyebrows creased


    together.


    ¡°Tall, dark blue eyes, very long light-brown hair,¡± I answered. ¡°He and his men were wearing leather


    garments lined in fur with a strange green symbol.¡±


    Erika gasped. ¡°Ca ssandra¡­ that must be the new king of Yurene!¡±


    I frowned. ¡°Yurene?¡±


    ¡°The werewolf country that borders us to the north,¡± Erika exined.


    For a moment, I was a little taken aback, but then again, I¡¯d never had much reason to know about any


    ce other than Wega, especially considering all I¡¯d been through over the past five years. Besides,


    there had never been much to report about the north..


    Yurene.


    ¡°It began as a small country, but in recent years, it¡¯s gained power and expanded across the continent,¡±


    Erika exined. ¡°They¡¯ve annexed quite a few other packs and have be quite powerful.¡±


    ¡°What are they doing here?¡± I wondered as I tried to wrap my head around the fact that I¡¯d been


    rescued by a foreign king from and I¡¯d never heard of.


    Erika shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything more than that. The Alpha King mentioned they¡¯d be arriving,


    that¡¯s all.¡±


    I thought about Kaleb and his smile, and then about his bluntness and strange.


    nature.


    Asher was certainly in for an interesting time.

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51


    Chapter 51 Mess


    ASHER


    I¡¯d justid my head down on the desk in my study when I heard a series of knocks on my door. For a


    moment, I considered ignoring them entirely, but ¨¤ voice in the back of my mind told me that I had a


    duty to fulfill.


    I was just so tired these days.


    But the Alpha King couldn¡¯t take a break.


    ¡°Enter,¡± I groaned, and I pulled myself back up. As the door, began to open, I ran a hand through my


    hair and took a long, deep breath.


    Luckily, it was just Lancel. My most trusted guard entered the room quietly and as he approached my


    desk, his full eyebrows creased together in concern.


    ask?¡±


    ¡°Alpha?¡± he asked, his tone drenched in worry. ¡°Alpha, are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered quickly, though I didn¡¯t exactly mean it. ¡°Why ever do you


    ¡°Your skin is quite pale, Alpha,¡± Lancel replied worriedly. ¡°You¡¯ve got dark circles under your eyes and


    you look quite tired.¡±


    ¡°You sure know how to tter me, Lancel,¡± I murmured, and I stifled a yawn.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t seemed quite yourselftely, that¡¯s all,¡± he said in a much gentler tone and he bowed his


    head in respect. ¡°I just want to make sure you¡¯re feeling alright.¡±


    ¡°You worry too much,¡± I teased him, and I gave him a small smile. The older man returned my smile,


    but deep down, I knew he wasn¡¯t going to put his worry to rest.


    I couldn¡¯t me him for being concerned. He was right- I wasn¡¯t looking my


    best these days, nor was I feeling my best. There was simply too much going on in the pce and my


    sickness was really taking its toll these days. I was so stressed by it all that I was hardly sleeping,


    which was only making the symptoms of my


    condition worse.


    I needed to speak with Healer Ca ssandra but I wasn¡¯t too keen on the pleasure


    of herpany after ourst encounter.


    ¡°Now, enough about me)¡± I said after I cleared my throat, and I straightened my posture. ¡°What do you


    have to report? Have youpleted your investigation?¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Lancel said, and as he took a seat, I took a moment to get my nerves.


    under control.


    I¡¯d sent Lancel on a mission to continue investigating the arson at Ca ssandra Keller¡¯s home in Wild


    Crawler, and also to look into the healer and her supposedte husband. I¡¯d been highly suspicious


    about the man and wanted to know more about Cas sandra¡¯s past.


    Part of me felt guilty about looking into her so deeply but the other part needed to know.


    ¡°Emmett Keller was born in Wild Crawler territory,¡± Lancel reported, and he held his chin up slightly as if


    he were giving a school report. ¡°His parents were murdered when he was quite young. Apparently, his


    parent¡¯s killer meant to take his life as. well. He kidnapped Emmett along with them and the rest of the


    Pack believed him to be dead.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± I murmured. ¡°Continue.¡±


    ¡°He returned to the Pack when he was sixteen and settled back down in his family¡¯s old residency,¡±


    Lancel said. ¡°Everyone was surprised by his return.¡±


    I frowned. Something about this didn¡¯t add up.


    ¡°How did the Pack know it was him?¡± I wondered as I leaned forward on my elbows. ¡°Did they check


    his identity?¡±


    Lancel nodded. ¡°They asked him all kinds of questions to confirm.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem to be foolproof method,¡± I pointed out, and my eyebrows creased together.


    ¡°The only strangeness about him when he returned was that he was suddenly a self-taught healer,¡±


    Lancel continued on. ¡°The boy was quite knowledgable but wouldn¡¯t exin how he¡¯de by such


    information. He was simply quite talented at it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± I remarked. How strange. ¡°Please continue looking into Emmett Keller. I think there¡¯s more


    there to investigate.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± Lancel replied obediently.


    ¡°Now, did you find anything out about Ca ssandra Keller or the Moon Chase Pack?¡± I wondered.


    My guard shook his head slowly and offered me an apologetic nce. ¡°Sorry, Alpha. The poption of


    the Moon Chase Pack is very low and has decreased by the years. Thest Alpha of the Pack died


    many years ago and no one has taken up the mantle.¡±


    Figures, I thought to myself. The Moon Chase Pack were nomads who weren¡¯t known for being very


    social. There was no way to truly figure out if Ca ssandra¡¯s stories were true or not.


    ¡°What of the arsonist?¡± I sighed. Surely, there had to be some good news to report.


    Lancel hesitated.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± I insisted.


    ¡°I spoke with some of the residents who live near where the arsonist disappeared,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Neighbors of Mrs. Keller. They said some peculiar things. One in particr, this old man, insisted that


    people disappear in those forests all the time. He ims that something¡­ magical happens there?¡±


    I nearlyughed. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s the wrong word for it,¡± Lancel corrected himself, and after at sigh, he continued. ¡°He


    just said that there was some sort of sorcery at y. I¡¯m not sure that there¡¯s any kind of truth to the


    idea, but he was very insistent that something more was happening there. If I may be frank with you,


    Alpha, I think it¡¯s ridiculous.¡±


    I wanted to agree with Lancel. Everyone in Wega knew that sorcery was no longer practiced in the


    empire.


    ¡°Are you still in contact with the man?¡± I asked as I considered his words.


    Lancel nodded. ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s likely a falsity, but speak with him again,¡± I said. ¡°Ask him everything he knows about this


    alleged sorcery and report back to me.¡±


    My most trusted guard looked less than thrilled by the idea but he nodded obediently anyway.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± he replied.


    We sat there in silence for a moment. Arson, sorcery, murder, kidnapping, nomadic Packs without an


    Alpha to answer to¡­ the empire was messier than ever, especially when it came to Ca ssandra Keller.


    I had the sense that there was something insane going on here and I needed to get to the bottom of it


    before it bled into life here in the pce.


    Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.


    ¡°Who goes there?¡± I called out. ¡°Enter.¡±


    ¡°The door creaked open and in rushed a young se rvant. He approached my desk swiftly and then


    offered a small bow.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the King of Yurene has arrived,¡± he announced in a hastened. pace. ¡°He awaits your


    company in the meeting room on the first floor.¡±


    ¡°The King of Yurene?¡± I repeated back in surprise, and when the se rvant nodded, my eyebrows


    creased together. I hadn¡¯t expected the king woulde to Wega himself. ording to the n


    we¡¯d crafted through correspondence, the king was going to send a group of diplomats to speak with


    me.


    But it seemed that the king had other thoughts in mind.


    I had yet to meet the man, but it seemed like he was a bit of a troublemaker.


    I sighed and rubbed my temples in exasperation. ¡°I¡¯ll be there in a moment. Now leave us.¡±

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52


    Chapter 52 Rude Northerner


    ASHER


    ¡°You¡¯re veryte, Alpha Asher. Is it customary of your Pack to keep your guests


    waiting?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    The moment I stepped into the first-floor meeting room, a heavily ented voice reached my ears, and


    I raised my eyebrows in surprise. Though I knew the voice belonged to the King of Yurene, I was


    shocked by how callously I was being


    spoken to.


    The king stood from the couch very slowly and then extended his hand toward mine. ¡°I jest, of course,


    though you do appear to be quite busy.¡±¡±


    I stared at his hand for a moment before I epted it in mine. ¡°I suppose I am quite busy. I¡¯m sorry to


    keep you waiting-¡±


    ¡°Are you ill?¡± Kaleb blurted out. ¡°You look tired-¡±


    Lancel took a step forward in warning, but I raised a hand to stop him.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I murmured.


    Kaleb studied us with a curious expression and then chuckled. ¡°It seems the people of the South are


    more tense than us Northerners.¡±


    The king of Yurene was one of the tallest men I¡¯d ever seen. I wasn¡¯t short by any means, but


    compared to his impressive stature, I felt like a child again. His hair was somewhere between gold and


    brown, and his deep blue eyes were dark and haunting. His appearance was sophisticated but his


    attire was another thingpletely. He was dressed in deep leathers and furs that suggested a colder


    climate than it was. It made sense- Yurene¡¯s climate was likely much colder than that of Wega¡¯s.


    Despite his height, he appeared to be a few years younger than me and still


    had a softness to his smile.


    ¡°I suppose so,¡± I remarked.


    Though I¡¯d never met Kaleb before, I¡¯d heard from my men that he was a very capable Alpha. While his


    father, the former king of Yurene, had taken most of theirnd through war and disputes, Kaleb was


    known to use softer policies to annex other packs into their empire. That being said, I could see a


    certain glint in his eyes that suggested he shouldn¡¯t be doubted. He was cu nning and dangerous, and I


    needed to stay on my toes around him.


    ¡°Alpha Kaleb, this is Lancel, Bert, and my counselors,¡± I introduced the group to the king, and then I


    took a seat in the leather chair opposite him.)


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you all,¡± Kaleb said politely.


    A pair of se rvants entered the room momentster with trays in their hands. They arranged a teapot,


    cups, and small tiers of snacks on the table before us, and then filled each of the cups with my favorite


    blend of tea. My mouth watered as the smell hit my nose. I hadn¡¯t had much of an appetitetely, but I


    was rather fond of tea.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I addressed them as I epted my cup.


    ¡°Yes, thank you,¡± Kaleb¡¯chimed in, and when he lifted the tea to his lips, he inhaled deeply and smiled.


    ¡°This smells lovely.¡±


    He took a sip and his smile widened. ¡°A wonderful selection, Alpha Asher. I must say, the tea in the


    South is very worthy of praise. The only praise I¡¯ve been able to give so far.¡±


    ¡°It seems to me that you have had a rather bad impression of Wega,¡± I remarked, and I pushed down


    the feeling of irritation that had arisen.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Kaleb said bluntly, and then he offered a strange expression of amusement. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to


    see an attempted kidnapping upon my arrival to Anemond.¡±


    ¡°A kidnapping?¡± I repeated back, and I set my tea cup down. My eyes flew to Lancel, but my guard


    looked just as confused by the king¡¯s words.


    Kaleb nodded. ¡°Yes. My men and I were walking around the market earlier. I wanted to get a feel for


    Anemond before I arrived in the pce. I¡¯ve only heard tales. of Wega from my father, you see, so I


    wanted to get to know the city myself. I was in the middle of the market when I heard a woman cry out


    for help. My men and I ended up finding her in the middle of an alley being pursued by a wicked man


    and


    woman.¡¯


    ¡°Oh my,¡± I uttered before I could stop myself.


    ¡°My men intervened before she could be hurt,¡± Kaleb continued. matter-of-factly, but his bright


    expression faded quickly. ¡°But I must say, the experience left quite an impression. I didn¡¯t realize this


    ce was so dangerous.¡±


    An attempted kidnapping? In Anemond? Sure, the capital could be dangerous, but something like


    this¡­ it all sounded so strange. Crime hadn¡¯t been this bad in


    years.


    ¡°I will look into this,¡± I announced as my eyebrows creased together. ¡°I can assure you, Alpha Kaleb,


    this kind of thing doesn¡¯t happen around here-¡±


    ¡°And yet it did,¡± Kaleb interrupted me with a slight tilt of his head. ¡°Do you mean to say that it was


    simply a stroke of bad luck, a moment of inconvenient timing?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t happen around here,¡± I emphasized. Alpha Kaleb¡¯s tone was tiresome. and I couldn¡¯t believe


    I was being challenged like that in my own pce. I wasn¡¯t sure how things were done in Yurene, but


    Kaleb was testing my patience.


    The king stared at me for a moment and then chuckled.


    ¡°Then it appears we have brought you bad luck,¡± he remarked, and he turned his attention back to his


    tea.


    Rather than get riled up, I decided to sip at my own and try to steady my breath. I needed to stay calm


    and collected. Politics between our empires forced me


    to do so.


    ¡°So, what brings you here, Alpha Kaleb?¡± I wondered. ¡°From our correspondence, I hadn¡¯t expected


    you toe in person.¡±


    ¡°I thought things would be easier if I arrived myself,¡± Kaleb replied simply, and he shrugged. ¡°There are


    many matters to discuss and I would rather be present during the conversations rather than hear them


    parroted back by my diplomats.¡±


    Suddenly, a yawn escaped him.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied. ¡°Though, we have just traveled all along the continent to arrive here. I¡¯m afraid I need


    some rest, along with my men.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I said, and then I turned to Bert, the head se rvant. ¡°Have the rooms for our guests been


    prepared?¡±


    Bert nodded. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, the rooms are ready. The weing party has also been prepared in


    the grand dining room.¡±


    Kaleb¡¯s eyebrow shot up in interest and his strange smile returned to his face. ¡°A weing party? I


    look forward to seeing your traditional southern dance.¡±


    He rose to his feet. ¡°Thank you for your hospitality.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I replied, and I carefully stood as well. My head swam at the sudden movement, but I tried


    not to let it bother me. I would rest just as soon as they left.


    ¡°Follow me, Your Majesty,¡± Bert addressed Kaleb. The king of Yurene nodded and then urged his men


    forward. As they filed out the chamber door, relief began to swell within me. I was ready to be alone.


    ¡°Alpha Asher?¡± Kaleb spoke up before he left. He lingered in the doorway for a moment and tilted his


    head. ¡°I wanted to mention thedy from earlier, the one who was nearly kidnapped. She was quite


    admirable, you see, and quite brave


    considering the circumstances. She mentioned her name was Ca ssandra and she was a royal healer


    here in the pce.¡±


    ¡°Ca ssandra?¡± I said in shock, and Kaleb nodded.


    ¡°I hope that I will get to see her again at the party,¡± he said, and then he turned around. ¡°She was very


    lovely to get along with.¡±

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53


    Chapter 53 Ewonmiams


    CA SSANDRA


    The king of Yurene had saved my life.


    I couldn¡¯t help but let the phrase repeat through my head as I sat at the small dining table in our


    chambers. Today had been tough on my nerves, and it was taking all of my efforts to keep from


    exploding from confusion.


    An attempted kidnapping¡­ only to be saved by a foreigner from and I¡¯d never even heard of until


    today.


    Finnick was fast asleep in his bed. After he¡¯d washed up, he¡¯d decided he was too tired to y and


    crawled right under the covers without me saying a word. I¡¯d dutifully tucked him in and minutester,


    he was out. I was a little relieved. My son. had been so brave today. I couldn¡¯t me him for feeling


    worn out.


    Erika had served me some fragrant jasmine tea in an attempt to soothe my nerves. The warm drink


    was doing a little, but I needed so much more.


    As much as I didn¡¯t want to admit it, I was scared.


    The man in the shop had said he knew who I was. What had he meant by that? Did he know I was truly


    Cora? Or was there another exnation I couldn¡¯t think of?


    If he¡¯d meant that I was Cora¡­ how had he reached that conclusion? I no longer shared her face, her


    hair, or anything that could indicate my past identity. Even my voice had a different timbre than before.


    So how could he know?


    The man had also mentioned Emmett. Had he known myte husband, and if so¡­ what could that


    mean for us? Finnick and I were already in such a precarious position. If someone out there knew my


    true name, likely so did others.


    My mind swam with the possibilities.


    I pushed my teacup aside.


    I needed to think but I couldn¡¯t stew on this any longer. So, I decided I needed to distract myself.


    I turned to Erika, who was knitting a nket in the corner.


    ¡°Could you watch Finnick?¡± I asked. She nodded without further exnation, and I smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    I quietly gathered some supplies into my backpack and ran a brush through my hair in an attempt to


    look presentable. Dark circles underscored my eyes and worry painted my expression, but there was


    nothing to be done about that.


    So, I pulled my pack on and quietly snuck out of the room to keep from waking Finnick. Once I reached


    the busy hall, I sped down the stairs until I reached the


    back door.


    The royal library was located in a small building near the pce. A garden separated the two buildings,


    and as I walked down the path, I took a moment to sniff a tall flowering tree. I couldn¡¯t ce the scent


    but something about it was calming.


    I stepped foot into the library building and was immediately met by arge front desk. A woman who I


    presumed to be the librarian offered me a kind smile. She was willowy and beautiful, with long blonde


    hair and huge round sses that made her big eyes evenrger.


    ¡°Hello,¡± she greeted me. ¡°How can I help you?¡±


    ¡°My name is Ca ssandra Keller,¡± I answered. ¡°The Alpha King gave me permission-¡±


    ¡°Ah, Mrs. Keller,¡± the librarian interrupted me. ¡°Yes, His Majesty mentioned you would being.


    Please, follow me, and I¡¯ll show you around.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied politely. The librarian rose from her seat and held the door open for me.


    The


    library wasn¡¯t veryrge by any means. The walls were a rich cream color and the floors were a deep


    brown. The shelves were arranged neatly in rows and every book was clearly indexed by their names


    and subjects.


    The librarian exined the system to me and once she was finished asked if I had any questions.


    ¡°I need the books about sorcery,¡± I exined. ¡°Where would those be located?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re in a separate room,¡± she answered, and she retrieved a ring of keys. from her gray id


    trousers. ¡°I¡¯ll unlock it for you.¡±


    She led me to the separate room and after she unlocked the door, she bade me farewell and left me on


    my own. I wasted no time and hunted through the books. I read each of the spines until I found one that


    read ¡°Ewonmiams¡±


    I plucked the book from the shelf and looked around the room. There was a small desk in the corner


    with a leather reading chair beside it. I brought the book over to the desk and sat down. I pulled out


    some of my notes, along with pens and bookmarks. I was ready to get some information.


    I spent the next few hours reading.


    The book I selected was interesting.


    It said that Ewonmiams was co-founded by several sorcerers centuries ago. It was the first academy of


    sorcery on the continent and the most powerful one as well. They had invented many potions and


    poisons, including Udosyn. They also recruited many young werewolves who desired to be witches and


    wizards.


    I was a little surprised. I hadn¡¯t realized that had been a thing of the past. I thought wizardry was just a


    myth.


    The book said it became something that every single Pack fought for. Anyone who owned the power of


    the greatest sorcery could be the king of the whole continent.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Then, to fight against the evil power, Wega was established. Soldiers in the


    Myriad banished all witches and wizards out of the continent and wiped out


    sorcery.


    I was a little shocked by the information. I¡¯d never known that Ewonmians was rted to the


    establishment of Wega.


    I wrote down as much information as I could and after a while, I heard a knock. on the door.


    ¡°Mydy?¡± the librarian suddenly appeared and offered me an apologetic look. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, but the


    library is about to close for the day.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I remarked, and I nced over at the clock on the wall. Sure enough, it- was the end of the day. I


    needed to get back to my chambers to check on Finnick and see Erika off for the evening. ¡°Thank you


    so much for telling me.¡±


    I rose to my feet and gestured toward the book. ¡°Do I need to reshelve this-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle it,¡± the librarian assured me with a kind smile.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said again. ¡°I¡¯ll be back tomorrow to keep reading it.¡±


    ¡°Sounds great,¡± she replied. ¡°Have a good evening.¡±


    ¡°You as well.¡±


    I gathered up my things and tucked them back into my backpack. I could have continued reading all


    night, but I had other things to aplish this evening. Hopefully tomorrow I could get a little further


    into my research and learn more about Ewonmiams.


    I left the library quickly and stepped out into the garden. The chill of the air made me shiver and the


    cool breeze danced in my hair. The sun was setting in the sky, and the golden light kissed the flowers


    around me. I admired the beauty for a moment. There was such ugliness in Anemond but it didn¡¯t exist


    out here in the gardens.


    I continued down the path and then a pair of figures appeared. To my surprise,


    it was Bert and Kaleb. I could overhear the head se rvant exining the different flowers of the garden,


    and as I approached, Kaleb¡¯s face lit up. He waved excitedly


    at me.


    ¡°Ca ssandra!¡± he eximed, and his navy eyes sparkled. I was a little surprised he seemed so taken


    with me, but at the same time, I couldn¡¯t deny a friend.


    Even if he was the king of a foreignnd I knew little about.


    ¡°Hello,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to see you again. I was just on my way back to the pce-¡±


    ¡°I told your king to allow you to join us at the banquet tonight,¡± Kaleb interrupted bluntly.


    ¡°Really?¡± I asked in surprise. ¡°You¡­ you didn¡¯t need to do that.¡±


    ¡°I insisted,¡± he assured me, and then he smiled. ¡°Besides, you still owe me an official thank you.


    Consider your presence my gift.¡±

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54


    Chapter 54 Banquet


    CA SSANDRA


    I¡¯d been apprehensive at the idea of attending the banquet that evening, but the king of Yurene had


    been insistent upon me joining them. I¡¯d provided excuse after excuse, but they did me no good. The


    man was simply not taking no for an


    answer.


    So, I thanked him for the invitation and immediately headed back to my room to figure out what I would


    wear to such an asion.


    Back in Wild Crawler, I¡¯d never attended banquets or fine events. Our lifestyle there was much more


    rugged and simple, so I didn¡¯t have much in the way of fancy clothing.


    Erika seemed surprised when I returned to my chambers and exined the situation to her.


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful that you were invited, Ca ssandra,¡± she said, and then her eyebrows creased


    together. ¡°Hmm. I wonder what you will wear¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my problem,¡± I replied, and a lump formed in my throat. ¡°I don¡¯t own anything eptable


    enough to attend a banquet.¡°


    Suddenly, the maid¡¯s eyes glimmered and she shed me an excited smile.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± she said mysteriously. ¡°I have an idea.¡±


    Before I could stop her, she¡¯d snuck out of the room and disappeared for a while. When she returned,


    she had a dress bag in her hands.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you ready,¡± she announced.


    We spent the rest of the evening primping and prepping me. Erika¡¯s hands were steady and she


    managed to turn my hair from wild to sleek and shiny. She carefully


    curled it so it fell in soft waves to my waist and then secured a section of it with a jeweledb.


    Once my hair was sorted, she helped me apply a touch of makeup. I was a little terrified at first, but


    Erika was very talented. She lined my eyes lightly with eyeliner and applied a rich ck mascara that


    made myshes long and lustrous. She also added a touch of cre amy blush that brought color back to


    my cheeks and a touch of pearlescent shimmer to my eyelids.


    The maid finished off the look with a soft lipstick that didn¡¯t make me feel too foolish, and when she


    held the mirror to my face, a gasp escaped me.


    She¡¯d enhanced my natural beauty in a way I hadn¡¯t expected, and for the first. time in a long time, I felt


    lovely.


    After that, she led me over to the dress bag and unzipped it to reveal a dress. that made my heart stop.


    I recognized it immediately.


    ¡°This dress belonged to Cora,¡± Erika revealed with a small, sad smile. ¡°I held on to a few of her


    belongings after she died. This was one of them.¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I had to fight back tears.


    ¡°I think Cora would be happy if she knew you were wearing it,¡± she continued on, and she forced back


    a sniffle. ¡°I think the two of you would have been fine friends.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I managed, and I choked back a s ob.


    The dress was the same one I¡¯d worn to the ball where I¡¯d found out Asher was my true mate.


    It was a beautiful thing, a pale silver with a beaded bodice and a flowing skirt that cascaded to the floor


    like moonlight. It waspletely gorgeous, but seeing it filled me with sadness. It was yet another


    remnant of the life I¡¯d lost.


    But Erika didn¡¯t know that, and she sure wasn¡¯t about to find out now. So, I thanked her and swept her


    into a hug.


    Soon after, she helped me into the dress, and I found it to be more snug than I remembered. I had to


    keep in mind that I¡¯d had Finnick between then and now and I wasn¡¯t quite the same shape as before. It


    was a little ufortable, but not too much, so I simply bore it.


    ¡°You look great,¡± Erika gushed once the dress was zipped and I¡¯d spun around. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get you to


    the banquet hall. I¡¯ll keep an eye on Finnick for you this evening, so don¡¯t worry about being out too


    late.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. ¡°Seriously, Erika. This means a lot.¡±


    Erika simply smiled. ¡°Of course, Ca ssandra.¡±


    Without another moment¡¯s hesitation, I left the room and made my way down the bustling hall. I wasn¡¯t


    sure where the banquet was being held so I decided to follow the crowd of people down the stairs. As


    we descended, I realized where we were going, and my stomach twisted.


    When I stepped foot in the formal hall, I forced myself to take a deep breath. Many years ago, what felt


    like an eternity ago, I¡¯de here to attend Asher¡¯sing-of-age ceremony and found out we were


    destined to know one another by the Moon. It had been a beautiful night and the memory of it alone


    should have put me at ease, but this room had also been where Asher had been crowned King and


    engaged with Adalyn.


    Part of me considered turning around, but before I could, I spotted Kaleb. The king of Yurene wore a


    suit of dark blue, trimmed in white fur, and the color matched his eyes perfectly. His hair shimmered in


    the light and even I couldn¡¯t help but admit he looked downright handsome.


    ¡°Ca ssandra,¡± he greeted me warmly as his eyes traveled over me. ¡°You look


    stunning.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. ¡°You look very nice yourself.¡±


    It was then I realized his weren¡¯t the only eyes watching me. Around us, groups of people chattered


    and stared at me. Heat spread to my cheeks. I wasn¡¯t used to this kind of attention.


    Kaleb opened his mouth to speak, but before he could utter another word, Adalyn and Asher appeared.


    Adalyn was dressed in a sleek ck dress that hugged every curve of her lithe frame and Asher wore a


    dark, severe suit to match. His gray eyes were sharper than usual, as if he were agitated, but the rest


    of his expression was calm.


    The sight of him in a suit almost made me gasp. The Alpha King was gloriously handsome. But I had to


    contain myself.


    arm.


    Adalyn¡¯s nostrils red and she raised an eyebrow at me before taking Asher¡¯s


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to see you, Alpha Kaleb,¡± she greeted the king of Yurene formally.


    ¡°The pleasure is mine,¡± Kaleb replied, and while his tone was warm, I could sense he didn¡¯t care for her


    that much.


    Meanwhile, Asher stared at me with intensity, as if he were trying to burn a hole. through me. I could


    tell he was irritated but I couldn¡¯t sense why


    Was he still annoyed with me?


    ¡°Would you like to apany me for the rest of the party, Ca ssandra?¡± Kaleb interrupted my


    thoughts, and when I looked up, he shed a pearly-teethed smile at me. While I didn¡¯t know how to


    feel about his offer, I knew there was no way I could refuse him.


    So, I smiled back and nodded.


    Across from us, Asher¡¯s cheeks darkened and I watched his jaw tense. His mouth s¨¦t in a thin line and


    I could see the veins in his hands grow more prominent.


    Was he¡­ jealous?


    Everyone began to take their seats, and Kaleb escorted me to the table. We were seated opposite


    Adalyn and Asher. Beside them sat Adalyn¡¯s father and


    mother, Oliver and Linda Moses. As we sat down, I had to take a deep breath to keep from shaking.


    I


    Asher introduced Kaleb to them, and the entire time, I had to avert my eyes and


    block out his words.


    As much as I wanted to, I couldn¡¯t forget Oliver Moses, the former Beta who¡¯d imed my father


    wanted to kill him and rece him. Even after all of these years, the need for vengeance surged


    through me and made me want to rush across the table and kill him. I wanted blood for what that


    wicked man had done to my family.


    Their words flew past me and I held back my disgust as Oliver Moses fawned. over the king of Yurene.


    I stayed out of the exchange until I heard him mention that his son, Ss Moses, the current Beta of the


    Crescent Pack, was absent because he was running an inspection on the Myriad for the Alpha King.


    I was surprised by this. The Myriad should have been reporting to the Alphal King directly. Perhaps


    things had changed. Back in the day, after my father had been imprisoned and my brother was


    banished, the Myriad didn¡¯t have a leader.


    Did the Beta family getmand over them too?


    What hadn¡¯t they taken at this point other than the crown?


    I was suddenly brought into reality when Oliver Moses addressed me directly.


    ¡°Excuse me, mydy. Are you the new royal healer, the one from Wild Crawler?¡±

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55


    Chapter 55 Dance


    CA SSANDRA


    Oliver Moses smiled warmly as he asked the question, and for a moment, I


    thought he appeared kind. But I knew the truth. The Beta knew nothing of kindness. It was all an act, a


    game of pretend, and he was quite good at it.


    But I was better.


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± I replied politely, and I returned his smile.


    Adalyn¡¯s father shared the same amber eyes as his daughter, and they stared into mine with curiosity.


    ¡°My wife and I once visited Wild Crawler,¡± he mused. ¡°It was a nice small vige, but it had the most


    gorgeous scenery. Don¡¯t you remember, honey?¡±


    He turned to Linda and the pair exchanged a sweet smile. Though their family was conniving, it was


    clear that the love between them was very real. For a moment, I nearly forgot who they really were.


    ¡°Ew, Father,¡± Adalyn sighed in irritation. ¡°Please, contain yourself. You¡¯re being embarrassing.¡±


    She then turned to Kaleb and offered him a sickly sweet smile. ¡°So sorry for them, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize,¡± the king of Yurene replied with a wave of his hand and then he


    chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see such disys of love. It warms my heart.¡±


    Adalyn looked surprised by his words but epted them anyway. As everyone continued to exchange


    pleasantries, I tried to force a smile on my face, but I just couldn¡¯t do it. I believed their love was


    genuine, but seeing their happiness with my own eyes was just too painful. The Moses family had


    destroyed mine without a


    second thought.


    How could I smile in their presence?


    A sigh escaped me¡­


    ¡°Are you alright, Ca ssandra?¡± Kaleb asked just low enough for me to hear and his lips curled into a


    concerned frown.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my head hurts a little.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said, and then he peered around. ¡°Perhaps some food and drink will help.¡±


    Se rvants appeared in the banquet hall and began to serve the night¡¯s dishes. A symphony of


    fragrances filled the room and danced on my tongue, but no matter how delicious they smelled, I didn¡¯t


    have much of an appetite..


    It was too agonizing to be in the presence of the Moses family.


    Once the food was served, I mostly pushed it around on my te but managed to take a few bites to


    keep my head from spinning. As I forced down swallows, I remained quiet and listened to the polite


    chatter in the room. Luckily, everyone was so swept up in their new guest that no one seemed to notice


    me.


    After a while, one of the Alpha King¡¯s councilors rose from his seat and tapped a spoon against his


    ss. The room fell silent and he cleared his throat.


    ¡°I would like to propose a toast to the king of Yurene,¡± he addressed everyone. ¡°And a toast to the


    friendship between his country and Wega. To friendship!¡±


    ¡°To friendship!¡± everyone repeated back in unison, and all around me, people rose to their feet. I hadn¡¯t


    expected to stand, and I was still a little dizzy, so when I raised my ss, my wine sloshed and spilled


    all over my dress.


    I gasped in shock and quickly searched for a napkin.


    ¡°Oh, Ca ssandra,¡± Kaleb said as he realized what had happened. ¡°Please, let me


    help.¡±


    He grabbed his own napkin and began to blot at therge stain, but ther moment he did, I heard an


    angry voice.


    ¡°Keep your hands off of her.¡±


    I raised my eyes to see Asher ring at us from across the table, his face sullen and agitated. My heart


    nearly stopped.


    Everyone was stunned for a moment, frozen in ce, until Bert suddenly appeared.


    I


    ¡°Can I get a maid?¡± he called out, and momentster, one rushed to my side.


    ¡°Let me help you, Miss Ca ssandra,¡± the older woman said, and she offered me her arm. I epted it


    gratefully and she led me out of the banquet hall.


    ¡°Where are we-¡± I started to say, but then I realized we were headed toward a changing room. The


    maid went straight to the corner and opened a door to reveal a whole closet of spare dresses.


    I wanted to ask what their purpose was, but I was too stunned by everything to react. I obediently held


    my arms up for the maid and she helped ease me into a new dress. This one was a rich charcoal gray,


    and the fabric was incredibly soft. let out a sigh of relief. This gown was much morefortable..


    ¡°I¡¯ll have this one cleaned and returned to your room, miss,¡± the maid said as she gestured to my soiled


    dress. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get you back to the banquet hall.¡±


    I simply nodded and followed her back into the bustling chamber. When I returned to the table, I was


    surprised to see Adalyn and Asher were gone.


    Kaleb was busy speaking with Oliver and Linda, meanwhile, Bert approached me and offered me a


    smile.


    ¡°You look lovely,¡± he said, and then he inclined his head across the table at the empty seat. ¡°Lady


    Adalyn and the Alpha King had urgent business to attend to.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied, though I didn¡¯t know why the words had escaped my mouth. Where had they


    really gone?


    I finished the rest of my food in silence. I was grateful no one was sparing any more attention on me.


    That disy had been so embarrassing.


    Once dinner concluded, the table was cleared, and everyone stepped out onto the dance floor.


    ¡°I would love to learn one of your Southern dances,¡± Kaleb mused as he helped. me to my feet. ¡°Could


    you teach me, Ca ssandra?¡±


    Heat spread to my cheeks at his question. I was a little nervous to answer, but! knew I couldn¡¯t say no


    to the king of Yurene, not when he¡¯d been so kind to me.


    So, he led me out to the dance floor. A soft orchestra began to y, and as the music filled the


    chamber, Kaleb offered me his hand. I took it timidly and then began. to teach him the dance of


    Wega.


    Much to my surprise, Kaleb was a fast learner. He had a natural rhythm about him, and when I asked,


    he exined that he¡¯d lived in the South for a few years during his childhood, so he had once seen


    others perform it.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised at how well you dance,¡± he remarked as we swayed. ¡°Where did you learn?¡±


    ¡°My nanny,¡± I replied without missing a beat. It was true. Erika had taught me many things. She¡¯d once


    told me that she used to be a music performer when she was young and traveled all across the


    country. It wasn¡¯t until she¡¯d married her husband that she¡¯d decided to settle down here in Crescent.


    Once her husband died, she stopped performing and became a maid to support her kids.


    She decided after that to teach me singing and dancing, and though those techniques were not very


    appreciated in a warrior family, I was happy to learn all I could from her.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Kaleb tilted his head slightly as he spun me around. ¡°Where are you from, Ca ssandra? You don¡¯t look


    like the others here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m from Wild Crawler,¡± I exined. ¡°It¡¯s a small Pack near the border. It¡¯s tucked away near the


    forests.¡±


    It was then that I realized I¡¯d made a mistake.


    I shouldn¡¯t have said I¡¯d learned from my nanny. In fact, I shouldn¡¯t have been this good at dancing at


    all. Ca ssandra Keller was a vigemoner. This kind of dancing was only taught to those of the


    upper ss.

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56


    Chapter 56 He needs alcohol


    ASHER


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Asher?¡± Adalyn demanded as she followed me into my study. ¡°What exactly has


    gotten into you tonight?¡±


    I fought back a groan as I approached one of the leather couches in the corner. Alcohol had gued


    me just a little and my head swam with a mixture of drunkenness and agitation.


    ¡°Nothing is wrong,¡± I sighed as a heavy exhale escaped me ¡°Go back to the banquet, Adalyn. I just


    need some time alone-¡±


    ¡°Time alone?¡± Adalyn repeated back in confusion and she shook her head. ¡°Time alone for what,


    Asher? We have guests downstairs to entertain, in case. you¡¯ve forgotten. We¡¯re supposed to be


    weing the king of Yurene and his diplomats. I don¡¯t think this is making too great of an impression


    of Wega.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what I¡¯m doing wrong,¡± I managed to say as my head pounded angrily. ¡°I¡¯m fully aware of


    what¡¯s going on down there. I don¡¯t think our guests care if I step away for a moment-¡±


    ¡°I bet Ca ssandra Keller cares,¡± my wife blurted out, and I whipped around to re at her.


    ¡°What the hell is that supposed to mean?¡± I challenged her.


    ¡°You seem to care a little too much about that healer and what she thinks,¡± she


    seethed, and she crossed her arms against her chest. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on with you.


    You¡¯ve never lost control like that in public, not ever. What was that little outburst in the banquet hall


    about?¡±


    As Adalyn¡¯s golden eyes shot daggers in my direction, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she was right..


    Did I care too much about Ca ssandra Keller and her whereabouts?


    ¡°I just¡­ I don¡¯t care for the king of Yurene,¡± I remarked as I fought to find an exnation. ¡°Something


    about him doesn¡¯t sit right with me. He¡¯s arrogant, lofty¡­¡±


    As my words trailed off, Adalyn remained silent but continued to re at me angrily. As she continued


    to watch me, Kane¡¯s words sparked back in my mind. Was my stepbrother right? Was she jealous?


    ¡°You should go back to the banquet,¡± I advised her with a wave of my hand. ¡°I¡¯ll see youter-¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Adalyn cut me off, and she took a step toward me. ¡°I would rather stay here with you-¡±


    As she advanced closer, I instinctively took a step back. Her hand raised like she was going to reach


    out toward me, but I rebuffed her. Adalyn¡¯s red-painted lower lip trembled and for a moment, she


    looked as if she was going to cry, but then


    she raised her chin slightly.


    ¡°know you brought back that woman because she¡¯s a capable healer,¡± she said. ¡°But I have a feeling


    that there¡¯s more to the story than that. I think you¡¯ve either crossed a line or you¡¯re toeing the edge.


    Whatever the truth is¡­ I think Marco would be very disappointed if you had any sort of rtions with


    her.¡±


    ¡°Rtions¡­¡± I murmured and then I turned away.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Adalyn was no stranger to these kinds of usations. Whenever a woman even tried to hold my


    attention, even just a simple conversation, Adalyn threw a fit and tried to y at my emotions by


    bringing up Marco. Sometimes, she even brought Marco with her, as if his presence was going to


    further any suspected guilt.


    Normally, I would find some kind of way to assure her or cast aside these. usations. But tonight, I


    was exhausted. My head was throbbing with pain and my entire body ached.


    ¡°You know, Asher, Marco often asks me why we don¡¯t live together,¡± Adalyn pressed when I didn¡¯t


    respond, and when I nced over at her, her eyes were


    narrowed. ¡°He wants to know why his mother and father aren¡¯t close, why we don¡¯t stay in the same


    room. To be honest, I don¡¯t quite understand either, Asher¡­¡±


    As she continued on, I began to tune out her words. All I could focus on was the pounding in my head


    and the soreness of my limbs. Finally, I rubbed my thumb against my temples and sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll speak with Marco,¡± I said. ¡°He¡¯s a grown-up now. He should understand-¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re married, Asher!¡± Adalyn blurted out. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you forget that sometimes. We¡¯re


    married!¡±


    Tears sprang out of her eyes. Had it been anyone else, I may have softened. But my heart had


    hardened toward Adalyn a long time ago.


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re married,¡± I said coldly.


    ¡°So why haven¡¯t I been made your Luna?¡± Adalyn demanded. ¡°Why am I not the queen of Wega and


    why haven¡¯t you taken me as your mate? Marriage isn¡¯t enough. I want to be your mate!¡±


    It was true. Though Adalyn and I were married, I hadn¡¯t taken her as my own in a real sense. We¡¯d had


    the ceremony, but I hadn¡¯t recognized her in the ways that


    mattered.


    Five years ago, after my engagement to Cora had been cut off, everyone had wanted her to be


    sentenced to death. Adalyn¡¯s father was the one who¡¯d insisted that if Cora didn¡¯t die after her family


    had been sentenced, she¡¯d affect me too much as her mate. I¡¯d constantly feel the pangs of her


    emotions and they¡¯d affect my ability to rule.


    That¡¯s when Adalyn had appeared with a n. She told me that if we became engaged instead, her


    father would believe that I had forgotten Cora altogether and -leave her alonepletely. That would


    buy me some time to investigate and try to


    scrub away the Felix family¡¯s guilt. Adalyn said that this n was to help out her best friend Cora. If we


    didn¡¯t get engaged and pull attention away from Cora, things. would go south.


    So, I went through with the idea.


    But then, Cora perished in the fire.


    After that, I¡¯d considered breaking off the engagement. I had no use for it any longer. But then Marco


    had appeared and he needed a mother. So, I married Adalyn and we became the boy¡¯s parents.


    But I would never think of Adalyn as anything more than that. As far as I was concerned, she would


    never be the Luna of this Pack or the queen of Wega. I couldn¡¯t trust her and I certainly didn¡¯t love


    her.


    ¡°I want you to at least think of Marco,¡± Adalyn pleaded.


    ¡°You¡¯ll always be Marco¡¯s mother,¡± I said. ¡°And you¡¯ll be my wife. But that¡¯s all I¡¯ll respect you as,


    Adalyn.¡±


    Her eyes glimmered angrily and she opened her mouth to speak, but instead, she shook her head


    slowly. For a moment, I thought she was going to breathe fire, but then I spoke.


    ¡°Stay away from Ca ssandra Keller,¡± I warned her. ¡°She is none of your concern.


    Before she could say another word, I waved her on. ¡°You¡¯re dismissed. Return to the party, Adalyn.¡±


    She shook her head but didn¡¯t fight me. As she stormed out of the office, I


    called out for one of my se rvants.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty?¡± he said as he entered the room. ¡°How may I be of assistance to you?¡±


    ¡°I need you to bring me some wine,¡± I ordered as I finally slouched onto the leather sofa. I was in need


    of further distraction tonight.

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57


    Chapter 57 The North King¡¯s offer


    CA SSANDRA


    My heart beat like a hummingbird¡¯s wings as I stared at Kaleb. I¡¯d messed up and given myself away, I


    just knew it.


    Much to my surprise, Kaleb didn¡¯t seem to put two and two together and simply continued dancing.


    ¡°No wonder you don¡¯t seem like you belong here,¡± Kaleb remarked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°You look


    quite ufortable here with these¡­ arrogant, upper-ss


    snobs of Anemond.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t contain myself and augh escaped me.


    Kaleb frowned. ¡°Did I say something funny?¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± I assured him. ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Truth be told, I didn¡¯t feel ufortable in this setting. I used to enjoy the finer things like fancy balls


    and banquets. I also used to love dancing and having all of the eyes of the room on me as I lost myself


    in the music.


    But I wasn¡¯t Cora anymore and Anemond wasn¡¯t my home. It was a terrifying ce where I needed to


    stay guarded and not let my disguise slip.


    The next move in the dance was a spin and Kaleb handled it beautifully. He had a natural rhythm about


    him that was satisfying to see and even better to witness as his dance partner. The skirt of my dressExclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    red out with the motion and as the music swelled, a warmth bloomed in me. For the first time in a


    while¡­ I felt content,


    almost.


    Thoughts of Asher and his outburst threatened to creep into my mind, but I pushed them away before


    they could ruin this.


    Kaleb¡¯s hands fell to my waist as we turned in time with the music.


    ¡°Ca ssandra, would you like to go to the North with me?¡± he asked abruptly, and my jaw nearly


    dropped.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I asked in shock.


    ¡°Would you like toe back with me to Yurene?¡± he asked again. ¡°The North is nothing like here. You


    would have more freedom, no worries of kidnapping-¡±


    I was so taken aback that I almost tripped, but Kaleb managed to steady me. In the process, my lips


    brushed against his cheek lightly. Heat spread to my own and I stepped back. This was getting worse


    and worse by the second.)


    As I fought to find the right words to say, the crowd erupted into apuse. I hadn¡¯t realized that the king


    and I had garnered the attention of the entire banquet hall.


    Kaleb smiled brilliantly, his deep blue eyes glittering as he nced around the room. There was no


    denying it, he was effortlessly handsome. The candlelight made. his hair look even more golden and


    his cheeks were flushed a warm pink from the


    dance.


    His proposal was tempting, but there was no way I could leave.


    The king of Yurene gently touched my arm and guided me away from the crowd. Once we were alone


    in an empty area of the room, he tilted his head and


    studied me.


    ¡°So?¡± he asked, and he reached out and ran hisrge hand through a tendril of my hair. ¡°What do you


    think?¡±


    I considered my words carefully as panic bloomed within me.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty, for your offer,¡± I said slowly. ¡°It¡¯s very kind of you to ask me toe to


    Yurene with you. But I have to stay here in Anemond. I have a job to do as a royal healer and I don¡¯t


    think the Alpha King would allow me to leave.¡±


    I took a step backward. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I think I need to return to my chambers for the


    evening.¡±


    Kaleb took a step closer, and when he did, the strange smell of his cologne hit my nose. I hadn¡¯t


    noticed it in the crowd, but now that we were alone, I could detect


    I


    the scent of roses and something sp icy, peppery almost. It was an unusual fragrance, but still very


    pleasant.


    ¡°I¡¯m not joking about my offer,¡± he said in a low voice that sent a chill through me. ¡°Please, consider it. I


    would even discuss it with the Alpha King myself if


    must.¡±


    I nodded and forced back the lump in my throat. Before Kaleb could utter another word, I turned on my


    heels and swiftly walked out of the room. With every step, I could feel myself going faster until I was


    practically running. This continued until I reached the stairs, and once I was sure no one was following


    me, I released a sigh and walked at a slower pace.


    A heavy sigh escaped me. I hadn¡¯t expected any of this.


    What-made Asher leave the banquet hall? And why did Kaleb ask me to go to


    Yurene with him?


    I smoothed the front of my gown and thought about the dress I¡¯d stained with wine earlier. Though the


    maid had said they¡¯d clean it, I knew it would be difficult to get such a dark red out of the pale silver


    fabric. The dress would never be the


    same.


    My eyes welled up a little. I felt sorry for Erika. She¡¯d been so thrilled and willing to lend me something


    that meant so much to her and my clumsiness had likely


    ruined the dress forever.


    The tears streamed down my cheeks and I had to take a moment to breathe. I crouched down over the


    rail of the stairs as a strange feeling crashed over me. I too was feeling a loss of sorts. This whole


    evening was a cruel reminder that no matter how much I wanted to be, I would never be Cora Felix


    again. I could wear the same dress, dine in the same banquet room, dance the same dance¡­ but I


    couldn¡¯t be Cora again. That life was gone forever and there was nothing I could do about it.


    I lingered there on the stairs for a while until I could get myself under control, and once I was more


    steady, I headed toward my chamber.


    The halls were quiet and empty, which I was grateful for. Everyone was still back in the banquet hall,


    dancing their troubles and cares away while drinking wine.


    Suddenly, Asher¡¯s cold expression reyed in my mind. His icy re from across the table had been


    so intense that I wasn¡¯t sure if I should say something or apologize.


    Before I could make that decision, my body subconsciously guided me toward the Alpha King¡¯s study. I


    had no idea what I was going to say, but I had to try something.


    Adalyn suddenly appeared in the distance. She strode through the hallway quickly and even from my


    vantage point, I could see she was visibly distressed.


    I hid myself in the darkness and ced my hand over my mouth so as to not make any noise. Luckily,


    Adalyn didn¡¯t notice me at all and walked right past. The hall filled with the sound of her steady so bs as


    she openly wept.


    Something had happened, something bad.


    Adalyn disappeared at the end of the corridor, and once she was gone, I rose from my hiding spot and


    stared down at the door to the Alpha King¡¯s study.


    I had no idea what had happened, but I decided it would be best not to visit


    Asher or try to apologize tonight.


    So, I turned on my heels and headed back to my chamber.

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58


    Chapter 58 He¡¯s drunk


    CA SSANDRA


    I was half-asleep when I heard a loud knock on the door. Startled, I sat straight up in bed and caught


    my breath.


    My eyes flew to the clock. It was nearly three in the morning.


    Who was at my door thiste?


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± I called out just loud enough to not wake Finnick. Luckily, my boy fast asleep and


    snoring lightly.


    was f


    When I didn¡¯t get an answer, I pulled myself out of bed and headed toward the door. I was nearly


    halfway there when I heard another series of knocks. They were more forceful than the first and I felt a


    mixture of fear and irritation.


    I opened the door and when I did, my lips parted in surprise.


    It was Asher.


    I was about to ask what he was doing here at this hour, but before the words could escape me, the


    Alpha King rushed into the room, closed the door, and then cornered me against the wall. His steel


    gray eyes bore into mine with intensity and his breath was hot against my face.


    He smelled heavily like liquor.


    ¡°Are you drunk?¡± I asked as my body trembled.


    He¡¯simply stared back at me. ¡°What do you care?¡±


    Frustration bloomed within me and I broke eye contact for a moment to collect


    myself.


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± I blurted out bravely. ¡°But consuming any bit of alcohol, especially in excess, will only further


    your disease-¡±


    ¡°My disease,¡± Asher repeated back in a mocking tone and then he chuckled and stared back down at


    me. He leaned in even closer. ¡°I don¡¯t care about any of that anymore. If I¡¯m doomed to perish from it.¡±


    He steadied himself against the wall and turned away slightly.


    ¡°In fact¡­¡± he murmured. ¡°I wish it would take me¡­ so I could see my Cora


    again.¡±


    It took all of my effort to keep from uttering a sound. No¡­ he couldn¡¯t mean that, could he? Was he


    really so willing to die, even when he had a family, a wife, a child? I knew that Marco wasn¡¯t his


    biologically, but did he really care so little about the boy that he was willing to leave him fatherless?


    Asher turned back to me and narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Did you know Cora?¡± he uttered, and before I could say a word, he pressed further. ¡°You must know


    her. I can see it in your eyes, Ca ssandra. You know more than you¡¯re letting on. Tell me the truth.¡±


    Intors


    His tone shifted and became almost cruel, dangerous. He wasn¡¯t Asher Collins, not right now. He was


    the Alpha King and he was giving an order to a lowly subject.


    ¡°Everyone knew Cora,¡± I managed to say quietly. ¡°All-of Wega knew of her. She¡¯s infamous-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying,¡± Asher cut me off. ¡°I know you are. You know far too much about her than anyone else. I


    keep finding you in the same ces she lingered in, in the same clothes¡­ something isn¡¯t adding up


    here.¡±


    I stood there, frozen. I hadn¡¯t been careful enough, it seemed. Asher was beyond suspicious of me and


    my recent actions, and his drunkenness had only furthered his boldness. I knew he wouldn¡¯t stop


    questioning me until I came up with an exnation.


    I


    I was trapped.


    ¡°Why do you care so much about her?¡± I shifted the subject from myself. ¡°Coral Felix died five years


    ago. Why can¡¯t you let her go-¡±


    ¡°So you do know Cora,¡± he cut me off, ignoring half of my statement. My frustration grew exponentially,


    but before I could utter another word, the Alpha King pressed his lips firmly against mine.


    The motion was so forceful that it took me by surprise. I struggled underneath him and tried to push


    him away, but Asher¡¯s strength was far greater than mine.


    My legs quivered and my body shook.


    The Alpha King leaned in and kissed my ear.


    ¡°Tell me the truth,¡± he whispered, and a chill ran through me.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Please stop,¡± I begged timidly. ¡°Please.¡±


    Asher pulled away for a moment but maintained his hold on me.


    ¡°Is this not what you wanted, Ca ssandra?¡± he asked in a tone that was both terrifying and utterly


    sensual, and he lessened the space between us. ¡°I can tell by your heartbeat and the look on your face


    that you want me. And I want you too.¡±.


    The Alpha King wasn¡¯t wrong by any means. I wanted him more than words. could express, but not like


    this, not when he was so inebriated and intense. This


    was wrong in so many ways.


    Asher leaned in to kiss me again, but before he could press his lips against. mine, a high-pitched voice


    called out from behind us.


    ¡°Let my mommy go!¡±


    Asher whipped around instantly, and once he was out of the way, I could see Finnick standing there in


    his pajamas. His hands were curled into tiny fists at his sides and he red at the Alpha King as if he


    were much older than his five years.


    Asher chuckled at the boy and released his hold on me. As I rushed away from the wall and headed


    toward Finnick, my cheeks heated with embarrassment. No. part of me wanted my son to see me like


    this, in this kind of position.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, honey,¡± I assured him quietly when I reached his side. ¡°I promise-¡±


    ¡°He looked like he was hurting you, Mommy,¡± Finnick insisted and his lower lip trembled with fear.


    Footsteps rang out behind us, and I turned to see Asher with a strange expression on his face.


    ¡°Listen-¡± the Alpha King began to say, but Finnick didn¡¯t let him say another


    word.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mommy,¡± he said and he stepped in front of me ¡°I¡¯ll protect you.¡±


    As Asherughed, I reached out and gently touched Finnick¡¯s arm.


    ¡°I appreciate it, baby, but everything¡¯s alright,¡± I lied to him. ¡°The Alpha King and -I were just talking,


    that¡¯s all.¡±


    Finnick¡¯s gray eyes were full of tears when he turned to look at me. I knew he didn¡¯t believe me, but I


    had to do something to diffuse the situation. After a moment or two, he eased up and his body


    language softened.


    ¡°How about I tuck you in?¡± I suggested. ¡°The king and I will go to another room so we don¡¯t wake you


    up again. How does that sound?¡±


    Finnick nced over at Asher and then back at me. He contemted my words for a second and then


    nodded slowly.


    ¡°Okay, Mommy,¡± he said quietly.


    Without another word, I took his hand in mine and started to lead him back over to the bed. It took all of


    my effort to keep from shaking. All I wanted was to climb in bed with him, close my eyes, and pretend


    this entire night and the encounter with Asher Collins had never happened.


    I helped Finnick back into bed and once he was situated with his favorite. stuffed bear, I tucked the


    comforters tightly around him.


    ¡°Sleep tight,¡± I said gently, and then I kissed his forehead. ¡°I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you too,¡± he whispered, and when I stood back up, he closed his eyes.


    Asher stood by the door, his arms crossed. His expression was almost sheepish, like he was


    embarrassed by his actions. He opened his mouth to speak, but before any words coulde out, a


    scream rang out.


    We both jumped in surprise and Asher¡¯s face went stark white.


    ¡°It¡¯s Adalyn.¡±

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59


    Chapter 59 Viper appears again


    CA SSANDRA


    I stared at Asher in surprise. Adalyn?


    The Alpha King wasted absolutely no time. Without another word, he turned on his heels and rushed


    out of the room.


    ¡°Go to sleep, baby,¡± I called out to Finnick. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a while.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Finnick replied, but his sleepy tone dripped with confusion. ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, honey, but I have to go check,¡± I said as my hands began to shake at my sides. ¡°I love


    you.¡±


    As Finnick mumbled back a tired response, I followed Asher out the door. The Alpha King-had


    managed to cover quite a bit of distance during my exchange with my son, but I was able to catch up to


    him on the staircase.


    ¡°It sounded like it came from the garden,¡± Asher blurted when I arrived. ¡°I don¡¯t know what she would


    be doing there at this hour¡­¡±


    His gray eyes shed with urgency and though his gait was a little sta ggered from the alcohol, he


    remained steadier than expected. Meanwhile, I was thoroughly panicked and just as confused as he


    was.


    What had caused his wife to scream at this hour?


    Asher barely seemed to notice me as we hurried toward the garden, but I didn¡¯t mind much. I was here


    only as a healer, not for any other reason. If Adalyn or someone else was hurt, I needed to be in


    attendance..


    Once we reached the garden, I was surprised to see the mass of people gathered around. Everyone


    was speaking at frantic paces and staring on in the


    distance..


    At the center of the garden near a tall rose bush, Adalyn stood with her


    parents. Her mother, Linda, had her arms wrapped around her, and her face was as pale as the


    moonlight above us. Her eyes were distant and a little zed and tears streamed down her cheeks.


    I followed the direction of her gaze and let out a small gasp of surprise.


    There, lying on the ground was a viper.


    I then noticed Kaleb was also there. The king of Yurene appeared less shocked than the others and


    when my eyes flew to his hands, I noticed they were covered in blood.


    From his proximity to Adalyn and the trail of blood on the ground, it seemed that he had been the one


    to kill the beast.


    Asher stood there in shock for a moment and then he rushed to Adalyn¡¯s side.


    ¡°Were you bitten?¡± he asked and she shook her head. ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she managed. ¡°N-no Iwasn¡¯t.¡±


    Beyond us, Oliver Moses approached Kaleb. His stern face was just as colorless as the others and his


    body was as stiff as a board. He offered the king of Yurene his


    hand.


    ¡°Thank you for saving my daughter,¡± he said, and then he nced over at Lindal and Adalyn. ¡°If it


    weren¡¯t for you¡­ well, I don¡¯t want to think about what may have happened.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Kaleb said simply, and he epted the Beta¡¯s handshake. Once -they were finished,


    Oliver nced over at Adalyn and Linda.


    ¡°If it¡¯s alright with you, Your Majesty, I think it would be best for us to escort Adalyn back to her


    chambers,¡± he sighed, and he ran his hand through his thick dark hair. ¡°I think she needs some rest.¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s for the best,¡± Asher agreed, and his eyes fell back to Adalyn. His. expression was


    somewhere between guilty and rmed and I watched him force. back a gulp as he touched her arm.


    The pair exchanged nces, and after Adalyn began to sniffle, Oliver and Linda moved in closer and


    helped steady their daughter.


    As they escorted Adalyn away, Asher turned to the crowd of people that lingered. All fell silent as he


    cleared his throat.


    ¡°Everyone go back to your rooms at once,¡± he ordered, and without another word, the crowd left until it


    was only Kaleb, Asher, and I.


    Despite the circumstances, Kaleb was in good spirits and stared at the snake.


    with an almost amused look.


    ¡°Of all of the things toe across in Anemond,¡± he said as he crossed his arms. ¡°I never expected a


    viper. What an odd surprise, especially at an hour like


    this.¡±


    Asher¡¯s expression darkened and for a moment, I thought he was going to get angry with the king of


    Yurene. Like me, I¡¯m sure he was wondering what had happened exactly, but instead of taking his


    frustration out, he simply sighed and nced at the viper.


    ¡°Is that the same kind of viper that attacked me days ago?¡± he asked me directly as he gestured at the


    snake.


    Heat spread through my cheeks and I immediately crouched down and inspected the body of the dead


    viper. I needed to stop acting like a bystander and act more like a healer.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I admitted as I turned the beast over and examined its scales. ¡°It looks quite simr


    though. I¡¯d need to get it to theb and run some tests on it to be


    sure.¡±


    ¡°A viper attacked you?¡± Kaleb asked Asher with a raised eyebrow and when the Alpha King nodded, he


    frowned. ¡°Were you bitten?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Asher answered, his steel gaze still on the viper.


    Kaleb¡¯s head tilted to the side and stared at the snake as well.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± he mused. ¡°How could an animal such as a snake bite an Alpha? Sure they are


    fast, but werewolf kings are faster.¡±


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°He was trying to save me,¡± I exined quietly.


    It was true. Asher wouldn¡¯t have been bitten if he wasn¡¯t trying to keep me out


    of harm¡¯s way and I still felt a touch of guilt over the whole affair.


    The king of Yurene¡¯s eyes narrowed for a moment, and then he offered me a strange smile. It was a


    little smug, a little amused, and I wasn¡¯t sure how to interpret


    1.


    As I rose to my feet and dusted my hands off on my nightgown, Asher turned to the guard perched at


    the garden¡¯s gate.


    ¡°Send the viper to Healer Cas sandra¡¯sb,¡± he ordered. ¡°And then check the garden thoroughly. I want


    to make sure no more of them are hiding around.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± the guard said obediently, and then he offered the Alpha King a small bow of


    respect.


    As the guard sprang into action, I stared down at the viper and concern


    crashed over me.


    Though my hypothesis hadn¡¯t been fully formed, I¡¯d figured Margaret had something to do with the


    vipers, and by default, so did the Moses family. But if that were the case, why had Adalyn been


    attacked? And why were there vipers near the


    pce anyway?


    Vipers normally didn¡¯t release their venom except for in the vicinity of prey, but if this one had been


    enchanted or trained, perhaps the rules were different. Were these vipers trained to attack anyone they


    came into contact with or were their


    attacks calcted?


    Marco, Asher, and now Adalyn.


    What was going on here and how could we put a stop to this mess before anyone else got hurt?


    Kaleb interrupted my train of thought when he suddenly cleared his throat.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about snakes,¡± he offered in his heavy ent. ¡°But I do know one thing. Although


    snakes usually move alone, they prefer living together.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Asher sighed impatiently.


    ¡°So,¡± Kaleb continued, and he shook his head slowly. ¡°If one snake has been found near the pce¡­


    there must be a snake pit somewhere in the vicinity.¡±

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60


    Chapter 60 Mysterious box


    CA SSANDRA


    ¡°I got the test result, Ca ssy!¡± Becky eximed with excitement as she rushed into theb the next day.


    I¡¯d been half-asleep at my desk and close to nodding off when my assistant walked in, and I quickly


    regained myposure so she wouldn¡¯t notice just how exhausted I was.


    Between the encounter with Asher and the situation with the snake in the garden, I¡¯d gotten very little


    sleep and was feeling a little ghostlike.


    ¡°Oh?¡± I managed to say, and I swept my long hair out of my face and pulled it up into a high bun. ¡°What


    does it say?¡±


    Becky nced down at the stack of papers in her hand and quickly, her excitement turned to concern.


    say?¡±


    ¡°Becky?¡± Lprompted her again when she didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°What does it


    ¡°It says it wasn¡¯t Udosyn,¡± she said quietly, and her lips curled into a frown. ¡°And it wasn¡¯t the same


    venom that we¡¯d extracted from the vipers that had bitten Prince


    Marco and the Alpha King.¡±


    This time, it was my turn to frown.


    No matter what happened around here, it always seemed to be incrediblyplicated and confusing.


    I considered the information for a moment as Becky handed me the results. If the vip¨¦rs had been


    raised by someone, as I¡¯d suspected, we would have found Udosyn in this one¡¯s body. But the results


    on the paper said otherwise. The facts simply didn¡¯t line up with my hypothesis.


    ¡°Can you check to see if the venom matches with any possible venom in the


    records?¡± I asked.


    Becky nodded and I handed the papers back to her. I pinched the bridge of my nose between my


    fingers. A headache was beginning to build and all I wanted was to go back to sleep. But this was


    something that couldn¡¯t wait. We had to uncover the mystery of this string of viper attacks before the


    next one struck.


    We got to work right away, and as we threw ourselves into research, I found myself watching Becky.


    This job was grueling and required so much attention and patience. Becky had both, but she¡¯d never


    been a healer before, which I found, curious.


    Before I could stop the question from leaving my lips, I found myself blurting it.


    aloud.


    nose.


    Becky looked up from her research and pushed her sses up the bridge of her


    ¡°Well¡­¡± she trailed off. ¡°I just never passed the examination for royal healers. I suppose it just wasn¡¯t in


    the cards for me.¡±


    The moment the words hit my ears, I knew they were a lie. Becky was incredibly intelligent and hard-


    working. She often surprised me with just how much she knew about different subjects and she spoke


    about them so passionately. Her heart and her mind were in it, so why wasn¡¯t she in a higher position


    than aboratory assistant?


    When she went back to her books, a thought entered my mind. Becky wasn¡¯t from a prestigious family.


    Anemond was nothing if not nepotistic and uppity when it came to those who were appointed to higher-


    up positions. Of course, a young woman like her wouldn¡¯t be considered qualified in the eyes of the


    other royal


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    healers.


    I remembered the way the chief royal healer had looked at Asher when he¡¯d appointed me to the


    position. There had been so much contempt and confusion.


    It wasn¡¯t fair. Becky deserved to work in a position that suited her


    qualifications. Hopefully one day, I¡¯d be able to sway Asher into making her a royal


    healer.


    The hours passed by quickly. I wasn¡¯t making any sort of progress and I found my mind wandering.


    Between Asher and Kaleb, I had a lot on my mind and all I wanted was to sleep.


    Becky cleared her throat and interrupted my daydream.


    ¡°Ca ssandra?¡± she called out and she gestured to the papers with theb, results. ¡°I have some bad


    news.¡±


    ¡°Oh no,¡± I murmured as I looked her way.


    ¡°The venom in the viper isn¡¯t matching up with anything,¡± Becky said bleakly, and she let out a small


    sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. How are none of these beasts. rted to anything? Or even to each other? I


    don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on here. In all of my time in Anemond, I¡¯ve never encountered anything


    like this.¡±


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t in Wild Crawler either,¡± I offered as my head throbbed. ¡°Even though we were deep into the


    woods, we hardly ever encountered vipers like this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all so strange,¡± Becky remarked as she sat down in her chair. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. Where did these


    snakese from?¡±


    ¡°I wish I knew,¡± I said, and I meant every word. I still had so much research to conduct about Asher¡¯s


    illness and this snake hunt was taking my energy away from it. I only had so much allotted time to solve


    the mystery and I didn¡¯t want to waste any time. Finnick and I needed to leave Anemond behind for


    good and the only way to do that was to cure the Alpha King.


    Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind.


    ¡°The royal library,¡± I whispered to myself and then I turned to Becky. ¡°I found an interesting book the


    last time I was in the library. I wonder if it would be of any help.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s worth a shot,¡± Becky said with a shrug. ¡°We could take all of the help we could get.¡±


    I stood up from my desk and gathered up a could of notebooks and some pens.


    I


    I stuffed them into my backpack and then turned to my assistant.


    ¡°Keep digging here and I¡¯ll look in the library,¡± I said. Becky nodded and then I left theb and headed


    toward the library.


    Once I got there, the librarian greeted me warmly.


    ¡°Healer Ca ssandra,¡± she said as stood up from her desk. ¡°Wee back.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied. ¡°Would you mind letting me into the restricted room? | need to conduct some


    more research and pick up where I left off the other day.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±


    She led me back


    to the room and unlocked the door for me. Once she left, I wasted no time and picked out an


    assortment of books.


    I spent the rest of the day sorting through them, particrly the one I¡¯d foundst time. Though there


    were many poisons recorded in the book, there was nothing noteworthy about their features and traits


    that I could use topare them to the poison of the snake.


    After a while, I reached my limit and started to give up. I filed the books back to where I¡¯d found them,


    and just as I was about to leave, I noticed arge wooden box where I¡¯d found them, and just as I was


    ab in the corner. I approached it curiously. It was made of ck wood and had some intricate carvings I


    couldn¡¯t make out across the top. Most importantly, it was locked with an enormous gold lock.


    When the librarian walked by, I pulled her aside.


    ¡°Are there any books in this box?¡± I wondered.


    The librarian frowned at the box and slowly shook her head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve never opened it before and I don¡¯t think my predecessor did either.


    He never mentioned anything about it in the many years he served as head librarian. I have always


    been curious about it though.¡±


    As I stared at the box, I got a strange feeling. Something was suspicious about that box, I just knew it.

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61


    Chapter 61 ident in theb


    CA SSANDRA


    ¡°Is there a way to open it?¡± I wondered as I stared at the box.


    The librarian squatted down beside it and inspected it closely. Her round sses nearly fell off her nose


    as she leaned in closer and took therge lock into


    her hands.


    ¡°Ah,¡± she remarked, and she pointed to the back of the lock. ¡°See there? That¡¯s the royal seal.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I replied simply and then I frowned. ¡°So that means¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d need permission from the Alpha King, most likely,¡± the librarian said and she offered me an


    apologetic nce. ¡°His Majesty is probably the only one with the power to open it. I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t be of


    more help.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem,¡± I assured her, but it was quite the opposite. I was too afraid to visit Asher and didn¡¯t


    know how to face him after the events ofst night.


    ¡°Is there anything else-¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No, I think I¡¯m going to grab my things and go back to myb. Thank you again for


    letting me in, I appreciate it greatly.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Healer Ca ssandra,¡± the librarian replied.


    I quickly returned my notebooks and pens to my backpack and once I had everything, I walked out of


    the library and headed back toward theb. I was disappointed that I hadn¡¯t found anything helpful and


    also a little intrigued by that strange box. Normally, I would let something like that go, but I had a strong


    feeling that something interesting was in there and my mind wouldn¡¯t dismiss it.


    As I made my way down the hall, I heard loud voices in the distance. My


    eyebrows creased together. What was going on?


    The volume increased as I got closer and when I reached the doors, I noticed the guard¡¯s face was


    bright red. Asher had appointed him to keep anyone who wasn¡¯t supposed to be in theb out.


    So who was Becky arguing with?


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I wondered, and the moment I asked, I heard Becky¡¯s voice again.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to have to ask you to leave.¡±


    ¡°Just who do you think you¡¯re speaking to?¡± the other voice demanded and my heart began to race.


    The voice belonged to Adalyn. And she sounded angry.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Healer Ca ssandra,¡± the guard apologized. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to fail my


    duties-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle this,¡± I assured him, and after I took a short breath and centered myself, I stepped through


    the doors and into theb.


    Adalyn was frantically walking around the ce, checking devices and various things on our desks.


    Meanwhile, Becky was following along, begging her to stop.


    ¡°Please, mydy,¡± she begged. ¡°Don¡¯t tamper with our things¡­ it¡¯s important research!¡±


    My assistant¡¯s voice was quite despaired and she seemed a little helpless. It was as if Adalyn couldn¡¯t


    hear her or something. Anger swelled within me. I needed to put a stop to this.


    to


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± I blurted out boldly, and both sets of eyes fell on me at once. Adalyn¡¯s were full


    of rage as they darted over to me and her full, red lips drew


    into a thin line. She looked as beautiful as ever but it was clear that she was incredibly tired. Last night


    had apparently done a number on anyone, but I wasn¡¯t


    going to let her continue on with her behavior.


    ¡°Thisb is forbidden to anyone else but the King,¡± I emphasized.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Adalyn rolled her eyes and ignored me. She turned back to the desks and continued to rifle through the


    papers. It was clear she was searching for something,


    but I had no idea what.


    I


    I approached her this time and blocked her view of the desk.


    ¡°What are you looking for?¡± I demanded in a much firmer tone as I stared her down. She could


    intimidate me anywhere else but here¡­ here was my ce of work. She was messing with my things,


    my research, and my assistant, and I wasn¡¯t going to let it fly.


    Adalyn huffed. ¡°Stand aside. I¡¯m looking for the serum.¡±


    ¡°The serum?¡± I repeated back in confusion. ¡°What serum?¡±


    ¡°You know what I¡¯m talking about,¡± Adalyn hissed. ¡°Goddess knows if the viper will return again or not. I


    need the serum in case ites after me or Marco again.¡±


    Even though her tone was angry and demanding, I almost wanted tough. My. eyes nced over at


    Becky and she had a simrly surprised expression. But when I turned back to Adalyn, I remained


    calm.


    ¡°The serum is still being worked on,¡± I exined. ¡°It¡¯s nowhere near being done. But even if it was, only


    a royal healer would be allowed to handle it. You would need their help.¡±


    Adalyn¡¯s beautiful face gr¨¦w angrier and her nostrils red for a moment. She was flustered.


    ¡°Of course,¡± she shot back. ¡°In that instance, I suppose a royal healer would be more helpful. So long


    as it isn¡¯t you, of course. I wouldn¡¯t trust a vigemoner like you to administer it.¡±


    I lost my patience immediately.


    ¡°Please leave,¡± I said, and I pointed toward the door. ¡°Since you don¡¯t trust me to do my job, you should


    never try toe back in here again.¡±


    Adalyn¡¯s body shook with anger and before I could stop her, she swept her arm across the nearest


    desk and knocked a bunch of bottles and vials to the floor. They shattered upon impact and various


    liquids spilled all over.


    Asher¡¯s


    wife didn¡¯t stop there. She sprang into action and began to destroy our things while Becky and I stood


    there in horror.


    Adalyn had always been like this. She would perform and pretend to be a sweet, charming girl in


    public, but when she was alone with someone she didn¡¯t like, she showed herself as the monster she


    really was.


    I


    When we were children, Asher and I had built a treehouse in the garden of the Felix house. It was a


    secret ce just for us. It wasn¡¯t long, though, before Adalyn found it. She was angry to have been


    excluded and threw a fit. One day, she snuck into the garden and destroyed the treehouse when I


    wasn¡¯t home. Devastated, I¡¯d tried telling on her to my father, but there was nothing we could do. She


    was the Beta¡¯s daughter and could get away with anything.


    Now, things felt like the same. Adalyn had probably wanted to destroy thisb. for a long time.


    As she threw her fit and continued to mess with our things, I rushed over to Becky.


    ¡°Take the guard and go find the Alpha King right now,¡± I said. My assistant nodded and rushed out of


    the room, leaving Adalyn and me alone.


    ¡°The Alpha King isn¡¯t going to be pleased,¡± I called out to her and Adalyn.ughed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± she seethed, and then she raised a bottle high in the air. My heart nearly stopped. It was


    a container of chemical acid.


    ¡°Adalyn, please put that down,¡± I advised her gently. When she noticed my panic, her crazed look


    turned into a cruel smile. She took a step toward me, the


    bottle still held high.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what¡¯s i


    this,¡± she said slowly. ¡°But apparently it¡¯s something bad. So, I have a proposal¡­ leave Anemond for


    good. Or I¡¯ll pour this right on that pathetic face of yours.¡±


    ¡°Adalyn, please,¡± I pressed. ¡°I didn¡¯te here of my own volition-¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Adalyn blurted out, her amber eyes manic. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you!¡±


    Before I could get a word in, she opened the bottle, and in one swift motion, she shook it right toward


    me. As the liquid poured out, I flinched and stepped out of the way. I closed my eyes.


    Adalyn let out a scream. When I opened my eyes, I was shocked to see that the acid had burnt the skin


    on her forearm.

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62


    Chapter 62 Are you injured?


    CA SSANDRA


    Just as I was about to make sure Adalyn was okay, theboratory doors flew open, and in walked the


    Alpha King, Becky, and a pair of guards. Asher¡¯s gray eyes were aze and when they caught sight of


    Adalyn on the ground in pain, he only


    grew more angry.


    ¡°What have you done?¡± he demanded, and his face contorted as he roared.


    recoiled at the sound, my heart racing, and my body shaking at his incredulous tone. This was it. I had


    been in plenty of trouble since I¡¯d arrived in Anemond, but this would be my crowning glory. I was going


    to the dungeons or worse.


    Adalyn sobbed even louder.


    ¡°I-I-It was all HER fault!¡± she cried out and pointed in my direction.


    Asher¡¯s eyes fell to me and a lump formed in my throat. I wanted to protest, to exin what had


    actually happened, but the words were stuck in my throat. Even if I could exin, I doubted that Asher


    would trust me.


    I was terrified.


    The room fell into silence, save for Adalyn¡¯s cries, and it was then I noticed a foul smell in the air. It took


    a moment for it to register but I realized it was the burnt smell of flesh. The acid was no joke and


    Adalyn should not have handled it so carelessly. The mark would likelyst forever.


    Asher didn¡¯t speak a word. He simply squatted down beside his wife and took her arm in his hand. She


    winced under his touch and when she began to whimper,


    he turned to the guards.


    ¡°Take Adalyn to the royal healers at once,¡± he demanded.


    ¡°I won¡¯t go without you!¡± Adalyn sniffled. I half-expected Asher to deny her request, but to my surprise,


    he nodded.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he said, and he helped her to her feet. Adalyn trembled and nearly sank back down to her


    knees, but Asher held her steady. The guards stepped in to help and before they left the room, the


    Alpha King nced at me. Though the moment was brief, it felt like an eternity, and my throat only


    grew tighter.


    For a second, I wanted to ask Asher to stay so I could tell him everything that had actually happened.


    But the other part of me knew I couldn¡¯t.


    Ever since I¡¯d arrived in Anemond, I¡¯d done my best to avoid trouble, and yet, here I was, swept up in


    another bit of drama and turmoil. Why was this my fate?


    I watched in fear as they left the room and once the doors closed behind them, Becky rushed over to


    me.


    ¡°Ca ssy,¡± she breathed. ¡°Oh Goddess, are you alright?¡±


    Her eyes were wide with shock and they only grew wider when she took my


    hand.


    ¡°Ca ssy?¡± she prompted me again, and she gestured down at my hand. ¡°Oh Ca ssy, your hand is


    burnt.¡±


    Her statement was enough to snap me out of my daze.


    Ìï


    ¡°What?¡± I asked, and when I looked down, I was shocked to see that my hand was indeed, quite burnt.


    It was then that the pain started to set in. The feeling was


    familiar.


    I knew the sensation of burnt skin all too well.


    ¡°We need to treat this right away,¡± Becky urged, and then she guided me over to the nearest table. She


    helped me sit down in the chair and then gently rested my hand on the desk while she grabbed the


    necessary supplies.


    I sat there, shocked, as she got to work. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was the pain or the


    fear that consumed my mind, but I couldn¡¯t move, couldn¡¯t utter a sound. It was as if


    I was frozen in ce.


    I winced as she applied some ointment. The moment between Adalyn and I had happened so fast that I


    hadn¡¯t even realized I¡¯d been burnt. I had been too swept up


    in it to notice.


    Luckily, the spot didn¡¯t seem that big or that deep. I supposed I was lucky that there hadn¡¯t been too


    much acid in the bottle. Had that ended up near my face, things could have been much much worse.


    Becky studied me closely, her expression full of sympathy and concern.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the Alpha King can be tricked very easily,¡± she said softly as she applied an ointment to


    my burn. I don¡¯t know what happened between you but I know it wasn¡¯t your fault.¡±


    Her tone was soft and kind, and I knew she was trying her best to soothe me. I forced a small smile on


    my face. Becky was too innocent. Things in Anemond didn¡¯t work like that. It didn¡¯t matter if I was at


    fault or not. The Beta family, as the second inmand to the King, would cause a stir. Adalyn might


    not be the most intelligent person, but her father was. He would make sure that I would be dealt with


    ordingly.


    Once I was bandaged up, Becky brought me some water and forced me to drink. As I sipped at it, she


    rubbed my back, and for a moment, I thought of Marley. The two were so much alike, and I was


    surprised to see this side of my assistant. She was so incredibly kind.


    After a while, theb doors opened, and in walked a few guards.


    ¡°Healer Ca ssandra,¡± one addressed me directly in a cool tone. ¡°We¡¯re here to escort you to the King¡¯s


    study.¡±


    I nodded calmly and then turned to Becky. She offered me a nervous look, but I just smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll be


    okay.¡±


    Becky nodded and then helped me to my feet. I walked across the room to the


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    guards and followed them out into the hall.


    As we got closer to the study, my heart began to race again. I had no idea what to expect, but I knew


    this wasn¡¯t going to end well. I could only hope that Finnick. would be alright, no matter what happened.


    When we reached the study, a guard knocked on the door and I heard Asher¡¯s voice from within the


    chamber.


    ¡°Enter.¡±


    I gulped and without another moment¡¯s hesitation, we entered the study. Asher stood at therge


    window behind his desk and stared out onto the grounds.


    ¡°Healer Ca ssandra is here,¡± the guard announced and after Asher nodded, the guards left the


    chamber and closed the door behind them. Once we were alone, Asher turned around. He stared at


    me for what felt like an eternity and then spoke.


    ¡°What happened?¡± he asked calmly.


    I took a deep breath and then exined everything as objectively as possible. As the story continued


    on, the Alpha King¡¯s frown deepened, and I struggled to figure out what he was thinking. Was he


    angry? Bloodthirsty?


    His silence was difficult to interpret.


    Once I was done sharing, I went silent and waited for him to reply. His gray eyes were more piercing


    than usual, and I braced myself for impact. I knew, deep down, that I was about to face some harsh


    consequences for fighting with the Alpha King¡¯s wife.


    But instead, he nced at my arm and frowned. He gestured toward my bandage.


    ¡°Are you injured?¡±

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63


    Chapter 63 All her options


    CA SSANDRA


    I was a little taken aback by the Alpha King¡¯s question. Did Asher actually care that I¡¯d been hurt or had


    he asked only out of politeness?


    I nodded anyway. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    He didn¡¯t seem as convinced. His eyes remained fixed on my bandaged arm and his mouth drew into a


    thin line. With every second, I was growing more and more ufortable with this interaction and


    decided to not waste any more time.


    ¡°How is Adalyn?¡± I wondered and immediately, Asher broke his gaze and cleared his throat.


    ¡°Half of her left forearm is burnt,¡± he revealed and he ran his hand through his tousled dark hair tiredly.


    ¡°Though the acid wasn¡¯t strong enough to get to the bone, it will leave permanent scars. The royal


    healers did all they could, but there¡¯s only so much they could aplish. Adalyn is upset.¡±


    I nodded but didn¡¯t say anything. Of course Adalyn would be upset. She was incredibly vain when it


    came to her appearance. Any type of w or imperfection would make her more emotional than the


    physical pain itself.


    For a moment, I wanted to scoff at the ridiculousness, but then I remembered my own injuries from the


    inferno. To this day, I had no idea how Emmett had been able to cure me and remove all of my burn


    scars.


    ¡°Look, I know this wasn¡¯t your fault, Ca ssandra,¡± Asher spoke again. ¡°But this is aplicated matter


    that needs sorting out. In the meantime, I suggest that you don¡¯t leave your chambers or roam the


    pce. I think it would be best for everyone


    you remained confined and out of sight, at least for now.¡±


    if


    ¡°I understand,¡± I said quietly and I nodded as I considered his words. Adalyn Moses was the Beta¡¯s


    daughter and the Alpha King¡¯s wife. I was nothing more than a


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    countrymoner. Though I had once been someone important, I no longer held any power, therefore,


    I needed to heed Asher¡¯s decree, no matter how much I


    disliked it.


    ¡°Are you sure it doesn¡¯t hurt?¡± Asher pressed, and he gestured again to my bandaged hand. He


    reached out to touch my arm, but I automatically recoiled from


    his touch.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I managed, and then I backed away further still. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing more to say, Your Majesty,


    I think it would be best for me to leave. It¡¯s been a long. day for everyone and I need to see my son.¡±


    Asher said nothing, but I turned around anyway and headed toward the door. I waited for him to say


    something or stop me in some way, but when he didn¡¯t, I continued out the door and into the hallway.


    My eyes began to well up with tears, but I forced them back as best as I could. As much as I


    appreciated Asher¡¯s care and understanding, it came with a cost. The more he offered, the more


    jealous and wrathful Adalyn would be, and I didn¡¯t want anything to do with that. This time I had been


    the intended victim of her scorn but next time, it could be Finnick. I couldn¡¯t risk that. I would do


    anything to keep my son safe, no matter what.


    When I got back to my chamber, Erika and Finnick were waiting for me, and they both noticed my


    bandage immediately.


    ¡°What happened, Ca ssandra?¡± Erika demanded and she rushed to my side. She carefully took my arm


    and stared at me with wide eyes. Her concern was nearly enough to make me cry all over again, but I


    couldn¡¯t risk getting upset in front of


    Finnick.


    ¡°Something at work,¡± I remarked. ¡°An ident. I¡¯m okay, though.¡±


    Erika didn¡¯t seem convinced and neither did Finnick at first. The pair stared at me for a while until


    Finnick returned to ying with his toys. Meanwhile, I took a seat at the table and released a heavy


    breath. Erika disappeared for a little while, and when she returned, she had tea and a small tray of tiny


    cakes. She brought


    some over to Finnick and then set them in front of


    mo


    ¡°Ca ssandra,¡± Erika said softly as she poured me a steaming cup of jasmine. ¡°What happened? Are


    you alright?¡±


    I nced over at Finnick. He was too distracted by his treat and his stuffed


    animals to notice us. So, I decided to tell her the truth.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, but something did happen,¡± I admitted, and then I told her the whole story. I didn¡¯t spare any


    detail, but I kept my voice hushed enough for Finnick not to overhear us. Thest thing I needed was


    for my son to get involved in this


    nightmare of a situation.


    Erika shook her head as I finished. The color had vanished from her usually rosy cheeks and worry


    painted her expression.


    ¡°Ca ssandra,¡± she sighed. ¡°Oh, goodness. Lady Adalyn won¡¯t let this go easily.¡±


    I nodded gravely. ¡°I know.¡±


    I took a long sip of my tea and prayed it would soothe my nerves, at least a little bit. I forced a little


    more down, and once I found the courage, I looked back at Erika and took her hand in my uninjured


    one.


    ¡°Erika, if something happens to me, will you take care of Finnick?¡± I asked


    quietly.


    The maid¡¯s eyes welled up a little and she leaned in.


    ¡°Of course I will,¡± she said with no hesitation. ¡°I will do anything and everything to take care of that


    sweet boy. You have my word, Ca ssandra.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I whispered, and then I nced over at Finnick. He looked so happy. All I wanted was for


    him to have the best life possible.


    Suddenly, Kaleb¡¯s offer crossed my mind for the first time. It was a crazy idea, and I was certain the


    king of Yurene wanted something from me beyond what he was expressing, not to mention the North


    was dangerous. I was unfamiliar with everything there. But it was tempting to leave Anemond behind


    for good. If I went to the North, Adalyn, Asher, Margaret, and Oliver Moses would all be a part of my


    past.


    I could leave Anemond and all of this wickedness forever. I could finally let Coral Felix rest and allow


    myself to live fully as Ca ssandra Keller.


    ¡°Thank you, Erika,¡± I said again, realizing I¡¯d fallen silent as my mind wandered. ¡°For everything. I really


    appreciate everything you¡¯ve done and continue to do for


    1.


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all,¡± she assured me. ¡°I promise you.¡±


    She squeezed my hand and smiled warmly at me. Even with a different identity, the maid had treated


    me the same as she had when I was young. She was so warm, so friendly, and so willing to take care


    of me and my son. Erika was one of the best people I¡¯d ever known. Could I leave her behind? I didn¡¯t


    know.


    And what about Asher? Could I forget all about him and abandon him for the North? I thought I could.


    But ever since our reunion, something had changed inside me. Would I be able to force back my


    thoughts, my dreams, my desires to have him as my own again?


    As much as I longed for an answer right then and there, I didn¡¯t know what I


    wanted.


    But I had to consider all of my options.


    I had to.

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64


    Chapter 64 Old Beta¡¯s request


    ASHER


    ¡°Your Majesty, you have to put that vicious, wicked healer in jail!¡± Linda Moses dered in a shrill voice


    that sent a shiver down my spine.


    She and her husband stood in front of my desk, their eyes filled with wrath as they awaited my answer.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    I exhaled deeply. In thest few hours, I¡¯d heard two versions of this story. Ca ssandra Keller had said it


    was Adalyn who¡¯d threatened her and spilled the acid on her arm, while Adalyn had insisted that it was


    actually Ca ssandra who¡¯d spilled


    the acid.


    Deep down, I knew whose version was more likely and trustworthy, but trust had nothing to do with it.


    The situation was much more nuanced than that.


    ¡°Adalyn should not have entered theboratory,¡± I said as a headache began to gue me. ¡°Everyone


    in the pce knows not to go in there, and the guards. informed me she was told quite explicitly to stay


    away-¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter!¡± Linda blurted, and then her cheeks flushed scarlet and her eyes fell to the desk.


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°It does,¡± I pressed. I could have pushed further and chided her for her insolence, but instead, I sighed.


    ¡°Besides, Ca ssandra Keller has been confined to


    her chambers for the foreseeable future.¡±


    ¡°Confinement isn¡¯t enough,¡± Linda insisted. ¡°Besides, Adalyn told us why she was there. She was


    simply worried about the viper attacks. She just wanted to make sure that any future bites wouldn¡¯t be


    an issue for the family-¡±


    ¡°The development of a curing serum is not Adalyn¡¯s business,¡± I cut her off. ¡°In fact, it¡¯s mine. I hope


    that Adalyn wasn¡¯t attempting to interfere with that, but I have a feeling she was.¡±


    Linda¡¯s face suddenly paled and she shook her head. Her hair red around her and her eyes widened.


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t trying to i-interfere,¡± she said and her lower lip began to tremble. ¡°She was just w-worried


    a-about M-Marco¡­ All she cares about is the safety of her family, Your Majesty!¡±


    Adalyn¡¯s mother began to cry, meanwhile, Oliver Moses¡¯ eyes remained fixed on mine. I was a little


    agitated by his boldness, but I was already in the middle of a tense conversation. Thest thing I


    needed was for this to escte further when I was feeling so weak and stressed out.


    ¡°I want a thorough investigation of the incident,¡± he said slowly. ¡°I want witnesses, interrogations, any


    information we can get about what happened in thatboratory.¡±


    ¡°The only witness was Ca ssandra¡¯s assistant, Becky,¡± I pointed out, and I leaned back in my seat a


    little. ¡°We¡¯ve spoken to her and she maintains that Ca ssandra¡¯s story was the true one.¡±


    ¡°Of course she did,¡± Linda said through her sniffles. ¡°She¡¯s clearly lying because


    she¡¯s on the healer¡¯s side.¡±


    My eyebrow shot up at the way she was speaking to me, but I chose to ignore it and looked over at


    Oliver.


    ¡°The healer could be lying,¡± the Beta said. ¡°And so could her assistant. There¡¯s a strong possibility of


    bias there and I think that there¡¯s more to the situation than they¡¯re letting on.¡±


    He straightened his posture and folded his hands in hisp.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I worry,¡± he stated in a strangely cool tone. ¡°About Adalyn clearly, but most about you.¡±


    ¡°Exin,¡± I urged. What was going on here? What did the Beta mean?


    ¡°I¡¯m suspicious of this Ca ssandra Keller and her origin and intentions,¡± he


    continued. ¡°Something about her strikes me as odd. I don¡¯t like what I¡¯ve heard. With your permission,


    Your Majesty, I would like to interrogate the healer.¡±


    I wanted tough at him directly. There was no way that I would agree to that request, and besides, I


    knew what Oliver wanted. The Beta had a rat among the royal healers. I had no idea which one it was,


    but one of them was working for the Moses family under my nose. That was the true reason I¡¯d brought


    Ca ssandra back in the first ce. She was out of Oliver¡¯s control and I could trust her to conduct


    research impartially without any ulterior motives.


    Oliver thought he could y me just as he did the others. But he couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Are you questioning the Alpha King¡¯s decision?¡± I challenged him.


    The Beta shook his head immediately and then gave me a small bow of respect.


    ¡°No, Your Majesty,¡± he insisted. ¡°No no. I would never do that. I just worry about you. I want to make


    sure everything is well with you. You know me. I would do anything for the glory of the Wega


    Empire.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± I remarked, and I crossed my arms against my chest. ¡°I see. I question. your dedication to


    Wega, Oliver, as you keep challenging me at every turn. Do you think I¡¯m unfit to make decisions of


    my own?¡±


    ¡°No, Your Majesty,¡± Oliver said, and he raised his hands up slightly. ¡°Thats not what I¡¯m saying at all.¡±


    ¡°He would never dare to say something like that, Your Majesty,¡± Linda chimed in as she wiped the tears


    from her cheeks.


    ¡°Stay out of it, Linda,¡± Oliver hissed under his breath, and once his wife sat back, he turned to face me


    again. ¡°Your Majesty, what I¡¯m trying to say is that if you insist on only going your own way, the rest of


    the Pack might voiceints. Especially some of the councilors.¡±


    My jaw tightened instantly. Oliver was like a fox. The councilors who would be against my decision


    were all on his side. The Beta¡¯s words served as a reminder that my power wasn¡¯t stable.


    As much as I didn¡¯t want to admit it, my ce here in the Empire wasn¡¯t without its challenges. It was


    hard to live up to the legacy my father had built, and there were many who wanted to see me fall. Oliver


    was one such person and this recent threat to Adalyn only put me-and Ca ssandra for that matter- in


    danger.


    ¡°I think I can take care of this myself,¡± I addressed the Beta in a voice that was stern and cold. I raised


    my chin and gave him a chilling smile. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Oliver. It¡¯s appreciated as always.¡±


    The old Beta stared back at me with a confused expression. He opened his mouth to speak and then


    seemed to give up on the n entirely. He simply nodded and then rose to his feet. Without another


    word, he took his wife¡¯s hand and led her to the door of the study. Before they left, they offered bows of


    respect, but I didn¡¯t care. I was relieved to see them go.


    The Moses family had been a thorn in my side for far too long, but there was nothing I could do about it


    at this point. I was married to Adalyn and Oliver was the Beta of the Pack. I couldn¡¯t dismiss them, even


    though I desperately wanted to at this point.


    Once I was alone, I released a heavy breath.


    Ca ssandra, Adalyn, Oliver, the vipers, the king of Yurene¡­


    My head spun and I closed my eyes.


    This game grew more and moreplicated by the day and I was struggling to keep up.

 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65


    ASHER


    Chapter 65 News from Kane


    I rubbed my temples and tried to remain calm. I was spending more and more time in my study these


    days to stay away from those who wanted to incite more. trouble or drama around me. I needed to stay


    rxed, but the disease was affecting me more and moretely.


    Heat spread through me as my head pounded and I could feel sweat building up. I rolled the sleeves of


    my shirt up and when I did, I winced in surprise. The mysterious ck marks had been growing


    significantly, and now there were some blooming up on my forearms. I wanted Ca ssandra to check up


    on them, but since she was confined to her chambers, my health check would have to be dyed.


    I hadn¡¯t expected any of this to happen. It wasn¡¯t my fault was it? Kane had. warned me beforehand


    and told me that Adalyn was jealous of how I treated. Ca ssandra. I knew that she was wrathful and


    hell-bent on destroying the healer.


    But what I didn¡¯t understand was how I felt about the ordeal and furthermore, how I felt about Ca


    ssandra.


    All my life, I¡¯d been someone who was always in control. I knew what to say, how to say it, and how to


    keep things from escting beyond their means. But ever since, I¡¯d met Ca ssandra, my sense of


    control had started slipping.


    Seeing Ca ssandra¡¯s bandaged hand and finding out that Adalyn had wounded her made me furious


    beyond imagination. I wanted to inflict punishment upon my wife like no other. There was even a small


    part of me that wanted to kill her.


    I¡¯d only felt this intensely protective over one person before.


    Cora.


    A thought crossed my mind. It was crazy and nonsensical, but the moment it entered, I couldn¡¯t push it


    away.


    What if Ca ssandra Keller was Cora?


    Could she be?


    Despite the inferno, the charred remains of Rosepetal, and the other evidence, I¡¯d never believed that


    Cora had really perished in the fire. So what if there was some way she had changed her appearance


    and assumed a new identity?


    My insane theory could exin why I felt so familiar with Ca ssandra the first time I saw her, why I


    wanted to see her all the time, why I wanted to touch her¡­


    The idea was crazy. I knew that. But no matter how much I wanted to push it away and pretend I¡¯d


    never entertained it, I couldn¡¯t.


    Ca ssandra Keller had looked so much like Cora at the banquetst night. The way the dress hugged


    her curves was all too familiar. I¡¯d known that dress anywhere. It was the same Cora had worn to a ball


    long ago.


    Where had Ca ssandrae across the dress? Was it gifted to her by someone, and if so, who was it?


    How did theye about an article of Cora¡¯s clothing?


    My thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. I let out a small groan. I wasn¡¯t in any condition to


    be entertaining any more guests today.


    ¡°Who goes there?¡± I called out as I rolled the sleeves of my shirt back up. I couldn¡¯t risk anyone seeing


    the ck marks that painted my skin.


    ¡°It¡¯s your stepbrother, Your Majesty,¡± one of the guards called out from the other side of the door. ¡°He


    insists on seeing you right away.¡±


    me?¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Enter.¡±


    Momentster, Kane stepped into the room and smiled at me happily.


    ¡°Hello, brother,¡± he greeted me as the door closed behind him. ¡°Did you miss


    Kane had apparently returned from his short journey. Though he¡¯d been vague


    about where he¡¯d gone, I suspected he went somewhere for a reason. He wanted to


    avoid the visitors from Yurene.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    His mother, Margaret, had wanted him to join in on the meetings with the diplomats, as she¡¯d insisted


    that it would be a good chance for them to get to know. the royal family. But Kane had left just before


    the Northerners had arrived. Margaret was less than pleased by her son¡¯s escape, and I assumed


    that¡¯s why she hadn¡¯t joined us for the ballst night.


    Not that it mattered much. I was grateful my stepmother hadn¡¯t been in attendance.


    ¡°Of course I missed you,¡± I remarked simply. ¡°Now, what can I do for you, brother?¡±


    Kane perched in the chair in front of me and studied me closely. His violet eyes. were narrowed in


    concern as they scanned every inch of me. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me saying so, Asher, you¡¯re looking a


    little worse for wear. In fact¡­ you look like you¡¯ve aged quite a bit. I can see some gray hairs on the


    sides of your face.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about those,¡± I muttered sheepishly. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t suspect you are,¡± Kane pressed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it,¡± I sighed, and that was that. He didn¡¯t push the issue further but toyed with


    one of the pens on my desk.


    ¡°Listen, I¡¯ve already heard all about what happened between Adalyn and Ca ssandra Keller in that


    mysteriousboratory,¡± he remarked as he fiddled with the ss instrument. ¡°I got all of the details from


    various sources on my way here. I must say, brother, you sure are in quite a difficult situation. Oliver


    Moses is difficult in many ways, and I¡¯m sure he¡¯s not going to let this go until he gets what he wants.


    I¡¯m willing to bet he threatened as much.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes. He threatened to use the councilors against me.¡±


    ¡°I figured,¡± he said, and then he released a heavy sigh. ¡°He¡¯s always been conniving, but now that


    Adalyn¡¯s involved, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll only get worse. I don¡¯t envy


    you, Asher. This isn¡¯t going to be easy to navigate.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. ¡°I appreciate you saying so. I don¡¯t know what to do, but I¡¯ll figure it out eventually.


    For now, Ca ssandra has been confined to her chambers. I don¡¯t want her anywhere near the Moses


    family, not until I can figure out how to make everyone happy.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of your healer,¡± Kane mused, and his eyebrow raised slightly. ¡°I heard some interesting


    stories during my trip.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked and I leaned forward. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    When he didn¡¯t answer, I frowned.


    ¡°Did you go to Wild Crawler?¡± I pressed. ¡°I¡¯d sent Lancel there to check out something.¡±


    ¡°By something, do you mean you sent him to investigate her?¡± Kane said in a teasing voice, and when I


    nodded sheepishly, he set the pen down andughed lightly. ¡°Well, you can¡¯t always get all of the


    information you need through an official check, can you? Sometimes gossip can give you something


    more.¡±


    ¡°Continue,¡± I urged. I had no idea what my stepbrother was about to say next, but I knew that if he was


    dragging it out like this, it had to be an important detail.


    Unfortunately, my stepbrother was known for his theatrics. He smiled and took a long deep breath


    before continuing.


    ¡°Well, I suppose if I must share with the ss,¡± he joked, and then he fixed his gaze on me. ¡°I


    discovered in my travels that Finnick, Ca ssandra¡¯s boy, isn¡¯t Emmett Keller¡¯s son.

 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66


    Chapter 66 The soldier


    CA SSANDRA


    That night, for the first time, after all of these years of loneliness and emptiness, I dreamt of my father


    and brother.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    It was a nice dream. In it, I was out with my family in a field. Ector and I were running while my father


    watched on with a kind smile on his normally stern face. As we ran, a warm breeze kissed my cheeks


    and bright sunlight filled the sky. Ector and I tumbled around in our wolf forms and rolled in the tall, soft


    grass. It was the first time I¡¯d pictured my wolf form in ages. I¡¯d almost forgotten what she¡¯d looked like.


    I wished I could have stayed in that dream forever.


    But it wasn¡¯t meant to be. I awoke the next morning to the sound of someone calling my name. My


    eyes blinked open slowly and my vision was blurred as I came to. Who was saying my name?


    Momentster, my eyes focused, and I saw Erika standing over me. The maid¡¯s face was painted with


    worry and she touched my forehead gently.


    ¡°Oh, sweetheart,¡± she murmured. ¡°You have a fever.¡±


    For a moment, her stance and tone of voice reminded me of my childhood.


    contain myself, I began to s ob.


    swelled up in my eyes and before I reminded me


    ¡°Oh Erika,¡± I managed to say through my cries. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡±


    The maid stood there,pletely stunned and unsure of what to say. I was confused by this


    interaction- why wasn¡¯t she saying anything?


    Suddenly, another voice chimed in.


    ¡°Mommy?¡± Finnick called out in a worried voice. ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    It was then that I realized I was no longer dreaming. The realization hit me like a


    ton of bricks and the tears came much faster.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, dear,¡± Erika tried to soothe me, and I felt her touch my bandaged hand. I winced from the


    pain but allowed her to check the wound. Her face suddenly paled. ¡°Your wound is infected, Ca


    ssandra. Do you have any antiseptic


    here?¡±


    I instantly forced myself to stop crying and regained myposure. I nodded and then pointed at the


    closet just beyond us.


    Erika wasted no time and walked over to the closet. She rooted around through


    the various bins and containers until she found the salve.


    ¡°Is this it?¡± she asked for rification, and when I nodded again, she shut the doors and walked back


    over to me. She took a seat at my bedside, and then carefully applied the salve to my hand. I cried out


    in pain as the medicine touched my wound but then forced myself to breathe through it.


    Once I was more stable, I turned my attention back to Erika.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said.


    Erika nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±


    The woman studied me carefully, and I could tell from her perplexed expression and the glimmer in her


    eyes that she wanted to ask me something. Her lips event parted but she seemed to change her mind


    about whatever she was going to say.


    ¡°You need to take care of yourself, Ca ssandra,¡± she offered. ¡°You¡¯ve been pushing yourself too hard


    these days. But don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll get you feeling better soon, alright?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Finnick appeared on the other side of me, his gray eyes filled with tears. His lower lip trembled and he


    had his favorite stuffed bear in his hands. He set the animal beside me and then frowned.


    ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m scared,¡± he admitted quietly, and then the tears spilled onto his cheeks freely. ¡°I hate it


    here in Anemond. Ever since we got here, there¡¯s been no happy things. I miss Wild Crawler. I miss


    Dominic and Luna Sofia. I don¡¯t like Prince Marco. He was supposed to be my friend but he¡¯s so mean,


    Mommy. I don¡¯t like him and I don¡¯t like it here. Can we please go back to Wild Crawler?¡±


    I shook my head and fought back the sadness that was swelling within me. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Finnick. We


    can¡¯t go back.¡±


    I felt so sorry for my son. Truth be told, I missed Wild Crawler more than anything. I missed Luna Sofia,


    Alpha Gareth, Dominic¡­ I especially missed Marley. But there was nothing we could do about it. Even


    if Asher was willing to let us go, it was unlikely we¡¯d return to Wild Crawler safe and sound. Too much


    had happened here. There was no chance that we could go back to our normal lives, not after the


    ordeal with Adalyn. The Moses family would never let me rest, I was sure of it.


    Erika handed me a ss of water.


    ¡°Drink,¡± she urged, and as I obeyed, she nced over at the door. ¡°There were a few guards when I


    arrived here earlier. They didn¡¯t stop me from entering, but they seemed serious.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re here to make sure I don¡¯t leave,¡± I exined. ¡°The Alpha King confined me to my chambers for


    the foreseeable future.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Erika said and she shook her head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a punishment necessarily,¡± I borated as a chill ran through my body. ¡°The Alpha


    King didn¡¯t seem angry with me after I exined what had happened. But at the same time, it was a


    very firm decision. You were right, Erika. Adalyn and her family are unlikely to let this go.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I was afraid of,¡± Erika sighed and she shook her head slowly as she stared off into the


    distance. ¡°They¡¯re dangerous, the lot of them. I just don¡¯t understand their issue with you, if that¡¯s not


    too bold to say.¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± I replied.


    As we discussed the issue further, suddenly I heard a voice beyond us. I recognized it instantly. It


    belonged to Margaret. She was arguing with the guards, who were telling her that no one was allowed


    to enter the room without the king¡¯s permission.


    Margaret was handling them more reasonably than Adalyn had, but that didn¡¯t mean she was easy to


    deal with. She began to threaten the guards.


    ¡°What are you-¡± Erika began to say as I pulled myself out of bed. I approached the door carefully and


    after a quick breath, I opened it slightly.


    ¡°What¡¯s-¡± I started to say, but Margaret didn¡¯t let me finish my statement. She pushed right past me and


    walked into the room, and the guards followed behind.


    ¡°What have you done, Ca ssandra Keller?¡± she demanded shrilly,


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything,¡± I tried to exin, but Margaret didn¡¯t let me.


    ¡°You attacked Adalyn,¡± she hissed, and then she turned to the guards. ¡°Seize her at once. She needs


    to be punished for what she¡¯s done.¡±


    Erika suddenly appeared and tried to step in.


    ¡°It was the Alpha King¡¯s decision to confine her here,¡± she attempted. ¡°You can¡¯t do this-¡±


    ¡°The Alpha King is currently in a meeting with the councilors,¡± Margaret blurted out. ¡°So I¡¯m dealing with


    it myself. Stand aside.¡±


    Suddenly, Asher¡¯s stepmother kicked Erika and the maid was thrown backward. Anger swelled within


    me and rage burst out of me.


    ¡°How dare you!¡± I cried out, and I lunged for Margaret, but before I could, I was grabbed by one of the


    guards.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move, bi tch!¡± the guard growled, and instantly, I froze. I knew that voice. I¡¯d heard it before.


    Suddenly, it hit me. It was familiar for a reason.


    It was the same voice as one of the soldiers who¡¯d broken into Rosepetal and


    set the fire five years ago.

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67


    Chapter 67 He saved her twice


    CA SSANDRA


    That voice¡­ deep, co arse, and gravelly. It was the kind of voice with a texture, one that was


    impossible to forget. It had been lingering in my mind for the past five years, ying in a loop in my


    nightmares.


    For a moment, I tried to convince myself that I was making it up, because there was no way it was


    possible to hear that same voice in the present day, here in my


    chamber.


    What was going on here?


    I¡¯d always had a sneaking suspicion that it¡¯d been Margaret who¡¯d wanted me to die in the inferno. She


    had always disliked me and sought out any reason to keep me away from the royal family.


    And yet, there were some factors that didn¡¯t make that possible. Margaret didn¡¯t have the right to


    instruct soldiers. No one could, in fact, aside from their leader, the Alpha King. Not only that but soldiers


    who had served in the empire¡¯s military couldn¡¯t be recruited as guards for the royal family. Even


    though soldiers had the capability, they had seen too much bloodshed and troubled ces to be


    around the family.


    So who were the men that had arrived at Rosepetal? And if this man was one of them, what was he


    doing here now? Had Margaret hired him to go there and force the poison down my throat? And after


    that, had he assumed life here as a guard despite the strict rules and restrictions that made it


    impossible?


    As my mind considered the possibilities, I took a long deep breath and studied Margaret. I didn¡¯t want


    to give in to this, not even for a moment, but I didn¡¯t see any other option.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± I said slowly, but then I nced beyond me. ¡°But only if you promise to leave my son


    and Erika out of it. They aren¡¯t a part of this.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Margaret replied with a cold stare and then she turned to the guard and gestured toward


    him.


    As he approached, Finnick burst into tears.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± he called out, and he started running toward me, but Erika stopped him before he could


    reach us. The maid then looked at me with a saddened


    expression.


    ¡°Ca ssandra-¡± she pleaded, but I shook my head and smiled at her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be okay,¡± I assured them gently. While this was a dangerous situation, I didn¡¯t think Margaret was


    actually going to deliver physical punishment for what I had done to Adalyn. There was something


    more at y, I was certain. Per the usual, I just needed to keep my wits about me and stay strong for


    Finnick¡¯s sake.


    The guard pushed me to move forward and a small gasp escaped me. I took a deep breath, and just as


    I took a step, I heard someone clear their throat.


    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t this quite a scene?¡±


    Kaleb stepped out of the shadows and entered the room. The king of Yurene nced between


    Margaret and me and then frowned at the guard who¡¯did his hands on me.


    ¡°I¡¯m always surprised by the way affairs are handled here in the pce,¡± he remarked as his eyebrows


    knitted together. He raised his hand and flicked his fingers. Momentster, his guards rushed in and


    swarmed around us.


    My heart pounded in my chest. What was happening?


    Margaret¡¯s guards stiffened and began to protest, but Kaleb¡¯s guards didn¡¯t let up. The foreigners were


    far bigger and stronger than the ones that were trying to take me, and for a moment, my lips curled into


    a smile at the disy.


    ¡°Release her,¡± Kaleb ordered quietly, and when no one moved, he repeated himself. ¡°Take your hands


    off of her.¡±


    ¡°Who are you toe in here and interfere?¡± Margaret demanded shrilly, and as her eyes narrowed, it


    became clear that she didn¡¯t know who Kaleb was.


    But Kaleb recognized Margaret immediately. He grinned his smug grin at her and then tilted his head to


    the side.


    ¡°I believe no one should attempt to execute an arrest without the King¡¯s acknowledgment,¡± he said with


    a glint in his navy blue eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s some kind of awful tradition in this country, but in


    Yurene, no one is allowed to treat ady in this kind of manner, no matter what she¡¯s done. It¡¯s a


    shame that Wega is


    so archaic.¡±


    Suddenly, Margaret¡¯s face paled and her lip trembled.


    ¡°Y-your Majesty,¡± she quivered, and then she straightened her posture. ¡°I¡¯m


    here on behalf of my son, you see a


    he is very busy with pce business. This


    filthy healer needs dealing with, seeing as she hurt his wife-¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know the King of Wega needed his mother to carry out his decisions,¡± Kaleb interrupted her


    boldly, and he crossed his arms against his chest. ¡°Shall we invite him down here to discuss this


    further? I¡¯m awfully curious to see what he would say.¡±


    Margaret fell silent. Her nostrils red and irritation painted her features. It was clear she was fighting a


    useless battle. She stood there, motionless for a moment, and I tried to guess how this was going to


    y out.


    Asher¡¯s stepmother wasn¡¯t one who folded easily, but there was no way she was winning this


    argument. Aside from being a member of the royal family and at member of the Crescent Pack, the


    wicked woman had no legal jurisdiction or power to carry out justice.


    She nced at me for a moment and then sighed before turning on her heels. Her guards wasted no


    time and followed her out the door. Once they were gone, Kaleb turned to his own men.


    ¡°Leave us,¡± he ordered in a voice that was stern yet still kind. ¡°I must speak with. the healer and get to


    the bottom of this ordeal. Wait outside of the chamber for me


    and make sure that the vile woman and her guards don¡¯t return. No further harm wille to Ca


    ssandra Keller. is that clear?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± the men said in unison, and without a moment¡¯s hesitation, the enormous


    foreigners bowed in respect and left the chamber. As they filed out of the room, relief bloomed from


    within me. I hadn¡¯t expected to make it out of this ordeal without getting hurt. If it hadn¡¯t been for the


    king of Yurene, there was no telling what Margaret would have done.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Once the door was closed behind them, I turned to Kaleb and offered him a


    kind smile.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said gratefully as my eyes started to well with tears. ¡°Seriously. I don¡¯t know what would


    have happened if you hadn¡¯t shown up.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a wicked person,¡± Kaleb noted. ¡°I could tell as much from her eyes. There¡¯s something wrong


    there.¡±


    ¡°You can say that again,¡± I murmured as I ran a hand through my hair and smoothed down the front of


    my nightgown.


    ¡°You know, this is the second time I¡¯ve rescued you,¡± Kaleb remarked with a grin. ¡°There¡¯s a myth in


    Yurene¡­ a girl in trouble must marry a man if he¡¯s saved her more than twice, otherwise ill fate will


    descend upon her.¡±

 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68


    Chapter 68 Who¡¯s the healer


    CA SSANDRA


    My heart sk ipped a beat.


    Was Kaleb being serious?


    I searched my mind for the right thing to say, but nothing wasing to me. Meanwhile, I could feel


    heat spreading through my cheeks.


    Before I could suffer for too long, the king of Yurene began tough.


    ¡°I¡¯m joking, Ca ssandra,¡± he said with a brilliant smile. ¡°I simply wanted to lighten the air a little bit. But


    in all seriousness¡­ are you alright?¡±


    I nodded as I rubbed my wrist. The guards had been really rough with me, and I could feel the kind of


    tenderness on my arm that usually meant a bruise was forming.


    Kaleb suddenly noticed the bandage on my wrist and his deep blue eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°What happened to you?¡± he asked as his eyebrows knitted together in


    concern.


    I quickly tucked my arm behind my back to keep from rming him further.


    ¡°It was an ident in theb,¡± I exined off-handedly, but Kaleb didn¡¯t seem convinced by my words.


    ¡°I heard there was an ident yesterday and Lady Adalyn was severely burnt,¡± he mentioned. For a


    moment, I considered fessing up, but I didn¡¯t want to get into it with him. The subject was still a little


    sore and I didn¡¯t want to rehash the drama that had led to my confinement and almost kidnapping by


    Margaret.


    So, I just nodded to my savior and kept it simple. ¡°I heard that as well.¡±


    The king of Yurene studied me for a moment. If he knew the entire story, he hid it well. He ran a hand


    through his long golden brown hair, and shifted the subject again. ¡°You know, I brought some supplies


    with me from my country. I have a salve that should be useful and help cure that burn.¡±


    I nced at him in surprise.


    ¡°Oh,¡± I remarked. ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you, but-¡±


    ¡°No buts,¡± he interrupted me, and then he crossed over to the doorway, stuck his head out, and called


    to his guards. ¡°Please go to my chambers and retrieve the medical supplies from the case. And make


    haste.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± I heard the guards reply in unison, and then their heavy footsteps rang out. Once


    they were gone, Kaleb closed the door again.


    ¡°It will be just a moment,¡± he addressed me and then he pointed to the table. ¡°Please, take a seat while


    we wait. You look exhausted, Ca ssandra.¡±


    I nodded and then walked over and sat down at the dining table.


    Beyond us, Erika and Finnick were in the corner. Erika stared at me with concern in her kind eyes, but I


    shook my head just enough to indicate they should remain where they were. The maid nodded back at


    me and continued distracting my son with a toy.


    I wanted to run to them and assure them¡­


    all was fine, but my head was still spinning from the fever, and I didn¡¯t know how to handle everything


    with Kaleb in the room. Though we were on friendly terms, he was still a king and I needed to behave


    respectfully.


    A guard returned a little whileter and handed Kaleb a dark blue ss container.


    ¡°Here you go, Your Majesty,¡± he said in a gruff, heavily ented voice.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Kaleb replied and then he gestured to the door. ¡°Leave us.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the guard said obediently, and then he left the room. Once we were alone, Kaleb undid the


    cap on the bottle. A pleasant smell radiated from the container but I couldn¡¯t ce what it was.


    Before I could say anything, Kaleb expertly shifted my bandage and began to apply the salve. I winced


    at the coldness of the balm and slight difort rose within me at the king¡¯s touch, but I didn¡¯t fight it.


    Kaleb applied it to my wound as skillfully as a healer.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I learned from battle,¡± he exined as if he had read my mind.


    I remembered what Erika had mentioned about Yurene. Surely Kaleb was no stranger to battle..


    As he finished applying the salve, I smiled at him.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said gratefully. ¡°This feels much better.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Kaleb replied with a smirk of his own. ¡°I¡¯m d it has helped.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking¡­¡± I trailed off for a moment, and then I took a breath and continued my


    thought. ¡°What brought you here? I appreciate you saving me from Margaret¡¯s guards, but why were


    you outside of my chamber?¡±


    ¡°Truth be told, I wanted to speak with you,¡± Kaleb exined, and then he nced over at Finnick and


    Erika. ¡°I have some questions, but they require privacy.¡±


    I nodded and then followed his gaze. As much as I didn¡¯t want them to leave, I owed Kaleb an


    audience.


    ¡°Erika, could you take Finnick for a walk?¡± I asked gently. The maid nodded with no hesitation and


    helped Finnick to his feet. As they walked toward the door, my son¡¯s gray eyes met mine. They were


    full of concern, not that I could me him. I waved him over and then kissed his cheek.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be okay,¡± I whispered. ¡°I promise.¡±


    Finnick didn¡¯t seem convinced, but he nodded.


    ¡°Okay, Mommy,¡± he said, and then he turned to Kaleb and straightened his posture like a little soldier.


    ¡°Thank you for saving her.¡±


    The king of Yurene smiled at the boy. ¡°Of course. Thank you, young man. You¡¯re quite the gentleman.


    Your mother raised you well.¡±


    Finnick smiled and then rejoined Erika. Once they were gone and the door was closed, Kaleb began to


    speak.


    ¡°Ca ssandra, I know I was quite blunt at the banquet,¡± he began. ¡°My offer was made suddenly, but I


    wanted to exin my reasoning. You see, I¡¯ve been looking for an experienced healer from the South,


    and from what I¡¯ve gathered, you appear to be a great one.¡±


    ¡°There are many others here in Wega that are much better than me-¡± I tried to protest, but Kaleb


    raised his hand.


    ¡°Let me continue,¡± he said. ¡°Ca ssandra, my father was infected with a disease. many years ago. It was


    difficult to cure and no healers in my country knew how to treat it. My father spent far too long in utter


    agony.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± I whispered and Kaleb nodded. He leaned forward and took a


    breath.


    ¡°Just when we thought all was lost, a healer from the South came to visit ournds,¡± he said with a


    strange glimmer in his deep blue eyes. ¡°He didn¡¯t know how to cure the disease, but he knew how to


    control the symptoms and ease the pain it brought him. He gave my father some medicine and told him


    how to slow the progress of the disease. Soon after, the healer said he had to leave but would visit


    Yurene again once he found the cure.¡±


    He stopped and then stared deeply at me.


    ¡°What happened next?¡± I asked, and my eyebrows creased together.


    ¡°The healer never visited again,¡± Kaleb replied in a mncholic tone. ¡°And my


    father¡¯s condition quickly deteriorated. Unfortunately, the medicine the healer left is running out, and I


    fear he won¡¯tst much longer.¡±


    I shook my head slowly. This was so awful to hear. As a healer, nothing hurts more than losing a


    patient. I knew the feeling all too well.


    Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind.


    ¡°Who was the healer?¡± I wondered. ¡°They were someone from Wega?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just the thing,¡± Kaleb replied, and his gaze intensified. ¡°The healer said his name was Emmett


    Keller and he was from the Wild Crawler Pack.¡±

 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69


    Chapter 69 North King¡¯s request


    CA SSANDRA


    A gasp escaped me, and for a moment, I swore I was about to faint. My head spun and a huge knot


    formed in my stomach.


    Had I heard the king correctly?


    Emmett? My Emmett?


    ¡°I was devastated to hear that Emmett had passed away,¡± Kaleb continued without ski pping a beat.


    ¡°But now I¡¯ve found you. I thought it was a coincidence that yourst name is also Keller, but then at


    the banquet, you said you were from the Wild Crawler Pack. Does that mean¡­¡±


    His question trailed off and I knew I had to finally speak.


    ¡°Emmett was my husband,¡± I confirmed.


    Kaleb nodded solemnly. ¡°I figured as much.¡±


    The room fell into silence as I processed all of this new information. Emmett had been to Yurene? He¡¯d


    never mentioned he¡¯d been to the North even once. In fact, most people in Wega never spoke about


    the North in general. Why had he gone there in the first ce and what brought him to the former king


    of Yurene in the first ce?


    The room begin to tilt and I had to steady myself for a moment to keep from. swaying. Just when I


    thought I was past all of the secrets and mysteries, I was being dealt another.


    Kaleb studied me but gave me a little bit to think about everything. I appreciated his patience, but I


    struggled to find the right words to say. I couldn¡¯t betray too much. It would seem strange for a wife to


    know so little about her husband, though I could simply pass it off if I needed to.


    Most importantly, I needed to find a way to convince Kaleb that my going to his country wasn¡¯t a good


    idea.


    ¡°I¡¯m not as talented a healer as Emmett was,¡± I said softly. ¡°I want to help, but


    I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to.¡±


    ¡°Please hear me out, Ca ssandra,¡± Kaleb pleaded in an equally gentle tone. ¡°The disease is¡­ strange.¡±


    Before I could protest further, my lips curled into a frown. ¡°What do you mean? How so?¡±


    ¡°It begins slowly enough,¡± he exined, and he got a distant look in his eyes. ¡°My father first began to


    suffer some headaches. They were few at first, but then they began to progress and they became more


    frequent. His skin lost most of its color, and then these strange marks began to appear.¡±


    ¡°Marks?¡± I asked, and my eyes began to widen.


    Kaleb nodded solemnly and gestured at his forearms. ¡°All along here. Just like the headaches, they


    were few at first and then multiplied. Deep ck marks.¡±


    I gasped.


    ck marks.


    It was the same disease that gued Wild Crawler and the Alpha King.


    Kaleb¡¯s


    expression grew rmed at the sudden sound, and his lips parted, but he didn¡¯t say anything else. He


    waited patiently with a knowing look on his face.


    I pushed all thoughts of Emmett aside. I needed to act like the healer I was.


    ¡°When was your father infected?¡± I asked him as I leaned forward. ¡°And how?¡±


    ¡°It was years ago,¡± the king replied and he shook his head. ¡°He started to grow the ck marks after he


    returned from the battlefield. Back then, Yurene was fighting against a small Pack. There was a dispute


    over territory. My father returned


    from the field severely wounded. Everyone thought he was going to die, but then, he recovered almost


    overnight. It seemed to be a miracle. But soon after, the


    headaches and marks began to appear.¡±


    ¡°Was anyone else experiencing symptoms?¡± I wondered and Kaleb shook his head.


    ¡°As far as I know, there is no one else,¡± hemented. ¡°Which is not a bad thing, of course. The disease


    is dreadful and only grows more awful with time. But I worry that if left untreated for much longer, it may


    spread to others in Yurene and be something of an epidemic. I do not wish for my people to suffer


    as my father has, Ca ssandra.¡±


    I nodded and tried to wrap my mind around all of this. If the disease had appeared in the North years


    ago, why didn¡¯t it spread instantly to Wega? And Emmett¡­ how did he know about the disease and


    how to treat it? This was all such a confusing mystery and I needed answers.


    ¡°Did you check the medicine Emmett left for you?¡± I asked. ¡°Could you recognize what he used to treat


    your father?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve examined it,¡± Kaleb replied, and then he frowned. ¡°But none of the healers in Yurene could


    figure out what it is. I didn¡¯t bring it with me or else I¡¯d ask you to study it right now for yourself.¡±


    I nodded. This was tricky territory and I needed to tread carefully.


    I leaned back in my seat and considered it all. As far as I knew, Kaleb¡¯s father could have been the first


    one infected with the disease. But that was only a theory.


    ad


    ¡°Please, Ca ssandra,¡± Kaleb urged again. ¡°I would not ask this of you if I wasn¡¯t sure that you were a


    capable healer, I¡¯ve hardly been in Wega for long, but I¡¯ve heard multiple ounts from here in the


    pce that you¡¯ve been detrimental. You healed both the Alpha King and his son when they were


    attacked by vipers-¡±


    ¡°Vipers are one thing,¡± I said slowly. ¡°But diseases are another-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt your abilities for a second,¡± he interrupted again, and this time, he


    gently touched my arm. ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t expect an answer right this moment. I know you¡¯ve gone


    through a lot just now and this is plenty to ce in yourp. All I ask is that you consider my offer. I will


    do whatever it takes for your help. Anything I can offer will be yours. Please, just think about it, Ca


    ssandra.¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    His eyes glittered a little and much to my surprise, I could see them growing wet with tears. I was a little


    surprised. The king of Yurene had always been so yful and strange. This seriousness and disy of


    softness when it came to the health of his father was unexpected and tugged at my heartstrings.


    I wanted to help. I knew that more than anything. But how could I when I was so tied up in the Alpha


    King and life here in the pce?


    Everything was so confusing. This web grew more and more intricate with every passing day.


    Suddenly, a realization crossed my mind.


    If what Kaleb had said was true and the medicine Emmett had gifted to his father was effective, there


    was a strong chance that I could find the cure to this disease. I could administer it to Asher and all of


    my patients in Wild Crawler who were suffering from the illness. If I could cure the Alpha King, I could


    take Finnick and leave Anemond behind forever. The city, the Crescent Pack, the Moses family¡­. I


    could put them entirely in my past and go back to the life I¡¯d built for


    me and my


    son.


    But in order for that to happen, I¡¯d have to do the unimaginable.


    I¡¯d have to go to the North and study the strange disease all the way up in Yurene.

 Chapter 70

    Chapter 70


    ASHER


    Chapter 70 Dubious foreigners


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I was only half awake as I sat in the meeting room and listened to the morning report. Jacoby was


    informing me about the investigation being conducted about the attempted kidnapping that¡¯d taken


    ce in the market, and the councilor¡¯s dark eyes were glum as he spoke.


    ¡°We checked the identity of the kidnapper, Your Majesty,¡± he said. ¡°They didn¡¯t live in Anemond, nor did


    they seem to be residents of Wega at all.¡±


    My brow shot up immediately. ¡°Do you think they were foreigners?¡±


    Jacoby nodded. ¡°I believe so, Your Majesty. But without officially issued certification, no foreigners


    would have been able to pass the territory line of Wega.¡±


    I frowned.


    This was all very strange.


    ¡°Did the soldiers stationed there fail their duties?¡± I wondered as frustration rose within me. ¡°How could


    a foreigner enter the territory without anyone knowing?¡±


    Jacoby hesitated for a moment.


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± he began. ¡°There¡¯s another possibility. I find it a little coincidental that the king of Yurene


    appeared right then and there to stop the kidnapper from taking Miss Ca ssandra¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting that he was behind it all?¡± I asked directly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he replied, and his cheeks flushed with color. ¡°All I know for sure is that the king is


    infamous for being scheming and slippery. He could be responsible. It would certainly raise the


    reputation of Yurene if a king swooped in to


    save a citizen of Wega. It would make their country and their people seem much more civilized and


    important.¡±


    My frown deepened as I considered his words.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if a matter such as this was important enough to make such a fuss about. I didn¡¯t want


    Wega¡¯s own reputation toe into question and be smeared by an incident such as this. But then


    again, I couldn¡¯t deny the possibility that Kaleb was behind this. As Jacoby had pointed out, it was a


    little coincidental that he happened to be in the vicinity when the incident had taken ce.


    I couldn¡¯t help but think about Ca ssandra.


    I knew my distaste for the king of Yurene had much to do with the way he devoted so much of his


    attention to her. I didn¡¯t want to consider the idea too much further, but I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he


    had his sights set on her in multiple ways?


    All I knew for certain was that I couldn¡¯t trust the Northerner.


    I turned my attention back to Jacoby, who was waiting patiently for my reply.


    ¡°Thank you for telling me about all of this,¡± I said politely, and then I nodded at him. ¡°Please keep up the


    investigation and let me know if more information develops.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Jacoby said dutifully, and then he bowed his head in respect. As he walked out of


    the room, I couldn¡¯t help but admire the way he¡¯d conducted himself. Jacoby was discreet and highly


    loyal to me. If anyone was going to get any further in this matter, it would be him.


    Once I was alone, I released the heavy breath I¡¯d been holding in and let out a small groan as my head


    throbbed. Though I¡¯d drank my fill of coffee this morning, I still found myself to be quite tired. My sleep


    had been restless and little the night. before. Lately, I¡¯d been too anxious to rest.


    Ever since Kane had told me that Finnick wasn¡¯t Emmett Keller¡¯s son, my mind could not be put at


    ease.


    My stepbrother had revealed that he¡¯d heard from the vigers in Wild Crawler that Ca ssandra had


    been three months pregnant when she¡¯d been brought to the territory by Emmett. Of course, it had just


    been idle gossip since no one seemed to know the entire story surrounding her arrival and their


    marriage.


    I hadn¡¯t known any of this beforehand. Kane had been right when he¡¯d said this kind of information


    wouldn¡¯t be included in any formal investigations.


    It was strange that Ca ssandra¡¯s arrival to Wild Crawler had been so wrought with mystery. But then


    again, everything surrounding the healer seemed to be.


    An impossible idea crossed my mind.


    Had Cora been pregnant back then?


    The thought sounded like a ridiculous thing to consider, but I couldn¡¯t help but think about it anyway. My


    recent theory was one I couldn¡¯t ignore even if I wanted


    1.


    I searched my mind and did my best to recall the events from all those years ago. I tried to picture her


    body¡­ was she showing any signs of physical change?


    As much as I hated to admit it, I couldn¡¯t recall. Before the inferno that¡¯d burnt


    down Rosepetal, I¡¯d been too busy with the ceremony and other pce business, along with my efforts


    to clear the Felix family¡¯s name, to notice things like that.


    Regret washed over me like a tidal wave and my heart began to ache.


    Why hadn¡¯t I done everything I could?


    And why had I let my final images of Cora fade away?


    Just as I was sinking into despair, I heard a knock at my chamber door. I sat up straight in my chair and


    wiped away the tears that had started to spill down my cheeks. For the briefest of moments, I


    considered telling my visitor to leave me alone, but I couldn¡¯t. My duties as the Alpha King came first. I


    needed to put on a brave face and be the leader this Pack needed.


    ¡°Who is there?¡± I called out as I cleaned myself up.


    ¡°It¡¯s Sir Moses, Your Majesty,¡± my guard reported from the other side of the


    door.


    Frustration swelled within me.


    Great. Just who I wanted to see this morning.


    I considered the idea of sending my father-inw away again, but ultimately, I knew that was a bad


    idea.


    ¡°Send him in,¡± I sighed.


    I had no idea what the man wanted but I was surprised to see that when he entered the chamber, he


    was nked by a team of councilors.


    ¡°Gentleman,¡± I greeted them in confusion, and I gestured to the seats in front of me. ¡°Please, take a


    seat.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± the councilors uttered in unison. They waited for Oliver Moses to be seated, and


    once he was properly situated in the center chair, they perched in the other seats nking him.


    Whatever he wanted, I could tell that it was serious and that he was nning. on using these


    councilors to further his agenda.


    ¡°Good morning, Your Majesty,¡± Oliver greeted me formally, and he offered me a polite but still snake-


    like smile. ¡°My sincerest apologies for bothering you at this early hour.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all,¡± I lied, and then I leaned back in my leather chair. ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure


    of this meeting?¡±


    The councilors nced at one another and then Oliver. My father-inw cleared his throat and then


    raised his chin slightly.


    ¡°I have something I wanted to propose to you,¡± he said vaguely. ¡°In light of the¡­


    events of yesterday-¡±


    ¡°I will not speak more about it,¡± I interrupted, and it took all of my willpower to push down the frustration


    that was growing by the minute.


    ¡°But of course, Your Majesty,¡± Oliver replied, and he crossed his legs and set his hands in hisp. ¡°I


    didn¡¯te here to rehash our conversation.¡±


    ¡°Then speak inly and tell me what you want,¡± I sighed.


    He nodded. After a small breath, he stared into my eyes and grew serious.


    ¡°Your Majesty, my proposition is this,¡± he began. ¡°I think it¡¯s time to announce Adalyn as the Crescent


    Pack¡¯s Luna.¡±

 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71


    ASHER


    Chapter 71 Crafty Beta


    My brow raised instinctively as I stared at Oliver Moses in surprise.


    Had he really just suggested something like that? Now, of all times?


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked, and I raised my chin slightly. This suggestion reeked of suspicion, and I was going to


    get to the bottom of it.


    ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s been five years since the death of our former king,¡± he exined evenly. ¡°I


    understand that you¡¯re still in a state of mourning, as anyone in your position would be. But I firmly


    believe that the Crescent Pack needs a Luna, someone who could raise the morale of both this Pack


    and all of Wega for that matter. It¡¯s been five years since your wedding. I believe this is the right time


    to dere her your mate.¡±


    I opened my mouth to protest this fact, but I knew it would get me nowhere. Adalyn may have been my


    wife, but she wasn¡¯t my mate. Cora had been my mate and no one would ever rece that, no matter


    how much Oliver Moses wanted to change that fact.


    I had to admit that I¡¯d underestimated my father-inw. He was far craftier than I¡¯d ever expected, and I


    was surprised that he had the boldness to propose something like this.


    With all of his cu nning and conniving, I was certain he was more than clear about the fact that I¡¯d never


    actually been with his daughter in a physical sense..


    The idea was ridiculous. Adalyn was and never had been suitable for taking the position of a Luna. She


    lacked empathy, kindness, and passion, which were crucial qualities for being the Luna of a Pack.


    A thought crossed my mind, along with a pang of sadness.


    Before everything had fallen apart, Cora had always been the perfect


    soon-to-be-Luna of the Crescent Pack. She would have flourished in the role and


    helped me usher in an era of peace and understanding that Wega had never


    before seen.


    Oliver had to have his reason to make this propositions


    ¡°Your Majesty, I must speak again about the ordeal between Ca ssandra Keller and Adalyn,¡± Oliver


    spoke, and despite my irritation, he held his hands up and continued. ¡°The healer disyed a huge


    amount of disrespect toward my daughter, as have many others. Suffice to say, I believe it¡¯s because


    she didn¡¯t recognize Adalyn to be a leader-¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± I blurted out.


    The councilors nced at one another and shrank back a little. I supposed my tone had been a little


    harsh, but I couldn¡¯t help it.


    ¡°Once Adalyn is Luna, this whole matter will be sorted out,¡± Oliver stated. ¡°I¡¯m


    certain of it.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± I asked inly.


    My father-inw seemed to be forgetting his ce. Sure, he had been the Beta of the Pack, but that


    didn¡¯t give him the authority to speak on matters he knew nothing about. Surely, he was pretending that


    I didn¡¯t have the utmost word on any matters in or around the pce.


    Besides, this issue, as well as countless others, wasn¡¯t likely to sort itself out if Adalyn had any bit of


    power. Over the years, I¡¯d heard plenty ofints from guards and se rvants alike about my wife,


    and I didn¡¯t think any of that would change once she was appointed Luna. In fact, life around here


    would likely only be worse. Adalyn didn¡¯t need that kind of encouragement. It would go right to her


    head.


    She was her father¡¯s daughter through and through.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how appointing Adalyn will change things,¡± I said.


    The councilors suddenly erupted into speech and began to plead Oliver¡¯s case. Their words mingled


    together, as did their ideas, and with every sentence, they looked to the Beta for approval. They argued


    that Adalyn would be good for the Crescent Pack, that we¡¯d needed a Luna for some time now, and


    that it was only natural that my wife of five years deserved the position.


    There were a few times I considered turning their words into a fully formed. conversation, but I simply


    sat back and allowed them to state their piece. As their words soared around me, my mind began to


    wander. All I¡¯d done in the past few years was sit back and listen.


    Being the Alpha King had never been a pleasant thing. No matter how much nonsense and bullshi t


    that was brought to my meeting chambers, I had to sit there patiently and allow my guests to speak. It


    was a song and dance I knew quite well. I would sneak in a few quips as necessary, but ultimately, sit


    back, listen, and then smile. After that I¡¯d say something polite about taking their ideas into


    consideration, though most of the time, it wasn¡¯t true.


    The longer I¡¯d been in this position, the greater I empathized with myte father. Growing up, I¡¯d always


    felt distanced from him. We had never been close, as


    he¡¯d always been far too busy with work and pce business to spend time with me. As the years


    passed on, my displeasure shifted to hate.


    But now, sitting here before a team of councilors who didn¡¯t have the realm¡¯s best interests at heart, I


    could understand my father. A king was hardly ever able to do what he wanted or what he thought was


    best for thend. There was always a flock of people with their own agendas and ideas who came first.


    I¡¯d never wanted the crown. I could have been happy without the power or the wealth. But I¡¯d ultimately


    taken the position because I thought it would help me protect my mate, Cora. If I was the king, I could


    keep her and her family safe.


    But that¡¯s not what had happened.


    I¡¯d failed at my role as protector, and now, sitting here in this room, I didn¡¯t understand my purpose.


    Why I was still doing these things I¡¯d never liked? Why was I entertaining these gossips and schemers?


    There had to be something I could do to change my life and take back the autonomy I¡¯d lost.


    I couldn¡¯t let these people rule me.


    But for now, I had to y the role.


    1 shed my audience a smile. I was about to make some arguments of my own and then cast them


    out of my chamber so I could finally have some peace and quiet.


    1.


    But just as I opened my mouth to speak, a series of intense knocks interrupted


    ¡°Come in,¡± I called out, and secondster, a guard rushed in quickly, looking panicked and horrified. His


    chest heaved as he fought to catch his breath, and even from across the room, I could see perspirationExclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    dripping from his forehead.


    ¡°Speak at once,¡± I demanded as I rose from my seat. ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± the guard uttered through trembling breath. ¡°Your Majesty, we found it¡­ the snake pit.¡±


    A shiver traveled up my spine.


    ¡°The snake pit?¡± I repeated back in surprise and the guard nodded.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± he replied, and then he stared into my eyes. ¡°We rushed in to investigate, and it


    didn¡¯t as nned. A few of my fellow men were bitten, Sire. And they don¡¯t look well.¡±

 Chapter 72

    Chapter 72


    Chapter 72 Snake pit


    CA SSANDRA


    Once Kaleb left my chambers, I crawled back into bed and stared up at the ceiling. My fever was


    lessening by the moment, but I was feeling all sorts of awful, not to mention downright tired.


    The king of Yurene had given me an emotionally charged speech, but I couldn¡¯t help but ponder the


    authenticity of his words. Kaleb had always been kind to me and didn¡¯t have any reason to lie to my


    face, but I knew better than to ept. someone¡¯s statements blindly.


    Despite his exnation, I didn¡¯t understand why he wanted me specifically to help treat his ailing father.


    Any number of the healers in Anemond were more talented than I was, and even with the knowledge


    that Emmett had been the one to gift them medicine, it wasn¡¯t as if myte husband had left me with


    notes. I had not idea what he¡¯d used to treat the king and there was no guarantee that I could figure.


    it out.


    Yet, once again, why would he lie about something so serious?


    I couldn¡¯t help but think about what going to Yurene could mean for Finnick and me, as well as the


    Alpha King. With a cure to his disease, Asher Collins could go back to the life he¡¯d had before he¡¯d


    come to Wild Crawler, and I could satisfy my part of the bargain and return to my old position.


    There were so many factors to consider and I wasn¡¯t sure how to handle it all. I was confined to my


    chambers for the foreseeable future and had no opportunity to speak to the Alpha King unless he came


    to me. Even if he dide here¡­ what would he say? Would he even let me leave Anemond?


    Just as the thought entered my mind, the door suddenly opened, and in walked a guard. Completely


    startled, I sat up in bed immediately and my heart began to


    race.


    What was going on?


    Was this guard working for Margaret?


    ¡°My apologies for walking in unannounced, Healer Ca ssandra,¡± the young guard apologized to me


    earnestly. ¡°But I had to make haste.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± I asked as I tried to catch my breath.


    ¡°A snake pit has been found, mydy,¡± the guard exined, and then he gestured toward the door. ¡°I


    need you toe with me. A few guards were attacked by the vipers within and they need treatment


    immediately.¡±


    My eyes widened. The snake pit?


    I jumped out of bed and nced down. I was still in my night clothes.


    ¡°Give me a moment to change,¡± I said quickly, and I rushed over to my closet. ¡°Will you wait outside?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the guard replied. ¡°Please, hurry. I¡¯ll be outside of the door.¡±


    Without another word, he stepped out into the hall, and once the door was closed, I pulled on a


    sweater, pants, and some boots. Once I was dressed, I pulled my hair into a bun and winced at the


    effort. The salve Kaleb had given me was helping, but my arm was still tender from the burn.


    I pushed the pain from my mind and walked out of the room. The guard straightened up and started to


    lead me down the hall, but before we could go, I turned to a se rvant just beyond us.


    ¡°Please tell Erika that I left to take care of the wounded guards,¡± I instructed, and after the se rvant


    nodded, I turned to the guard, and we made our way down. the hall.


    As we rushed down the stairs, I told the guard I needed to stop at theb to grab my kit. The guard


    agreed and escorted me there.


    ¡°Stay close,¡± he urged me as we shuffled through a small crowd of people, and I was suddenly


    reminded that I wasn¡¯t supposed to be out and about. I kept close as ordered, and once we reached


    theb, I rushed in and began to assemble my


    things.


    ¡°If this situation is as bad as it sounds, we may need my assistant,¡± I informed the guard. Becky wasn¡¯t


    currently in theb since I was in confinement.


    The guard nodded and then nced toward the door.


    I finished quickly and then followed him out of theb.


    Our destination was a house a few districts away from the pce. The guard informed me it¡¯d long


    been deserted, but once we got there, I could tell it belonged to a wealthy family. It was enormous with


    tall pirs, an expansivewn, and a few


    statues in front of the house.


    The moment we stepped foot in the house, I could hear groaning. Five cots had been arranged in the


    long hallway, and on them, I could see the guards lying there, writhing in pain.


    We rushed over to them, and as I nced around at the wounded me, I noticed they¡¯d been bitten in


    different ces. Arms, legs, faces, all swollen heavily.


    ¡°Did they catch the vipers?¡± I asked, but the guard shook his head.


    ¡°The snake pit was found in the basement,¡± he said. ¡°The vipers are very aggressive. All of the guards


    that entered were attacked. We need more support and protective suits if we want to go back.¡±


    I nodded slowly and then got to work. I examined each of the guards¡¯ bites thoroughly. The situation


    was worse than I¡¯d expected. Two of the guards seemed to have difficulty breathing and their blood


    pressure was dropping fast.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Before long, Becky arrived, and she was shocked by what she saw. Once I briefed her with what I


    knew, her eyes widened.


    ¡°Why would a snake pit be here of all ces?¡± she asked, but all I could do was


    E


    shrug and shake my head. I had no idea either, but we didn¡¯t have time to worry about that. We had to


    start treating the guards.


    After long, more guards arrived on the scene, all wearing protective suits. Soon after, Asher arrived.


    The Alpha King and I locked eyes, and after I offered him a nod of respect, Asher got to work and


    began to interview the guards.


    He asked them questions about the basement and what was down there. I was curious myself, but my


    main focus was treating my patients.


    Once he got some information, he turned to his men.


    ¡°Get down there at once,¡± he urged. ¡°We need to handle this quickly.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± the guards said with a salute, and then they vanished.


    A few minutes went by, and then the leader of the squad, a tall young man with intense ck eyes,


    rushed over to Asher.


    ¡°Your Majesty, we were stopped by a narrow corridor once we descended the stairs,¡± he exined.


    ¡°We couldn¡¯t pass it. However, we did manage to drop a few tubes of anesthesia inside. I don¡¯t know


    how effective it will be, but it might stop some of the vipers.¡±


    h


    ¡°We couldn¡¯t pass the corridor either,¡± the guard I was treating groaned. ¡°When we were down there,


    we heard a hiss and then we lit the torches. We were surrounded. The vipers attacked, but after they


    bit us, they retreated and we ran for our lives.¡±


    ¡°They retreated?¡± Asher repeated back and when the guard nodded, the Alpha King growled. ¡°What in


    the world?¡±


    ¡°How narrow is the corridor?¡± I blurted out before I could stop myself. The leader of the squad seemed


    surprised by the question but gestured with his hands anyway. I studied the distance.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way any of these guys can fit in that,¡± Asher cursed and his eyebrows creased together as


    he considered a n.


    I took a deep breath.


    I had a crazy idea.


    ¡°Do you have another suit?¡± I asked the leader. ¡°A smaller one?¡±


    The leader and Asher stared at me in confusion.


    ¡°Send me in,¡± I suggested. ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try.

 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73


    Chapter 73 Dangerous basement


    CA SSANDRA


    Asher¡¯s gray eyes darkened instantly and his nostrils red.


    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± he growled. ¡°No, Ca ssandra. We¡¯ll find another resolution. There¡¯s no way I will allow


    you to set foot in the viper pit.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, we¡¯re running out of time,¡± I insisted, ¡°We need to find out what¡¯s going on down there.¡±


    need you here to treat the guards,¡± Asher said, but I shook my head.


    ¡°Becky is here and she¡¯s more than capable of handling it while I¡¯m gone,¡± I


    pressed.


    The Alpha King ran a hand through his dark hair and shook his head.


    ¡°There has to be someone else,¡± he murmured. ¡°Anyone else.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s not,¡± I said firmly. ¡°You heard your men. Every guard you have at your disposal is too strong


    andrge to make it down that corridor. I¡¯m not. If the size he indicated is urate, I should have no


    issue making it down there. Besides, I¡¯m the best choice anyway. I know the vipers well. I¡¯ve been


    studying them for years and I know how to protect myself.¡±


    Asher shook his head again. ¡°Ca ssandra-¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Please, Your Majesty,¡± I pleaded. ¡°Please let me do this. If not for you, then for the rest of the guards. I


    need to know what we¡¯re going up against if we¡¯re going to get everyone out of here alive.¡±


    Emmett¡¯s words ran through my mind. Lcouldn¡¯t let my patients die in front of me. It was my duty as a


    healer to do anything in my power to save them. It was my responsibility.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the healer might be right,¡± the leader said gently. ¡°She seems of proper size, and from


    what I¡¯ve seen and heard, we need to act fast. We need to know what we¡¯re up against.¡±


    Asher¡¯s nostrils red, and for a moment, I thought he was going to roar at the both of us for defying


    his decree. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his


    eyes.


    1.


    We all waited in silence until finally, Asher opened them again and turned to


    ¡°Fine,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Fine.¡±


    He turned to the leader. ¡°She¡¯ll need a suit and a mask. I won¡¯t have her go in there exposed, you got


    that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± the leader said, and after he offered a salute, he approached his team and gave


    the orders. A pair of them left the house to retrieve


    the suit.


    While we waited for the guards to return, I continued working on my patients. One, an elderly


    gentleman, had lost all of the color from his cheeks.


    ¡°Hang in there,¡± J urged him gently as I wiped the sweat from his brow with a cool cloth. ¡°Just hang on


    a little longer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± he whispered. ¡°Thank you, Healer Ca ssandra.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I whispered back, and I fought back tears as I studied him. I knew I was getting myself into


    a bad situation, but I saw no other option.


    The guards returned soon with the suit. It was a little dated and worn, but much to my surprise, it fit me


    like a glove. I tucked my hair back and then turned to Becky.


    ¡°Keep themfortable,¡± I said. ¡°Everything you need is in the kit.¡±


    ¡°Be careful, Ca ssy,¡± Becky urged me. ¡°Please.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±


    Before I slipped the mask on, I nced at Asher. The color had drained from his face and his eyes


    were weary.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon, Your Majesty,¡± I assured him.


    ¡°Be safe,¡± he urged, and then he softened his tone. ¡°Please, Ca ssandra.¡±


    My name was like honey on his lips and I wanted to run into his arms. But I had a duty to fulfill.


    The guards escorted me over to the stairs. After they wished me well, I took a


    I long deep breath, slipped my mask on, opened the basement door, and stepped


    onto the stairs.


    As I descended, my heart began to race and my hands trembled. No part of me wanted to do this, but I


    had to be brave. People were counting on me.


    Once I reached the bottom, I spied the narrow corridor. Sure enough, it was a tight space. It was


    unsurprising that the guards couldn¡¯t make it through.


    I took a long, deep breath as I lingered. It was now or never.


    I turned myself sideways and maneuvered until I could get through. It was a tight fit, but I managed to


    do it. I held my breath as I walked through spiderwebs. I wanted to crawl out of my skin as they tangled


    around me, but I managed to keep myself calm. This corridor was beyond disgusting. This house had


    been abandoned for a long time.


    After I passed through the narrow corridor, the space opened up, and I could breathe a little better. I


    stretched a bit, but relief turned to fear.


    gor


    Everything was dark. I could barely see a thing and I began to panic. Danger could be lurking in any


    corner. I remained quiet and listened carefully. No hissing or slithering could be heard.


    I carefully lit the torch I¡¯d brought with me. Once the fire was burning, my


    surroundings were illuminated, and a small gasp escaped me.


    The basement was surprisingly tidy. There was a long table by the wall with two chairs neatly tucked in.


    A small stack of books and some bottles rested on the table. I was reminded of the locked room I


    frequented at the royal library.


    It was as if someone had just been here reading.


    Just as a sense of calm crashed over me, I pointed the light in the corner and nearly jumped out of my


    skin when I spotted the pit. Dozens of vipers if not more surrounded the area. Just as I¡¯d expected, the


    snakes all had ck scales like the one that¡¯d attacked Asher in the garden.


    The good news was that I could treat the guards easily if their venom was the


    same.


    Luckily for me, the tubes of anesthetics the guards had thrown into the chamber had reached the


    corner. The snakes moved very slowly, and when I took a few steps forward, I heard some hisses, but


    they were too tired to reach me.


    Once I was sure they wouldn¡¯t strike, I moved a little closer. At the center of the pit were a few snake


    eggs. I shuddered.


    Just beyond me, I spied arge tarp. I walked over and grabbed it with my free hand and then made


    my way back to the pit. I flung the heavy covering over the pit. The fabric was dense enough that the


    snakes weren¡¯t going anywhere.


    I


    Once I was sure they weren¡¯t following me, I approached the table and nced at the books. The


    volumes were old and quite weathered. Curious, I opened the one on the top of the stack and was


    surprised to see that the pages were covered in characters I couldn¡¯t understand. I frowned.


    What was thisnguage?


    I then turned my attention to the bottles. They all had the same pattern on them along with a character.


    As I squinted, I realized the pattern resembled the head of a snake with its teeth sticking out.


    I stared at the character at the center of the bottle. It was familiar somehow, but I couldn¡¯t figure out


    why. After what felt like an eternity of searching my mind, I realized where I¡¯d seen it before.


    I¡¯d read this character in one of the books I¡¯d found in the royal library.


    This strange symbol meant ¡°Udosyn¡±.

 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74


    Chapter 74 Strange man


    CA SSANDRA


    My heart pounded in my chest as I stared at the bottle. My hands began to shake so hard that for a


    moment, I nearly slipped and dropped the container on the ground.


    Were all of these bottles full of poison?


    Did someone raise these vipers here?


    Everything was so strange and confusing and my mind began to drown in the possibilities.


    Just as I started to steady myself, I heard something move behind me. I started to turn around, but I


    was shoved forward before I could. A cry rose up from my chest, and when I whipped around, a tall,


    dark figure stood behind me.


    The light down here was too dim to make out his features, and even if I could, he was moving far too


    quickly for me to recognize him.


    The man lunged at me, and suddenly, my mask was knocked off and crashed to the floor. As it broke


    into pieces, the smell of the basement hit me in full force. I plugged my nostrils as I tried to put some


    distance between my assant and me, but it was toote. The scent of the anesthetics was too strong.


    My knees began to wobble involuntarily and my head swam with dizziness.


    I tried to run, but the man was too fast. He came up behind me and shoved a cloth over my mouth. I


    tried to scream, but the sound was mu ffled. Another pungent scent reached my nose before I could


    stop it. There was something on the cloth, something toxic, and it was strong enough to finally send me


    to my knees. I copsed halfway and then momentster, I waspletely on the ground.


    I wanted to scream and cry out for help, but I was frozen, paralyzed. A wounded animal trapped on a


    cold dark floor.


    This feeling was all too familiar. It was simr to how I¡¯d felt just before the inferno five years ago. My


    eyes were swollen and my legs werepletely numb.


    Even though the effort was nearly impossible, I strained to keep my eyes open. Beyond me, the man


    stood at the table with his back turned. When he shifted, I could see him gathering up all of the books


    and bottles. He threw them into the bag. he had draped on his shoulder, and once they were all


    collected, he turned to look.


    at me.


    Fear ran through me.


    Now that he¡¯d collected what he wanted, what was he going to do to me?


    He began to walk toward me and I wanted nothing more than to disappear. I¡¯d been through hell all


    those years ago, but every day I¡¯d spent here in Anemond had be nightmarish in of itself.


    face.


    I tried again to cry out, but the effort was of no use. I was trapped.


    When the man reached me, he squatted down, and I finally got a look of his


    Well, sort of.


    His features were concealed under a grotesque mask that made my stomach turn. Whoever he was,


    he was a viin for sure.


    As I trembled, the man snorted, and without another moment¡¯s hesitation, he scooped me up off of the


    cold basement ground.


    I wanted to kick and scream as he gripped my paralyzed body tightly, but there


    was no use.


    Where was he going to take me?


    I tried again to make a sound, but none would escape me. The anesthetics thrown into the basement


    coupled with whatever chemical the man had put on the cloth were far too much for me to overpower. I


    waspletely at a loss here.


    The man carried me over to the far right wall. As we moved through the darkness, I tried to stay


    focused, but my vision was obstructed.


    Once we were there, however, I could see a small button on the wall.


    A button?


    What was that doing here?


    The man pressed it gently, and momentster, the wall before us began to rotate. Dread rose within me


    as the rotating door revealed a hallway. The corridor was dimly lit and appeared to be never-ending. I


    couldn¡¯t even see the end of it if I


    tried.


    Where did it lead? And how far was he going to take me?


    The man let out a soft sigh and just as he was about to take a step forward, I heard a voice far in the


    distance.


    ¡°Ca ssandra?¡±


    I managed a gasp.


    It was Asher.


    ¡°Ca ssandra?¡± the Alpha King called out again, his tone full of concern. ¡°Ca ssandra, where are you?


    Are you alright?¡±


    I wanted to call out after him, but I couldn¡¯t. Everything was far too numb.


    Footsteps rang out around us, and I heard Asher order his men to break through the corridor. A few


    other voices, those of his guards, urged the king to reconsider. One pointed out that there was a


    chance the wall could copse.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± Asher practically bellowed. ¡°Do it. Do what you have to do!¡±


    Suddenly, a series of crashes and thuds rang out, and my assant let out a curse. The guards


    sounded like they were getting closer.


    The man whipped around and practically threw me to the ground. As Inded


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    I with a heavy thud, the wind was practically knocked out of me. I struggled to catch my breath,


    meanwhile, the man grasped the hidden door and ran through it into the strange corridor. The door


    closed behind him, and as he got away, Asher finally


    reached me.


    ¡°Ca ssandra?¡± he cried out in rm, and he got down on the ground. Even in the darkness, I could see


    the worry that painted his features. ¡°Ca ssandra, can you


    move?¡±


    I wanted to reply, but I couldn¡¯t.


    Asher took me into his arms and lifted me up. He cradled me gently against his


    chest and held me close.


    ¡°Ca ssandra, what happened?¡± he asked.


    His eyes locked onto mine, and suddenly, I decided I needed to do anything I could to say something


    back. I took a deep, steady breath, and tried to move my hands. It took all of my effort, but I managed


    to raise one of my fingers high enough to point at the wall the man had escaped through.


    My lips trembled and I felt as if I were trying to speak underwater.


    ¡°H-h-he,¡± I forced out of my mouth co ar sely. ¡°H-he¡­ ran¡­¡±


    Asher followed the direction of my finger. He seemed confused but nodded anyway. The guards


    swarmed around us and the Alpha King gestured to the wall.


    ¡°Check over here,¡± hemanded. ¡°There was someone down here and we need to find them, quickly.


    Then I need a few of you to deal with the vipers. I¡¯ll get her upstairs.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± the guards replied obediently in unison, and they got to work immediately.


    A few of the guards headed toward the pit, and Asher tightened his hold around me.


    3


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you out of here,¡± he said to me quietly.


    I managed the smallest of nods as relief began to swell within me. Asher was


    here. I was safe.


    My eyelids began to feel heavy as the Alpha King carried me through the basement and toward the


    corridor. Just as we reached the stairs, my eyes closedpletely, and I was lost in oblivion.

 Chapter 75

    Chapter 75


    Chapter 75 Vengeance fueled up


    ADALYN


    Father didn¡¯t look well when he returned home. His cheeks were red and his eyes were frantic as they


    darted around. As his hands twitched at his sides, I realized that wherever he¡¯de from, he was in a


    terrible mood.


    or:


    Whenever he was angry or agitated, his hand twitched, along with his right eye. As he paced around


    the room, I saw his eye tick, and I knew that whatever had happened, it wasn¡¯t good.


    ¡°What happened, Father?¡± I asked as I timidly approached.


    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot and a fool, Adalyn!¡± Father shouted as his nostrils red. His sudden outburst startled


    me and I took a step back.


    ¡°What do you-¡± I started to say, but before the words could leave my mouth, Mother appeared and


    swooped in between us.


    ¡°Oliver, dear, what¡¯s going on?¡± Mother said gently, and she rubbed Father¡¯s shoulder. As she tried to


    soothe him, I took the opportunity to create some distance. between us.


    After the incident in the pceboratory, I¡¯d remained in the House of Moses. My parents had told the


    Alpha King that I¡¯d receive much better care here than I would there, but it was just an excuse. I knew


    Father wanted something from me.


    Though I didn¡¯t want to admit it, I was incredibly annoyed by it all. I¡¯d expected Asher to at least pop in


    and see if I was alright, but the Alpha King was nowhere to be found. My husband had apanied


    me during my treatments in the pce, but once I¡¯d left and returned to my parent¡¯s house¡­ it was as


    if I didn¡¯t exist anymore.


    Why didn¡¯t he care?


    Why hadn¡¯t hee to see if I was okay?


    As I sat down in an armchair and looked out the window, I bit my lip and


    remained silent.


    Truth be told, I was exhausted in almost every way possible.


    My entire life I¡¯d been told how to act, how to behave, how to conduct myself. I¡¯d been instructed how to


    speak, how to sit, and how to look. Every bit of myself had been painstakingly crafted by my parent¡¯s


    steady eyes and hands.


    So why were they angry with me now?


    I had listened to what Father had told me to do¡­ at least for the most part. I knew I¡¯d overreacted


    slightly. I wasn¡¯t supposed to create amotion in that healer¡¯sb. Father had only instructed me to


    snoop and find out what she was doing. I¡¯d been told I could make small troubles, but not too much of a


    fuss.


    I¡¯d fully intended on only doing that much. But then I¡¯d seen the look on the healer¡¯s face. Ca ssandra


    Keller. That vile, pathetic healer. She had the most condescending attitude and disposition, and that


    day, I¡¯d just had enough. She was always in ces she shouldn¡¯t be, sneaking secret nces at my


    husband. She was hiding something, and I was tired of her always somehow finding her way into my


    life.


    When I¡¯d raised the vial of chemicals, I¡¯d intended to teach her a lesson. Not a major one, just enough


    for her to back off and remember her station. In the end, though, I was the one who got hurt, both


    literally and me ntally.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    My eyes flew down to my damaged arm and I felt a small pang of pain. None of this was fair. Why was


    everyone always on Ca ssandra Keller¡¯s side, and why was no one rooting for me? I didn¡¯t understand


    what I¡¯d done to deserve any of this.


    ¡°Dear, why don¡¯t you take a seat and tell us what happened?¡± Mother¡¯s voice suddenly made me snap


    out of my haze. I looked up to see her escorting Father into the room and into his favorite chair.


    Instinctively, I rested my hands in myb and straightened my posture. If there was one thing Father


    hated more than anything, it was slouching.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Father remarked as he sat down. Once he was seated, Mother


    disappeared and left the two of us alone. For a moment, I didn¡¯t know if I should say anything.


    Provoking Father wasn¡¯t always wise, but I wanted to know what was going on.


    So, I cleared my throat and oriented my body toward him.


    ¡°Daddy?¡± I asked timidly, and when his eye narrowed in my direction, I gulped. ¡°Father, what


    happened?¡±


    He rolled his eyes and then his nostrils red.


    ¡°I told Asher to announce you as the Luna of the Pack,¡± he revealed just as Mother reentered the room.


    She nearly dropped the steaming cup of tea in her hands onto the polished floors, she was so excited.


    ¡°Really?¡± we asked in unison.


    ¡°Is that true?¡± I prompted.


    Father red. ¡°It was just a proposition, one that the Alpha King didn¡¯t answer to. Before he could


    make a decision either way, he was interrupted by a sudde


    report.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°Oh.¡±


    Why hadn¡¯t Asher said yes right away?


    As the question crossed my mind, I could tell Father was irritated. He always seemed to be very


    worried about my rtionship with my husband. Part of me was too, but the other part firmly believed it


    was only a matter of time before Asher epted me. I was his wife, after all, and our ceremony had


    been witnessed by the entire Pack.


    Though Asher hadn¡¯t married me for love, he hadn¡¯t found sce in other women, either, so I knew I


    meant something to him. Besides, I was Marco¡¯s mother, and Asher loved Marco with all of his heart.


    It wouldn¡¯t be long until Asher imed me. I knew in my heart that he would ept Father¡¯s


    proposition. After all, I was the only daughter of the second most prestigious family in Wega. That


    meant something in this Pack.


    ¡°What kind of report was made, Father?¡± I wondered.


    ¡°Apparently, they found the snake pit,¡± Father remarked.


    ¡°That¡¯s good news-¡± I started to say, and Father rose to his feet and stood


    above me.


    ¡°Foolish girl!¡± he growled. ¡°Must I exin everything to you? My goodness, I thought you had more


    sense about you! I was this close to having the king punish that wretched healer, but now that the pit¡¯s


    been discovered, he¡¯ll need her help more than ever! And if she makes her contribution to this mess,


    it¡¯ll be that much more difficult to punish her and send her to jail.¡±


    A lump formed in my throat as he red down at me. I was at a loss for words.


    He shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re entirely useless, Adalyn.¡±


    Father red at me for a moment more and then began to walk away. As he headed toward the


    hallway, Mother followed suit and tried to ease the tension. But it was no use. Father continued to his


    study, and before he disappeared, he made. onest remark.


    ¡°I wish Ss was here.¡±


    His door closed, and I sat there in shock.


    My teeth clenched and Ca ssandra Keller¡¯s face appeared in my mind.


    That filthy, vile healer.


    Everything wrong with my lifetely was solely her fault. She was taking everything away from me.


    A short breath escaped me as my eyes welled up with tears.


    I wanted her to die.

 Chapter 76

    Chapter 76


    Chapter 76 The Scar


    CA SSANDRA


    I awoke with a start. My chest heaved as I fought to catch my breath and once my vision adjusted to


    the low light, I realized I was staring into Asher¡¯s steel-gray eyes. Startled, I nearly jumped out of my


    bed.


    As I blinked and looked around, I realized I wasn¡¯t in mine at all.


    What was going on?


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    What had happened to me?


    ¡°Ca ssandra,¡± Asher said softly in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡±


    We were in a sp acious room I¡¯d never seen before. The furnishings were extravagant and fine, from


    the golden-threaded rug on the dark floors to the intricate tapestry hung on the emerald-painted walls.


    Soft embers glowed from the firece on the far end of the room and provided warmth and a light glow.


    Every surface gleamed and sparkled, and I admired the warmforter on the bed.


    Yet, I couldn¡¯t rx, not when I had no idea what was going on. I pulled myself out of bed and offered


    the Alpha King a small bow of respect.


    ¡°Y-your M-majesty,¡± I stammered as my head swam with slight dizziness.


    As Asher studied me with a strange expression, I became aware of the thin pajamas I¡¯d been dressed


    in. I didn¡¯t recognize the purple silky fabric from my closet.


    Where had ite from?


    And how had it gotten on my body?


    I became highly aware that I wasn¡¯t wearing a bra, and I fought the urge to cross my arms against my


    chest. Had Asher changed me out of the suit and gas


    mask? Had he seen me naked?


    ¡°Erika helped you dress,¡± he said quietly, and then his lips curled into a smirk. The Alpha King was


    obviously amused by my state of panic.


    ¡°Your clothes were covered in dust and all kinds of grime from that basement,¡± he continued. ¡°So I had


    Erika bring some clothes up for you.¡±


    I nodded as the information reached me.


    The basement.


    The assant.


    The Udosyn.


    My head began to throb and I nearly fell over.


    ¡°Ca ssandra, sit down,¡± Asher ordered and he gestured to the bed. ¡°You¡¯re in no state to be standing.


    You¡¯ve been through too much.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine-¡± I started to say, but before I could protest further, the Alpha King stood up from the chair


    beside the bed and rushed over to me. He took my arm and began to lead me. Before I knew it, I was


    tucked back under the soft covers.


    ??


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I murmured, and then I offered him a smile.


    ¡°I know it would probably feel better to be in your own bed,¡± Asher offered. ¡°But I heard that Margaret


    tried taking you away this morning and I didn¡¯t want to cause any further trouble. So, I brought you here


    in my chamber so no one could interfere with your rest.¡±


    ¡°Your chamber?¡± I gulped, and heat spread to my cheeks. This gorgeous room, with its high ceilings,


    arched window, and sp acious bed was Asher¡¯s? It made sense but I couldn¡¯t help but feel strange


    aboutying in his bed.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said without sk ipping a beat. ¡°I wanted you to be safe.¡±


    The exnation was strange and made me feel off. Of all of the rooms that Asher could have taken me


    to, why did he choose his private chamber? And what of Erika? What would she think of this strange


    arrangement?


    I thought of Finnick, but I was certain that if he was under Erika¡¯s care, he was


    more than safe.


    ¡°Do you feel any better?¡± he prompted me.


    I nodded, though I wasn¡¯t sure how true that was. I was still vastly shaken after everything that had


    happened.


    ¡°What happened in that basement?¡± Asher asked gently. ¡°When we found you¡­ things were strange,


    and they only got stranger. Why were you on the ground? And who left you there? You mentioned a


    man.¡±


    I took a long, deep breath, and then exined everything. As I described the man, the bottles of


    poison, the snakes, and the books on the table, Asher¡¯s face. grew grim. He nodded as I continued on,


    and once I got to the part about the strange door and the hidden passageway, his mouth set in a thin


    line.


    ¡°The guards found the door,¡± he said. ¡°When they pressed the button, a few of them went inside to


    investigate. The passage led to an underground tunnel, which seemed to connect with the sewer


    system. We couldn¡¯t find out where he went, but at least we know all of that is down there.¡±


    ¡°Are the guards okay?¡± I wondered. ¡°The ones who¡¯d been bitten by the vipers?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about them,¡± Asher replied, and he leaned forward in his chair. ¡°Becky found a cure for


    them. They were just normal viper bites, so they were treated ordingly.¡±


    ¡°Oh, good,¡± I said, and relief crashed over me. Thank goodness they were alright. I knew that my


    assistant had been more than capable, but I couldn¡¯t help but worry about my patients.


    I shifted my thoughts to the vipers and frowned.


    ¡°The viper that attacked you in the garden was probably raised in that house,¡± I realized. ¡°Since the


    bottle i found said it was Udosyn.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Asher agreed. ¡°We¡¯re looking into it now. I¡¯veunched an investigation. We¡¯re going to


    figure out who¡¯s behind all of this.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± I remarked.


    The room fell into silence for a moment. I wasn¡¯t sure what else to say. I studied the tapestry in the


    distance as I waited for the right words toe to me, and when I looked back at Asher, I detected a


    strange look on his face.


    ¡°I had the royal healers examine you earlier,¡± he remarked as his eyes trailed over me. ¡°They said


    everything was okay and that you just need some rest.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for arranging that,¡± I said politely. ¡°That was very kind of you to have me examined.¡±


    I was about to say something else when suddenly, Asher rose to his feet. He approached the bed and


    loomed over me..


    What was happening?


    I stiffened in ce as he climbed up on the mattress and arranged his body over me. Her rested his


    lean yet muscr arms on either side of me. His broad chest eclipsed me, and we grew so close that I


    could feel the sweetness of his breath against my cheek. My heart raced and my body shuddered in


    anticipation.


    I was cornered.


    The Alpha King leaned in closer still, his soft, dark brown hair creating a curtain around our faces.


    ¡°Though the healer said there was nothing wrong with your body, I noticed something interesting,¡± he


    said, his voice so low it was nearly a whisper. A shiver traveled up my spine. ¡°I need an answer from


    you, Ca ssandra.¡±


    I inhaled through trembling breath.


    ¡°What?¡± I whispered as my body broke out in chills.


    The Alpha King paused and then brought his face to my ear. His hair tickled my cheek and sweat broke


    out over my body as he whispered back.


    ¡°There¡¯s arge scar on your inner thigh. If you could tell me where you got it from, I¡¯d be most


    grateful.¡±

 Chapter 77

    Chapter 77


    Chapter 77 Her exnation


    CA SSANDRA


    I gulped involuntarily and searched my mind for the right words to say. The scar on my inner thigh? I


    knew the mark all too well, but I¡¯d never expected Asher to see


    1.


    How had ite about? Had I been undressed for the royal healers? Had he stayed here to watch


    Erika change my clothing?


    I felt a little vited, but at the same time, there was a strange feeling knowing that Asher had seen my


    body like that.


    As I trembled, a puff of air came out of Asher¡¯s nose. He lifted away from me and the air suddenly grew


    a little colder around us. The Alpha King seemed to be suppressing augh, but his lips were still


    curled into an amused expression.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to see it,¡± he revealed. ¡°I wasn¡¯t purposefully looking there. But your maid let out a small


    gasp when she noticed it and I was worried that something was wrong, so I went to check.¡±


    Suddenly, the smile left his expression and he studied me seriously.


    ¡°Ca ssandra, where did you get such a scar like that?¡± he asked, and my heart pounded in my chest.


    The truth was going to be too impossible to exin.


    The scar that ran all the way up my inner thigh hade about when I was Cora.


    It had been my first time entering the hunting zone of the forest. I¡¯d been extremely nervous but also


    incredibly excited. Unfortunately for me, I¡¯d been too excited to really pay attention. Little did I know,


    there¡¯d been a notice ced. outside of the forest that mentioned the traps that had been set within the


    hunting


    zone. The traps were meant to capture some of the many beasts that lived within the woods, one that


    would bring harm if they made it out of the forest.


    I¡¯d been too careless to read the notice. I was too preupied with my excitement for the hunt to pay


    attention to the things I should have.


    I made it out into the hunting zone and found myself running at full speed when I suddenly tripped. I


    flew through the air and fell right into one of the borate


    traps.


    The wound on my leg had been incredibly deep, so much so, that despite a werewolf¡¯s natural ability to


    heal, a long, gnarly-looking scar was left.


    Even when I¡¯d sustained my burns and then been treated by Emmett, the scar had still remained.


    I was so used to the sight of it that I rarely thought about it. But now¡­ now it was a cause for suspicion.


    Asher had seen the scar before, back when I was Cora. He¡¯d seen every inch of me back then. He¡¯d


    even kissed it before, when we were young and deeply in love. I¡¯d always been so self-conscious about


    the scar, but he¡¯d told me that it was beautiful. That I was beautiful. His voice back then had been so


    sincere and kind that I truly began to ept all of my faults, even such a nasty scar.


    As the Alpha King stared at me now, I wanted to tell him everything. Every inch of me wanted to give


    into the impulse and stand on top of this bed and announce that I wasn¡¯t in fact Ca ssandra Keller, but


    actually Cora Felix. I wanted to proim that I was once the woman he¡¯d vowed to share his life with


    and watch his face light up when he realized it was me.


    I was tired of hiding my real identity from him.


    I was ready to let go.


    But I couldn¡¯t.


    There were too many factors keeping me from revealing the truth, and the most


    important one was Finnick. I couldn¡¯t risk his safety any more than I already was. There was too great


    of a chance that he would get hurt.


    So, I took a long, deep breath, and did my best to remain calm. I had to y this a certain way if I didn¡¯t


    want to give away my real identity.


    ¡°Ca ssandra?¡± Asher prompted me with narrowed eyes. ¡°Are you going to


    answer me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± I replied, and I quickly came up with an excuse. ¡°Sort of. It¡¯s a story not worth


    getting into, honestly. The wound reminds me of bad times and I¡¯d rather not get into it-¡±


    ¡°I asked you for


    dancing around such a ssandra,¡± he practically growled. ¡°Why are you


    dancing around such a simple question?¡±


    I gulped.


    ¡°I sustained it when I was young,¡± I said carefully, and after I nced at the ground, I stared directly into


    Asher¡¯s eyes. ¡°It was an ident, you see.''¡±


    ¡°An ident,¡± Asher repeated back, and his eyes narrowed further. ¡°Go on.¡±


    I


    an


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied. ¡°It happened to me when I was out traveling. It¡¯s supermon to get injured when


    you¡¯re constantly moving around as a nomad. In fact, I was pretty clumsy. Managed to fall and hurt


    myself pretty badly. The scar is just a remnant of an ident. It never healed correctly and probably


    will always remain a blemish.¡±


    The Alpha King remained silent and watched me. I did my best to sustain his gaze, but after a while, it


    was no use. I had to look away.


    I had never been a good liar, even when I was a child. These days, all I did was lie, and they were


    beginning to stack up. With every falcity I told, there was another I needed to create to support it. I was


    tired of all of this pretending.


    As I studied the tapestry again, I could feel Asher watching me. He was still so suspicious, I knew it,


    and I didn¡¯t know how to handle this. Would he call me on my


    bluff? Tell me he remembered the scar that he¡¯d kissed so long ago? Would he reveal that he¡¯d known


    my identity this whole time and was just waiting for the right. moment to say so?


    When I gathered up the courage to do so, I turned back to the Alpha King. I waited for him to press


    further, but much to my surprise, he didn¡¯t make any such demands. Asher straightened his posture


    and released a sigh.


    ¡°I see,¡± he remarked simply.


    He stretched his arms above his head and rolled his shoulders back. As he took a long, deep breath, it


    took all of my effort to keep from sighing in relief. I¡¯d miraculously gotten away with it, at least for now.


    Though I still wasn¡¯t feeling my best, I considered leaving and heading back to my own chambers. I


    liked the idea of sleeping in my own bed and checking to make sure that Finnick was alright after all.


    Finnick was probably at least a little worried about me. I had no idea what I would tell him had


    happened, but I¡¯de up with


    something on the way there.


    Just as I was about to swing my legs over and climb out of the bed, I noticed Asher¡¯s bare forearm. The


    Alpha King had rolled up the sleeves of his dark gray


    shirt.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    I gasped in surprise when I saw it.


    There, running down the length of his exposed skin, was a deep ck mark.

 Chapter 78

    Chapter 78


    Chapter 78 Marks grew quickly


    ASHER


    As much as I needed her to, Ca ssandra wouldn¡¯t tell me the truth. As I stared into her deep green


    eyes, I could see the stubbornness within. Cora had been stubborn as well,pletely defiant. Once


    she had made her decision, no one was able to change her mind, even if it was for her own well-being.


    Along with the stubbornness was a touch of fear. That small glint of it bothered me more than I wanted


    to admit. I didn¡¯t want Ca ssandra Keller to fear me. In fact, it


    was thest thing in the world I wanted.


    Even if she didn¡¯t want to tell me the truth, there were other ways of finding out. what I¡¯d already begun


    to assume. We could conduct gic testing. A few strands of her long, copper hair were more than


    enough to be sufficient.


    If the royal healers didn¡¯t seem trustworthy enough to conduct the research. themselves, I could seek


    out other resources. I would do anything I could to find out the truth of the healer¡¯s identity.


    Of course, even if I got the proof I needed to determine that Ca ssandra was in fact Cora Felix, what


    happened next? Could she tell me what happened five years ago? Or would she just run away and


    vanish again from my life?


    There were no guarantees for how the exchange would go.


    I felt unease swelling in my heart. As much as I wanted to charge head-on into the issue, I needed to


    take things slow.


    As Ca ssandra rose from the bed, I thought she was going to up and leave entirely. However, the


    moment that her gaze reached my exposed arm, her lovely eyes widened and she stared at me in


    horror.


    ¡°The marks,¡± she gasped. ¡°How¡­ how have they spread so quickly?¡±


    I followed her gaze to my arm and suddenly felt my forehead break out in sweat. I hadn¡¯t intended for


    her to see the marks that¡¯d recently spread toward my


    wrist.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± I remarked as I yanked the sleeve of my shirt back down. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°It sure doesn¡¯t look like nothing!¡± Ca ssandra eximed, and she climbed off of the bed and rushed


    over to me. The healer took my arm and yanked the sleeve back up. I winced slightly, but tried to y it


    off.


    ¡°Look, it¡¯s not as bad as it seems,¡± I tried to brush her off. ¡°It¡¯s gotten a little worse over the past few


    days¡­ but honestly, aside from the headache, I¡¯m fine-¡±


    ¡°You must certainly aren¡¯t fine!¡± she retorted, and her eyebrows furrowed together inplete


    annoyance. ¡°This isn¡¯t good. If the mark has already spread¡­¡±


    Her voice trailed off as she examined me, and my lips curled into a frown. Why was she reacting in this


    way? I was no worse off than I¡¯d been a week ago, mark


    aside.


    Suddenly, I recognized the look on her face. Ca ssandra¡¯s expression was fearful. As she pulled my


    arm closer to her, I noticed that her eyes were wet with moisture. Was she¡­ crying? Over me?


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t this serious thest time we did a health check,¡± she said quietly, and when she met my eyes,


    I nodded.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I whispered.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Things have been so busy,¡± I murmured. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure what to say. But I won¡¯t lie to you any longer. I


    think the disease is spreading, Ca ssandra. Rapidly.¡±


    The healer¡¯s face grew pale. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and her lower lip trembled. For a


    moment, I thought she was going to dissolve into s obs. But instead, she concentrated on the mark.


    I


    ¡°I think we need to resume our health checks,¡± she stated inly and


    professionally. ¡°We need to get a handle on this and I need to keep working on my research. We have


    to find you a cure.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I agreed.


    As I studied her, I found myself a little¡­ amused. It was strange to see that the


    healer was so worried about me.


    ¡°Have the marks spread to any other parts of your body besides the arm?¡± Ca ssandra asked, and her


    eyes locked on mine. Her gaze was steady, and I had to admit, her big, doe-like eyes were drawing me


    in. She was so immensely beautiful, even when she seemed so concerned about my health and


    wellbeing.


    ¡°You¡­ could always check for yourself,¡± I said slowly. For a moment, I couldn¡¯t even believe my own


    audacity. Had those words really left my lips? Had I just dared


    I


    the beautiful healer to give me a thorough examination?


    Ca ssandra seemed a little taken aback. She dropped my arm and then took a small step back. Her


    eyes remained locked on mine and I watched as she took a


    small breath.


    As she stepped back, I took a step closer. I knew what I was about to do wasn¡¯t my best idea, but my


    pull to her was maic.


    I leaned down and pressed my lips against hers. The healer was surprised by this and started to move


    away, but I ced my hand on her lower back and drew


    her closer.


    I wanted her. More than I¡¯d ever wanted just about anyone. My body craved her mere presence and


    even being this far away from her wasn¡¯t enough. I needed to


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    consume her.


    Ca ssandra stopped fighting it and pressed her lips against mine. I was impressed by the force and a


    small moan escaped me as she wrapped her arms. around my neck.


    I brought my hand up and gently pulled at her hair. She sighed, a good sign.


    With this blessing in mind, I guided her to the bed and lifted her up onto the mattress. She sat down


    and then wrapped her legs around me for support. A shiver ran through me. I gripped one of her thighs


    and squeezed. She gasped and then pressed her lips against me even stronger. When I gently bit


    down on her lower lip, she groaned.


    ¡°Do you like that?¡± I whispered, and when she nodded, I did it again, only stronger. Ca ssandra moaned


    breathily, and the moment that the sound reached my ears, heat spread through my body. I ran my


    thumb over her thigh and brought my hand higher up. Just as it hovered dangerously close, I pulled


    away slightly and stared into her eyes.


    It was obvious then that Ca ssandra Keller wanted me just as much as I wanted her. Her lips were red


    and swollen and her long, copper hair was tangled. Even in the low light of the room, I could see her


    cheeks were rosy with color. The sight of her like this was almost too much for me to bear. Her perfume


    filled my nose with its sweet scent and I wanted to give in to this intoxication.


    I pressed my lips against hers again, and just as I slipped my tongue into her mouth, I heard a sound


    from the other side of the door.


    ¡°Prince Marco, I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t go inside!¡± a guard¡¯s mu ffled voice called out.


    ¡°Prince Marco! Prince Marco-¡±


    I pulled away from Ca ssandra and my heart dropped.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± Marco cried, and before I could reply or stop him, the door flew open.

 Chapter 79

    Chapter 79


    Chapter 79 Complicated mystery


    CA SSANDRA


    Though we managed to untangle from one another and separate just in time for the prince to enter the


    room, I could tell the boy wasn¡¯t happy to see me as he ran to his father. I could pretend our moment


    hadn¡¯t happened, but it was clear that Marco suspected at least something. The prince¡¯s eyes


    narrowed as they fell on me, and I did my best to smile and remain calm.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± he demanded and he nced between Asher and me. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t the guard


    let me in right away?¡±


    ¡°What we¡¯re doing is none of your business,¡± Asher said firmly, and then he raised his chin. ¡°Besides,


    Marco, I¡¯ve told you countless times before. I didn¡¯t hear a knock. It¡¯s impolite to enter anyone¡¯s room


    without express permission. You didn¡¯t wait for me to reply.¡±


    The young prince¡¯s eyes dropped to the ground and he audibly gulped.


    ¡°Sorry, Daddy,¡± he murmured.


    ¡°Now, why are you here?¡± Asher asked directly.


    Marco raised his gaze and peeked at me. His cheeks darkened he gulped again. He clearly wasn¡¯t


    about to say anything, not with me around.


    It was definitely time for me to leave.


    I straightened myself out and then presented the Alpha King with a polite bow of respect.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, Your Majesty,¡± I said in my most professional tone. ¡°For the health check, of


    course.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Asher replied, and after we exchanged a brief look, I took a breath


    and then headed toward the chamber door. With every step, my body shook, but I managed to step out


    of the room just in time.


    As the doors closed behind me, I could hear Asher¡¯s voice, but I couldn¡¯t make out what he was saying.


    The guards allowed me to pass, and for a moment, I considered lingering, but decided it was time for


    me to go back to my own room. I¡¯d been in the king¡¯s chamber for far too long already.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    On my way there, I remembered Asher¡¯s mark and found myself at a crossroads. It was probably best


    to go straight to my own room, but I was too worried to just go to sleep. So, I decided to make my way


    downstairs to theb.


    Since it was sote, there were no people on the stairs, which meant I could slip around undetected.


    Technically, I was still under confinement, or at least I assumed I was, but I needed to do some reading


    before I could rest.


    knew I was likely overreacting to the mark, but I couldn¡¯t be too safe.


    As I walked down the hall, the events of thest ten minutes raced through my mind.


    The kiss.


    The bed.


    Everything about it was so intense.


    Not to mention that all of that had been donepletely sober.


    My body shuddered as I remembered Asher¡¯s hand on my thigh, the way he pulled my hair, and the


    way he¡¯d bitten my lip.


    I had just vowed to myself that I would be more careful and that I¡¯d stay away from trouble, but it


    seemed that no matter how much I tried, I just sank deeper and deeper. There was no getting away


    from it, no matter how much I wanted to.


    As images of Asher danced in my head, I reached theb, and when I opened the door, I was surprised


    to see Becky there.


    ¡°Ca ssandra?¡± she greeted me in surprise, and then she rushed over to me. She pulled me into a tight


    hug and then squeezed. ¡°Oh, Ca ssy, I¡¯m so d you¡¯re okay.¡±


    She pulled away and then frowned. ¡°Are you¡­ in pajamas?¡±


    I suddenly became very aware of my attire and heat spread to my cheeks. I hadn¡¯t even realized I was


    still in such a casual state of undress.


    day.¡±


    ¡°Oops,¡± I remarked and I crossed my arms against my chest. ¡°I¡­ it¡¯s been a long


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Becky said with a smirk, and then she tilted her head. slightly. ¡°What are you


    doing down here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a lot on my mind,¡± I exined. ¡°Thank you for taking care of the guards. The Alpha King told


    me you did a great job.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all,¡± my assistant said. ¡°It was simple.¡±


    ¡°Still, it means a lot,¡± I replied. ¡°Thank you,¡±


    I walked over to my desk and took a seat. As I started to look over my papers, Becky approached.


    ¡°Ca ssy, I found something else when I tested the venom,¡± she revealed. ¡°Some of the snakes we


    found in the basement seemed to be like the vipers that had appeared in the garden, but a few were


    different.¡±


    ¡°Did you find Udosyn in any of them?¡± I wondered.


    Becky nodded.


    So, my assumption was correct. The bottles I¡¯d seen on the tables had in fact. been poisons and the


    mysterious man who¡¯d attacked me was using them to change the venom of the vipers.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to know,¡± I said, and then I took a good look at my assistant. She seemed pretty


    exhausted. ¡°Becky, why don¡¯t you go get some rest? I¡¯ll handle


    things from here.¡±


    She seemed like she wanted to fight and continue working, but she took a moment and then nodded.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said. ¡°But don¡¯t be up toote, Ca ssy. You need to take care of yourself. And besides, you


    Adalyn mighte back-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± I said with a smallugh. ¡°She might not be the brightest, but I think she knows better


    than to mess with theb anymore.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Becky agreed, and after she smiled, she left theb. Once she was gone, I took a look at the


    notes she¡¯d made about the venoms.


    From what I gathered in the notes, there were only two types of vipers but many kinds of unknown


    venoms, as I gathered from the question marks Becky had written beside them. Had the snakes been


    tested in any sort of way? Did certain


    poisons work better in different snakes? What was the meaning of it all?


    This was all still such a mystery.


    Who was the man? And how had he managed to clear out every trace of evidence before we¡¯d arrived


    down in the basement? What had he wanted with me?


    He seemed like he was going to take me with him, but what would have happened after that? Was he


    going to kill me?


    Asher said that it would be difficult to track the man since it wasn¡¯t clear where he¡¯d gone. The hidden


    door had led out to the sewers. Where would he have gone. from there?


    Though none of this made any sense right now, I had a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach, a


    hunch that we were getting closer and closer to the truth.


    Hidden passages, mysterious men, poison-carrying vipers¡­ this was like. something out of a twisted


    fairytale.


    As I examined the notes and the data analyses from the snakes, a chill ran through me. Whatever the


    truth was, it was likelyplicated, horrible even. This


    situation was dangerous, probably more so than any of us were ready for.

 Chapter 80

    Chapter 80


    Chapter 80 Lie


    ASHER


    I stared into my son¡¯s eyes with disdain as I fought to refocus my mind. Out of the corner of my vision, I


    could see Ca ssandra leaving the chamber. Though I needed to concentrate on Marco¡¯s words, I was


    still a little bothered after my


    encounter with the healer.


    ¡°Marco, why are you here?¡± I asked him as my frustration began to rise. When my son began to pout, I


    decided to soften my tone. The boy was visibly distressed and I didn¡¯t want to usher in another tantrum.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Though I didn¡¯t want to admit it, part of me knew that I¡¯d been neglecting the boy quite often these


    days. I¡¯d been so caught up in all of the drama of the snakes and the market, and the other various


    goings on in Anemond that I¡¯d barely even seen Marco.


    ¡°Daddy, why haven¡¯t you visited Mommy?¡± Marco whined, and his lip began to quiver. ¡°She was


    severely hurt and she¡¯s in pain. She needs you right away, Daddy!¡±


    A heavy sigh escaped me before I could stop it.


    Adalyn.


    Just the thought of her made my head ache again.


    ¡°Marco, I don¡¯t have the time right now,¡± I said gently as I pinched the bridge of my nose between my


    fingers. ¡°Daddy has a lot that he has to deal with, and besides, it¡¯ste-¡±


    ¡°You could visit Mommy now!¡± Marco announced. ¡°IE you have time to talk with the healerdy, why


    can¡¯t you talk with Mommy?¡±.


    The young prince¡¯s theory wasn¡¯t a bad one, and I had to acknowledge the logic in his words. But then


    again, I knew that this idea wasn¡¯t unprompted.


    ¡°Did your mother ask you toe here?¡± I asked, and I tried to shove down the mounting frustration


    within me. Marco¡¯s cheeks lost their color and his eyes fell again to the ground.


    ¡°Mommy did want you toe see her,¡± he said quietly as he gave a little kick. ¡°But she didn¡¯t tell me


    toe here. It was my idea, Daddy. I just want you and Mommy to be happy, that¡¯s all.¡±


    The sentiment hung in the air and I felt a tug at my heart. I couldn¡¯t me Marco for feeling this way.


    Adalyn and I hadn¡¯t been model parentstely. He deserved better adults to look up to. How was he


    ever going to learn what a healthy rtionship looked like if we didn¡¯t at least pretend to conduct


    ourselves like


    adults?


    ¡°Okay,¡± I decided, and I reached out and took his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go see Mommy.¡±


    Marco lit up immediately. ¡°Really?¡±


    I nodded.


    The young prince¡¯s lips curled up into a grin and heughed.


    We left the chamber and I took a moment to tell the guards where I was going. One of them decided to


    remain outside of the room while the other offered to apany us to the House of Moses. I agreed to


    the young man¡¯s offer, and then the three of us made our way out of the pce.


    The House of Moses was technically part of the pce grounds, but existed just on the outskirts. The


    walk was a quiet one, but I could tell that Marco was beyond excited. I wanted to remind him to lower


    his expectations, but at the same time, I didn¡¯t want to ruin his good mood.


    Once we reached the grand estate, Marco rushed ahead to the front door and knocked on it happily.


    Momentster, the door opened, and Linda Moses greeted


    1.


    ¡°Oh,¡± she remarked in surprise. ¡°Hello there! Please,e in.¡±


    She ushered us inside, and I said a small prayer to the Moon Goddess. This was likely going to be a


    terrible idea.


    ¡°Is Oliver around?¡± I asked as we lingered for a moment in the foyer. I peered up


    the stairs but didn¡¯t see the Beta up there.


    ¡°No, no,¡± Linda replied politely. ¡°He¡¯s away visiting some friends.¡±


    ¡°At this hour?¡± I wondered, but I decided not to press any further. Admittedly, I was happy that he


    wasn¡¯t around. I wasn¡¯t in any mood to speak with him anyway.


    joy.


    ¡°We¡¯re here to see Mommy!¡± Marco eximed as he practically bounced with


    ¡°That¡¯s sweet,¡± Linda said enthusiastically. ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be very happy to see you. Come along.


    She¡¯s in her bedroom.¡±


    Without further ado, Linda led us to Adalyn¡¯s room on the top floor. With every step, I forced myself to


    breathe. I could do this. I just needed to visit Adalyn to satisfy Marco.


    Linda knocked on the door and momentster, there was a loud thud on the


    other side.


    ¡°Go away!¡± Adalyn¡¯s mu ffled voice called out. It sounded as if she¡¯d been crying.


    Her mother looked embarrassed as she turned back to face me.


    ¡°Adalyn had a small¡­ quarrel with her father,¡± she exined gently and Marco looked worried. I raised


    my brow. What had the Beta said to make Adalyn so upset?


    I approached the door myself, and once Linda stood aside, I knocked.


    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± I said. ¡°And Marco.¡±


    ¡°Asher?¡± Adalyn said timidly, and then the door flew open. Adalyn stood there, wearing a simple dark


    red robe. Her eyes werepletely bloodshot, and her cheeks were slightly swollen.


    ¡°We came to see you!¡± Marco said, and he wrapped his arms around Adalyn¡¯s legs. Adalyn¡¯s golden


    eyes remained fixed on me.


    ¡°Thanks, baby,¡± she said, and then she crouched down until she was at Marco¡¯s level. ¡°Why don¡¯t you


    go see Grandma for a while while Daddy and I have a grown-up talk?¡±


    Marco nodded happily. ¡°Take your time! I¡¯ll go y with Grandma!¡±


    Linda obediently took Marco¡¯s hand and led him away. Adalyn and I stepped


    into her room and closed the door behind us.


    The room was silent as I tried to find the right words to say.


    ¡°Has your wound improved?¡± I asked, and Adalyn nodded.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said quietly. ¡°I feel much better. I should be able to return to the pce soon.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush,¡± I assured her. ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. Take all of the time you need to rest here.¡±


    A flicker of disappointment crossed her eyes and she frowned.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Silence again, and then I decided to justy it all out.


    ¡°Adalyn, you shouldn¡¯t lie to Marco,¡± I said. ¡°He came to me crying. I¡¯m worried that lying will only teach


    him bad habits.¡±


    Her lips parted, but I had to continue anyway.


    ¡°If taking proper care of him and teaching him is too difficult, I could hire someone else to do it,¡± I said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want him to grow up to be spoiled or-¡±


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ¡°The healer!¡± Adalyn seethed, and her hands curled into fists at her sides. ¡°I-| knew it! You want her to


    take my position!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I demanded, and I took a step backward. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You want to rece me!¡± Adalyn used and then she shook her head and pointed at me. ¡°I knew it!


    Well, you listen here, Asher. That woman is suspicious in every conceivable way.¡±


    ¡°She has nothing to do with this,¡± I said. ¡°This is between us.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s the lying one now?¡± Adalynughed cruelly as tears fell down her cheeks. ¡°Asher, you¡¯re


    kidding yourself here. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s strange that the king of Yurene cares so much about her? Or


    that the viper attacks started with her? I¡¯m telling you, Asher, that woman is a spy¡­ or something even


    more vicious. Mark my words. Something is wrong with her, and letting her into your life¡­ it¡¯ll be your


    undoing.¡±

 Chapter 81

    Chapter 81


    ASHER


    Chapter 81 A taste of jealousy


    When Ca ssandra Keller arrived at my study for the health check the next day, was still thinking about


    Adalyn¡¯s usatory words. I wasn¡¯t st upid enough to fall for the im that the healer was somehow


    entangled with the king of Yurene. There


    was no way she had anything to do with him..


    I knew Adalyn¡¯s words hade from jealousy.


    And yet, I couldn¡¯t help but consider Kaleb. The way the king from the North treated Ca ssandra


    bothered me greatly. There was something there in the way the tall, foreign man studied her. There


    was an affection that I didn¡¯t like, one that even now, I couldn¡¯t deny.


    But a spy? No. There was no way that the beautiful healer I¡¯d plucked all the way from Wild Crawler


    was an operative.


    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± she asked me quietly.


    ¡°Sure,¡± I remarked simply.


    She spread her supplies out on my desk and then got to work. As she poked. and prodded me, my


    mind began to wander until I finally slipped back into reality. Ca ssandra was engrossed in her work. I


    watched her closely as she made notes about my blood pressure and then moved on to the next task


    with ease.


    I wanted to make small talk, but I had the sense she didn¡¯t want to speak with me at all after what had


    happened between us in my chamber yesterday. What could I say, and what could I do about it all?


    A sigh escaped me before I could stop it.


    ¡°You can sit closer,¡± I said-softly.


    Ca ssandra looked up from her notes and seemed taken aback by the offer.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± she asked as her brow furrowed.


    ¡°You can sit closer,¡± I repeated myself, and then I took a breath. ¡°I promise, I won¡¯t touch you if you


    don¡¯t want me to.¡±


    Her cheeks flushed scarlet and then she nodded. She scooted in a little closer, but I could tell from her


    bodynguage that she was still too nervous to be around


    1.


    ¡°About yesterday,¡± I said after I cleared my throat. ¡°About Margaret. I just wanted to apologize for what


    she did. There was no reason why she should have shown up to your chambers and tried to seize you.


    Her guards had no reason toy a single hand on you and I promise it¡¯s being dealt with. I¡¯ve always


    tried to y nicely with her for my brother¡¯s sake, but clearly, there¡¯s no reason for it.¡±


    I didn¡¯t mean to say thest sentence aloud, though it was true. I¡¯d always wanted to send Margaret


    away, and now since my father was gone, there was really no reason for her to remain in Anemond.


    But I resisted the urge to exile her for Kane¡¯s sake. I didn¡¯t want to damage my rtionship with him by


    sending his mother


    somewhere else.


    But clearly, I¡¯d been toox with her. I needed to punish her for what she¡¯d attempted to do to Ca


    ssandra.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± the healer remarked quietly. ¡°After all, Your Majesty, Adalyn was wounded in myboratory. I


    understand why Margaret would be angry that her daughter-inw was wounded.¡±


    I wanted to say something in response but didn¡¯t know what. I was reminded of


    an earlier conversation between us where Ca ssandra had asked me if I cared about


    my rtionship with Adalyn, and I¡¯d said no.


    The unease in my heart grew stronger.


    ¡°I heard that Kaleb was the one that stopped Margaret,¡± I continued.


    Ca ssandra nodded and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear.


    ¡°I also heard that the king had a private conversation with you,¡± I said. Ca ssandra stopped what she


    was doing and raised her eyes to meet mine.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°He did¡±


    I waited for her to borate, but when she didn¡¯t, I decided I needed to pry a little bit more. Why wasn¡¯t


    she sharing any of this with me? Did she really trust me so little and the king of Yurene so much? Why


    was she being so coy?


    ¡°What did he talk to you about?¡± I asked her directly as my head began to pound.


    Ca ssandra remained silent and then her eyes fell to the ground.


    ¡°Nothing of great importance,¡± she said. ¡°The king of Yurene wanted to make sure that I was alright out


    of his courtesy as a gentleman. He brought me some salve from his country to soothe my burn. I don¡¯t


    know if he¡¯s sent any to Lady Adalyn, but the stuff was quite useful. It took much of my pain away.¡±


    ¡°I checked on Adalynst night,¡± I said. ¡°At her family¡¯s estate. She said she was feeling just fine.¡±


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Ca ssandra fell silent. She stopped making notes in her journal and her mouth


    drew into a thin line. Her hands shook a little, but she managed to steady them quickly and offer me a


    response.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to hear that, Your Majesty,¡± she said quietly.


    Normally, I didn¡¯t object too much to the formalities that came with my position, but I didn¡¯t like hearing


    the words ¡°Your Majesty¡±ing from her lips. They were too cold, too courteous, too/polite. As absurd


    as it seemed, they almost felt like an insulting from her.


    Did she speak with Kaleb in this manner? Or was she closer with the King of Yurene? Did they have a


    closer friendship? Were they more than acquaintances?


    I then pictured Kaleb in her room. Had he sat down beside her and applied the balm directly to her


    skin? The guards had told me that the king had spent quite a deal of time in her room. What had gone


    down there?


    Had he sat on her bed? Seen her in a more intimate light than I had in my chambersst night?


    I knew it was childish to think this way, but I couldn¡¯t help it. I couldn¡¯t stop


    myself from these feelings of jealousy. I cared too much about Ca ssandra, certainly,


    I


    and I wanted to make sure that she was safe.


    But it wasn¡¯t my job to do so.


    Whatever was going on, I needed to trust that she could handle it. Ca ssandra


    I was a capable woman who could easily handle herself. If the king of Yurene had been improper to


    her, she would have taken care of it or at least told someone else. All of these were made-up


    possibilities in my mind.


    ¡°Did you speak of anything else?¡± I wondered.


    ¡°No, Your Majesty,¡± Ca ssandra replied.


    As she sorted through her things and continued the health check, I felt a knot forming in my stomach.


    With every instrument and notepad she stashed away in her. kit, I considered different things to say. I


    wanted to press further, beg her to tell me more. Hell, I¡¯d even demand it if I had to.


    But even though I was the Alpha King of Wega, I couldn¡¯t force her to do anything she didn¡¯t want to


    do. The more I forced her, the less she would trust me.


    So instead, I nodded and let her continue her check. I sank back into my chair and closed my eyes.

 Chapter 82

    Chapter 82


    Chapter 82 Let¡¯s open the box


    CA SSANDRA


    Even though I wanted to tell Asher everything and reveal what the king of Yurene and I had spoken


    about after Margaret had left the room, Kaleb had asked me to keep the details of our conversation a


    secret. I couldn¡¯t betray anything about his father¡¯s illness, not when he¡¯d been kind enough to save me


    so many times.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    And besides, there was no way I could even remotely mention Kaleb¡¯s offer to join him in the North.


    There was no possible way Asher could understand that, not even a little bit. Hell, I couldn¡¯t even


    understand it myself, not when there was so much going on.


    The snake pit.


    Adalyn.


    The encounter with the Alpha King in his chambersst night¡­


    I certainly couldn¡¯t say anything afterst night.


    I could hardly stand to be in the same room as Asher. His proximity to me was far too much already


    that I could barely handle this health check without losing my mind.


    Was he still thinking about it as much as I was? Still thinking about me, the way I¡¯d wrapped my legs


    around him, the way I¡¯d quivered under his touch? Did he spend the night as I had, dreaming about


    what could have been if Prince Marco hadn¡¯t walked into the chamber and interrupted us?


    Pull yourself, together, Ca ssandra, I chastised myself. I couldn¡¯t sumb to those thoughts, not now.


    I half-expected the Alpha King to get upset with me for not betraying my encounter with Kaleb, but he


    didn¡¯t. He simply sank back into his chair and closed


    his eyes. I had the sense that a headache had arrived, so I decided not to push too


    far.


    I worked in silence for a while, taking notes, measurements, and different details of Asher¡¯s health. Just


    as he¡¯d mentioned, it seemed like the disease was in fact progressing. I wished I had more research on


    the subject to tell me how this was going to y out, but at the end of the day, it just wasn¡¯t there.


    I didn¡¯t want to worry him, but this new mark on his forearm wasn¡¯t looking good.


    ¡°Have you heard anything more about the vipers in the basement?¡± Asher shifted the subject.


    His eyes opened, and as they stared into mine, I was grateful for the shift in subject.


    ¡°Becky told me that many venoms were noted,¡± I ryed. ¡°But many of them were new or ones that


    she recognized as non-lethal and the ones that contained the worst kind,


    but there were a few others we didn¡¯t know about.¡±


    had little information about them in our books. She wrote down the


    ¡°I see,¡± Asher remarked. ¡°Mystery venoms? That certainly doesn¡¯t bode well, does it? I wonder what


    can be done about it all? We can¡¯t risk any more viper attacks around here. We only have so many


    healers, and I don¡¯t want to risk anyone¡¯s safety any further.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I agreed.


    I finished up the health check and began to pack my supplies away neatly. As ! made sure everything


    was in its proper ce, my mind wandered, and suddenly, a thought appeared.


    The strange box in the royal library.


    ¡°Your Majesty, do you know anything about the box in the royal library?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Asher asked, and his eyebrows creased together.


    ¡°The box in the library,¡± I repeated, and then I rified. ¡°The one in the private


    room?¡±


    Asher still didn¡¯t seem to understand.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know of any such box,¡± he said, and he pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers.


    ¡°Describe it to me.¡±


    ¡°Large, wooden,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s got arge lock on the top. I asked the librarian what it was, but she had


    no recollection of it either. She said it¡¯s been sealed for the entirety of her employment.¡±


    ¡°Large wooden box¡­¡± the Alpha King mused, and then he sat up. ¡°Okay, I know what you¡¯re


    describing. But I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know anything about it. Why, what does it have to do with the vipers? I


    don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a definite possibility that I could be wrong,¡± I said slowly. ¡°But I think, Your Majesty, that the


    box might be rted to the Ewonmiams.¡±


    Asher leaned forward. ¡°Okay, Ca ssandra, now you¡¯ve lost me entirely. Catch me up to speed about


    whatever key details I appear to be missing. What are the Ewonmiams and what have they to do with


    anything we¡¯ve discussed?¡±


    I went into detail about everything I¡¯d uncovered in the royal library. I exined the Ewonmiams and the


    sorcery, everyst thing I¡¯d read about in the books.


    Asher listened carefully, and once I reached the part about Wega being built to fight the Ewonmiams


    and stop sorcery, he frowned.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve never heard anything about that,¡± he remarked. ¡°I was never told.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think any of us were,¡± I said as I shook my head. ¡°I think it¡¯s an idea that has long been buried.¡±


    I told him all about the poisons they¡¯d produced, and that although they¡¯d been mentioned, there were


    few details about them.


    ¡°If I could find out more about the poisons, I might be able to find their cures,¡± I


    said.


    Asher pondered the idea and then nodded thoughtfully.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s a gut feeling?¡± he asked. ¡°All of this?¡±


    Heat spread to my cheeks and I nodded back. The Alpha King¡¯s assessment was correct. All of this


    was merely a theory. I didn¡¯t know how much merit there was to it. Icked some credible sources, and


    I had no idea what could actually be inside the box. All I knew was what I¡¯d found in the books and the


    story that Becky had


    told me in theb.


    Now that I¡¯d said it all out loud, I felt a little ridiculous.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Majesty,¡± I apologized quietly. ¡°I know this seems silly. I¡¯m probably not right about any


    of it.¡±


    I half expected augh, but Asher shook his head and cleared his throat. He rolled his shoulders back


    and stared into my eyes with great intensity. I had no ideal what was about to happen. Would heugh


    at me? Write me offpletely?


    The Alpha King rose to his feet.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go check the box with you,¡± he announced, much to my surprise. ¡°If there¡¯s something there, we


    need to find out right away. I want to get to the bottom of this mystery. Thest thing any of us needs is


    another fatal attack. As the king of Wega, it¡¯s my duty to undercover any possible threats. So, let¡¯s do


    whatever we can to find out the truth, even if the theory seems imusible.¡±


    ¡°The box is sealed, Your Majesty,¡± I reminded him. ¡°We may need some heavy tools to pry it open.¡±


    Asher smirked at my proposition. ¡°I¡¯m a very capable wolf, Ca ssandra. I think I can handle a closed


    box.¡±


    For a moment, I was stunned. For the first time in what felt like forever, I saw the Asher of the past, the


    one who could oftentimes be arrogant, but mostly confident.


    I smiled.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I decided. ¡°Let¡¯s go open up the box.¡±

 Chapter 83

    Chapter 83


    Chapter 83 Stolen


    CA SSANDRA


    We left Asher¡¯s study immediately, and the moment we set foot in the hallway, the guards stationed


    outside both nced at each other in rm.


    ¡°Is everything all right, Your Majesty?¡± one asked as he studied the Alpha King¡¯s expression. To his


    credit, Asher was looking slightly exhausted. His dark circles were far more present than they¡¯d been in


    the past week. As the illness was affecting him more and more, his physical appearance began to look


    more sickly. He was still as handsome as ever, but it was evident he wasn¡¯t sleeping much these days.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Asher answered him politely. ¡°I¡¯ll return shortly. I¡¯m going apany Healer Ca ssandra on


    an errand. Remain here.¡±


    to


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± the guard replied obediently, and after he offered Asher a nod, the Alpha King


    turned to me and gestured forward.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said, and then we made our way down the hall.


    Our walk down to the royal library was silent, and I once again found myself surprised that Asher was


    entertaining this theory of mine. I hadn¡¯t expected him to go along with this, but I was grateful that he


    was giving my idea the time of day.


    When we entered the building, the librarian rose to her feet and bowed to the Alpha King. ¡°Y-your


    Majesty,¡± she stammered. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you here. Is there anything I can help you with?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Asher replied simply. ¡°Healer Ca ssandra and I would like to take a look in the private room if you


    don¡¯t mind. Could you unlock it for us?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± the librarian said, and she offered the king a brilliant smile. ¡°Let me find the keys and I¡¯ll let


    you in. The library is empty today, so you¡¯ll have all the privacy you need.¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    3


    Asher nodded. ¡°Perfect.¡±


    The librarian rooted around in her desk, and after she pushed her sses up the bridge of her nose


    and ran a hand through her white-blonde hair, she approached the door and held it open for us.


    We beelined toward the room, and as we got closer, my heart dropped, along with my jaw.


    ¡°What in the world¡­¡± Asher trailed off.


    We stopped in our tracks and took in the sight of the disheveled room.


    The entire ce had been trashed. Books littered the ground, some spine-down, otherspletely


    ripped up. The shelves were off-kilter, and the desk had been overturned.


    ¡°The box,¡± I breathed, and I rushed into the room. I maneuvered around the piles of discarded books


    until I reached the back. Therge wooden box was still there, but it was wide open. I peered inside the


    trunk-like vessel, but much to my shock, it was empty.


    ¡°What happened here?¡± Asher demanded, and all of the color faded from the


    librarian¡¯s face.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± she admitted as she shook her head in shock. ¡°This room is usually locked, Your


    Majesty. In fact, no one¡¯s been in heretely other than Miss Ca ssandra, and thest time she was


    here, everything was normal. I¡¯m just as confused as you are.¡±


    Asher stepped into the room and began to inspect it all. His eyes darted in every direction, and


    suddenly he stopped.


    ¡°There are some footprints back here,¡± he said, and we rushed over to join him. Sure enough, beyond


    the stacks, there was a set of muddy footprints leading from the windowsill.


    ¡°Someone broke in,¡± I realized as I followed the trail with my eyes.


    ¡°They must have done it yesterday,¡± Asher added. ¡°It was raining all day.¡±


    We turned to look at the librarian, and much to my surprise, she looked as if she


    were about to burst into tears.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she whispered. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t understand. I swear the window was locked, but I must have


    done it improperly.¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t cry,¡± Asher assured her gently. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s mine,¡± I uttered, and when they turned to face me, heat spread to my cheeks and a lump formed in


    my throat. ¡°Thest time I was here, I opened the window to get some fresh air. I must have forgotten


    to lock it.¡±


    The librarian sniffled and Asher looked as if he were going to say something, but he didn¡¯t. Instead, he


    walked out of the room for a moment. When he returned, a trio of guards were with him.


    ¡°Check the room,¡± he ordered and then he inclined his head toward the librarian. ¡°She¡¯ll help you


    navigate since she knows this ce better than anyone.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± the guards replied, and then they turned to the librarian. She nodded vigorously


    and then gathered herself. As they got to work and looked through the room, Asher and I stood aside


    and waited. I crossed my arms and tried not to beat myself up. I felt so guilty for leaving the window


    unlocked, and I hoped I wasn¡¯t in too much trouble.


    Their inspection took a good twenty minutes, and when they stepped out into the main section of the


    library, the librarian¡¯s face looked grim.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the books about the Ewonmiams are missing,¡± she reported.


    ¡°What?¡± I breathed. No¡­ no no no. This wasn¡¯t good. Was the intruder looking for things about the


    Ewonmiams? And if so, did that mean the things in the box were rted to the sorcery academy?


    Could the intruder have been the same man from the basement?


    ¡°Your Majesty, the intruder¡¯s footprints are suspect as well,¡± one of the guards.


    spoke up.


    ¡°In what way?¡± Asher asked.


    ¡°The prints match the same pattern that¡¯s on the boots of all of the guards,¡± the guard replied, and a


    deep line formed between Asher¡¯s brows.


    ¡°Does that mean the intruder could be an imposter?¡± I wondered. ¡°Someone impersonating a guard to


    get around the pce undetected?¡±


    No one seemed to have an answer. The room fell silent and all eyes fell to the Alpha King. Asher


    remained quiet, his expression cold and difficult to read.


    An imposter in the pce was a serious issue, one that put everyone in Merliscire in danger. There


    were hundreds of guards in the pce, each stationed in different halls and chambers. It would be


    almost impossible to check everyone out and investigate in a short period of time, and even if we


    managed to do so, the imposter could get away with that much notice.


    This was a terrible thing.


    Anyone among us could be an intruder.


    ¡°Da mn it,¡± Asher cursed, and his nostrils red. ¡°How could something like this happen right under my


    nose?¡±


    He turned away from us and released a sigh. I wanted to reach out to him and tell him none of this was


    his fault, but it didn¡¯t seem like my ce. He seemed too agitated and cross.


    We needed to find a solution, and we needed to do it quickly. If the intruder was in the pce, time was


    of the essence.


    Suddenly, an idea crossed my mind. Perhaps there was a solution after all.


    ¡°The intruder seems to be keen to find anything rted to the Ewonmiams,¡± I spoke up after I took a


    deep breath. ¡°And if that¡¯s true, there might be a way for us


    to lure him out.¡±

 Chapter 84

    Chapter 84


    Chapter 84 Her n


    ASHER


    ¡°Your Majesty, I think the intruder could be the same man from the basement,¡± Ca ssandra exined


    from the far side of the room.


    After the healer had announced her theory in the library, I¡¯d asked her to speak with me privately back


    in my study. I didn¡¯t want to further trouble the librarian, who was alreadypletely on edge or give


    the other guards further reason to panic.


    If the intruder was amongst the guards as we suspected, I also didn¡¯t see any reason to reveal too


    much information to the ones present in the library. I wasn¡¯t sure who I could trust these days,


    apparently, so I assigned the ones who¡¯d investigated the trashed room to clean up for the librarian.


    So now, it was just Ca ssandra and I alone together in the study. As she exined her train of thought,


    I couldn¡¯t help but admire her intelligence. Not only was she incredibly beautiful, but she was very


    smart, and I liked it.


    Cora had been highly intelligent too. It was one of the traits I loved the most.


    about her.


    I forced myself to shove aside thoughts of Cora and return to the present.


    ¡°Go on,¡± I encouraged her.


    Ca ssandra cleared her throat. ¡°The book and the box in the library were both taken and tampered with


    right after we discovered all of that stuff in the basement. I think it¡¯s too strong of a coincidence. The


    man might be monitoring us.¡±


    ¡°Interesting theory,¡± I murmured as I considered the idea. ¡°So, how do you suggest we ¡®lure¡¯ him out as


    you suggested in the library?¡±


    The healer¡¯s cheeks flushed scarlet.


    sitting.


    ¡°It¡¯s just an idea,¡± she began, and then she walked closer to where I was sit ¡°Since we caught the


    vipers and found his hiddenir, I¡¯m sure the man is curious to know if we¡¯ve figured out the different


    types of venom. I was thinking that we could exploit that curiosity. Maybe we spread the information


    that we did find something interesting about the venom in our research, and announce an emergency


    meeting for the royal healers to discuss it.¡±


    ¡°An emergency meeting,¡± I repeated back.


    She nodded. ¡°Yes. I think the idea of an emergency meeting to share our findings would be enough to


    get him to try to steal the results of our research.¡±


    ¡°So, we¡¯re setting a trap,¡± I rified. ¡°We¡¯re goading him out into the open.¡±


    Ca ssandra nodded again. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s just an idea. I have no idea if something like that would actually


    work. The man could be a lot more cautious this time around. He might not fall for the bait at all. But I


    think it¡¯s worth a try.¡±


    I studied her for a moment as I mulled over the idea. It was undeniable that this n was well-thought-


    out and considered. Ca ssandra was smarter and craftier than I gave her credit for. We could set the


    trap with little difficulty or effort and still craft a way to check up on all of the guards in the meantime.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I think we need to keep the truth of all of this to only the guards you can trust,¡± she suggested. ¡°I worry


    about the possibility of there being multiple imposters.¡±


    ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a chance of that?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t see why not. I¡¯d like to think the threat isn¡¯t thatrge, but based on all of our


    evidence¡­ I would rather us be overly cautious.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°I think theb needs to be reinforced,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe add another guard?¡±


    I frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s already heavily guarded. I know the man who stands outside of it


    personally. I think he could handle it. Besides¡­ I worry that the intruder would know better than to go


    straight to theb. In fact, if I were him, I


    would try to get to-¡±


    I stopped as the realization hit me. Ca ssandra stared at me with a look of confusion until finally, her


    eyes widened and she understood what I was trying to


    say.


    ¡°Me,¡± she breathed, and she took a step back. She began to pace and I felt a knot form in my stomach.


    The man had already tried to take her away before. It made sense to me that it would be easier for him


    to try to get the answers directly from her rather than try to infiltrate a heavily guardedb. Ca ssandra


    was known to be the best new healer in Merliscire. She was an easier target.


    She took a long, deep breath and then turned back to face me.


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to be the bait,¡± she announced, and she held her head high. ¡°I know it¡¯s risky¡­ but the


    guards you assigned to me are never too far away. If something were to go wrong, I know they¡¯d be


    around.¡±


    ¡°This is asking a lot of you,¡± I stated slowly as I stared into her eyes. ¡°In fact, this is highly dangerous.


    You know that, right?¡±


    Ca ssandra nodded. ¡°Yes. I know the risks, Your Majesty. But if we don¡¯t find the intruder quickly and


    figure out what he¡¯s up to¡­ all of Wega could be in danger. Sorcery is nothing to make light of. We


    don¡¯t know what he¡¯s nning. You and I have seen for ourselves how lethal those vipers can be. If


    more were raised¡­. people could suffer.¡±


    more


    My thoughts felt like a storm blowing around in my mind. This was so much to consider and I didn¡¯t


    know what to say about it all.


    ¡°What if I didn¡¯t want you to take the risk?¡± I blurted out before I could stop myself.


    Ca ssandra¡¯s full lips parted in surprise.


    Behind her, the rays of the setting sun had started to stream in through the


    window. Her copper hair was illuminated and her deep green eyes looked even darker. She was so


    pretty. I couldn¡¯t imagine putting her in harm¡¯s way like that. She was too special, too fragile. I didn¡¯t


    want to see her hurt.


    She approached me slowly and then offered a brave look.


    ¡°You have to let me do this,¡± she said gently. ¡°You¡¯re the king of Wega. You have to do what¡¯s right for


    your people.¡±


    My voice caught in my throat.


    Her gentleness, her bravery¡­ she had to be Cora. Even without testing or solid physical proof, I knew


    it to be true. Only Cora could be so empathetic. Only Coral would be so willing to put her own needs


    behind those of others.


    I didn¡¯t want to let Ca ssandra do this. I didn¡¯t want to put her in harm¡¯s way. But she was right. We


    needed to do something and we needed to do something quickly.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I decided, and I took a long, deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ll send for Lancel


    immediately. If we¡¯re going to do this, I want to make sure that he¡¯s looking out for your safety.¡±


    you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty,¡± she said, and she offered me a small smile. ¡°Thank


    I nodded. This was a crazy n, but I had to trust Ca ssandra knew what she was doing. In the


    meantime, I would make sure that my most trusted guard would do everything in his power to make


    sure she didn¡¯t get hurt.


    I couldn¡¯t lose her.

 Chapter 85

    Chapter 85


    Chapter 85 Unexpected visitors


    CA SSANDRA


    ¡°Lancel looks so sullen,¡± Becky whispered to me quietly.


    My assistant and I were hard at work in theb, and Asher¡¯s head guard was perched near the door.


    The older gentleman had a look of disdain on his face, but I wasn¡¯t sure if that was due to any actual


    reason or if it was just his appearance.


    Either way, I stifled a giggle.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take it personally,¡± I whispered back. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just having a bad day or something.¡±


    ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s just his face,¡± Becky joked. I started cracking up immediately. Though we were two


    different people, we had the exact same sense of humor. Becky always knew how to make meugh.


    My assistant was right of course. Lancel was a very serious guard and performed his duties diligently.


    I¡¯d hardly ever seen him smile. Even when I was younger, I rarely saw the man¡¯s expression change.


    Then again, Lancel had never really liked Cora. I didn¡¯t know why exactly, but maybe it was because he


    thought the poor, miserable girl brought his Alpha too many difficulties and struggles. Every time


    there¡¯d been any sort of drama happening in my life, he¡¯d always seemed to have his nose turned up.


    Of course, it seemed like Lancel didn¡¯t really like me now either. When Asher had asked his guard to


    protect me and keep me safe, the older man¡¯s expression had been one of disbelief. Though he was


    too loyal to question his king¡¯s orders, he didn¡¯t look all that willing toy his life on the line for me.


    But he cared for Asher too much to defy him.


    Once Lancel had agreed to the idea, Asher and I set the rest of the n int


    motion. It wasn¡¯t too difficult. The message had been spread out and well-received in the pce that


    Healer Ca ssandra had found something important among the vipers. Maybe a little too well, because


    when I returned to my room yesterday, even Erika had started to ask me about it.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    The maid had been highly concerned about the vipers, but I assured her, just like everyone else, that


    the information woulde in time.


    Two days had gone by since the n had been set in motion, and I was wondering if we¡¯d messed


    everything up. Even though the library and the basement of the house had been thoroughly


    investigated, we couldn¡¯t find any more clues about the imposter.


    Had he already gone? Slipped away into the night?


    I knew logically that it was unlikely since Asher had made a decree that no one was allowed to leave


    the pce or Anemond for that matter without a thorough. check. But what if the imposter had found a


    way out?


    Or even worse still, he didn¡¯t believe the gossip about the supposed meeting and wasn¡¯t falling for the


    trap that we¡¯d set.


    Any easy, the meeting for the royal healer was scheduled in a day. If the man didn¡¯t turn up before


    then, all of this effort would have been for nothing.


    I wanted to sigh and throw my head down on the desk. Everything was immensely frustrating and I just


    wanted to find the answers so I could get back to my life. Pce life had be such a tangled web


    of drama and secrets. All I wanted was to continue my research so Finnick and I could go back to Wild


    Crawler.


    I managed to pull my thoughts away from my old life. I wasn¡¯t naive enough to believe that it would all


    go back into ce so easily. Things were far tooplex.


    now for that.


    I turned back to my research. I¡¯d hoped that Becky and I could find some clues through the venoms of


    the snakes we¡¯d sampled, but unfortunately, we didn¡¯t know enough about poisons. As much as we


    tried, our countless hours in theboratory hadn¡¯t gotten us very far. We needed to make more


    progress on the matter.


    Becky and I continued the day in silence. I kept to my workstation and she kept to hers. As I studied my


    papers, I thought of Marley. Though she was still a healer in training, having another medical and


    scientific mind around would be of great help. I wondered if she would be able to see some kind of


    pattern that we didn¡¯t.


    When the sunlight in theoratory¡¯s window dimmed, I realized it was the end of our work day. I cast


    my books aside and piled them neatly on my desk.


    ¡°Becky?¡± I prompted my assistant. ¡°I think we¡¯re done for the day.¡±


    Becky looked up over her book and then nced at the clock.


    ¡°That went by quickly,¡± she noted, and then she closed the book and gestured to me with it. ¡°If it¡¯s okay


    with you, I might take this with me. Maybe read ahead and see if it could be of any use?¡±


    ¡°Totally fine by me,¡± I said. ¡°Just make sure you¡¯re getting some rest, okay?¡±


    ¡°Will do,¡± she replied, and then she offered me a small smile and a raised eyebrow. ¡°Make sure you¡¯re


    getting some decent sleep yourself, Ca ssy, okay? I know we¡¯ve been pulling some long hourstely,


    and I want to make sure you¡¯re doing alright.¡±


    I smiled back at her gratefully. ¡°I appreciate it, Becky.¡±


    She winked at me and tucked her short dark red hair behind her ear. In the light. of the setting sun, her


    hair looked like fire. She was very pretty, and I admired her intellect and warm heart. I had no doubt in


    my mind that she was one of the kindest people I¡¯d met here in Anemond.


    ¡°Becky?¡¯ I prompted her again as she headed toward the door.


    ¡°Yes?¡± she asked as she looked over her shoulder.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. ¡°For all of your help. And for being my friend.¡±


    ¡°Likewise,¡± she replied. After she winked at me, she approached the door, and Lancel grumpily moved


    to the side. He huffed a little as she walked out and then


    nced at me. I took that as my cue to hurry.


    I packed up my things and then Lancel and I locked up theb and headed to my chamber.


    Lancel followed me closely but remained silent as we traversed the halls. I tried. to broach the


    awkwardness between us, but Lancel wasn¡¯t having it. The older man was short with his replies, so


    finally, I gave up and stayed quiet.


    Once I reached the door of my chamber I heard someone talking within the


    room.


    I frowned. That was strange. Only Erika should be in there.


    Due to the riskiness of the n, I¡¯d asked the maid to bring Finnick to her ce and watch him there,


    but Erika had insisted on being here to take care of me.


    Meanwhile, Finnick had been sent to a different wing with two other maids and extra guards. Though I


    hadn¡¯t been certain of that n, Asher assured me that my son would be safe, so I allowed it. Finnick


    didn¡¯t want to be away from me, so I¡¯d had to bribe him and promise to buy him some new toys when


    this was all over.


    He was reluctant but finally gave in. It was a small price to pay to make sure he was safe. I paused for


    a moment and then decided to take a leap and open the door. When I did, I was greeted by a pair of


    unpleasant faces.


    My heart dropped.


    What were Adalyn and Marco doing here?

 Chapter 86

    Chapter 86


    Chapter 86 Someone tried to poison her


    CA SSANDRA


    A lump formed in my throat and my heart began to race as I stood frozen in the doorway. Beyond the


    table, Erika gave me an apologetic expression and mouthed the word ¡°sorry¡±. I could tell she felt bad


    that they were there, but I knew it wasn¡¯t her fault. Erika couldn¡¯t stop the Alpha King¡¯s wife and son


    from entering even if she wanted to.


    Adalyn continued to stare at me coldly, and Erika hustled to my side.


    ¡°Erika, could you please prepare some tea?¡± I asked her quietly. ¡°In the meantime, I¡¯ll deal with Lady


    Adalyn.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure, Ca ssandra?¡± the maid replied, and her eyes widened. ¡°I can stay-¡±


    ¡°I can do this,¡± I insisted. ¡°Please leave us.¡±


    Erika nodded and then slipped away to make the tea. Once she was gone, I turned to Lancel.


    ¡°Could you grant Lady Adalyna and me some privacy?¡± I requested, but the older man didn¡¯t seem too


    keen on the idea.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right here,¡± he said curtly, and he crossed his arms against his chest. Frustration swelled within


    me, and I released a sigh. There was no use fighting him. He was under the service of the Alpha King,


    not me, a lowly healer. I was in no position to be giving orders.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I remarked, and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. I¡¯d deal with Lancelter. For now, I needed


    to figure out how I was going to handle this visit with Adalyn. She had nefarious intentions, I was sure


    of it.


    If ourst encounter in theboratory was any indication, I would need to keep


    my wits about me if I wanted to survive.


    I approached the table and bowed my head politely.


    ¡°Lady Adalyn,¡± I greeted Asher¡¯s wife. ¡°And Prince Marco. So sorry to keep you waiting. To what do I


    owe the pleasure of yourpany?¡±


    ¡°Healer Ca ssandra,¡± Adalyn replied with a raised eyebrow. Her lips were painted a deep ruby red, and


    she was wearing a simple ck dress that hugged her body perfectly. She was so devastatingly


    beautiful that I could hardly stand it. ¡°So d you could finally join us. I¡¯m here to apologize for my


    behavior a few days ago.¡±


    My eyebrows knitted together in confusion.


    Adalyn?


    Apologizing?


    There was no way this was actually happening. In any other circumstance, I would have rubbed my


    eyes in disbelief. Surely, I was dreaming.


    But her tone seemed strangely convincing¡­


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what kind of tricks she was trying to y this time, but with everything going on presently,


    I didn¡¯t have time to waste on Adalyn¡¯s mind games.


    ¡°Thank you, Lady Adalyn,¡± I said carefully. ¡°That means a lot to me. I appreciate your apology greatly


    and hope we can put this behind us.¡±


    Adalyn seemed surprised and a little annoyed at my response. She stared at me nkly for a moment


    and then cleared her throat.


    ¡°Good,¡± she remarked, and then she gestured to the empty chair across from her. ¡°Please, take a seat.


    There¡¯s no need for you to remain standing. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve had a long day.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, and it took all of my effort to keep from narrowing my eyes in disbelief. I needed to


    keep ying along if I was going to make it out of this


    encounter and get her out of this room. ¡°You are most gracious, Lady Adalyn.¡±


    I took a seat at the table and folded my hands in myp politely. All of the lessons of etiquette I¡¯d ever


    been taught shed in my mind, and I made my best effort to straighten my posture and smile.


    ¡°Now that that¡¯s settled,¡± Adalyn began again, and she peered around the room. ¡°Where is your darling


    son? My Marco wanted to y with him since he hasn¡¯t been ¡°Where is your darling son? M attending


    lessonstely. Is he around?¡±


    My eyes fell on Marco, and much to my surprise, I could tell there was some truth to Adalyn¡¯s words.


    Marco seemed a little sad and kept ncing around at Finnick¡¯s toys. I was a little shocked. I didn¡¯t


    think the young prince cared much for


    my son.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been so busy working in theboratorytely that Finnick is being watched by someone else,¡± I


    exined. ¡°Temporarily, of course. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be back soon. He takes a little longer to adapt to the


    sses, but-¡±


    ¡°Probably because he¡¯s stu pid,¡± Marco quipped softly.


    ¡°Marco!¡± Adalyn gasped, and her amber eyes widened. ¡°That was very unkind! Apologize to Healer Ca


    ssandra right now!¡±


    Marco¡¯s cheeks flushed scarlet and his eyes fell to the ground.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Healer Ca ssandra,¡± he said politely, and his lip trembled. I nodded but remained silent. As


    much as the child annoyed me, I couldn¡¯t hold his bad behavior against him. His mother didn¡¯t set the


    best of examples, after all, and he was just a young boy. Hopefully, he would grow up to be a kinder


    man, like his father.


    ¡°Why are you so busy these days, if you don¡¯t mind my asking?¡± Adalyn addressed me, and I nearly


    laughed.


    So, that was her real intention for visiting. Adalyn thought she was being sneaky and clever about it,


    but her true motives were incredibly transparent. She knew very well that I had my hands full with the


    viper situation. Everyone in the pce knew for that matter. She¡¯d likely heard the news going around


    Merliscire


    about the uing meeting and wanted to get an inside scoop.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been conducting research about the vipers, Lady Adalyn,¡± I replied simply.


    Erika entered the room just in time with a tray. She offered an apologetic look. as she walked in, and


    wordlessly, she began to set the table for us. As she arranged the teapot, cups, and small snacks,


    Adalyn and I locked eyes.


    Erika gave Marco a small te of treats, and the boy lit up. He offered the maid a smile and said thank


    you, much to my surprise, and once the tea was poured into cups, Adalyn spoke again.


    ¡°Have you found out anything important?¡± she pressed. ¡°You must have, since there¡¯s going to be a


    meeting tomorrow, right?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I replied. ¡°But I won¡¯t be able to reveal anything at present. I need to discuss things with the


    royal healers first, and then we¡¯ll spread the word to the public.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Adalyn muttered, and annoyance painted her expression. I could tell she was agitated, and I


    found a littlefort in that.


    She went to raise her cup to her mouth, but before she could lift it, I noticed the


    smell of it was off.


    Erika always made jasmine tea, but the scent wasn¡¯t correct. It was floral, sure, but there was another


    note I didn¡¯t recognize, something strange I didn¡¯t recognize.


    My eyes widened.


    ¡°Adalyn, don¡¯t drink that,¡± I blurted out, and Adalyn froze immediately. I had a bad feeling, something in


    my gut telling me that this was wrong.


    Asher¡¯s wife raised her eyebrow and for a moment, I thought she was going to throw a tantrum, but she


    set the cup back down.


    ¡°What¡¯s going-¡± she started to say, and suddenly, we heard footsteps outside of


    the door.


    I inhaled sharply. Someone was out in the hall, and it sounded like they were trying to make a hasty


    escape.


    Without a word, Lancel gripped the sword in his belt and burst out of the door


    immediately.

 Chapter 87

    Chapter 87


    Chapter 87 Caught him


    CA SSANDRA


    Adalyn¡¯s eyes widened at themotion and she sprang into action. She rose from her seat, swept


    Marco into her arms, and backed away from the table.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she demanded, and she looked between Erika and me. ¡°Something doesn¡¯t make


    sense here. Are¡­ are you trying to kill me?¡± Her tone grew more shrill with every word and her body


    began to tremble. I didn¡¯t know what to say, but I knew I had to say something quickly. Arguing with


    Adalyn didn¡¯t matter. All I wanted was for Lancel to catch whoever was eavesdropping on


    1.


    ¡°Answer me, healer!¡± Adalyn shouted when I didn¡¯t reply.


    ¡°Lady Adalyn, if I wanted you to die, I wouldn¡¯t have stopped you from drinking that tea,¡± I pointed out to


    her as I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.


    Adalyn¡¯s face contorted, but she didn¡¯t have any other argument to make She held Marco close and


    rushed out of the room. I had half a mind to stop her and beg her to stay here in the chamber. It could


    be dangerous out there if the guards were trying to catch whoever was spying on us. But it was no use.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Adalyn Moses listened to no one.


    My eyes fell on Erika, who appeared as if she were going to faint. All of the color had left her cheeks


    and her chest heaved as she fought to catch her breath. I


    rushed over to her and held my arm out to steady her.


    ¡°Erika!¡± I gasped as she nearly fell over.


    ¡°Oh, Ca ssandra,¡± she uttered in shock. ¡°Oh, Ca ssandra¡­ I didn¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t understand. I¡­ I poured


    the tea myself. I didn¡¯t¡­ I didn¡¯t know¡­¡±


    ¡°Erika, breathe,¡± I insisted. ¡°Please. I know this wasn¡¯t your fault.¡±


    ¡°Was the tea¡­ was it poisoned?¡± she asked quietly.


    ¡°It seems that way,¡± I said. ¡°But Erika, I know it wasn¡¯t your fault or your doing. Something is going on


    here, something bad.¡±


    As much as I didn¡¯t want to admit it, I was terrified. Whoever had put the poison in the tea had been


    skillful. They must have slipped it in when Erika wasn¡¯t looking, or perhaps they¡¯d snuck it into the tea


    leaves that the maid used.


    Either way, I couldn¡¯t imagine what would have happened if Adalyn and I had


    drunk it.


    My stomach twisted in knots.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you to a chair,¡± I decided, and after Erika nodded, I escorted her over to the table. Once she


    was situated, an idea crossed my mind. I rushed over to my backpack and started to retrieve some of


    my supplies.¡±


    Erika watched me warily.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she wondered.


    ¡°Taking a sample,¡± I replied as I walked back over. I wasted no time and emptied the contents of the


    teacup into an empty tube. ¡°I have some testing supplies with me. I¡¯m going to try to figure out what¡¯s


    going on.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± she breathed, and she nodded her head slowly. ¡°That¡¯s brilliant,


    Ca ssandra.¡±


    ¡°After you¡¯ve taken a moment to rx, could you carefully pack the teacups into sealed bags?¡± I


    requested. ¡°I¡¯ll dispose of them in theb binster. They need to stay far away from anyone else. I


    have gloves you can use so you don¡¯t get anything


    on you.¡±


    is is


    Erika nodded vigorously. ¡°Of course. It¡¯s the least I can do.¡±


    We got to work right away, and as I took the sample and waited for the results, panic rose with me. This


    situation had escted from bad to dangerous very


    quickly, and the stakes were getting higher the longer and longer that Lancel was


    away.


    I had no doubt that the man was going toe back for me.


    A little whileter, a scream rang out, followed by a series of shouts and growls. Erika nd I nearly


    jumped out of our skins, and after we shared a look, I ran to the door. I tried to get a glimpse of what


    was going on, but I couldn¡¯t see anything through the peephole.


    ¡°Get away from there, Ca ssandra!¡± Erika hissed, but I didn¡¯t listen. I took a short


    breath and then ran out of the room to find the source of themotion.


    The hallway was packed with people, and I shoved through them until I reached the center of the hall.


    There, standing in the center of the corridor, was a group of guards packed into a circle, led by Lancel. I


    couldn¡¯t see who they were surrounding, even on my tiptoes, but I still tried to do so anyway.


    Beyond me, Prince Marco stood crying.


    ¡°I want my mommy!¡± he sobbed as tears streamed down his cheeks, and he tried to thrash, but he was


    being held tightly by one of the guards. If he was there, where was Adalyn? I searched the crowd but


    didn¡¯t see her. I considered running over to Marco, but I didn¡¯t daree close, not when I had no idea


    what was


    happening.


    Suddenly, I heard Lancel¡¯s unmistakable voice.


    ¡°You must surrender,¡± the older guard said firmly. ¡°More guards are on the way, and there¡¯s no chance


    you¡¯re going to make it out of here unless you give in.¡±


    The sound of another man¡¯s voice reached my ears.


    He wasughing, cruelughter that made my entire body shudder. It was a terrible, terrible sound.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you care about the king¡¯s wife?¡± the voice asked, and suddenly, my heart. dropped.


    I walked closer, and a gasp escaped me. Though I couldn¡¯t see the man¡¯s face, I could see his frame,


    and he wasn¡¯t alone.


    There, at the center of the circle of guards, he stood, holding Adalyn in his arms. He had a firm grip


    around her neck, and his razor-sharp ws were pressed against her delicate skin. Little drops of


    blood began to stream from Adalyn¡¯s arm as he dug in further, and she cried out in pain.


    I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes.


    He was holding the Alpha King¡¯s wife hostage.


    Adalyn¡¯s normally tanplexion was pale, and her lip trembled. Her amber eyes were bloodshot with


    tears and she whimpered in pain.


    ¡°Please,¡± she begged, but it was no use. The man simplyughed and then turned to the crowd again.


    ¡°Take one step forward, and I¡¯ll sh her neck,¡± the man threatened, and when no one moved, he


    shouted again. ¡°I said move backward! You wretched morons! I¡¯ll kill her! I¡¯ll kill her right now!¡±


    My chest heaved as I fought to catch my breath.


    I¡¯d known it then just as I knew it now.


    The man in the center of the room was unmistakably the guard Margaret had brought with her to


    capture me just days prior in my chamber.


    The very same soldier who¡¯d tried to kill me five years ago in Rosepetal.


    ¡°Wretched mo ron¡±.


    I¡¯d never forget that phrase as long as I lived. That vile man had spat the same words at me the day I


    thought I was going to die, just before the inferno had set my home aze.


    Did that mean what I thought it meant?


    Was he also the man from the basement?


    The imposter?

 Chapter 88

    Chapter 88


    Chapter 88 Take her ce


    CA SSANDRA


    As I fought to catch my breath and make sense of all of this, Lancel spoke up


    and called out to the man.


    ¡°Release the Alpha King¡¯s wife,¡± he pleaded carefully, and he raised his hands as if in surrender. ¡°We


    can reach an understanding, but only if you let her go-¡±


    ¡°An understanding?¡± the man scoffed, and he shook his head slowly as he held tightly onto Adalyn.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to understand. There¡¯s no way you¡¯re going to handle this peacefully. I know I¡¯m dead


    anyway, so I may as well just take her with


    me.¡±


    He gripped onto her even tighter still and dug his ws further into her arm. Adalyn whimpered as trails


    of blood poured down her skin. My eyes welled up with


    tears before I could stop them. This was cruel.


    As much as I detested Adalyn, she didn¡¯t deserve this.


    ¡°Do you like that, baby?¡± the manughed as she writhed under his hold. ¡°Huh? Keep squirming and I¡¯ll


    do much worse. Trust me, I have all kinds of ways to hurt


    you.¡±


    ¡°The king won¡¯t let you get away with this,¡± Adalyn blurted out bravely.


    The manughed again, and the cruel sound of it was almost enough to send. me to my knees.


    ¡°Sure, whatever you say, gorgeous,¡± he mocked her. ¡°I don¡¯t see him around, do you? Besides¡­ I don¡¯t


    care what happens to me. All I want is the taste of one of the beautiful women in Wega before I go¡­¡±


    He leaned in close and pressed his lips against Adalyn¡¯s neck. She cried out in disgust at the vulgar


    disy, but as she tried to shift her body away and break free,


    the man¡¯s ws dug into her neck. Blood began to spill onto her corbone and my stomach turned a


    little at the sight.


    The man grinned. ¡°Oops. How clumsy of me. Tell you what, darling, if you keep continue to struggle,


    I¡¯m going to have no choice but to press in a little deeper.¡±


    He pushed his ws in further to prove his point, and Adalyn cried out in pain. She instantly stopped


    moving, but her face grew even paler. She looked like a corpse, she was so colorless.


    I looked around the room. This was intense, more so than I could bear. No one wanted to do anything


    out of fear for Adalyn¡¯s safety, but the longer we stood around, the worse things were going to get.


    Beyond me, Prince Marco was openly sobbing. I had no idea why no one was escorting the young boy


    to safety. My heart ached for him. He didn¡¯t deserve this. No one deserved anything like this.


    Suddenly, anger flooded through me. This sick, twisted man wasn¡¯t going to get away with all of this.


    Not if I had anything to say about it.


    I pushed past the few people who stood between me and the circle of guards. and cleared my throat.


    ¡°Hey, you!¡± I blurted out as I took another step closer.


    The guards whipped around to stare at me, and the corridor fell silent. The man let out augh.


    ¡°Oh, we have a brave one, do we?¡± he mocked me. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m one of the royal healers,¡± I retorted as I squared my shoulders. ¡°The one who arranged the


    meeting, in fact. If you want to know anything about the vipers, you should let Lady Adalyn go.¡±


    The man scoffed. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m st upid enough to believe that? I know this is


    all a trap. There¡¯s no way you mo rons could have figured out the poisons that were created by the


    greatest sorcerors in the world. No, I won¡¯t be deceived again. It was a nice try, healer, but you¡¯re going


    to need to do better than that.¡±


    So my suspicions were correct after all. He knew about the Ewonmiams.


    ¡°Why did you steal the book in the library?¡± I asked him. ¡°And what was in the


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    box?¡±


    The man huffed loudly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sick of these questions,¡± he practically growled. ¡°You know what, I¡¯ve changed my mind. I want to


    talk to the king. I don¡¯t need to waste my time on some lowly healer who doesn¡¯t even understand


    anything.¡±


    I bit my lip and tried to shove down the frustration that was growing within me. Adalyn¡¯s neck was


    bleeding pretty profusely. Someone needed to intervene before she lost too much blood. Her amber


    eyes were zing over already. If we didn¡¯t act


    fast, she could lose consciousness.


    I took a deep breath. He could insult me all he wanted. I wasn¡¯t afraid anymore.


    ¡°Take me hostage instead!¡± I blurted out. ¡°Please, just let Lady Adalyn go.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± the man called out, and then heughed. ¡°What nonsense are your babbling on about


    now?¡±


    ¡°Let her go,¡± I stated again, only louder this time. ¡°You say you want an audience with the king? Well,


    that¡¯s not going to happen if you kill his wife. You want to speak with him so badly? Take me instead.¡±


    ¡°And why would the king care about some healer?¡± he sneered. ¡°You speak as if you hold some kind of


    significance, more so than her. What makes you think the king would even give you a second thought?¡±


    ¡°He would,¡± I said evenly, and suddenly, I felt a crowd of eyes on me. Even Adalyn managed to stare at


    me in surprise.


    ¡°Foolish girl,¡± the man replied. ¡°Are you trying to suggest the king is in love with you or something?¡±


    He chortled as if he was amused by my words.


    ¡°No,¡± I said calmly. ¡°But I am his private healer. I mean more to him than your


    seem to understand.¡±


    The room remained silent, and the man seemed to be considering my proposal. Despite my newfound


    bravery, my hands were shaking, and I quickly tightened them in an effort to reim my calmness. I


    had no idea if this would work, but I had


    to try.


    ¡°Why would you want to save her?¡± the man asked finally. ¡°From what I¡¯ve overheard, it doesn¡¯t seem


    as if she particrly cares about you. Why would you take her ce?¡±


    ¡°Does it matter?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Not really,¡± he replied simply. ¡°This just seems like some sort of trick.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trick,¡± I assured him, and I raised my hands to show him I was weaponless. ¡°Not that it matters,


    but I¡¯m wolfless. I couldn¡¯t hurt you even if I


    wanted to.¡±


    The man grinned. ¡°Wolfless, eh? Interesting.¡±


    He paused for a moment, and my heart raced in my chest. Adalyn and I stared at one another. She


    looked so weak that it was hard to read her emotions, but I tried to show her that I meant no ill will. I


    was doing everything in my power to save her.


    ¡°Fine,¡± the man spoke up. ¡°Your wish is granted, healer. I¡¯ll let her go and take you in her ce.¡±


    I inhaled sharply and then nodded. Whispers broke out in the room, and heat spread to my cheeks. I


    was nervous at first, but then I cast aside my fear and


    nodded.


    I had no idea what I was about to face, but I would do whatever it took. We needed to get to the bottom


    of this mystery. If I had to face potential injury, so be it.


    Nothing could be worse than the inferno.


    If I could survive that, I could survive anything..


    I took a step forward and prepared to ept my fate when suddenly, I felt someone grip my wrist.


    I whipped around to see Asher standing behind me. His gray eyes zed with fury as they bore into


    mine.


    ¡°This is out of the question,¡± he said firmly.

 Chapter 89

    Chapter 89


    Chapter 89 Fight


    CA SSANDRA


    My voice caught in my throat as the Alpha King red down at me. His grip. remained tight around my


    wrist and the intensity of his gaze was almost enough to make me copse. He was finally here.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    For a moment, I nearly forgot myself. I was so relieved to see him that the rest of the audience in the


    corridor didn¡¯t even matter. But that feeling was fleeting when I heard a chorus of whispers.


    Adalyn. The imposter.


    I was on a mission.


    I was about to protest Asher¡¯s statement, but before the words could leave my lips, the Alpha King


    released my arm and stepped forward. His tall frame obstructed mepletely and shielded me from


    view.


    ¡°Release her at once,¡± he practically growled at the man, and I shivered at his powerful tone.


    ¡°Asher,¡± Adalyn whimpered beyond us. I stepped out just far enough to see what was going on. Her


    amber eyes spilled over with tears, but this time, they were from happiness and relief rather than fear.


    Momentster, Oliver and Linda Moses pushed their way through the crowd and rushed toward us. The


    Beta family¡¯s faces paled instantly when they saw the state of their daughter, and Linda¡¯s hand covered


    her mouth in shock as she cried. Oliver was like a statue, his face hardened and unmoving.


    Footsteps rang out, and I stepped aside just as Prince Marco charged right at


    Asher.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± he eximed through his s obs. ¡°Daddy, please, I want to see Mommy!


    I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s happening.¡±


    I was relieved that the young boy was too short to see over the crowd of people. If he could see his


    mother¡¯s blood-drenched frame, I was certain he would


    be scarred for life.


    Though I detested and even hated the entire Moses family, I felt sorry for Marco. I couldn¡¯t imagine


    Finnick in the young prince¡¯s position.


    Asher crouched down but kept his eyes ahead.


    ¡°Marco, I need you to go with Sir Davey,¡± he said, and a guard rushed over immediately at the sound of


    his name. ¡°Mommy and I will see you soon enough.¡±


    In one smooth motion, he swept Marco into his arms and handed him off to the guard.


    ¡°Take him back to his room,¡± he ordered.


    Sir Davey nodded and held Marco close. He obstructed the boy¡¯s view of the man and carried him


    away without another word.


    Once the prince and the guard disappeared down the corridor, Asher approached the circle of guards.


    His men parted obediently, and the Alpha King entered the fray.


    I gulped in anticipation.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Asher demanded.


    The man¡¯s face remained emotionless. ¡°I want a private word with the king.¡±


    Asher scoffed and shook his head. ¡°Whatever you have to say, you can speak it


    now. You have my attention.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± the man replied, and he narrowed his eyes for a moment before sneering. ¡°Trust me,


    what I have to say is rather interesting. But I¡¯ll only say it in when I¡¯m alone with the king.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Oliver Moses suddenly blurted, and all eyes fell to him. Asher turned to face the old


    Beta, and he appeared to be just as surprised as the


    rest of us.


    ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous, Your Majesty,¡± Oliver exined. ¡°This man is clearly trying to y dirty. You


    shouldn¡¯t agree to this absurd request.¡±


    Though his words held a lot of truth, I was surprised to hear them all the same. Shouldn¡¯t the man want


    his daughter to be set free no matter what? Why would he tell Asher not toply?


    The man let out another cruelugh, and I wanted to cover my ears at the sound. His voice was


    triggering memories of the inferno, and all I wanted to do was run away and hide.


    But I had to remain strong.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t take the king of Wega as a coward,¡± he remarked, and then he inclined his head down at


    himself. ¡°Look at me. What could I do to the great Alpha of the Crescent Pack? I¡¯m already in my mid-


    age, and besides, you¡¯re clearly stronger and more capable than me. If you want to kill me, you could


    do it right now. But I think it would be in your best interest to hear what I have to say.¡±


    Asher took a deep breath. He squeezed his hand into a fist.


    This was a tricky situation and I could understand his thought process. We needed to know the full


    story of what was going on, but being alone with the man wasn¡¯t necessarily the best idea. What was


    the solution?


    Oliver Moses let out a low growl. He stepped away from his wife and approached the man slowly. His


    entire frame shook with anger, and before anyone. could react, his nails sharpened into ws and he


    bared his fangs.


    ¡°How dare you disrespect the king!¡± he demanded, and in one swift motion, he lunged forward.


    The man, out of what was most likely shock and self-preservation, shoved Adalyn forward, using her as


    a shield, and turned on his heels. All fell into chaos,


    and as everyone began to move, my eyes struggled to keep up. All was a blur of limbs and motion, and


    my brain couldn¡¯tprehend it all.


    Oliver may have been fast, but Asher was even faster. He stopped the Beta in his tracks and then


    moved forward and used a sweeping kick to knock the imposter to the ground. As he sta ggered and


    fell to the floor with a groan, Asher pulled Adalyn forward and into his arms. Once they were out of the


    way, Lancel sprang into action and apprehended the imposter.


    ¡°Asher,¡± Adalyn whimpered, and then she lost consciousness.


    The crowd parted and made room for the Alpha King. Asher carried Adalyn toward me, and I started


    thinking quickly. Now that Adalyn was safe, she needed medical attention right away.


    Without my kit on hand, I needed to improvise. I nced down at my dress and without a second


    thought, took the fabric between my hands and tore the bottom. I ripped a strip long enough to be


    useful and then turned my attention to Adalyn. Asher carefullyid her down on the ground and allowed


    me to step in.


    I pressed the fabric from my dress against the wound on her neck and applied plenty of pressure.


    Thankfully, the cut wasn¡¯t as deep as I thought it was, but it was still bad enough that it needed proper


    treatment.


    Oliver and Linda Moses hustled over but thankfully, maintained their distance.


    ¡°Is she going to be okay?¡± Linda managed through her tears.


    ¡°We need to get her somewhere safe,¡± I announced. ¡°She¡¯s going to be fine, but she needs to get to


    some healers.¡±


    Asher offered me a small nod and then surveyed the room.


    ¡°I need assistance!¡± he called out, and instantly, a group of guards appeared.¡± Get Lady Adalyn to the


    royal healers right away, and make haste!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± the guards said dutifully.


    One of them looked at me. ¡°Healer Ca ssandra, is she okay to be lifted?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes. But the fabric needs to remain on her wound so she doesn¡¯t


    bleed too much more.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± the guard replied, and then he reached down and carefully lifted Adalyn. Another guard


    took the rag from me and applied it to her wound, and once they were set, they hustled her out of the


    corridor.

 Chapter 90

    Chapter 90


    Chapter 90 Alpha King¡¯s weak spot


    ASHER


    Oliver had been trying to kill the man. Of that, I was certain.


    I narrowed my eyes and studied my father-inw, who was now checking on Adalyn with his wife


    beside him. Linda was sobbing but gave Ca ssandra the space to fully examine her daughter.


    Meanwhile, Oliver¡¯s normally stoic face was even


    more stern than usual.


    Once I gave the order to bring her to the royal healers and Ca ssandra deemed her ready to be moved,


    the guards swept Adalyn up off of the ground.¡±


    I watched the Beta family follow the guards out of the corridor, and once they were gone, I considered


    Oliver¡¯s actions.


    The way the events had all unfolded was very suspicious, to say the least. Oliver hadn¡¯t seemed even


    a little worried about Adalyn when he¡¯d stepped forward to attack the imposter, nor had he waited for


    my orders. If I hadn¡¯t interfered at thest moment, the Beta would have killed the man and kept us


    from getting the answers we so desperately needed.


    Curious. It was all so curious.


    I pondered it for a moment and then turned back to the imposter. I would deal with Oliver¡¯s insolence


    later. For now, I needed to deal with this criminal.


    Though he¡¯d been shackled, Lancel maintained a strong grip around the imposter. I stepped forward


    and finally got a good look at the man.


    I¡¯d expected someone like him to look more ragged and haggard, but much to my surprise, he was


    immactely groomed. His light brown eyes were clear andser-focused and his ck hair had been


    brushed back away from his face. His cheekbones were high, but not hollow, and there was no sign of


    stubble or dark circles. In fact, he appeared to be quite well-rested. I supposed he could be


    1/5


    considered handsome, if it weren¡¯t for the cruel sneer on his otherwise nice-looking


    face.


    Whoever he was, he was well taken care of.


    The imposter gave me a look of amusement as I stood before him.


    ¡°I underestimated you,¡± he mused as his eyes trailed over me. ¡°You¡¯re far more capable and swift than


    I¡¯d expected.¡±


    ¡°Is that supposed to tter me?¡± I scoffed.


    ¡°Only if you want it to,¡± he retorted, and then he smiled. ¡°I know at this point, I¡¯m little more than dead


    meat, but I have a proposal. Spare my life and I¡¯ll help you out. What do you say?¡±


    He stared at me in a calcted way, but I wasn¡¯t having it. Instead, I turned to


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Lancel.


    cell.¡±


    ¡°Take this criminal down to the dungeon,¡± I ordered. ¡°I¡¯ll question him from his


    ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± Lancel replied loyally, and after he bowed his head, the guards stepped in and carried the


    man away. I half-expected the imposter to put up a fight, but he didn¡¯t make any fuss. He was a strange


    one, that was certain, and I was relieved when he was out of my sight.


    The corridor grew louder as the guards vanished, and my head began to pound from themotion. I


    pinched the bridge of my nose and then took a deep breath before making an announcement.


    ¡°Everyone return back to your chambers,¡± I ordered loudly. ¡°Clear the corridors and keep to yourselves


    while we sort through this business.¡±


    I made sure my tone radiated with power to show emphasis, and much to my relief, it worked wonders.


    The mass of people dissipated at once until it was only


    Ca ssandra Keller and I left in the room.


    The healer started to move but I reached out and gently grabbed her arm. She stopped in ce and


    looked up at me. Her already fairplexion was ghostly white, and she looked exhausted.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± I asked.


    She nodded lightly.


    We stared at each other for a moment until she finally spoke up.


    ¡°Can I go with you to the cell and listen to what you have to say to the man?¡± she asked quietly..


    As much as I wanted to bring her with me, it was too dangerous.


    I couldn¡¯t risk her getting hurt.


    ¡°I think it would be best for you to go back to your chamber,¡± I advised gently. ¡°The imposter was pretty


    insistent about wanting to speak to me in private. I don¡¯t know how much he¡¯d reveal if you were


    around.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± she said, but she didn¡¯t seem too thrilled by my exnation. Again, she fell quiet, and a


    momentter, she gave me a polite smile. ¡°Just be safe, okay?¡±


    I smiled back. ¡°I will.¡±


    Ca ssandra turned to leave, and just as she started walking, I called out to her.


    ¡°Ca ssandra?¡± I said. ¡°Can I escort you back to your room?¡±


    The healer shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll be okay, Your Majesty. I can handle myself just fine. I don¡¯t think the


    imposter has any aplices here in the pce. Besides, I think it would be best for you to deal with


    him right away, before he loses his patience.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    She was right, of course, but I wished she would let me walk her back. I knew she could take care of


    herself, but I wanted to be the one to protect her.


    I¡¯d been so scared when she¡¯d bravely offered herself up to be held hostage. Ca ssandra Keller was a


    brave woman, far braver than any of us. I¡¯d been so terrified of her getting hurt.


    But now it was my turn to handle things.


    I needed to deal with this criminal before anyone else could be hurt.


    I walked straight to the dungeon, and when I got there, Lancel was posted up in front of the cell. An


    involuntary shiver ran through me at the temperature drop. The dungeon was a dark and cold ce,


    and I¡¯d been here only a handful of times before.


    I pulled myself together and approached my most trusted guard.


    ¡°You can go now, Lancel,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll take it from here.¡±


    Lancel didn¡¯t look too thrilled toply. ¡°Are you sure, Alpha?¡±


    When I nodded, he offered me a small bow.


    ¡°Be safe,¡± he said, and then he headed toward the stairs. Once he was gone, the imposter began to


    speak.


    ¡°An iron cage,¡± he remarked. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you expect me to say in these conditions, Asher


    Collins.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this, I replied shortly, and I crossed my arms against my chest. ¡°So I¡¯m going to


    suggest you get straight to the point. You wanted my attention, here it is.¡±


    The manughed. ¡°Oh, I think you¡¯ll want to hear every detail of what I have to say.¡±


    ¡°You seem confident for someone behind bars,¡± I said.


    ¡°I know for certain you must be interested in my words,¡± the imposter said as he leaned forward and


    wrapped his hands around the metal bars of his cell. ¡°If you weren¡¯t, you would have just let the Beta


    kill me.¡±


    Heughed and then dropped his hands and began to pace.


    ¡°I must admit, I apparently chose the wrong hostage,¡± he mused. ¡°I figured you would have been more


    concerned for your wife¡¯s safety, but it seems you were more worried about the healer. I wonder what


    you would have done if she¡¯d been in my


    arms instead.¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± I growled. ¡°You¡¯re wasting my time with these theories of yours.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± the imposter said through an irksome grin. ¡°You seem to have a weak spot again, Asher


    Collins. It¡¯s been five years. I figured you would have grown past that by now.¡±

 Chapter 91

    Chapter 91


    Chapter 91 Imposter¡¯s condition


    ASHER


    I froze in ce and my blood suddenly ran cold.


    Five years ago? A weak spot?


    Did he¡­ did he mean Cora? Did he know about her, about the inferno?


    How?


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I demanded as I regained control over myself. Surely he was trying to


    rattle me, but what did he mean?


    ¡°You know what I mean,¡± the imposterughed cruelly, and then he shook his head slowly. ¡°Poor, naive


    boy. There¡¯s no way you believe that it was an ident. Or that the woman was st upid enough to set


    the fire herself.¡±


    The lightness of his mocking tone was enough to ignite my fury. I wanted to tear him apart for speaking


    about her like this. For a moment, I thought I was about to give in to my anger, but I managed to stay


    calm and smother my agitation.


    I rolled my shoulders back and narrowed my eyes.


    ¡°What do you know about the inferno?¡± I demanded. ¡°And Cora Felix?¡±


    The imposter grinned at me and tilted his head to the side. His sheer arrogance was enough to make


    me sick./


    ¡°I know more about them than anyone else,¡± he said calmly.


    I considered my options. Brute force would get me nowhere, but at the same time, I wasn¡¯t about to just


    lie down and take this insolence. I was the Alpha King of Wega. I needed to act the part.


    ¡°How do I know I can trust any of the words thate out of your mouth?¡± I


    asked him with a raised eyebrow. ¡°I have no idea who you are. You could be making things up.¡±


    The imposter shrugged. ¡°You don¡¯t have to trust me. I can¡¯t make you do anything. Kill me if you want,


    Asher Collins, but without me, you¡¯ll never know what happened to that poor woman.¡±


    I knew he was goading me. The urge to just do away with this imposter was strong. But at the same


    time, I needed to know what he had to say about Cora.


    As I pondered my next move, the imposter studied me carefully. His lips curled into an impish grin.


    ¡°I know you want me dead,¡± he said. ¡°I can see it in your eyes. But you should know, I¡¯m not the one


    you should be ming. I was simply following orders. I¡¯m nothing more than just a pawn.¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I growled.


    His grin intensified.


    ¡°You¡¯re clever,¡± he noted. ¡°What I want, Asher Collins, is simple. I need you to send me away. I swear


    to you I¡¯ll never return to Wega again.¡±


    I was taken aback for a second, but the moment was fleeting. There was no way I was going to let the


    imposter go.


    I remained silent, and the man spoke again.


    ¡°I promise you, my information is worth the exchange,¡± he said, and then he raised an eyebrow and


    gripped the bars again. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know who was behind the inferno? Or what your little mate


    said before her death? I can tell you all of that and more. Hell, I could even give you the evidence that


    would allow you to convict the person responsible. My information is nothing less than da mning.¡±


    I clenched my fist as my muscles tensed instinctively.


    Suddenly, I knew why the man had insisted on a private talk with me.


    The imposter was crafty. As much as I wanted to end it all and kill him, he knew I wanted more


    information about Cora. He also knew that this negotiation would only work if we were alone because if


    anyone else were present, I would have to act in the best interest of Wega.


    And for the best interest of the empire, the man deserved execution.


    He¡¯d taken the Alpha King¡¯s wife hostage and wounded her almost lethally. That alone was a


    punishable offense.


    The situation in theb between Adalyn and Ca ssandra had been far less terrible and Oliver had


    practically demanded the healer¡¯s head. There was no doubt that he would feel even more strongly


    about this.


    Then again, his behavior in the corridor had been troubling.


    Had the Beta tried to kill the man to avenge Adalyn? Was that the reason for his bloodthirstiness? I


    wouldn¡¯t me him if that was the case, but then again, he didn¡¯t seem okay with the idea of me


    speaking with this imposter alone. So, the question


    remained.


    What was I supposed to do with all of this?


    I pushed aside my concerns about Oliver Moses. Right now, he didn¡¯t matter.


    I turned away from the imposter. I didn¡¯t need him to bear witness to my turmoil. Vulnerability wasn¡¯t


    something I felt very often, but recently, all I felt was emotionally raw.


    For the past five years, I¡¯d done nothing but obsess over what had happened to Cora. It haunted my


    every waking minute and gued my mind. No matter how much I threw myself into my royal duties, I


    could never shove the memories of my former mate aside, or allow myself to truly live.


    I¡¯d never been able to forgive myself for what had happened to her, nor allowed. myself to let anyone


    else in like I had with her. Adalyn, Marco¡­ As sick and twisted


    as it sounded, I could never care for them like I¡¯d cared about Cora.


    I released a heavy sigh. I wished I could receive counsel from someone, anyone really, but I knew


    exactly what they¡¯d say.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    free.


    Cora Felix was dead.


    And countless more lives would be put at risk if I allowed the man to be set


    The


    imposter said he wanted to leave Wega, but how could I trust him? I didn¡¯t know anything about him


    and I had no reason to take his words to heart. For all knew, I could set him free, and he could sneak


    back down to hisir and continue to gue my kingdom with poisoned vipers.


    Besides, there were too many unanswered questions. Who was the man? Where had hee from?


    And who was the boss that he worked for?


    I didn¡¯t want her to risk her safety to be here, but for the briefest of instances, I wished Ca ssandra was


    here. She was strong and brave, more so than I was feeling at this moment.


    What would she do if she was me?


    What choice would she make? The right one, or the selfish one?


    The man began tough again, and a shiver traveled down my spine.


    ¡°What are youughing at?¡± I growled as I turned to face him. ¡°I¡¯m getting sick


    of this.¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothing¡± he mused.¡±Color me shocked. I didn¡¯t expect you to take this much time to mull things


    over. I was certain that little tidbit of information would be enough, but apparently, it¡¯s not. You don¡¯t


    seem to believe me. Well, Asher Collins, let me give you something first. An appetizer of information if


    you will. Hear me out, and you can decide if you want to cooperate or not. The choice will be yours.¡±


    He smiled and stared deeply into my eyes. ¡°So, what will it be?¡±

 Chapter 92

    Chapter 92


    Chapter 92 His mate had been pregnant


    ASHER


    I raised my eyebrow and stared at the man. A tidbit of information? He truly must have believed in what


    he had to say. Either that or he was a master of deceit. Regardless, I knew I had no choice. I had to


    take the bait.


    I had to know about Cora.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I said, and I crossed my arms. ¡°What do you have to say?¡±


    The imposter cleared his throat. He seemed just as surprised as I was that I¡¯d agreed to hear him out.


    He took a second and then began.


    ¡°Even back then I found the girl to be quite pitiful,¡± he remarked. ¡°She looked so innocent. But there¡¯s


    nothing I could do about that. It was a shame, really.¡±


    My stomach turned as I pictured Cora. From his tone, I could tell she had probably been scared.


    I wanted to strike him down.


    What had they done to her?


    ¡°Get to the point,¡± I demanded.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting to the point, young Alpha,¡± the imposter said with a wave of hist hand. ¡°I¡¯m simply saying


    that she was pitiful. She seemed so innocent, so precious. Well, innocent enough, seeing as she was


    the daughter of such a serious criminal. She was likely tied into their business, so I can¡¯t help but


    wonder how naive to it all she truly was-¡±


    ¡°Get to the point!¡± I shouted, emphasizing every word.


    The manughed, and before I knew what I was doing, I lunged forward and


    reached through the bars. I grabbed his neck and yanked him forward until his chest smacked against


    the bars.


    ¡°If you keep talking nonsense, I¡¯ll end your life now,¡± I threatened. ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±


    I tightened my grip around him to emphasize that point, and the imposter struggled for breath. Despite


    the danger of my hands around his neck, he maintained eye contact with me and didn¡¯t panic.


    After nearly a minute, he began again.


    ¡°She was pregnant, young Alpha,¡± the man revealed. ¡°She was pregnant with your child.¡±


    The world suddenly turned on its axis.


    My heart sunk in my chest as the weight of his words crashed down on me. My knees wavered and my


    eyes started to well up involuntarily.


    Cora was pregnant.


    She was pregnant with my baby.


    I released my hold on the man and took a few steps back from the bars. I searched the room for


    something to brace myself on as my chest heaved. I¡¯d never felt shock like this before and for a


    moment, I thought I was going to be sick.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to end two lives,¡± the man spoke again, and he rubbed his neck. His skin had turned


    bright red from my chokehold, but I didn¡¯t care about that. I couldn¡¯t care less about his well-being, not


    right now.


    ¡°S-s-shut up,¡± I stammered as a lump formed in my throat.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t just stop because she¡¯d said so,¡± he continued anyway, his tone. serious for once. ¡°It could


    have been an excuse after all. I¡¯m sure any person under those circumstances would say anything to


    survive-¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± I murmured.


    ¡°It was all so very violent,¡± the man sighed. ¡°Vicious, really. I would be very happy to help you convict


    the person responsible-¡±


    ¡°Shut the f**k up!¡± I growled. My inner wolf was going to take control if the man continued to say


    anything further.


    I turned away from him and fought to regain control. My nails had already. sharpened into ws, and I


    could feel my canines pressing against my lips. My entire body shook as I battled my beast.


    There was a long moment of silence. My tone must


    to keep the man from running his mouth.


    have been intense enough


    When I finally had an ounce of control, I took a long, deep breath, and pulled myself together.


    ¡°Is she still alive or not?¡± I asked the man quietly, and when I turned back to his cell, the imposter¡¯s


    expression was confused.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be possible,¡± he said as he shook his head slowly. ¡°Cora had drank a cup of poison before


    the fire was set. Even if she¡¯d managed to escape, she wouldn¡¯t have survived. The poison had no


    cure.¡±


    The moment the man finished speaking, I turned on my heels and ran out of the dungeon. I nearly lost


    my footing up the stairs, and as I ascended, I heard the man calling my name. But I ignored him. I


    would deal with the imposterter.


    For now, there was only one person I wanted to see.


    Ca ssandra Keller.


    I had already started to believe that Ca ssandra was really Cora. And the fact that Cora had been


    pregnant before the inferno only further proved my theory. She had a son, after all, one who was


    around the proper age.


    I sped up my pace until I reached the entrance of the pce. The guards were surprised to see me


    rush by so quickly, but I couldn¡¯t stop and exin. My mind was racing just as fast as my feet were


    carrying me. It was a surprise I wasn¡¯t flying.


    As I ascended the main staircase, I tried to figure out the rest of the story. The imposter had said that


    Cora had consumed an incurable poison. Is that why her appearance had changed? Ca ssandra and


    Cora looked nothing alike. Was that a side effect of the poison? And was that why she was so afraid of


    revealing her true


    identity?


    How much did she truly suffer?


    My eyes welled up again and I hastened my pace even further.


    I had a feeling that I would lose her again if I didn¡¯t go to her now.


    Guards and other pce personnel alike ducked out of the way as I rushed down the corridor. I could


    hear the whispers and remarks around me, but I paid


    them no mind.


    Let them talk and gossip about the king going mad.


    I reached the door of Ca ssandra¡¯s room soon after, and when I flung it open, 1 saw the healer standing


    there with Lancel and Erika. She seemed surprised to see me, and her emerald eyes trailed over me


    as I rushed in.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± she said, and her eyebrows knitted together. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    When I nced over at Lancel and Erika, she spoke again.


    ¡°Lancel came to make sure I was okay,¡± she exined calmly. ¡°We were just discussing the possibility


    of me returning back to work today since the imposter was caught-¡±


    ¡°Everyone out,¡± I demanded. The room fell silent, and when nobody moved, I said it again. ¡°Now.¡±


    The guard and the maid exchanged looks of fear and concern. Theyplied without question, and


    the moment they left and closed the door behind them, I stared at Cassandra.


    The healer stared back at me in rm. I could see the fear and panic in her eyes and I hated it.


    It was driving me absolutely crazy.


    I didn¡¯t want to scare her. I was tired of scaring her. But I couldn¡¯t let things. continue on like this. I had


    to know the truth, and I had to know it now.


    Who was she?

 Chapter 93

    Chapter 93


    Chapter 93 She is the world to him


    CA SSANDRA


    As Asher¡¯s eyes locked onto mine, I tried to read his emotions, but I failed at the task miserably. I didn¡¯t


    know what was wrong. His voice was coa rse and cold, and his expression was intense, to say the


    least.


    Once again, I felt like cornered prey, and the feeling only heightened when he began to walk toward


    me. With every step he took forward, I took one back, until I identally found myself with my back


    against the far wall.


    My heart beat faster in my chest and my stomach twisted in knots. The Alpha King looked angry, but I


    suspected there was more to it than that. Something had happened down in the dungeon; I just knew it.


    But what did it have to do with me?


    We stared at one another until finally, Asher spoke.


    ¡°Cora?¡±


    My eyes widened before I could stop them and a shiver ran through me at the sound of my true name


    on his tongue.


    Had he discovered the truth?


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Did the imposter tell him?


    It was the only exnation that made a bit of sense, however, it was impossible, wasn¡¯t it? My


    appearance had changed in the five years since the inferno. There was no way that man could


    recognize me.


    Asher waited for me to respond, and I tried to materialize an answer. What could I say? Could I admit


    to it and finally cast this charade aside?


    I then thought of Finnick and knew that option wasn¡¯t possible.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look well, Your Majesty,¡± I uttered. ¡°Maybe it would be a good ideal for you to sit down and


    take a moment to calm down.¡±


    Asher¡¯s lips turned downward into a frown. His eyes looked pained for a moment and then they


    darkened and red at me. His lips parted as if he was about to say something further. He was so


    close to me that I could feel the


    sweetness of his breath.


    Yet no words came out.


    He turned his head and released a sigh. When he turned back, he leaned into me and rested his chin


    against my shoulder. I stiffened.


    What was happening?


    ¡°Stop lying to me,¡± he whispered.


    +


    His words weren¡¯t amand. He was practically pleading. He sounded so helpless, so sad. I felt a


    tug at my heartstrings and nearly welled up with tears.


    I didn¡¯t know what to say. Asher had clearly discovered something, some shred of evidence that had


    finally confirmed my true identity. But no matter what he found, I couldn¡¯t admit he was right.


    If I was still the naive, innocent girl I was five years ago, the sight of my true mate like this would have


    been downright unbearable. But I¡¯d been through too much. The inferno, the pain of my burns, the


    horrible nightmares of losing Finnick¡­ his sadness couldn¡¯tpare. I couldn¡¯t suffer any more loss.


    So, I did what I had to do.


    ¡°Cora Felix is dead, Your Majesty,¡± I said softly, in the calmest tone I could manage. ¡°Let her rest in


    peace.¡±


    Asher lingered against me for a moment and then rose to his full height. His eyes were wet, and he


    appeared just as downtrodden as his tone had been. Again, I


    felt my heart ache, but I forced myself to hold it together.


    That is, until his next words.


    ¡°I know Cora was pregnant.¡±


    I remained silent, but my blood ran cold. So that was it, the reason why he¡¯d run to my chamber so


    swiftly. The imposter soldier had told him this, there was no doubt about it. It was too much of a


    coincidence.


    ¡°It was my fault,¡± he uttered. ¡°I should never have let her stay in that mansion. It¡¯s one of my life¡¯s


    greatest regrets.¡±


    He reached down and took my hand in his. I instinctively wanted to yank it away and I inhaled sharply.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to speak the truth if you don¡¯t want to, Ca ssandra,¡± he said quietly, and then he raised


    my hand to his lips and kissed it gently. ¡°I can¡¯t force you¡­. But I need you to know this much. I¡¯d do


    anything for you.¡±


    I stared into his eyes and challenged that idea.


    ¡°What if I wanted to leave?¡± I asked. ¡°What if I wanted to leave Anemond forever?¡±


    He smirked briefly and then grew serious. ¡°Anything go again.¡±


    ut that. I¡¯ll never let you


    Before I could say another word, Asher moved in close and kissed me. He was gentle, at first, but then


    the kiss grew more passionate.


    This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. I knew it would onlyplicate matters further and get me more


    tangled in this web of drama, but I couldn¡¯t fight it any longer. I couldn¡¯t go against my heart any longer,


    at least not tonight.


    So, I kissed him back.


    Asher seemed surprised by this, but he didn¡¯t question it at all. I brought my


    hands up and wrapped them around his neck. He went low and gripped my hips on either side, then


    gently pressed my body against his until I couldn¡¯t tell where I ended and he began. As we embraced,


    our kiss deepened, and I could feel his heartbeat against my chest.


    We continued like this for some time until Asher guided me away from the wall. He spun me a little and


    hoisted me up. I wrapped my legs around him for support, and then he carried us over to my bed.


    He set me down gently, and once I was there, he unbuttoned his shirt. The sight of his broad, muscr


    chest was enough to make my lips tremble, and the feeling only heightened when he undid his


    trousers.


    Every inch of Asher was so beautiful. His skin was perfectly tanned and toned, and the scent of his


    cologne filled the air as he undressed.


    Once he waspletely bare, I carefully slipped out of my dress. The air was cool against my skin,


    and I shivered slightly, but it didn¡¯t bother me. I was a little nervous to be so exposed, but then again,


    this was Asher, my true mate.


    I let the dress fall to the ground, and once it was discarded, I cast aside my undergarments. Asher¡¯s


    jaw dropped slightly as he took in my naked form, and he inhaled deeply.


    ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful,¡± he whispered as his eyes trailed over my body. ¡°So perfect.¡±


    His tone was so earnest that I knew that he meant every word.


    After a moment of admiring each other, Asher climbed into bed with me. I smiled at him, and then we


    started where we left off. His hand cupped my cheek as we kissed, and the sheer tenderness of it all


    made me feel warm.


    This time was different than thest. Before, our encounter had been purely carnal. But tonight¡­ it was


    more than that. He was softer, kinder. The passion was there, but it was more patient than before. His


    lips, his touch, all of it was almost


    reverent somehow.


    After a while, he carefully climbed over me until he was on top. His beautiful gray eyes were gentle,


    and I admired the way his dark hair fell around his face.


    ¡°Do you want this?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I breathed, and I nodded for emphasis. ¡°I want you. All of you.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°As do I.¡±


    Then, he leaned down and kissed me. His skin was warm against mine, and I was reminded of how


    things were before the inferno. This was the Asher I¡¯d loved, not the Alpha King he¡¯d be.


    My body craved him just as much as my mind did. When he entered me slowly, I inhaled deeply, and a


    soft moan escaped me.


    ¡°Is this okay?¡± he whispered as he leaned in, and when I nodded, he continued on. As he moved within


    me and started to take on a steady rhythm, I wrapped my hands around him and pulled him tighter


    against me.


    This wasn¡¯t just sex. This was making love.


    He was considerate of my needs and took the time and effort to make sure I was satisfied. For the first


    time in forever, I didn¡¯t feel embarrassed or self conscious about my body or the scars that still


    remained. Asher praised my beauty under his breath repeatedly, and with every utterance, I started to


    believe him.


    We soon reached the height of our pleasure together, and as the euphorial crashed over me, I nearly


    cried from happiness. I hadn¡¯t felt joy like this in five years, and it was nothing short of pure ecstasy.


    We remained wrapped up in one another, and once we settled, Asher gently eased himself out andid


    down beside me.


    The Alpha King held me close, and my fingers traced the scars on his back. To my surprise, he didn¡¯t


    pull away or wince at my touch.


    ¡°You mean the world to me, Ca ssandra,¡± he said softly, and he buried his face in


    my hair.


    We fell asleep in each other¡¯s arms, and for the first time in a long time, I was truly happy to be alive.

 Chapter 94

    Chapter 94


    Chapter 94 Rage


    ADALYN


    When I awoke, my vision was blurred, and I couldn¡¯t make sense of my surroundings, but I could hear


    the sound of someone softly crying.


    I blinked a few times until finally, the shapes around me came into focus. My mother sat beside me,


    and the moment she realized I was awake, she grew


    overjoyed.


    ¡°Oh, Adalyn!¡± she cried, and she threw her arms around me. ¡°Oh, my sweet. darling girl, you¡¯re awake!¡±


    My voice caught in my throat, and her grip around me made me wince a little. My hand threw to my


    throat. Why did it ache?


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I looked around, and much to my surprise, I realized I was lying in a bed in the medical ward. I¡¯d only


    ever been here a handful of times in my life, but I recognized the cold, sterile atmosphere right away.


    All of the furnishings were a mixture of soft white and stark metal, and no matter how many flowers


    they ced on the bedside. tables, the ward was a far cry from homey.


    What was I doing all the way down here?


    My mother pulled away, and suddenly, it all began to hit me. My memories surged back in droves and


    my head began to hurt.


    I¡¯d been held hostage by that terrible man. He¡¯d hurt me quite terribly with his sharp ws.


    There was no blood on my fingers when I removed it from my throat, so clearly I was no longer in


    danger. I healed fast, always had.


    My mother pulled away, and when she did, I noticed Marco was seated in the chair beside the bed. His


    face lit up immediately, and he rushed over to hug me.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± he cried as he squeezed my middle section. ¡°Oh, Mommy! I was so worried. Do you feel


    okay?¡±


    I squeezed him back and nodded.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I managed, and then I turned to Mother. Her expression was joyful as she studied us, and for a


    moment, I felt like things were going to be alright.


    Then, another thought crossed my mind.


    Asher. He¡¯d been the one to save me from that malicious man.


    I wanted to give Marco more attention, but I needed answers first.


    ¡°Where is Asher?¡± I asked.


    Mother seemed surprised by my question, and then she frowned.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know, Adalyn,¡± she admitted.


    ¡°Well, where did he go after he left here?¡± I wondered, and for a brief second, Mother looked confused,


    and then she nodded.


    ¡°Uh¡­ well, I¡¯m not sure,¡± she said, and then she nced at the door. ¡°He¡­ he didn¡¯t say where he was


    going¡­ You just missed him, though. He must be interrogating the man that held you hostage, dear.¡±


    I knew immediately that she was lying. Mother always trailed off when she was lying.


    I moved Marco aside and then started to climb out of bed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go find him myself,¡± I decided, but Mother reached out and grabbed my arm gently.


    ¡°Adalyn, you need to get some rest,¡± she said calmly. ¡°It¡¯s been a long day, and you lost quite a bit of


    blood. It would be best for you toy back down and rx. Asher wille back soon enough.¡±


    My frustration grew with every passing second. Where was my husband? Why wasn¡¯t he here at my


    side?


    Why was I always so alone?


    ¡°What about Father?¡± I wondered as I searched the room. ¡°Where is he?¡±


    ¡°Your father had to leave, sweetheart,¡± Mother said calmly. ¡°He was here for a while, waiting for you to


    awaken, and then he got a call from the border about twenty minutes ago. Ss is going to be returning


    to Anemond. Your father ist arranging the ns for his arrival.¡±


    My frustration shifted to anger at once.


    Ss.


    Ss.


    It was always my little brother, Ss.


    No matter what I was going through, he was always the priority, the apple of my father¡¯s eye. I knew he


    loved Ss more than he loved me, and I couldn¡¯t understand why. My brother wasn¡¯t the incredible


    person that everyone thought he was. He was spoiled and arrogant, and his every move was always


    revered so


    highly.


    Here I was, recovering from an attack, and my father was off worrying about a visit from Ss!


    And Asher¡­ where was he? How could he leave me here? Why did no one care that I¡¯d been injured,


    that I¡¯d endured such a terrible situation? How could the man who was supposed to be my husband


    tear himself away from me for even just one. moment? He couldn¡¯t be supportive of me? He couldn¡¯t be


    here for Marco?


    As my hands shook with rage, I thought then of the healer. Ca ssandra Keller. When she¡¯d proposed to


    take my ce as the evil man¡¯s hostage, I¡¯d felt an ounce of relief, but Asher had arrived right away


    and stopped her.


    What had taken him so long to get there? And why had he looked so worried


    about her?


    I didn¡¯t believe Ca ssandra had offered to take my ce out of sincerity. Surely, she was just trying to


    appear like a good person in front of the audience in the corridor, and furthermore Asher.


    And my fool of a husband had clearly fallen for her game.


    ¡°Mommy, are you alright?¡± Marco asked. His cherubic face was clearly worried.


    I shoved my anger down for a second and then swept him back into my arms.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, baby,¡± I whispered as I held him close. Even if everything else was falling to ruin, at least I


    still had Marco.


    Pitiful as it was, my son was useful. Asher would never want to leave his son. Ast long as I was still


    Marco¡¯s mother, nothing would change.


    I needed to exploit that as much as I could. But before then¡­ I needed to teach that wretched healer


    some discipline.


    ¡°Marco, honey, how long has it been since you¡¯ve visited Grandma Margaret?¡± I asked him in a soft,


    honeyed voice.


    ¡°Hmm, quite a while,¡± he remarked, and his eyebrows crinkled as he tilted his


    head to the side.


    ¡°I think we¡¯ll visit her tomorrow,¡± I decided.


    Marco nodded, but he looked confused.¡±Why?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask questions,¡± I said firmly, and I ran my hand through his soft curls. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to keep


    sharing your daddy with others, you¡¯ll listen to what Mommy says. Okay?¡±


    Marco nodded again, only this time, his expression was serious.


    Mother studied me closely,


    to exin myself or my n to her.


    At the end of the day, at least I knew I had Margaret on my side. I didn¡¯t have the power to deal with Ca


    ssandra Keller directly, especially since she was so well-protected these days. But surely, if Margaret


    and I put our heads together, we coulde up with a solution to get around that. We could find a way


    to destroy those around her and inflict some real damage once and for all.


    My lips curled into a smile. I would take great pleasure in taking Ca ssandra


    Keller down.


    Asher Collins was mine.


    I was about to make that abundantly clear.

 Chapter 95

    Chapter 95


    Chapter 95 Becky¡¯s concern


    CA SSANDRA


    ¡°You look really nice today, Ca ssy,¡± Becky remarked as I stepped foot in theb, and her dark eyes


    trailed over me. ¡°You¡¯re practically glowing. Did something good


    happen to you or something?¡±


    Heat spread to my cheeks and I tucked my hair behind my ear. I¡¯d taken a little extra time to apply


    some makeup and my wavy hair was cooperating for once, but


    there was more to it than that.


    Thoughts and images ofst night danced in my mind, and I started to smile, but I shoved the


    memories aside and made up an excuse.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m just happy that the imposter was finally caught,¡± I said. There was some truth to my


    statement, but it certainly wasn¡¯t the only reason.


    ¡°Me too,¡± Becky agreed, and she set down the stack of papers in her hand. ¡°It¡¯s brilliant news.


    Hopefully, the man will confess quickly so we can start identifying the venoms. This whole thing has


    been so awful.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Definitely.¡±


    As I walked over to my desk and set my backpack down, I thought more about the situation at hand.


    Once we were able to get the vipers sorted out, I could get back to researching the mysterious disease


    that gued Wega.


    But what would happen after that?


    I didn¡¯t have a clue.


    Though I hadn¡¯t admitted outright to Asher that I was Cora, nothing would stop the Alpha King from


    believing it. He could always get proof if he really wanted to. He had all of the resources avable to


    test my hair, my nails, or anything else that could prove once and for all that I was his former mate.


    All I could do was put my head down and hope for the best.


    As I rested on the desk, I thought again ofst night, particrly of one moment. Just after we¡¯d made


    love, right before we fell asleep in one another¡¯s arms, Asher had told me that if I truly insisted on


    leaving, he¡¯d give up everything.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    and leave with me.


    He¡¯d been half asleep when the words had left his mouth, so I wasn¡¯t sure if there was any truth to


    them, but I couldn¡¯t help but think about it anyway. Did he mean it? Would Asher Collins give up his


    throne, his very birthright, and his Pack just to leave with me?


    It was highly unlikely for that to happen. I knew that. But what he wasn¡¯t kidding?


    Could we really leave Anemond behind?


    ¡°Ca ssandra?¡± Becky¡¯s voice pulled me back into reality. I turned my attention back to her.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I apologized. ¡°I got a little lost in thought.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she said, and after a brief pause, she started to mess with one of her bracelets. ¡°So, there¡¯s


    been something I wanted to ask you. I don¡¯t know if it would be possible. But when we get this situation


    with the vipers under control¡­ could I take a few days off?¡±


    Distress suddenly painted her features, and I granted her my full attention.


    ¡°Is something wrong, Becky?¡± I asked.


    She seemed hesitant to answer, but then she took a deep breath and nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s my mother,¡± she began, and her eyes fell to the ground. ¡°She hasn¡¯t been feeling too well these


    days. I¡¯d like to take some time off to look after her.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I said gently, and I gave her a reassuring smile. ¡°That¡¯s no problem at all. Family is so


    important. Take the time you need to care for her, and be sure to


    take some time to look after yourself. This viper thing has been taking over everything. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re


    super burnt out. You deserve some good rest.¡±


    Becky shook her head and then crossed her arms.


    ¡°Truthfully, I¡¯m not feeling burnt out,¡± she admitted. ¡°In fact theb is the only ce where I can find


    some peace.¡±


    My assistant sat down in the nearest chair and then wheeled it closer to me.


    ¡°I really love my mother,¡± she continued, and she began to mess with her bracelet again. ¡°But


    sometimes she can be¡­ unreasonable, you know? She wants me to marry a man from a wealthier


    family, someone who can ¡®take care of me. But I don¡¯t want that.¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked gently.


    She paused for a moment and then smiled.


    ¡°I want to wait for my mate,¡± she said, and her cheeks started to flush bright pink. ¡°I know that sounds


    silly. My mother says I¡¯m foolish because a true, fated mate is so rare. She says such a thing never


    happens tomon girls like me.¡±


    Becky took a deep breath.


    ¡°I don¡¯t me her for being like this,¡± she sighed. ¡°My mother had a hard time raising me. My dad died


    when I was very young.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± I offered.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she replied, and then she pushed her sses further up her nose.¡±It hasn¡¯t been the


    same since he passed. I have two older sisters and they ended up choosing their mates. Once they got


    married, my mother was pretty obsessed with the idea of me doing the same. But I didn¡¯t want that.¡¯


    ¡°Which is totally understandable,¡± I interjected. ¡°Finding a mate isn¡¯t something you should take lightly.¡±¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± she agreed. ¡°My mother tried setting me up with a man, but honestly, it¡¯s wasn¡¯t a good match.


    He was unpleasant, to say the least, and he wanted me to give up my dream of being a royal healer.


    He wanted a woman who would just stay in the house and be an obedient wife, which sounded like an


    absolute nightmare. So, I turned him down.¡±


    She shook her head again. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe it was dumb to reject him, but I know what I want, and


    I¡¯m not about to give up my dreams just to make my mother happy. It¡¯s probably silly, but I want to find


    my fated mate. Besides, I just passed my eighteenth birthday. I¡¯m in no rush.¡±


    My heart ached as I studied Becky¡¯s face. I felt sorry for her. As much as I wanted to tell her it could


    happen for her, the truth of the matter was that fated mates were rare. Every werewolf in Wega knew


    that. Fated mates were considered a blessing from the moon.


    Rumor and legend said that the blessing would only be granted to werewolves who were gifted and


    strong. I knew this to be true because Asher and I had been fated mates. It was the only reason I


    hadn¡¯t been sentenced to death immediately after my father had been imprisoned, but it was also the


    reason the soldiers hade to Rosepetal.


    The king couldn¡¯t marry another woman unless his mate was dead.


    I shoved my feelings aside and reached out and took Becky¡¯s hands in mine.


    ¡°You¡¯re incredibly gifted Becky,¡± I assured her. ¡°Not to mention, you¡¯re one of the kindest and most


    wonderful people I¡¯ve ever known. I know it seems impossible, but don¡¯t let go of your dreams. Your


    true mate is out there, and I have no doubt in my mind that you¡¯ll find him.¡±


    1.


    My assistant¡¯s eyes spilled over with tears and she leaned forward and hugged


    ¡°Thank you, Ca ssy,¡± she whispered. ¡°Thank you.¡±

 Chapter 96

    Chapter 96


    Chapter 96 Finnick¡¯sints


    CA SSANDRA


    After a long, hard day of working in theb, Becky and I parted ways and I made my way back to my


    room. I was tired after sorting through so much research, but I started to grow more and more excited


    with every step.


    Finnick was returning today, and every ounce of me was thrilled to see my son again.


    Though it¡¯d only been a couple of days since I¡¯d seen him, I missed him greatly. I didn¡¯t like to be


    separated from Finnick for long periods of time, and he didn¡¯t like it either, especially now that we lived


    here in Anemond.


    Back in Wild Crawler, he had sleepovers at Dominic¡¯s quite frequently. He was always a wee guest


    in Alpha Gareth and Luna Sofia¡¯s home. But here in Merliscire, I didn¡¯t like Finnick being so far away


    from me. Things were too dangerous and there were too many shady characters.


    Lancel followed behind me, and I did my best to ignore him. I¡¯d tried telling him. earlier in the day that I


    didn¡¯t need his assistance any longer since the imposter had. been apprehended, but Lancel insisted


    that he was following the orders of his Alpha, and his Alpha had yet to formally dismiss him.


    I tried saying that the Alpha King probably forgot, but Lancel was firm.


    ¡°My Alpha doesn¡¯t forget anything,¡± he said gravely.


    I wanted tough and roll my eyes, but I decided not to argue the point any further. Besides, I felt


    awkward speaking with Lancel in any capacity, especially after what Asher and I had done.


    The guard could likely imagine what had transpired in my roomst night. Asher had remained there


    until he left this morning for work, after all.


    As heat spread to my cheeks at the me ntal image of the Alpha King and I tangled up in my sheets,


    Lancel was called by another guard in the hallway.


    ¡°Your attention is required by the king,¡± the guard announced. Lancel nodded and then gave me a look.


    ¡°Will you be remaineing in your room?¡± the older man asked me.


    I nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± he remarked. ¡°I¡¯ll returnter.¡±


    Just as he was about to leave, he let out a sigh. ¡°Try not to get into any more


    trouble, Healer Ca ssandra.¡±


    I stifled augh, and Lancel rushed over to join the other guard. As they disappeared down the hall, I


    continued walking to my room and giggled to myself.


    I hurried my pace, and when I finally reached my room, I threw open the door and was greeted by


    Finnick. His gray eyes widened and he rushed toward me.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± he shouted, and he barrelled right into my legs. I almost fell over from the sudden impact,


    but I was too happy to mind.


    Erika stood on the other side of the room, and she gave me a knowing smile.


    ¡°Oh, Finnick,¡± I cried happily, and I picked him up and held him close. I kissed the top of his head and


    nearly cried at the sight of him.


    ¡°I miss you so much, Mommy,¡± Finnick whispered into my shoulder.


    ¡°I missed you too, baby,¡± I said.


    We clung to each other for a moment, and then I carefully set him down on the ground. I walked over


    and closed the door, and then Finnick and I sat down at the table.


    ¡°I don¡¯t ever wanna be separated like that again,¡± my sonmented as he


    studied me carefully. ¡°No matter how many toys you promise me. Okay?¡±


    I smiled and nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna be separated again either.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± he dered, and I reached across the table and tousled his dark hair. Finnick giggled and tried


    to fight me off, but it was no use.


    ¡°So, tell me all about your past couple of days,¡± I said, and I rested my elbows. on the table. ¡°I want to


    hear everything.¡±


    He shrugged but didn¡¯t look upset. ¡°They were alright. I missed you very much. But my new aunties


    treated me very nicely.¡±


    ¡°Your new aunties?¡± I repeated back, and Finnick lit up.


    ¡°The maids!¡± he announced as if it were obvious. ¡°They were very nice to me. They told me stories and


    brought me some new toys. But¡­ I have a secret, Mommy.¡±


    ear.


    ¡°A secret?¡± I asked. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Finnick gestured for me to scoot in closer, and when I did, he whispered in my


    ¡°I like Aunt Erika better.¡±


    I dissolved intoughter, and just as I looked up, Erika approached the table and took a seat next to


    Finnick. Finnick threw his arms around her and gave the maid a big hug.


    Once everyone settled, I touched Finnick¡¯s arm gently.


    ¡°So, I believe I made you a promise,¡± I began. ¡°I think toys may have been involved? What would you


    like, darling? You can have any toy you want since you were so brave.¡±


    Finnick pondered the question for a while before he began to speak.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want any toys,¡± he admitted reluctantly, and then his eyes fell to the ground. ¡°I think I want


    something else, Mommy.¡±


    ¡°Something else,¡± I repeated back gently, and I nced at Erika. When the maid shrugged, I turned


    back to Finnick. ¡°What do you want, baby?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± he trailed off. ¡°I would like to call Dominic. I miss him very much,


    Mommy.¡±


    Erika and I locked eyes again, and we both shared simr expressions of sadness. I understood


    Finnick¡¯s feelingspletely. But it wasn¡¯t my ce to agree to a request like that. I didn¡¯t know if we


    could call Wild Crawler or not, and besides, I didn¡¯t have a personal telephone line here. All forms of


    communication went through the Alpha King.


    ask.¡±


    ¡°Let me ask the king,¡± I said slowly. ¡°I can¡¯t make any promises, honey, but I canExclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Finnick nodded vigorously. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°In the meantime, is there anything else you want?¡± I asked. ¡°I can go into the market and find you a


    new toy.¡±


    Finnick thought again, and then his gray eyes grew serious.


    ¡°Mommy, I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s possible,¡± he said. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to go back to ss with Marco.¡±


    I was a little taken aback by his request.


    ¡°Why not?¡± I asked.


    Finnick¡¯s cheeks turned red and he bit his lip.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be happy if I told you,¡± he said quietly. ¡°You always tell me it isn¡¯t nice to talk about


    someone badly behind their back.¡±


    This time, it was my turn to bite my lip. I leaned in close.


    ¡°Was the princeughing at you again?¡± I asked him and he shook his head.


    ¡°No, Mommy,¡± he replied. ¡°It¡¯s not that. It¡¯s just¡­ the ss is really boring. Marco doesn¡¯t understand


    what the teacher tells us, so the teacher has to say it again and again. It¡¯s boring, Mommy. Even


    Dominic could learn how to read and write the words quickly. They aren¡¯t difficult at all.¡±


    As the weight of my son¡¯s statement crashed over me, my entire body grew hot, and Erika and I


    nced at one another. We managed to restrain ourselves for a moment, and then we dissolved into


    laughter.

 Chapter 97

    Chapter 97


    ASHER


    Chapter 97 Report about the imposter


    I stared down at the report that had just been hand-delivered to my office, and as my eyes trailed over


    it, my eyebrows creased together.


    The report had been drafted by my guards after their full investigation of the imposter we¡¯d


    apprehended yesterday. Unfortunately all they¡¯d uncovered was his name, and a small crest they¡¯d


    found on his person.


    I held the small medallion in my hands and studied it carefully. I knew all of the Packs crests by heart,


    and none of them matched the one on the charm. This crest didn¡¯t belong to any group in Wega, I


    was sure of it.


    I


    Apparently, the man¡¯s name was Spi ke Nox, though it sounded more like an alias than his given name.


    ording to the register list of all the guards in Merliscire, he¡¯d been recruited as a five years ago, and


    had served as a private guard of Margaret¡¯s ever since.


    Apart from these details, nothing else had been recorded. His origin, his background, his


    qualifications¡­ none of that could be found anywhere. Apparently, the man hadn¡¯t been recruited form


    the official channels. Someone had arranged this position for him, but who?


    Was it my wicked stepmother?


    As I considered the idea, I heard a knock at my door. I sighed.


    ¡°Come in,¡± I called out. The door opened and in walked Lancel. The guard¡¯s expression was as serious


    as ever, and when his eyes fell to the papers in my hands, his mouth set into a thin line.


    ¡°Is everything alright with Ca ssandra?¡± asked him first.


    Lancel nodded politely. ¡°Yes, Alpha. The healer is perfectly fine. She¡¯s with her


    son right now.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± I remarked, and then I getsured at him with the report. ¡°Have you heard about this yet? It¡¯s a


    report about the imposter.¡±


    When he shook his head, I nodded, and then told him everything. As I read every detail written down,


    Lancel grew more and more surprised. His eyebrows raised until they were nearly at his hairline, and


    then he frowned.


    ¡°Do you think Margaret hired him?¡± I asked directly. ¡°Do you think she¡¯s behind all of this?¡±


    My most trusted guard considered the idea and fell silent for a minute. He approached my desk and


    took a seat in front of me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, Alpha,¡± he said finally. ¡°She¡¯s a smart woman. If Margaret were entangled in this, she


    wouldn¡¯t have arranged for this man to be so close to her. She¡¯d maintain her distance to keep from


    getting exposed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good point,¡± I agreed. Lancel was right. Margaret may have been wicked, but she wasn¡¯t st


    upid.


    If my stepmother hadn¡¯t hired the man, who did? And why had he been. assigned to her? Was he there


    to spy on her on someone else¡¯s behalf?


    What was going on?


    ¡°Lancel, is there anyone else you¡¯re suspicious of?¡± I wondered as I leaned back in my chair. ¡°Anyone


    at all. Please, don¡¯t spare my feelings here. I want your honest. insight.¡±


    He nodded at once and sighed as he stared into the distance. He began to nod his head in


    consideration, and then met my eyes agaon.


    ¡°Alpha, I find Beta Oliver to be quite strange,¡± he remarked, and then he paused.


    ¡°Go on,¡± I urged as I sat forward.


    Lancel took a deep breath and then continued.


    ¡°His behavior in the corridor the other day struck me as odd,¡± he stated calmly. ¡°I think when he lunged


    forward to attack the man holding Lady Adalyn hostage, he intended to kill him. This surprised me,


    Alpha, as Adalyn could have easily been killed in the struggle. He didn¡¯t seem all tha worried about her


    at all. It was¡­ strange.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I thought the same thing.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re living in troubled times, Alpha,¡± Lancel said seriously as his expression grew concerned. ¡°I think


    we need to be wary of Oliver Moses.¡±


    He was right. I¡¯d never trusted Oliver, and now that I knew Lancel found him just as suspicious as I did,


    my feelings toward him were even stronger. We needed to keep a close eye on him. I didn¡¯t care if he


    was my father-inw. We had to be


    cautious.


    ¡°Lancel, I want you to arrange a team of trusted guards to check Spi ke Nox¡¯s room,¡± I decided. ¡°As


    well as his closet. I want everyst inch from the floorboards to under the furniture to be examined. I


    would also like a couple to keep an eye on


    Oliver Moses. I need to know if he¡¯s involved in all of this.¡±


    ¡°Do you need me to keep guarding Ca ssandra Keller?¡± Lancel wondered.


    I considered it for a moment and then nodded. ¡°Yes. Things haven¡¯t been sorted outpletely, and I


    have a bad feeling that something isn¡¯t right. I need your to guard her for a little while longer. She¡¯s too


    tied up in this to leave alone.¡±


    Lancel nodded dutifully. ¡°Of course.¡±


    A thought crossed my mind, and for a second, I was too nervous to say it aloud. But Lancel was one of


    the few people that I trusted more than anyone else. He would understand mepletely.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone to know I went to see Ca ssandrast night,¡± I said softly. ¡°No one needs to know.


    Not Marco, especially not Adalyn. Is that understood?¡±


    Thest thing I needed was for anyone to find out I¡¯d slept over in the healer¡¯s room, especially Adalyn.


    She was already quick to temper, but if she found out


    about this, she¡¯d do more than go after Ca ssandra with a vial of chemicals. She would try to hurt her.


    And the healer meant too much to me to lose.


    The older man seemed taken aback by my statement. His lips parted as if he were going to say


    something, but he changed his mind.


    ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± he said formally, and he offered me a solemn bow. ¡°I won¡¯t speak a word of it. I¡¯ll carry out


    your orders at once.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied, and then I raised the medallion in the air. ¡°One more thing. Lancel, do you


    recognize this crest?¡±


    I handed the small token to him, and he epted it carefully. He examined it


    closely, and his frown deepened. He shook his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe so, Alpha,¡± he said, and he handed the medallion back to me.


    ¡°But I can look into it further if you¡¯d like.¡±


    ¡°That would be great,¡± I said. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Suddenly, another knock rang out. I stifled a sigh. I wasn¡¯t looking forward to another guest.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± I called out.


    ¡°Your favorite brother.¡±


    Kane. I smirked and then shook my head. ¡°Enter.¡±


    The door opened, and Kane entered the study. As he approached my desk, I dismissed Lancel.


    ¡°Keep me updated on the situation,¡± I whispered just low enough for him to hear. He nodded and then


    nced at Kane.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, hasn¡¯t it, Lancel?¡± my stepbrother greeted the guard with


    a smile. ¡°How are you these days?¡±


    ¡°Quite well, thank you,¡± Lancel replied politely, and then he offered us a bow


    and left the room.

 Chapter 98

    Chapter 98


    Chapter 98 Dark Abyss


    ASHER


    Kane studied me with an amused smile. His appearance was as immacte as ever, and he looked


    well-rested. I envied him. Up untilst night, I hadn¡¯t had a decent night¡¯s sleep in weeks. My mind had


    been too vexed by the viper situation to truly let myself rx, and my body ached too much from my


    escting illness.


    My head began to pound as if to remind me of the disease. Luckily, Kane didn¡¯t seem to notice my


    turmoil.


    ¡°You seem to be growingly busy these days, dear brother,¡± he remarked with a sly grin, and then he


    pouted for emphasis. ¡°I miss ying chess with you.¡±


    ¡°I have been busy,¡± I agreed, and I let out a small sigh. ¡°How can I help you, Kane?¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± he said as his eyes trailed over me. ¡°This definitely isn¡¯t the wee | expected. You seem to


    have lost your sense of humor.¡±


    ¡°Too much on my mind these days,¡± I murmured.


    Kane pulled up a chair and sat opposite of me. His lithe frame was lion-like, and his violet eyes danced


    with amusement. He was like some kind of wild cat, set to pounce at any moment, and just as sneaky.


    I knew this wasn¡¯t a friendly visit.


    He wanted something.


    ¡°My mother is quite freaked out,¡± Kane noted as he leaned back in his seat and examined his nails.


    ¡°She heard that you caught and imprisoned one of her private guards yesterday.¡±


    Margaret was freaked out?


    The idea of my stepmother in panic was hrious. She¡¯d always been calm and collected, even when


    my father had died. She hadn¡¯t shed a single tear, at least not in the anywhere where she could be


    seen.


    Kane chuckled. ¡°So, who was this guard exactly? And why was he apprehended?¡±


    ¡°The man was an imposter,¡± I exined. ¡°He isn¡¯t truly a guard, from what intel has been gathered. His


    presence has something to do with the vipers that were found days ago.¡±


    I half-expected some sort of reaction from Kane, but he didn¡¯t look surprised in the least, which told me


    already knew everything.


    ¡°What brings you here, Kane?¡± I asked again, only this time, my tone was far more serious. Something


    was off and I needed to get to the bottom of it right away.


    ¡°Asher, my mother isn¡¯t behind this,¡± he said.


    ¡°And how do you know that?¡± I asked without missing a beat.


    ¡°Because she isn¡¯t a fool,¡± he replied.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°No, she isn¡¯t,¡± I agreed. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t clear her of suspicion. You know that, right?¡±


    Kane fell silent, probably for the first time in his life. He nodded his head lightly and nced at the other


    side of the room.


    He knew his mother better than I did. Margaret wasn¡¯t necessarily the one behind this, but she was still


    suspicious.


    ¡°Why would she ept a guard with an ambiguous background?¡± I asked aloud before I could stop


    myself. ¡°Did she know who could have arranged the man for this position?¡±


    The room remained silent until Kane looked back at me.


    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t tell me,¡± he admitted. ¡°I already tried. You know her, Asher. She never tells me anything


    like that.¡±


    This time, I couldn¡¯t help but sigh.


    ¡°Of course, she wouldn¡¯t admit it,¡± I muttered under my breath. ¡°I¡¯mpletely unsurprised.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a proud woman,¡± Kane said. ¡°And a private one. She speaks with me often but holds her


    personal information at a distance. She¡¯s always been like that. Always worried about her appearance


    to others.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± I replied. I was moments away from dismissing my brother when he shifted his chair closer to


    the desk.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a spy, Asher,¡± he said. ¡°And I won¡¯t pretend to be. But I¡¯m not against you. You know that. I¡¯m


    going to do everything in my power to make sure that my mother isn¡¯t nning some kind of


    conspiracy. I promise you, I¡¯ll get to the bottom of this.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I remarked, though I wasn¡¯t sure how much he could really aplish. I trusted my


    brother, but I didn¡¯t trust my stepmother.


    I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples. This was a troubled situation.


    I didn¡¯t know what Margaret was up to, but I had this feeling in my gut that she was up to something.


    She¡¯d always been conniving and wicked, and I didn¡¯t trust her even a little. She was always gone at


    opportune moments and all too present for others.


    The banquet for the diplomats of Yurene, for example. My stepmother had made herself scarce and the


    night had ended in disaster. I found it odd that Margaret, a woman who normally thrived at events in


    high society, had been absent, and then just hourster, there was a viper attack.


    Where had my stepmother been?


    The imposter was one of her personal guards. Had she dismissed him for the


    night? Why wasn¡¯t he guarding her?


    And then there was the situation in Ca ssandra¡¯s room. Margaret had brought her guards to try to arrest


    the healer on Adalyn¡¯s behalf. Had the imposter been one of the men who hadid his hands on her?


    Why had she decided to take justice into her own hands? Sure, she and Adalyn had a close


    rtionship, but what game was she ying at?


    What was going on behind the scenes?


    ¡°You seem tired, brother,¡± Kane announced, and I opened my eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to keep you any


    longer. I think it would be a good idea for you to get some rest. I know everything has been


    overwhelming, especially considering that the imposter held Adalyn hostage. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re shaken up


    by the whole matter.¡±


    I nodded, though thest part wasn¡¯t exactly true. It felt wrong to admit, but I knew that Adalyn was in


    good hands, so I wasn¡¯t all that worried about her.


    Truth be told, the only person in all of Merliscire that I cared about was Ca ssandra Keller. My biggest


    priority was her safety.


    Suddenly, Kane spotted the medallion on my desk and picked it up. He brought it closer to his face to


    examine it and then he frowned.


    ¡°Asher, is this the crest of the Dark Abyss Pack?¡± he asked. ¡°Why do you have


    this?¡±


    I sat there in shock for a second and then leaned forward.


    ¡°What?¡± I breathed. ¡°What are you talking about, Kane?¡±


    ¡°This crest,¡± Kane continued, and he held it up closer to the light. ¡°I once saw an image of a simr


    pattern in a book. I can¡¯t recall all of the information exactly, but from what I remember, I think this is a


    sign of the Dark Abyss Pack.¡±


    ¡°Dark Abyss?¡± I repeated back, and my eyebrows knitted together as I searched my mind. ¡°I¡¯ve never


    heard of them.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have,¡± Kane replied, and he passed the medallion back over to me. ¡°They were a small


    Pack, brother. So small, in fact, that no one ever paid much attention to them. And after a war with


    Yurene, they were nearly wiped out.¡±


    My heart dropped in my chest and my eyes widened at my brother.


    ¡°Yurene?¡± I asked.


    Kane nodded gravely. ¡°Yes, brother. Yurene.¡±

 Chapter 99

    Chapter 99


    Chapter 99 Recreation of ancient sorcery


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ASHER


    The moment Kane left my study, I ran to the dungeon at once. I wasted no time, and the moment I


    reached the man¡¯s cell, I held the small crest in front of the bars.


    me-¡±


    ¡°What is this?¡± I demanded, my voice surging with power.


    The imposter¡¯s face paled, but he shook his head swiftly.


    ¡°That¡­ that isn¡¯t mine,¡± he insisted. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you think it belongs to


    ¡°It was found on your person, was it not?¡± I retorted, and then I took a step forward. ¡°Dark Abyss,


    right?¡±


    own.


    When the man remained silent, I continued on.


    ¡°Is your name really Spi ke Nox?¡± I asked him directly.


    The imposter refused to answer the question but followed up with one of his


    ¡°Have you considered my offer, young Alpha?¡± he wondered. ¡°The one I gave you yesterday?


    Information about your beloved Cora Felix in exchange for my freedom?¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t in any sort of position to bargain,¡± I seethed as I shook my head. ¡°Besides, that¡¯ll never


    happen. You were involved in her death. I¡¯d never grant you freedom. You can rot in that cell for the


    rest of your life for all I care.¡±


    The man frowned. ¡°I meant what I said yesterday. I will help you find the true murderer-¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± I interrupted him. Because I would find it out eventually. Now


    that I¡¯d found my mate, everything else didn¡¯t seem as important. If she wanted revenge, I would deliver


    it for her. If she didn¡¯t want to bring up the past, I would


    remain silent.


    When it came to Ca ssandra, I¡¯d do whatever she asked.


    The man suddenly looked panicked. He was probably baffled by my sudden shift in attitude.


    ¡°I have other things I can tell you,¡± he insisted as he gripped the iron bars of his cell.


    ¡°Nothing you have to offer is worth your freedom,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Then I don¡¯t need it,¡± the man said. ¡°But I need you to keep me alive, young Alpha.¡±


    His light brown eyes darted around suspiciously, as if he were being watched.


    ¡°Someone will attempt to take my life,¡± he said in a hushed tone. ¡°I need you to ensure my safety. In


    exchange, I¡¯ll tell you anything you want to know. I need a safer ce to stay. This cell isn¡¯t safe.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°This dungeon is one of the safest ces in Anemond. No one is going to get to you down


    here, not without my express permission.¡±


    For the first time since his imprisonment, the man looked scared. He didn¡¯t seem to be lying.


    Something was troubling him.


    What did he fear? An idea came to my mind.


    ¡°Are you afraid of Oliver Moses?¡± I asked, and when he frowned, I spoke again. ¡°The man who wanted


    to kill you in the corridor?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who the one is,¡± the man said. ¡°I was always masked when I saw him. But I know that he


    would try to kill me if I confessed everything I knew to the


    Alpha King. It¡¯s him I¡¯m afraid of.¡±


    Masked?


    My confusion grew stronger and I tried to read the imposter¡¯s face. What in the world was he talking


    about? Half of the sentences and phrases that poured from his mouth made little to no sense.


    Was he insane?


    I took a moment to consider how to proceed. I could always walk away and regroup, but I had too many


    questions.


    ¡°Spi ke,¡± I addressed him. ¡°Can I call you Spi ke?¡±


    The man nodded.


    ¡°Spi ke, let¡¯s see what you can tell me,¡± I decided, and I crossed my arms against my chest. ¡°But before


    you get to that, I need you to tell me about Dark Abyss first.¡±


    Spi ke nced around. His eyes searched every corner of the dungeon, as if he were afraid of


    someone eavesdropping. Nearly a minuteter, he nodded and took a deep breath.


    ¡°Dark Abyss is where Ie from,¡± he exined. ¡°It¡¯s a small Pack, one that few know about, with a


    group of talented individuals who worship sorcery.¡±


    He leaned in closer. ¡°Your Majesty, have you heard of Ewonmiams, the most famous academy of


    sorcery in history.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m familiar.¡±


    ¡°Well, those within my Pack wanted to duplicate its sess,¡± Spi ke continued.


    in my pack wanted to duplicate ¡°There were whispers and tales that some of my Pack members were


    actually descendants of the old sorcerers themselves, but without a record of the spells and magics


    practiced by the ancient spellcasters, it was hard for them to learn or recreate those rituals with any


    sort of sess.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± I remarked. Ca ssandra had been correct after all. This man had ties to the Ewonmiams,


    or at least his people did. I thought sorcery was long dead. and buried, but there were still practitioners


    trying to continue the legacy.


    ¡°My Pack found ourselves in a tough situation,¡± Spi ke said, and a sad expression settled over his


    features. ¡°We were attacked by an army led by the former King of Yurene. I had run, you see, to evade


    the war, and I was saved by the masked man. That same masked man brought me here and used me


    as a pawn for his own selfish agenda.¡±


    I tried to make sense of his tale. Spi ke¡¯s exnations made sense, but there were still so many holes


    in his story. I wanted more information about Dark Abyss, the sorcerers, and the former king of Yurene.


    I didn¡¯t know him that well, so any sort of information I could get was vital.


    I didn¡¯t trust the Northerners, and now that I knew they had something to do with this strange,


    diminished Pack, I needed to know more.


    ¡°Were you the one who stole the book in the library?¡± I asked. ¡°The one about the Ewonmiams? I


    assume you were the one who trashed the ce and left it in ruins.¡±


    Spi ke nodded without pause. ¡°Yes, it was me.¡±


    ¡°What was in the sealed box?¡± I asked. ¡°And where are those materials now?¡±


    ¡°The box contained a few more books,¡± he replied. ¡°But I¡¯m not sure where they are now. The masked


    man told me to ce them in a specific location so he could pick them up. It used to be the basement,


    but after the basement was discovered and exposed, I just dropped them off in a random ce. As far


    as I know, they¡¯re still in a trash bin out on the street.


    My head began to pound as I considered his answers. I took a step away from the bars and turned


    toward the opposite wall.


    This masked man seemed to being up a lot. Who was he? And did he have something to do with


    Cora?


    One thing was certain, he was an important yer in all of this, and we needed to uncover his identity if


    we were going to make sense of things.


    Pain shot through me. I needed to lie down for a bit as Kane suggested, but before I left, I had one


    more question.


    ¡°Were you the one in the basement that day?¡± I asked as I turned around. ¡°When we went to catch the


    vipers?¡±


    Spi ke shook his head. ¡°No. I was in the pce that day.¡±

 Chapter 100

    Chapter 100


    Chapter 100 Pray for Erika


    CA SSANDRA


    When I got to work that day, Becky was already hard at work. She was surrounded by a stack of books,


    along with a long line of vials and bottles. Her eyes were so focused on her work that she hadn¡¯t even


    noticed my arrival.


    ¡°Becky?¡± I prompted her when she didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Becky, is everything alright?¡±


    My assistant finally looked up at the sound of her name, and her dark eyes grew wide.


    ¡°Sorry, Ca ssy,¡± she said. ¡°I didn¡¯t even hear you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I assured her, and I approached her desk. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I found something strange about the venoms,¡± she exined, and she gestured at a few of the vials.


    ¡°The ones that we couldn¡¯t identify? I¡¯ve been running tests all morning. Even though they¡¯re all very


    different, their chemical structures are simr. If my hypothesis is correct, it seems like they were all


    produced. ording to the chemical structures of Udosyn.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean that the other kinds of poisons were recreated using the base of Udosyn?¡± I


    wondered.


    Becky nodded. ¡°It seems like it.¡±


    I stood there for a moment and considered what this meant. Did this mean that we could find the cure


    to the poisons if we studied further in this direction and recreated the cure to Udosyn?


    The moment the thought crossed my mind, I asked Becky, and she gave a thoughtful nod.


    ¡°That¡¯s theoretically possible,¡± she agreed.


    It took a second for the idea to set in, and once it did, my assistant and I exchanged excited smiles.


    This was the first win we¡¯d had in a while. I didn¡¯t want to get too thrilled, but I couldn¡¯t help it.


    ¡°Compared to Udosyn, these other poisons don¡¯t have such a rigorous structure,¡± Becky continued as


    she smiled. ¡°So what you¡¯re thinking might actually be possible! We can study further and see if we can


    recreate the cures.¡±


    We wasted no time and got to work right away.


    As we threw ourselves into the research, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. This new information brought light to


    our studies. We were in such great moods that Becky didn¡¯t evenin about Lancel¡¯s presence.


    in seem a


    Usually, she said that Lancel made the but she didn¡¯t quip at the Alpha King¡¯s guard for once. In fact,


    she said just the opposite.


    ¡°Maybe Lancel brought us back some luck,¡± she joked, and the two of us shared augh. I nced


    over at Lance, who remained as serious and stoic as always. He didn¡¯t have much for a sense of


    humor. He was always so focused and disciplined that I wondered if he everughed at all.


    As we continued working, I thought of Asher. The Alpha King was the first person that I wanted to share


    this development with. We¡¯d been working so long and hard to solve this mystery, and we were finally


    inching closer to some answers.


    I hoped he would be proud of us, especially Becky. Making such an important discovery and working


    on a case like this would surely be enough to promote her to the position of a full-time royal healer.


    Sure, my assistant was young, but she was incredibly intelligent and hard-working. Her scientific mind


    would be a valuable asset to the pce, and I would make sure to tell Asher that the next time I saw


    him.


    Suddenly, I found myself missing him. Our night of passion had meant more to me than I¡¯d expected,


    and even though I knew the logistics would be nearly impossible, I wanted to be with him again.


    No one had ever made me feel the same bliss that Asher had.


    I had no idea what to do about Adalyn. As much as I wanted to pretend that Asher wasn¡¯t married, I


    couldn¡¯t deny her existence. I wasn¡¯t sure what kind of future was in store for any of us, but I knew no


    matter what, things would get.


    messy.


    I forced myself to return to my studies. I could think about all of thister. For now, I needed to focus on


    the venoms.


    Just as I threw myself back into my research, theboratory doors flew open and Finnick ran in.


    Thankfully, Lancel stopped the boy before he could run head-first into the tables full of dangerous


    chemicals and concoctions. I cast my protective eyewear aside and ran over to my son.


    Lancel released his grip and stepped aside so we could speak.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, and then I turned to Finnick. ¡°Finnick? What¡¯s going on? What are you doing here?¡±


    Much to my surprise, Finnick¡¯s lovely gray eyes were full of tears. I was taken aback. Finnick didn¡¯t cry


    all that often. He was always so serious, like his father, but as he stood before me, he copsed into s


    obs. I swept him into my arms at once and held him close.


    ¡°Finnick, what¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked as Finnick¡¯s body shook beneath my touch.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    He began to speak, but he was crying so hard that the words didn¡¯te out right.


    ¡°Honey, you need to breathe,¡± I said softly as I stroked his hair. ¡°Come on, take a deep breath with me.¡±


    Finnick nodded and then I demonstrated a deep inhale. He copied me, and after a few rounds of deep


    breathing, he managed to calm down.


    ¡°Mommy,¡± he whispered. ¡°Oh, Mommy. They caught Aunt Erika. And they took her away.¡±


    My heart dropped in my chest and my lips parted in surprise.


    ¡°Who?¡± I asked as I began to panic. ¡°Finnick, who took Erika away?¡±


    He sniffled and his lower lip trembled. ¡°Prince Marco¡¯s mother and his grandmother. They came to the


    room and caught Aunt Erika. They said she was guilty.¡±


    1.


    My eyes widened in shock and my heart began to race. Anger swelled within


    Margaret and Adalyn.


    They¡¯de after Erika, and they¡¯d conveniently done it when I was away at work. Their cowardice


    knew no bounds.


    Though I was enraged, I managed to present a calm front to Finnick. I carefully sat him down on the


    ground and continued to soothe him until he stopped crying. Once he was more rxed, I turned to


    Lancel.


    ¡°Could you look after Finnick?¡± I asked, and much to my surprise, he didn¡¯t object. He nodded his head


    and then nced at the door. Though he didn¡¯t say a word, I knew what he was trying to say, and I was


    grateful that he cared.


    Becky ran over to us and gently touched my arm.


    ¡°Go, Ca ssandra,¡± she urged me. ¡°We¡¯ll handle everything here. Don¡¯t worry about us. I¡¯ll help look after


    Finnick.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, and then I looked down at my son. ¡°Finnick, stay here, okay? I¡¯ll be back as soon


    as I can.¡±


    Finnick nodded and wiped his eyes. ¡°Okay, Mommy.¡±


    I kissed the top of his head and then turned and rushed out of theboratory,


    and toward my chamber. As I thought of Margaret and her wickedness, my anger returned to me. She


    wouldn¡¯t get away with this.


    For the first time in a long time, I said a small prayer under my breath to the


    Moon Goddess.


    ¡°Please let Erika be alright.¡±

 Chapter 101

    Chapter 101


    Chapter 101 False usation


    CAS SANDRA


    When I arrived at my chamber, I was surprised to see it waspletely empty.


    ¡°Erika?¡± I called out anyway, and when no answer came in response, I frowned and shook my head.


    Where was she? And where were Adalyn and Margaret?


    Knowing how spiteful and petty the two women were, I¡¯d assumed that they¡¯d remain in my room until I


    was finished with work, just to incite a bigger emotional response in me. Perhaps they¡¯d even gone as


    far as sending Finnick my way to hasten the process. Yet, they weren¡¯t here.


    So where had they gone?


    I considered all of the options andnded on one in particr. I would go to every inch of the pce if I


    had to, but before I began checking every room, I decided I would start with Margaret¡¯s.


    Asher¡¯s wicked stepmother¡¯s chamber was a likely ce for them to convene, as her win of Merliscire


    was tucked away from everyone else¡¯s. She¡¯d given up therger chamber to Asher when his father


    had passed all of those years ago and moved into the South Wing. It was forbidden to most, which


    would make it a prime ce to take Erika.


    So I took a deep breath. I would remain calm even though every ounce of me wanted vengeance.


    I took off down the hall and headed to the South wing.


    The hallways were empty, and as I got closer, my heart pounded. I had no ideal what I was going to


    say once I got there, but I was ready to go to war for my beloved Erika. I would do anything in my


    power to make sure she was okay.


    Much to my surprise, Margaret¡¯s chamber doors were unguarded. I supposed


    1/5


    that now that the imposter guard had been seized, the vile woman had no one stationed here. I briefly


    thought about the implications of that and couldn¡¯t help but wonder how involved Margaret was with


    any of this.


    But I shoved those thoughts aside, took a deep breath, and opened the door.


    When I rushed into the chamber, I was unsurprised to see Margaret and Adalyn standing there talking.


    The room itself was spa cious andvishly decorated with gorgeous furnishings and lovely tapestries,


    but there was a strong smell of staleness that verged on decay. My nose crinkled and I fought back the


    sick feeling in my stomach.


    The two women giggled and then nced over at me.


    ¡°Oh, Healer Cas sandra,¡± Margaret greeted me, and she covered her mouth in faux-surprise.


    ¡°Goodness, you surprised me. What brings you here, dear girl? Would you like to sit down and enjoy


    some tea with us?¡±


    When her hand came back down to her side, the woman gave me a sickly, disgusting smile. She knew


    exactly what she was doing, and anger swelled within me, but I managed to stay calm.


    ¡°Where is Erika?¡± I asked slowly.


    ¡°Erika?¡± Margaret repeated back, and she blinked her eyes deliberately as if she didn¡¯t unde stand. She


    turned to Adalyn. ¡°Dear, do you know who Erika is?¡±


    Adalyn didn¡¯t answer for a moment, and then pursed her lips slightly, feigning innocence.


    ¡°Erika is Healer Cas sandra¡¯s maid, Margaret,¡± she exined. Her tone was kind, but her amber eyes


    were cold and cruel as they bore into mine.


    ¡°Oh, please forgive my bad memory,¡± Margaret said, and then her overexaggerated expression settled


    into her normal, calcted stare as she dropped the act. ¡°Your malicious maid tried to poison Lady


    Adalyn and Prince Marco. She needed to be punished, Healer Cas s andra. Surely you understand


    that-


    2/5


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t her fault!¡± I interrupted as I seethed with anger. ¡°The man behind it all has already been


    caught.¡±


    Margaretughed and shook her head. ¡°What makes you so certain that Erika wasn¡¯t involved? For all


    we know, she was his aplice.¡±


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t,¡± I practically snarled.


    Asher¡¯s stepmother¡¯s eyebrow raised in surprise and then she tilted her head slightly.


    ¡°I find it rather¡­ suspicious, that you would care so much about some maid,¡± she mused, and then her


    eyes narrowed. ¡°I can¡¯t help but consider how much you¡¯re involved in all of this, Healer Cas sandra.


    Perhaps you need to be investigated as an aplice as well.¡±


    Anyone else would have been chilled by an usation like that. But I wasn¡¯t afraid of Margaret. Any


    excuse would serve a tyrant.


    ¡°What do you want, Margaret?¡± I asked.


    She scoffed. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize we were on a first-name basis. You should mind


    your attitude, girl. I¡¯m just trying to figure out the truth of the matter.¡±


    I knew then that I wasn¡¯t going to get any real answer from her. If Margaret wasn¡¯t going to tell me


    where Erika was, I would find out myself.


    Looking around, I deduced that she wasn¡¯t in this room, but I remembered that Margaret had a small


    study she used to use when she was this Pack¡¯s Luna. She used to deal with ¡°Pack business¡± there,


    whatever that entailed. I wasn¡¯t sure where


    it was located, but I¡¯d figure it out.


    I immediately turned on my heels and was about to leave when a guard stepped out of the shadows.


    ¡°Seize her,¡± Margaret ordered.


    The guard took a step toward me, but before he coulde any closer, a voice


    3/5


    interrupted us.


    ¡®What are you trying to do this time, Mother?¡±


    I recognized the voice at once.


    It was Kane.


    Sure enough, Margaret¡¯s handsome son crossed into the room. His nearly violet eyes were wide with


    concern as they surveyed the room, but narrowed at the sight. of the guards.


    ¡°Kane-¡± Margaret began to say, but her son raised his hand.


    ¡°Step a away from Healer Cas sa ndra at once,¡± he addressed the guards. The men stared at one


    another for a second and then nodded and walked out of the chamber. Kane then turned back to his


    mother. ¡°What¡¯s going on in here?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, my love,¡± Margaret insisted. ¡°We were just talking.¡±


    ¡°I think there¡¯s more to it than that,¡± Kane retorted, and then he turned to me. ¡°Healer Cas sandra, your


    maid is outside the door with a few se rvants.¡±


    My eyebrows knitted together and I blinked at him in surprise. I was abt to ask him how this was


    possible, but before I could ask, he walked past me and gently brushed my shoulder.


    ¡°Your maid might need some treatment,¡± he whispered as he passed.


    I didn¡¯t hesitate for a single second. I rushed out of the chamber without a second thought.


    As I stepped out of the room, I heard Margaret¡¯s angry voice hiss at her son.


    ¡°How dare you help that filthy healer!¡± she demanded.


    Kane¡¯sughter filtered out into the hall. I heard him say something more, but I


    couldn¡¯t make sense of his words.


    4/5


    0


    <


    But then, I heard Margaret raise her voice and call out to me.


    ¡°Remember this well, Healer Cas s andra,¡± her cruel words reached my ears and made my skin crawl.


    ¡°Let this instance serve as your first and only warning.¡±


    I paused for a moment as a lump formed in my throat. Her threat was enough to set my entire body on


    edge, but I didn¡¯t have a second more to linger on Margaret. I stepped away from the chamber, and


    once I turned the corner, I spotted Erika.


    5.5Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 102

    Chapter 102


    Chapter 102 Always on her side


    CAS SANDRA


    As my eyes took in the sight of my beloved friend, my heart sank in my chest. Erika looked terrible


    beyond words.


    ¡°Cas sandra,¡± she managed to utter.


    Her skin was ghostly pale, and though her kind eyes were happy to see me, her gaze was distant. Her


    lips were practically blue and her gray-streaked blonde hair had sprung loose from its usually tidy bun.


    I rushed over to her and helped steady her just as she was about to fall.


    ¡°Hang on, Erika,¡± I urged. ¡°Let¡¯s get you back to my room.¡±


    A pair of se rvants appeared mere secondster.


    ¡°Can we help you, Miss Cas sandra?¡± one asked me pol


    politely.


    ¡°If you could help me escort her down the hall that would be great,¡± I replied.


    The serv ant nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± I asked Erika. After she managed the smallest of nods, I carefully fted her arm up


    over my shoulder. The se rvant did the same on the other ide, and once we had a good grip on her, we


    began to guide her down the hall and out of the South Wing. With every step, I could tell that Erika was


    in a great deal of pain. Her lower lip trembled, and every few seconds, she whimpered.


    However, despite the pain she seemed to be in, she managed to smile at me, as


    if she wanted to assure me that she was alright.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be brave on my behalf,¡± I told her gently.


    1.5


    ¡°I know,¡± she whispered.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    It took all of my power to keep from crying. This was all so terrible and I felt awful about the fact that


    Erika was in so much pain, but I forced myself to remain strong.


    Once we reached the chamber, the serv ants helped me get Erika into bed, and once she was alright,


    they left. I peered down at my hands and my lips parted in


    shock.


    They were streaked with blood.


    I stared at Erika¡¯s back. I¡¯d been so consumed with trying to get her as far away from Margaret¡¯s


    chamber as possible that I hadn¡¯t even noticed Erika was covered in blood. It ran down her back in long


    streaks and a shiver ran through me.


    She¡¯d been whipped.


    ¡°Lay face down,¡± I instructed her gently. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Erikaplied, and then I carefully moved over to the sink to wash my hands. I prepared some towels


    and some cool cloths and then walked back over to the bed.


    ¡°Is Finnick alright?¡± Erika whispered as I began to treat her wounds.


    ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± I assured her. ¡°He¡¯s safe with the Alpha King¡¯s guard.¡±


    ¡°Lancel?¡± she asked, and when I said yes, she let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Good. He¡¯s in great hands. I¡¯m


    so sorry, Cas sandra-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry,¡± I said as I carefully unzipped the back of her dress and dabbed at her wounds..


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to incriminate you any further,¡± Erika insisted. ¡°Maybe I should just go back to my room-¡±


    ¡°Nonsense,¡± I cut her off again. ¡°This isn¡¯t your fault, Erika. And besides, you aren¡¯t going anywhere,


    not until you¡¯re recovered.¡±


    2/5


    Once the blood was wiped away, I studied theshes on her back. They were quite deep, but not


    enough to need stitches at least. However, I needed to pick up some supplies. I had few here in my


    chamber and Erika was going to need a lot of


    medicine.


    I


    ¡°I need to go to theb,¡± I said gently. ¡°It will only take a second. I just need to pick up some ointments


    that will help your back feel better.¡±


    Erika turned around quickly and when she faced me, her eyes were wide with


    concern.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Cas sandra,¡± she insisted. ¡°The treatment can wait. I¡­ I want to talk to you first.¡±


    My eyebrows knitted together. Her tone was deadly serious and the expression. on her face was


    starting to scare me. I wanted to protest, but instead, I simply


    nodded and sat back down in the chair beside the bed.


    ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡± I asked quietly, making sure to keep my voice calm and collected


    despite my speeding heart rate.


    Erika gulped and studied me for a moment. We remained in silence until finally, she managed to slowly


    lift her arm and touch my face.


    ¡°It¡¯s you,¡± she said, her voice shaking as she stared into my eyes. ¡°You¡¯re Cora, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    My heart suddenly dropped and my jaw went right along with it. My stomach twisted in knots as I began


    to panic.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s you,¡± Erika continued. ¡°I should have recognized you at first sight, but I wasn¡¯t certain at


    first. But now¡­ Why didn¡¯t you tell me, darling? I¡¯ve¡­ I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡±


    I considered brushing off her words just as I¡¯d done with Asher, but I couldn¡¯t contain myself any longer.


    My eyes welled up with tears that spilled down my


    cheeks mere secondster.


    3/5


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± I apologized. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Erika.¡±


    Erika shook her head and her eyes shimmered with tears as well.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry,¡± she insisted. ¡°I understand why you didn¡¯t tell me. You have great reason to cover up


    your identity. All that matters to me is that you¡¯re here and you¡¯re safe.¡±


    She lowered her hand back down to her side. ¡°I wish I could hug you, ut my back-M


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± I said, and then the floodgates opened even further. ¡°Oh, Erika, this is all my


    fault. It¡¯s always my fault. The people around me who love me¡­ they always get into trouble.¡±


    ¡°Shhh,¡± Erika¡¯s hand rested on my arm. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, my love. It never was.¡±


    I knew at once that Erika wasn¡¯t only referring to her wounds, but also what had happened five years


    ago. Oftentimes, when I thought back about the inferno, I med myself for doing nothing. If I hadn¡¯t


    just stayed in Rosepetal and relied on Asher to clear my family¡¯s name¡­ if I¡¯d taken action and done


    something¡­ would things be different?


    We fell into silence as I sobbed quietly. Erika continued to rub my arm, and once I regained my


    composure, I took a deep breath.


    ¡°How did you recognize me?¡± I asked as I wiped the tears from my cheeks.


    ¡°From the moment we met, I knew there was something familiar about you,¡± Erika said. ¡°But I didn¡¯t


    know for certain until I saw the scar on your leg. I recognized it at once. I¡¯ll never forget how brave you


    were that day. You were so tough and so strong that even when the healer was attending to your


    wound, you didn¡¯t cry.¡±


    The scar. I should have known she would have recognized it just as Asher had.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me right away?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I figured you had your reasons to hide,¡± Erika replied. ¡°And I know how


    4/5


    dangerous Merliscire and Anemond are for you. As much as I wanted to tell you so that we could


    properly reunite¡­ I didn¡¯t want to put you in harm¡¯s way.


    I smiled gratefully. Erika was sopassionate and considerate. I was lucky to have her back in my


    life.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I didn¡¯t say anything, Erika,¡± I apologized again. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry that I¡¯m not as strong as I


    used to be. I wish I was more brave but after everything¡­ I¡¯m just as scared as ever.¡±


    ¡°I understand, honey,¡± she said quietly, and she took my hands in hers. ¡°At the end of the day, I just


    want you to know¡­ I¡¯m here for you. You¡¯ll always have me on your side. No matter what.¡±


    0


    5/5

 Chapter 103

    Chapter 103


    Chapter 103 Why call you Corn?


    CAS SANDRA


    I smiled back at Erika. Even though my time back in Anemond had been nothing. short of turbulent and


    dangerous, knowing she had my back meant the world to me. I felt relieved to finally be able to tell her


    the truth. I didn¡¯t have to sit with the guilt any longer.


    Erika covered her mouth but didn¡¯t manage to conceal her yawn. Her eyes started to appear a little


    distant. She looked exhausted.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go to theb and get the medicine for you,¡± I said gently. ¡°Why don¡¯t youy down and try


    to get some rest?¡±


    I half-expected her to protest, but instead, she simply nodded and thenid. back down. I carefully


    tucked her in, and within seconds, Erika nodded off. As I rose


    feet and stared down at her, I wiped the stray tears from my cheeks.


    to my


    The maid meant more to me than just about anyone. I would do everything in my power to take care of


    her injuries.


    I carefully cleaned the blood off of myself and then slipped out of the chamber. I would grab the


    necessary medicine for Erika and also pick up Finnick while I was there. My poor son was likely still


    upset about the whole thing. I wasn¡¯t sure how I was going to exin this all to him, but at least seeing


    me would relieve a little bit of


    his stress.


    on.


    When I reached theb, Finnick ran toward me at full speed while Lancel stared


    ¡®Immy!¡± my son cried as he threw his little arms around me. ¡°Oh, Mommy, is Aun Erika okay?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s going to be alright, honey,¡± I assured him, and then I carefully crouched down to his level and


    rested my hand on his shoulder. ¡°But I have to tell you¡­ Aunt


    TAS


    Chapter 103 Why call you Cora?


    CAS SANDRA


    I smiled back at Erika. Even though my time back in Anemond had been nothing short of turbulent and


    dangerous, knowing she had my back meant the world to me. I felt relieved to finally be able to tell her


    the truth. I didn¡¯t have to sit with the guilt. any longer.


    Erika covered her mouth but didn¡¯t manage to conceal her yawn. Her eyes started to appear a little


    distant. She looked exhausted.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go to theb and get the medicine for you,¡± I said gently. ¡°Why don¡¯t youy down and try


    to get some rest?¡±


    I half-expected her to protest, but instead, she simply nodded and thenid back down. I carefully


    tucked her in, and within seconds, Erika nodded off. As I rose


    feet and stared down at her, I wiped the stray tears from my cheeks.


    to my


    The maid meant more to me than just about anyone. I would do everything in my power to take care of


    her injuries.


    I carefully cleaned the blood off of myself and then slipped out of the chamber. I would grab the


    necessary medicine for Erika and also pick up Finnick while I was there. My poor son was likely still


    upset about the whole thing. I wasn¡¯t sure how I was going to exin this all to him, but at least seeing


    me would relieve a little bit of


    his stress.


    on.


    When I reached theb, Finnick ran toward me at full speed while Lancel stared


    ¡°I ommy!¡± my son cried as he threw his little arms around me. ¡°Oh, Mommy, is Aur Erika okay?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s going to be alright, honey,¡± I assured him, and then I carefully crouched down to his level and


    rested my hand on his shoulder. ¡°But I have to tell you¡­ Aunt


    1/5


    Erika was hurt.¡±


    Finnick¡¯s gray eyes grew wide and his lip trembled.


    ¡°Did Marco¡¯s mother and grandmother hurt her?¡± he asked quietly. ¡°Oh, Mommy, how could they do


    that to her?¡±


    I considered my words carefully. I wasn¡¯t about to traumatize Finnick any further or subject him to future


    trouble by saying this wrong. I didn¡¯t want him to beplicit or held responsible for my actions.


    ¡°People¡­ people areplicated,¡± I exined. ¡°I know things don¡¯t make sense. right now. I promise


    we¡¯ll talk moreter. But I have to get some supplies so we can get Aunt Erika some medical treatment


    right away.¡±


    Finnick nodded.


    ¡°Everything is going to be alright,¡± I assured him. ¡°I just need you to trust me. And when we get back to


    the room, I¡¯m going to need you to stay as quiet as possible. Aunt Erika is going to be staying with us


    until she gets better, and she¡¯s going to need all of the rest she can get. Can you do that for me?¡±


    Finnick nodded again. ¡°Of course, Mommy. I¡¯ll help you look after Aunt Erika.¡±


    I smiled and ran a hand through his dark hair. ¡°That¡¯s my boy. Thank you, Finnick


    I rose to my feet and quickly rushed over to the supply cab. As I rooted through the salves and


    medicines, I considered all of the possibilities. I needed to keep her wounds from getting infected or


    else things could get quite ugly and painful.


    Once I was done, I tucked them into my pack and then turned my attention to Becky and Lancel.


    it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for watching Finnick,¡± I addressed both of them. ¡°I really appreciate


    O


    2/5


    ¡°It was no trouble at all,¡± Becky assured me.


    Lancel hesitated and then nced around. He took a step toward me.


    ¡°I had hoped Lord Kane would arrive in time,¡± he said vaguely.


    I was immediately taken aback. I hadn¡¯t expected that it was Lancel who¡¯d asked for help from Asher¡¯s


    stepbrother.


    ¡°My apologies for not getting to the Alpha King,¡± he continued as he rolled his shoulders back. ¡°The


    king was busy interrogating the imposter in the dungeons and I didn¡¯t want to bother him. The Alpha


    King has been quite busytely¡­¡±


    His voice trailed off and confusion swelled within me for a moment, and then I realized what he meant.


    Lancel likely didn¡¯t tell Asher because he knew that if the king had gotten word of this, there would have


    been a huge fuss. The Alpha King was busy dealing with the imposter. Bothering him with business like


    this right now likely wasn¡¯t wise.


    I knew that Lancel was just remaining loyal to Asher, so I smiled at him.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied after a moment. ¡°I understand. Luckily, Lord Kane arrived just in time. I really


    appreciate his help. That being said¡­ I think I need to bring this. up to the Alpha King anyway.


    Otherwise, there¡¯s no way to clear Erika¡¯s name and prove that she¡¯s innocent. She doesn¡¯t deserve


    the kind of trouble that¡¯s being dealt


    to her.¡±


    Lancel didn¡¯t reply, but I could tell by his expression that he understood.


    I turned my attention back to Finnick. ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    */hen he nodded, I took his hand in mine and smiled at Becky and Lancel. My as is ant waved at us,


    and then we left the room and headed back up the stairs.


    ¡°Remember what I said,¡± I reminded my son as we got closer to the hallway. ¡°We need to stay quiet,


    okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mommy,¡± Finnick replied quietly. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll be quiet.¡±


    3/5


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said.


    When we reached the room, I turned the kn ob as gingerly as possible, and when I opened the door, I


    was relieved to see that Erika was still asleep. I was d she was able to get some rest and that no


    one had disturbed her in my absence.


    After the door was closed behind us, I turned to Finnick and held my finger up to my lips. Finnick


    understood at once and nodded. He nced over at Erika and after a second of studying her, he slowly


    walked over to his toy box.


    As he upied himself with his favorite stuffed bear, I got to work and began.


    to dress Erika wounds


    I carefully applied the salve to her back and used as light of a touch as possible to keep from disturbing


    her.


    As I worked the medicine into her tender skin, I considered Margaret¡¯sst words to me. She¡¯d clearly


    issued a warning- one meant for me, not Erika. I¡¯d underestimated Asher¡¯s stepmother and Adalyn.


    They were far more dangerous than I¡¯d expected and I needed to stay on alert. The two women clearly


    had more up their sleeves and it was only a matter of time before they tried to hurt someone close to


    me again.


    I had to figure out a way to better protect Erika and Finnick. If anything were to happen to them, I had


    no idea what I would do.


    Just as I finished wrapping up her wounds and zipped up the back of her dress, Erika began to stir.


    ¡°Cora?¡± she uttered in a low voice. ¡°Cora, are you back?¡±


    nough her volume was quiet, it was crystal clear in this quiet room. A lump. ferd in my throat and my


    eyes immediately darted over to Finnick.


    he lifted his head away from his stuffed bear and turned to face me. His expression was confused.


    ¡°Mommy?¡± he asked. ¡°Why did Aunt Erika call you Cora?¡±


    O

 Chapter 104

    Chapter 104


    Chapter 104 Get back together


    CAS S ANDRA


    My voice caught in my throat and I blinked in surprise as I fought to find an answer. I knew Erika hadn¡¯t


    intended to slip, but it was a slip nheless and I needed to find a proper exnation to keep Finnick


    from finding out the truth. He couldn¡¯t know I was Cora.


    Luckily, Erika spoke again.


    ¡°Oh,¡± she mused, and she rubbed her eyes and let out an exaggerated but still believable yawn. ¡°I¡¯m so


    sorry Cas sandra. I didn¡¯t realize it was you. I was having this¡­ dream¡­ and I apparently mistook you


    for someone else. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± I replied, and when I nced over at Finnick, he didn¡¯t seem too thrown off by the answer.


    He nodded his head and held his stuffed bear up. He pursed his lips slightly and then frowned.


    ¡°Everything okay, Finnick?¡± I prompted him. Finnick stared at his toy for a little while longer, and then


    realization crossed his serious features.


    ¡°I remember!¡± he announced. ¡°Cora was the name of the poor mate of the Alpha King. I remember you


    talking about her.¡±


    I forced the lump down my throat and nodded. ¡°Yes, honey, that¡¯s right. You have a great memory.¡±


    Finnick smiled happily at thepliment and then turned back to what he was do. Once he resumed


    ying, I let out a tiny sigh of reliei.


    Sorry,¡± Erika mouthed, and I shook my head.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I mouthed back.


    Ir wasn¡¯t Erika¡¯s fault. She was exhausted and had been through so much.


    1/5


    Besides, Finnick likely wouldn¡¯t remember the exchange. He was a smart boy, but tiny outbursts like


    that would probably vanish from his mind the moment something else came up. Little boys were


    thoughtful but could be easily distracted.


    As Erika carefully sat up, I walked to the other side of the room and began to prepare a cup of tea for


    her. It felt nice to do something kind for the maid for once, and as much as I hated the situation, I was


    d I could help her out when she


    needed it the most.


    Once the tea was ready, I brought it over to her and retrieved some medicine from my backpack.


    ¡°Be careful, it¡¯s hot,¡± I said as I passed the cup to her, and once she epted it, I opened the medicine


    container and pulled out a couple of pills. ¡°Take these. They should help with the pain and keep the


    wound from getting infected.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Cas sandra,¡± Erika replied. She obediently took the medicine, and after she took a small


    sip of tea, she smiled. ¡°I appreciate you helping me.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s the least I can do. How are you feeling, Erika?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± she said. ¡°Tired, mostly, but I suppose things could be worse, couldn¡¯t they? I might be an


    older woman now, but I still have some fight in me.¡±


    Her tone was light and almost yful, but no matter how much she smiled at me, I couldn¡¯t rx. I


    knew how vicious Margaret and her guards could be. Erika¡¯s wounds were a physical reminder of just


    how wicked Asher¡¯s stepmother was. Her evilness kne no bounds.


    We nced over at Finnick, and once we were certain he was upied with his toys, I leaned in


    closely. Erika clearly had more on her mind.


    ¡®Have you told the Alpha King about your true identity?¡± she asked.


    considered it and gave her a small nod. ¡°Sort of. I haven¡¯t confirmed it directly, but he knows. I can¡¯t say


    whether or not that¡¯s a good thing. I n to keep it concealed. Staying Cas sandra is probably for the


    best.¡±


    2/5


    Erika hesitated.


    ¡°I understand your concern,¡± she said slowly. ¡°But¡­ I know this is bold to say¡­ I think the Alpha King


    is still deeply in love with you. This could be a chance for


    you to get back together.¡±


    Get back together. I considered the phrase and thought of Asher. I was happy that my former mate still


    loved me, and clearly, I felt the same, but getting back together was something else entirely. I wasn¡¯t


    the young girl who thought love. would conquer all anymore. That innocence had died in Rosepetal.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Erika,¡± Imented, and I offered a small, bitter smile. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell¡­ I lost my wolf.¡±


    Erika fell silent and her kind eyes widened.


    I


    Everything was different now. My face, my identity, even my personality. I used to be so daring, but


    now, I was only good at keeping secrets and hiding. For the past five years, I¡¯d been a wolfless, timid


    countrymoner.


    Even if circumstances were different and things aligned as I wanted to, there was no way that the


    Crescent Pack, the proudest Pack in Wega, would ever ept me as a Luna.


    Besides, Asher had married Adalyn after all, and they had a son now. Even though Marco was


    adopted, Asher loved him dearly.


    Erika¡¯s eyes darted over to Finnick, who was happily ying a game on his own. She studied the boy


    for a little bit, and then her eyebrows knitted together. Realization crossed her features and her lips


    parted. When she nced back at me, I nodded.


    Without a word, Erika knew exactly what I meant, and as the information set in, she odded her head.


    She gave me a small, sad smile.


    ¡°Finnick deserves to know that Asher is his father,¡± she whispered.


    I nced at my son. I knew it was unfair to keep Finnick from the truth, but I


    3/5


    had to consider my options carefully to keep him out of danger.


    ¡°Cas sandra, I have to tell you something,¡± Erika continued quietly. ¡°It¡¯s about the Alpha King. He didn¡¯t


    marry Adalyn because he wanted to. There was another reason, and some have gossiped and


    suggested that she tricked him into it.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± I asked. How could Adalyn have tricked him? Had Asher really been unwilling to marry her? This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Erika shook her head. ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t know as much as I want to. That being said, there¡¯s a


    pattern I¡¯ve noticed. Those who have gossiped or made theories about the matter¡­ they¡¯ve all


    disappeared.¡±


    ¡°Disappeared?¡± I repeated back in disbelief.


    ¡°Some of them died in idents,¡± she replied. ¡°Others were fired and banished from the pce for


    good. Once that started happening, all rumors stopped. No one. has said a word in the past few years.¡±


    I remained silent as I considered her words. People disappearing¡­ that was something the Betas


    could easily facilitate. The Moses family had spoken against ours easily. Those who wanted to speak


    for the Felix name had all vanished.


    Had they done the same to those who¡¯d questioned Asher and Adalyn¡¯s union?


    ¡°I think you need to speak with the Alpha King more frankly, Cas sandra,¡± Erika advised me, and she


    gently touched my arm. ¡°I think there may be some misunderstandings, ones that you could fix


    together. I don¡¯t believe all hope is lost. for you two.


    I took a moment, and then a long, deep breath.


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± I said finally.


    knew Erika¡¯s intentions were good and that she was only looking out for me. But so much had


    happened between Asher and I. Adalyn, Marco, Margaret, the inferno, the conspiracy that ripped my


    family from me.


    |


    4/5


    I would have to face it all again

 Chapter 105

    Chapter 105


    Chapter 105 Something happened


    ASHER


    ¡°The trash bins were empty when we found them, Your Majesty,¡± the guardmented to me with a


    bowed head. ¡°We searched high and low. We even checked with the cleaner. He couldn¡¯t find anything


    either. It seemed that the supposed masked man worked too quickly.¡±


    I released a heavy sigh though I wasn¡¯t surprised in the slightest. I sat back in my chair and fought the


    urge to grow frustrated.


    The guard resumed a more polite posture and waited for my response. When he¡¯d arrived in my study


    just minutes ago, I¡¯d been hoping for good news. But sure enough, the masked man was far more


    skillful than I wanted. He had to be, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to hide here in Anemond for


    so long.


    I¡¯d sent a team to investigate Sp ik e¡¯s im that he¡¯d discarded the books stolen from the royal library


    in a trash bin out in the street in the development beyond the pce. Now that I knew that the books


    were still missing, I wasn¡¯tpletely certain if Sp ik e was lying or not.


    ¡°I want higher security stationed at the dungeon,¡± Imanded. ¡°I want no one. toe in or out of


    that ce or speak to the prisoner without my express permission. I require aprehensive list of


    every guard stationed at the doors.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± the guard replied, and he offered me another bow. ¡°I will


    see to it at once.¡±


    Thank you,¡± I said, and then I waved him on. ¡°You are dismissed.¡±


    The guard obediently turned on his heels and once the door closed, I released tie groan of frustration


    I¡¯d been holding in.


    I rose from my chair and walked to the door. Part of me wanted to hide in this room forever, but the


    other part had a different desire.


    1/5


    Cas sandra. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    I needed to see her at once.


    As I stepped out of my study and walked quickly down the hall, I thought of the healer¡¯s beautiful face.


    As strange as it was for me to admit, I missed her a lot. Everything was bing soplicated and


    demanding on my time. Cas sandra would make it all feel better.


    She always did.


    When I reached theb, I was surprised to see only her assistant and Lancel in the room. Becky was


    so hard at work that she didn¡¯t notice me, but Lancel stiffened immediately.


    ¡°Alpha,¡± he greeted me with a nod. ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    ¡°Where is she?¡± I asked. ¡°Cas sandra.¡±


    ¡°She should be in her room, Your Majesty,¡± he replied, and I frowned immediately.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you follow her?¡± I asked.


    My most trusted guard opened his mouth to speak, but before the words could escape him, the door to


    theb opened and another guard appeared.


    ¡°Healer Cas sandra is waiting for you at your study, Your Majesty,¡± the guard announced. ¡°She is ready


    to conduct your health check.¡±


    I wanted tough. Of course, she was all the way up there when I¡¯d specifically


    ne to seek her out.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied, and then I nced at Lancel. ¡°We¡¯ll speak more on this


    later.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± Lancel agreed. I tried to read the older man¡¯s expression, but it was difficult. It was almost


    as if he were hiding something, but that was very unlike


    5/5


    him. Lancel was passionately loyal and dedicated to his station. If something were up, he would have


    told me immediately.


    I followed the guard back up the stairs, and once I got to the study, a smile formed on my lips. Cas


    sandra was waiting by the door, and when she caught sight of me,


    her cheeks flushed a beautiful shade of rose. She looked quite lovely today. Her hair had been pulled


    into a loose bun, and a few loose copper ringlets fell into


    her face.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± she greeted me formally, and when her deep emerald eyes met mine, my heart sk


    ipped a beat. I was so happy to see her that I almostpletely forgot about the mess of a situation


    with Spi ke.


    ¡°Cas sandra,¡± I greeted her. I moved past her and held the door open for her. She crossed through the


    threshold, and once the door was closed behind us, I swept her into my arms and held her close. Her


    familiar vani and cin namon perfume filled my nose and I inhaled the warm, sweet scent deeply.


    ¡°Your Majesty-¡± she said,pletely taken aback as I set her down.


    ¡°Call me Asher,¡± I insisted.


    She fell silent, and I reached out and pulled her back to me. My hands


    fell to her waist and then I pressed my lips against hers. She didn¡¯t protest, but when I noticed that she


    wasn¡¯t kissing me back, I pulled away.


    Had Ie on too strong?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I apologized. ¡°I should have controlled myself, but I was struggling.¡±


    Cas sandra¡¯s cheeks darkened further. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±


    She walked over to the desk, set her kit down, and began to take out the cessary tools to conduct the


    health check. I waited patiently, and just as she raised one of her devices, she cleared her throat.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± she said quietly.


    |||


    375


    I frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    She took a moment and then cleared her throat again.


    ¡°It¡¯s my maid, Erika,¡± she exined softly. ¡°Something happened.¡±


    ¡°Tell me,¡± I insisted.


    Cas s andra nodded and thenunched right into it. She told me all about the tea incident with Adalyn


    and then exined that Margaret and Adalyn had the poor maid whipped. As she spoke, her lower lip


    trembled and her lovely eyes filled with tears.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried, Your Majesty,¡± she said. ¡°I was hoping you could clear Erika¡¯s name in case they try to


    come after her again. I want the imposter¡¯s written confession that he was the one behind the poisoned


    tea, not her.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± assured her. ¡°I¡¯ll look into the matterter.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered.


    My chest suddenly felt heavy as I studied her.


    ¡°Were you hurt?¡± I asked.


    She shook her head. ¡°No. I was a little worried about what they would do, but luckily, Lord Kane came


    to help.¡±


    me?


    Kane?


    I was taken aback. Kane hade to her aid?


    My mind ran in circles as I searched for an exnation.


    ¡°Lancel,¡± I breathed. Had my most trusted guard gone to my brother instead of


    ¡°It¡¯s not his fault,¡± Cas sandra insisted. ¡°Lancel is more loyal to you than anyone


    4/5


    else. His efforts weren¡¯t malicious.¡±


    As much as I was still confused, I immediately softened my expression. Cas sandra was always so


    considerate. She was always thinking of others- her friends, her patients, her maid, even Lancel. But


    when did she ever think of herself?


    Or about us?


    I should have been the one toe to her protection first, shouldn¡¯t I?


    So why was she still trying to push me away?


    I sighed as I forced back these questions. I knew how I felt about her, and I swore that she shared the


    same feelings. But with the way she was acting here in this room, I couldn¡¯t help but feel seeds of


    doubt forming in


    So, I rolled my shoulders back and straightened up.


    ¡°Tell me, what can I do for you, Cas sandra?¡±


    my stomach.


    5/5

 Chapter 106

    Chapter 106


    Chapter 106 Anything for you


    Cas sandra seemed lost in her thoughts for a moment. As I waited for her to answer my question, I


    tried to read her expression. I hadn¡¯t meant to sound so harsh, but I knew there was something she


    wasn¡¯t telling me, and it was killing me


    not to know.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do about this,¡± she said finally.


    ¡°I could do anything for you, Cas sandra,¡± I insisted, and I stared deeply into her eyes. ¡°I can deal with


    Margaret. I assure you, it won¡¯t be likest time. She isn¡¯t going to get away with this, not if I have


    anything to do with it. You can trust me.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± she asked. Tears started to form in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. ¡°How will you


    deal with it, Asher? You said you would look into this, but there¡¯s nothing to look at. Margaret and


    Adalyn want to punish Erika because she¡¯s associated with me. What could you do to them? They¡¯re


    your wife and your stepmother. Besides¡­ as much as I hate to say this, they have very good, usible


    reasons to do all of this. Prince Marco and Lady Adalyn¡¯s lives have been in danger several times over,


    and it seems reasonable for them to question a ¡®suspicious¡¯ maid. If you punish them severely, how will


    the councilors and the other Pack members handle it? What will they say? That your judgment is


    blinded by some vicious healer who tried to seduce you?¡±


    I stood there stunned as her words crashed over me. It took all of my power and restraint to keep my


    jaw from dropping. Still, my


    lips parted in surprise as I


    blinked at her.


    ¡°You see, Asher, it¡¯s never a matter of trust,¡± she said, and her voice became yer as her eyes fell to the


    floor. ¡°I¡¯ve always trusted you. That¡¯s why five years. go¡­¡±


    When her voice trailed off, I reached out, grabbed her hand, and gently pulled her into my arms. This


    time, she didn¡¯t fight against my touch, and she leaned up


    1/4 Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    against me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cas sandra,¡± I whispered. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡±


    I wanted to exin what had happened five years ago, but no matter what I said, it would sound like an


    excuse.


    I hadn¡¯t managed to save her.


    It was all my fault.


    I¡¯d spent every day for the past five years regretting my actions and yearning. for a way to go back in


    time and do everything in my power to prevent the inferno. I¡¯d had countless nightmares, and even


    more countless daydreams about what Coral had gone through, all because I hadn¡¯t been able to save


    her.


    I knew my words would never be enough, but I couldn¡¯t stop uttering them.


    anyway.


    As I continued to whisper my apologies, Cas sandra remained silent. We stood. there for a while, until


    finally, she lifted her head and raised her chin until our eyes


    met.


    ¡°I want to move out of the pce,¡± she said softly.


    My eyes widened and my eyebrows creased together in surprise.


    Was sne going to run away from me again, just as she¡¯d tried back in Wild Crawler?


    Just as I was about to deny her request, she began to speak again.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go far,¡± she exined. ¡°I was just thinking I could set up a small clinic near the pce, just


    like I had back in Wild Crawler. I could see patients there, and Keep conducting my research¡­ things


    wouldn¡¯t have to change much. I would just be a small distance away from Merliscire.¡±


    I stared at her and tried to understand. I pulled away slightly and began to pace


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    slowly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about this, Cas sandra,¡± I said as I stared out the window. ¡°I.. | would be worried about


    your safety.¡±


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s safe for me to stay in the pce?¡± she countered.


    She had a point. Everything that had happened so far was proof of that. She was in danger, and so


    were the people around her. There was no use denying it any longer.


    Cas sandra took a step toward me.


    ¡°You asked me what I wanted,¡± she said. ¡°This is it, Asher. I think this is a n that could serve


    everyone well. Finnick, Erika, and I would be far safer, since no one would be able to do anything to us


    in public. They would only be able to ess the clinic with permission. Margaret, Adalyn¡­ I wouldn¡¯t


    have to worry about surprise attacks or unannounced visits. I would be able to keep a more watchful


    eye on Finnick and it would also allow me to focus more on my research.¡±


    She took another step.


    ¡°I would still be willing toe to the pce to do our health checks,¡± she assured me. ¡°I still intend on


    fulfilling my duties.¡±


    ¡°Or I coulde visit you,¡± I suggest. ¡°We could conduct the health checks


    there.¡±


    Her expression brightened. ¡°Really?¡±


    I chuckled. This was the first time I¡¯d seen such a rxed and hopeful pression on her face since she¡¯d


    arrived at the pce.


    ¡°Listen, I¡¯m not saying yes straight away,¡± I said. ¡°But


    will think on it. I think this


    s an idea worth considering, but there are a lot of things n out. We would need to find a nice location


    that is distant enough to give you privacy, yet isn¡¯t too far away should we need you in the pce for


    any reason.¡±


    3/4


    ¡°Thank you, Asher,¡± Cas sandra replied, and she offered me a brilliant smile. ¡°Thank you. I really


    appreciate you taking this into consideration.¡±


    I smiled back at her. ¡°Of course. In the meantime, is there anything else I can do


    for you?¡±


    She thought about it for a moment.


    ¡°There is something else,¡± she admitted. ¡°I was wondering if it would be possible for me to get in touch


    with Wild Crawler. I know it might seem silly to admit, but I miss my old assistant, Marley, and Finnick


    misses his friend Dominic. With everything going on, I think Finnick could use a phone call with his


    friend.¡±


    At the mention of Finnick, I felt a knot form in my stomach. Awkwardness filled the air, and I fought for


    the right words to say.


    ¡°I think we might be able to arrange that,¡± I said cautiously, and then after a deep breath, I ran my


    hands through my hair. ¡°Cas sandra¡­ when, or should I say if, you move out of the pce, would it be


    possible for me to visit more often? I¡¯d like to get to know Finnick more.¡±


    The healer¡¯s eyes widened at the idea, and as she considered my question, my heart raced a little.


    Though we hadn¡¯t breached the subject directly, Finnick was my son. I barely knew the boy, and I


    wanted to change that. I¡¯d missed out on so many years of getting to know him. I wanted to rectify the


    situation as soon as possible.


    ¡°I think that would be just fine,¡± she decided.. ¡°As long as you disguise yourself or something. I think too


    many frequent trips could be a little suspect.¡±


    ¡°A disguise,¡± I chuckled. ¡°Yes, I think that can be arranged.¡±


    I stepped over and took her hands in mine.


    ¡°A clinic outside of the pce, a phone call with Wild Crawler, is there anything


    Is you desire?¡± I asked. ¡°Name it Cas sandra, and it¡¯s you s¡±


    414

 Chapter 107

    Chapter 107


    Chapter 107 Call Marley


    CAS SANDRA


    ¡°Name it, Cas sandra, and it¡¯s yours.¡±


    My new name from his lips sounded just as sweet as ever, and a chill ran through me. No matter how


    many days went by, I remained so enamored with Asher Collins. For a moment, I was surprised by his


    generosity, but then I realized I was just getting a glimpse at the old Asher. He¡¯d always been so


    dedicated and caring. There was no reason for me to be shocked that he still was.


    As his gorgeous gray eyes stared into mine intensely, I thought of what Erika had said. I wanted to ask


    him about Adalyn and the circumstances that led to their marriage. I wanted to know if she¡¯d trapped


    him or if there was some unknown reasoning that I wasn¡¯t aware of. If I could get answers, maybe I


    could settle the storm of my thoughts and figure out how we could move forward.


    Everything was such an intricate puzzle and all I wanted were answers.


    Before I could gather the courage, Asher spoke again.


    ¡°Think about it,¡± he advised. ¡°In the meantime, I wanted to tell you that I spoke with the imposter. He


    told me that he wasn¡¯t the masked man in the basement, but he believes that man is the one who¡¯s the


    mastermind behind all of this.¡±¡±


    As he exined what the imposter had told him, my stomach twisted into knots and a chill ran through


    me.


    ¡°The masked man was also the one behind the inferno,¡± he revealed quietly.


    Another shiver travelled down my spine and for a moment, I swore I was about lose my bnce and


    sink to my knees. I knew it. I knew they were all involved in that awful fire. Images of the mes danced


    in my mind, along with the voices that mocked and sneered at me as the poison was shoved down my


    throat. My hand rose up to my neck instinctually.


    III


    0


    1/6 Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°I can stop if this is too hard to hear,¡± Asher whispered. His words brought me back to reality, and I


    managed to shove down the terrible thoughts.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I insisted after I gathered myself. ¡°Please, keep going. What else did you find out?¡±


    ¡°The imposter didn¡¯t know the identity of the masked man,¡± Asher said, and he let out a sigh. ¡°But from


    the sounds of it, he¡¯s a powerful man in Anemond.¡±


    So, it likely wasn¡¯t Oliver Moses after all. The imposter would have known it was him by the sound of


    his voice that day in the corridor.


    Still, I wasn¡¯t going to rx. The Beta couldn¡¯t be trusted and I couldn¡¯t cast aside my doubts about


    him, no matter what was presented.


    ¡°Do you remember anything about the masked man from your encounter in the basement?¡± Asher


    asked.


    I shook my head. ¡°Not really. He attacked me from behind and ced a cloth over my nose. The


    chemicals on the rag paralyzed me and made me too dizzy to keep anything straight. I was too weak to


    recall any specific details.


    Asher nodded. ¡°I figured as much. That¡¯s alright. Well, if anythinges to mind, please let me know.


    On another note, I think the imposter might at least be able to help us figure out the poisons in the


    venoms.¡±


    My eyebrows shot up. ¡°Becky and I have also made progress on that front. I think we¡¯re getting closer


    to an answer.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Asher remarked, and then his expression grew even more serious. ¡°I h o re we can find the


    truth behind everything soon.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± I agreed. ¡°Me too.¡±


    ***


    The next day, Asher made good on his word, and Finnick and I were escorted from our room by a pair


    of ser vants. They led us down the bustling hallway until wa


    2/6


    reached a door I¡¯d never noticed before.


    One of the ser vants held it open for us, and once we stepped inside, I was surprised to see we had


    been brought to what looked like a personal office. Much like Asher¡¯s study, the room had tall windows,


    bookcases, and arge, dark wood desk in the center of the room. A pair of leather chairs nked the


    desk on either side, and in the center of the table, was a telephone.


    Finnick¡¯s gray eyes widened and he perked up immediately. His grip on my hand tightened and he


    bounced in ce. He knew exactly why we were here.


    ¡°Mommy, can I talk to Dominic first?¡± he requested politely once the se rvants. left the room.


    I smiled and nodded. ¡°Yes, baby.¡±


    We pulled one of the chairs to the other side of the desk so we could sit beside one another. Once we


    were situated, I dialed the number of the Pack House of Wild Crawler. I waited patiently, and once


    someone picked up, I requested to speak to Luna Sofia.


    The line went quiet for a moment, and then Sofia¡¯s voice came through.


    ¡°Cas sy?¡± she asked in surprise. ¡°Cas sy, is that really you?¡±


    ¡°Hi, Sofia,¡± I greeted her warmly. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. How are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m good,¡± she remarked. ¡°I¡¯m surprised to hear from you. It¡¯s been a month since you left us, but


    it feels like so much longer. We miss you very much.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, the feeling is mutual,¡± I assured her. ¡°We miss you too. It¡¯s definitely en¡­ eventful around


    here. I feel like we¡¯ve been here in Anemond for so long.¡±


    As we chatted, Finnick began to bounce in his chair. He stared at the phone with longing, and I knew it


    was time to hand it over to him.


    ¡°Sofia, I have Finnick beside me,¡± I exined to her. ¡°He was wondering if he could speak with


    Dominic.¡±


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    3/6


    ¡°Of course he can,¡± Sofia replied warmly. ¡°Just give me one minute while I go and grab him.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± I said. As I waited for her to return, I exined the situation to Finnick and passed him


    the phone. He epted it carefully, and once another voice came through the line, his expression lit


    up.


    As he spoke with his friend, he looked happier than he¡¯d been since we¡¯d arrived in Anemond. My heart


    swelled with joy at the sight of it. He¡¯d been through so much recently, he deserved some happiness.


    He told Dominic all about what he¡¯d seen in the capital, the bustling market, and the ¡°adventure¡± he¡¯d


    experienced. He spoke of a pair of ¡°viins¡± who I knew at once were Adalyn and Margaret.


    All of it was a little amusing to hear in his childish voice, but his next deration. tugged at my


    heartstrings.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like Anemond, Dominic,¡± he said quietly. ¡°I think Wild Crawler is much better. And besides, you


    aren¡¯t here.¡±


    I felt terrible for Finnick. This move had been so hard on him. Ipletely understood where he was


    coming from.


    Luckily, it seemed like Dominic had something kind and uplifting to say, as Finnick¡¯s smile returned


    momentster.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Finnick agreed. ¡°Besides, there¡¯s nothing to worry about. I¡¯m al man now and I¡¯m


    prepared for challenges like the ones we read about in our favorite


    books.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    When Finnick said goodbye and handed the phone back to me, I heard Sofia¡¯s voice again. We made a


    little more small talk, and then I shifted the subject.


    ¡°How is Marley?¡± I asked. ¡°And the clinic?¡±


    |||


    4/6


    ¡°Marley is somewhere around here,¡± Sofia replied. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask her for yourself?¡±


    ¡°That would be wonderful,¡± I said. ¡°Thank you!


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all, Cas sy.¡±


    Momentster, Sofia called Marley¡¯s name, and I heard my assistant ask who it was. Sofia said ¡°You


    cane see for yourself!¡±, and secondster, Marley¡¯s voice came through.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Hi, Marley,¡± I said softly.


    Marley gasped and then let out a squeal. ¡°Oh, Cas sy! It¡¯s you! I thought your forgot about me already!¡±


    ¡°I could never forget you,¡± I assured her.


    She then


    ¡°It¡¯s been a month, but it feels like an eternity,¡± my friend sighed. began to ramble as she always did. It


    was so nice to hear her voice again.


    ¡°How have you been, Cas s?¡± she asked me.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± I said simply. I didn¡¯t want toin about my experience in Anemond. Thest thing I


    needed was to worry Marley.


    But my friend seemed to pick up on my distress anyway.


    ¡°I know Anemond isn¡¯t the best ce to be,¡± she said gently. ¡°Especially with at ba stard of an Alpha


    King around. I¡¯m sure he isn¡¯t making things easily. He was so awful when he was here in Wild Crawler.


    I can only imagine how much more arogant he is in his own domain.¡±


    Heat spread to my cheeks and I quickly changed the subject.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. How are you doing?¡±


    5/6

 Chapter 108

    Chapter 108


    Chapter 108 Promised visit


    CAS SANDRA


    My jaw dropped in surprise and my eyebrows shot up.


    What?


    Marley and her mate had always seemed so happy together. Their children were incredibly sweet as


    well, so I was a little surprised by all of this.


    ¡°Oh Marley,¡± I sighed. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­ what happened?¡±


    ¡°He cheated,¡± she revealed, and her tone was somewhere between sad and angry. ¡°I caught them with


    another woman one day after work. It was a slow day at the clinic, so I left early, and I caught them


    right in the middle of the¡­ act.¡±


    ¡°Oh no,¡± I breathed. ¡°Oh no.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she scoffed. ¡°Can you believe it, Cas sy? I was so shocked that I tripped. and fell down on the


    way out


    of the room. I almost broke my nose. And then, the shameless ba stard tried to me the whole affair


    on me. He said all of this happened because I was too focused on my work and cared too little about


    him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s bu ll s hit,¡± I blurted out, and anger swelled within me. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault in the slightest.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± she said quietly. ¡°Doesn¡¯t make it hurt any less, though. Oh, well. I guers that¡¯s just how it


    goes something.¡±


    Though her voice was strangely calm, I knew that she was clearly upset. I felt noad and even worse, I


    didn¡¯t know how tofort her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Marley,¡± I apologized. ¡°I know you¡¯ve been dealing with so much and me leaving you alone in


    the clinic probably doesn¡¯t make things any better-¡±


    ´¨


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    1/5


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize, Cas sy,¡± she cut me off. ¡°Seriously, it¡¯s not your fault, and it¡¯s not the clinic¡¯s fault,


    either. He¡¯s been cheating on me for a while now. He probably made up all of that stuff to make me feel


    bad. Trust me, I don¡¯t regret anything. Our patients mean the world to me, and I wouldn¡¯t have it any


    other way.¡±


    Suddenly, it sounded like someone in the distance was calling Marley.


    ¡°Come help us, Marley!¡± a voice I didn¡¯t recognize yelled.


    ¡°Later, I¡¯m busy!¡± my friend yelled back and I giggled in response. She was ju as tough as ever. That


    kind of bravery and boldness wouldn¡¯t have been tolerat Merliscire, but in Wild Crawler, Marley was in a


    much different atmosphere. In being around there, and my heart panged with loneliness.


    I missed them all so much.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on at the Pack House?¡± I wondered as noises appeared in the background. ¡°It sounds


    really busy there. Is everything alright?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Sofia didn¡¯t tell you?¡± Marley asked in surprise. ¡°Rayden¡¯s going to take the crown next week!


    We¡¯re decorating and preparing the Pack House for the ceremony!¡±


    I gasped.


    Rayden was finally going to be the Alpha of Wild Crawler?


    ¡°Oh wow,¡± I breathed. ¡°That¡¯s so crazy! Marley, can you please tell him I said congrattions?¡±


    ¡°I bet Rayden would be happier if you told him yourself,¡± Marley teased. ¡°Should grab him now?¡±


    ¡°Marley!¡± I gasped again. ¡°Marley, don¡¯t you dare!¡±


    My friend dissolved into a fit ofughter. ¡°I¡¯m only joking, Cas sy. I wouldn¡¯t do that. Trust me, I¡¯ll pass


    along the message myself.¡±


    2/5


    ¡°You better,¡± I warningly joked.


    Weughed together, and the loneliness within me disappeared. Even though we were separated by


    thousands of miles, it felt like we were in the same room. again. It was great to share a moment like


    this with my friend.


    Once we settled down, I asked about the clinic.


    ¡°How are things going there?¡± I wondered. ¡°You mentioned you were busy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to lie, Cas sy, things are a mess,¡± Marley admitted, and then she sighed. ¡°Over the past


    couple of weeks, there has been an influx of patients with the disease, and many of their conditions are


    only getting worse. We had an older patient pass awayst week.¡±


    ¡°They died?¡± I asked in shock. ¡°From the disease?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Marleymented. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it was because the patient was older or if they¡¯d been secretly


    living with it for longer than we¡¯d known. But either way, it¡¯s scary. I don¡¯t want to admit it, but I¡¯m


    terrified. Things aren¡¯t looking good.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± I said, and I wiped away the sweat that had broken out across my forehead.. ¡°I¡¯m sorry


    I¡¯m not there to help you. Did the Alpha King send more healers like he promised he would?¡±


    ¡°He did,¡± Marley said, and then she muttered under her breath. ¡°It was the least. the bas tar d could do


    after taking you away. That being said, the healers he sent are all a bunch of cowards. They have no


    clue how to deal with the disease and they¡¯re all so afraid of getting infected that they refuse to get


    close to the patients. A couple of them won¡¯t even deal with infected patients at all.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s awful,¡± I replied, and I shook my head. ¡°What kind of healer refuses patients in need? That¡¯s


    just hical.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me,¡± Marley agreed. ¡°I wish you were here, Cas sy. You¡¯re ten times the healer that these


    b astards are.¡±


    ¡°I wish I was there too, Marley,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you¡¯re dealing with this all on


    ´¨


    O


    3/5


    your own.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she said quietly.


    We fell silent, and after I took a deep breath, I thought about the older patient that had passed away.


    ¡°Did Alpha Gareth manage to get a forensic specialist to examine the corpse?¡± I wondered. ¡°And if so,Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    were they able to draw any conclusions?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Marley replied. ¡°They drafted an official report of the evidence, but it was pretty inconclusive. I¡¯ve


    studied the results and so have the specialist, but we can¡¯t make any sense of it all.¡±


    I considered her words for a second.


    A report that not even a forensic specialist could make sense of?


    Wild Crawler may have been a smaller, mostly forgotten-about Pack on Wega¡¯s border, but it wasn¡¯t


    primitive in the slightest. Our specialists were highly trained and well educated. If they couldn¡¯t make


    sense of things, the situation


    wasn¡¯t good.


    ¡°Are you still there?¡± Marley asked.


    ¡°Yes, sorry,¡± I apologized. ¡°I¡¯m just thinking, that¡¯s all.¡±


    As I fell into silence yet again, I thought about the imposter in the dungeon and quickly crafted a crude


    theory.


    Just yesterday, Asher had mentioned the Dark Abyss Pack and their war with rene. As I recounted the


    tale in my mind, I thought of the story Kaleb had told me and wondered if his father, the former king,


    had gotten infected with the disease. d. ring that same conflict.


    If he had, all of this might have ties to sorcery.


    Everything was beginning to weave together like an intricate web, and !


    4/5


    couldn¡¯t help but wonder how much was truly connected. I felt as if we were on the verge of some


    answers. We just needed to keep pushing forward.


    ¡°I might not be able to understand it either,¡± I admitted. ¡°But I think I know someone who might be able


    to help. Marley, do you think you¡¯d have time toe to Anemond to visit? I think I can ask the Alpha


    King to arrange it all.¡±

 Chapter 109

    Chapter 109


    Chapter 109 Yurene¡¯s requests


    ASHER


    The meeting with the king of Yurene was arranged in the biggest meeting room in Merliscire. My


    attendants had been hard at work all morning, seeing to it that all of the ce settings were up to par


    and that everyst surface was clean and tidy.


    Normally, I didn¡¯t care much for things like this or worry about the appearancel of the pce, but in a


    way, I didn¡¯t mind showing off a bit. Kaleb had seemed wholly unimpressed with Anemond, and


    Wega in general, so I was more than happy to have my serv ants put in a bit more work to show the


    foreign king that we weren¡¯t uncivilized.


    Most of the councilors had announced to me that we were going to discuss some key business with the


    king of Yuene. Admittedly, I was a bit nervous. Grand meetings such as this were not often held. In fact,


    thest time so many had gathered together here in this hall, myte father had called all of the


    councilors together to discuss Cora¡¯s father¡¯s intention to kill Oliver Moses.


    A lump formed in my throat. Luckily, this meeting would not be anything like that.


    I¡¯d taken care to wear my finest suit. It was a rich, deep ck, with the Cresent Pack¡¯s emblem printed


    in a burgundy thread on thepel. I half considered my crown but decided it would be overkill. I wanted


    to present an air of power, but not gaudiness.


    Kaleu and I arrived at the meeting room at the same time. The foreign king re an expensive suit as


    well, but it was a deep shade of blue instead of ck. He wore a golden pendant with the emblem of


    Yurene, and his golden brown hair fell in profect waves down his shoulders. He¡¯d clearly taken quire a


    bit of time to look presentable as well.


    The king¡¯s dark blue eyes trailed over me and then met mine.


    1/5


    ¡°Alpha Asher,¡± he greeted me in his ented voice, and he offered me a smile. ¡°It has been so good to


    see you. I must say, you were right when you spoke to me of Anemond. It is a beautiful city after all.¡±


    Thepliment would have seemed out of ce if I hadn¡¯t known that the foreign king had been off


    visiting the capital with his diplomats.


    I offered him a polite smile.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, and after he offered me a small nod, we walked into the


    room.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    The councilors and diplomats had already arrived and were talking loudly amongst each other. When


    they saw us enter the room, they fell silent, rose to their feet, and bowed their heads to greet us


    immediately.


    ¡°Wee, Your Majesties,¡± they all said in unison.


    I nodded and then gestured back to their chairs. ¡°Please, take a seat.¡±


    The councilors did as instructed, and Kaleb and I walked over to the front of the table. We sat opposite


    one another, and once we were ready, the councilors and diplomats settled down, and the meeting


    began. I gathered up all of my courage and settled into the demeanor I only wore in settings such as


    this..


    Us*¡±


    Today, I wasn¡¯t Asher Collins.


    I was the Alpha King of a noble and powerful empire.


    ¡°Alpha Kaleb, the floor is yours,¡± I said graciously. ¡°What words do you have for


    ¡°Thank you for the gesture, Alpha Asher,¡± Kaleb replied politely, and he offered na small smile. ¡°I


    appreciate this meeting greatly. I wanted us to gather and discuss the business rtionship between


    Yurene and Wega. You see, my country is rich in ore and petroleum. Wega is an expert in


    handcrafts and technology. I think an exchange and Importation system between ournds would be


    mutually beneficial.¡±


    III


    2/5


    In agreement.


    I chose to wait toment. ¡°Please, continue.¡±


    Kaleb took a little longer to propose a system, and once he was finished, he shifted to another subject


    entirely.


    ¡°I believe the werewolves in both of our countries deserve the opportunity to interact more often as


    well,¡± he dered. ¡°As such, I think Wega should do away with their strict checking system at the


    border-¡±


    ¡°This is impossible!¡± one of the councilors stood up and cut him off. ¡°That idea is far too risky. The


    checking system¡¯s purpose is to keep Wega safe from potential threats. Without it, we¡¯d be far more


    liable to attack!¡±


    I raised my hand toward him.


    ¡°Please, be seated,¡± I advised in a tone that was stern, yet gentle. ¡°Allow the king of Yurene to finish his


    words.¡±


    The councilor¡¯s face flushed scarlet, but he nodded and sat down anyway. ¡°My apologies, Your


    Majesty.¡±


    ¡°It is alright,¡± I said, and then I turned back to Kaleb. ¡°Please, continue.¡±


    Kaleb smiled his lopsided smile. ¡°I understand your concerns on the matter. I low this proposal is rather


    bold, but Yurene has always been open to foreigners, and it hasn¡¯t faced any consequences of that


    decision. I think Wega could do the s me thing without worry.¡±


    ¡°Of course Yurene isn¡¯t afraid,¡± the same councilor spoke up again. ¡°Your country is always looking for


    a war against other Packs-¡±


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    3/5


    remained silent.


    Opening the border to any and all Yurenian wolves was out of the question, and I had a distinct feeling


    that Kaleb wasn¡¯t stu pid enough to think I would agree to


    this.


    So, why make the offer at all?


    There was an angle here, something I had yet to figure out. I needed to act in the self-interest of


    Wega and investigate further, but remained smart. Kaleb was intelligent, but I needed to be far more


    cu nning if I wanted to y this political


    game.


    As the councilor¡¯s discussion became an argument, I whistled and called for a stop. All conversation


    halted and the entire room stared at me.


    ¡°We will discuss this matter further at another time,¡± I decided, and then I turned to Kaleb. ¡°Alpha


    Kaleb, is that eptable?¡±


    Kaleb nodded. ¡°Of course, Alpha Asher.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± I said, and then I leaned forward. ¡°Now, is there anything else Yurene. wishes to work with


    Wega on? Anything that would be mutually beneficial for our


    countries?¡±


    The king of Yurene nced at his diplomats. One of them nodded, and then they began to speak in


    their heavily ented voices.


    As their requests filled the room, I settled back in.


    One thing was absolutely certain.


    <


    4/5


    This was going to be a long, boring meeting.

 Chapter 110

    Chapter 110


    Chapter 110 Talent should be appreciated


    ASHER


    After what felt like dam n near an eternity, the meeting reached a conclusion. Despite the long hours of


    bartering and propositions, nothing had really been decided. The councilors were unwilling to give


    away any sort of information or allow any type of goods to be taken back to Yurene. They seemed too


    afraid of the Northern country and unwilling to allow any breach of security.


    The poor recorder had written pages upon pages of notes. I felt sorry for him, as his job certainly hadn¡¯t


    been easy. I hadn¡¯t expected so many arguments and disputes, and my head was pounding intensely. I


    desperately needed some medicine to soothe the aches brought on by my illness.


    ¡°We will take all of the proposals that were made today into consideration,¡± I announced to the room.


    ¡°Once we reach a conclusion, we will gather again and renegotiate. Thank you all for granting us your


    time and ideas. Councilors, you are. dismissed.¡±


    The councilors and diplomats rose to their feet and bowed obediently. As they began to filter out of the


    room and stood, I decided it would be best to retire to my own chamber. Cas sandra would be byter


    for my health check, and until then, I needed to lie down and get some rest. All of this discussion had


    rendered me exhauste I, and I wanted to make sure I was more awake when I got to see her.


    After all of this mess, I was excited to see the beautiful healer again.


    Jacey followed me out, and once we were away from the others, he cleared


    s throat.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I have selected a few locations for yo to examine,¡± he announced, and he procured a


    stack of documents from a file at his side. I epted the papers and scanned them over.


    I¡¯d asked the councilor to look into a suitable location for Cas sandra¡¯s clinic she


    III


    1/5


    wanted to open in Anemond. Jacoby was knowledgeable when it came to real estate and owned a


    decent patch ofnd. He would know the best ce for her to be able to stay, somewhere where she


    could run the clinic and be safe after hours.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± I decided, and I inclined my head toward the stairs. ¡°We can


    discuss things in my study.¡±


    Jacoby nodded, and just as we were about to walk in that direction, I heard a voice behind me.


    ¡°Alpha Asher, can we have a word?¡±


    I managed to stifle a groan, and turned around to see Kaleb. I paused in ce and the king of Yurene


    rushed over to me.


    I frowned. What did Kaleb want? We¡¯d just spent hours in a meeting. What more could he possibly


    have to say?


    Of course, I could use this to my advantage. I had questions too, namely about Dark Abyss. Ever since


    I had learned that the Pack had once been in a war with Yurene, I¡¯d wanted to figure out what had


    happened. Perhaps this was my opportunity.


    ¡°Sure,¡± I said, and then I turned to Jacoby. ¡°We will speakter if that¡¯s alright.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty,¡± Jacoby said, and after he bowed, I turned to Kaleb.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to my study,¡± I decided. ¡°We won¡¯t be interrupted there.¡±


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Kaleb replied. ¡°Thank you for granting me an audience.¡±


    I led the king of Yurene up to my study, and as we grew closer, I thought of how


    I could bring up Dark Abyss. I couldn¡¯t ask the foreign Alph outright, or else it yould amas s suspicion.


    No, I needed to conduct myself carefully so I could get the answers I needed. Kaleb was smart.


    But I needed to be smarter.


    2/5


    Once we reached the study, the guards opened the door for us, and a pair of ser vants awaited my


    orders. Kaleb¡¯s jaw dropped as he studied the room.


    ¡°I must say, Alpha Asher, this room is quite impressive,¡± he said as his eyes trailed over my many


    shelves of books. ¡°This study looks more like a small library than an office.¡± Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, and I smiled at him politely before turning to the serv ants. ¡°Please prepare some


    tea for us. Chamomile, preferably, unless you prefer something else, Alpha Kaleb.¡±


    ¡°Chamomile is fine by me,¡± Kaleb replied, and then he smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The ser vants nodded and then rushed out of the room. Once the doors were closed, I gestured toward


    the leather couches on the far side of the room. ¡°Please, take a seat.¡±


    Kaleb and I walked over, and once we were seated, I cleared my throat.


    ¡°What can I help you with?¡± I asked.


    The foreign king¡¯s expression grew serious.


    ¡°I heard that a dangerous man was apprehended the day before yesterday,¡± he


    said.


    ¡°Yes¡± I confirmed. ¡°You¡¯re correct. But there¡¯s no cause for worry. Everything is


    under control.¡±


    ¡°Grod,¡± Kaleb said. ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. I don¡¯t have all of the details of the er counter, but from what


    I¡¯ve gathered, it was a scary situation. I¡¯m pleased to know


    I is alright.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I replied. I tried not to frown. Had Kaleb reallye here to discuss


    the man?


    Was this discussion going to be easier than I¡¯d expected? I didn¡¯t think Kaleb would offer information


    about Dark Abyss readily, but this seemed like an opportune


    3/5


    time to bring it up.


    ¡°And how is Cas sandra?¡± Kaleb shifted the subject before I could speak again. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen her in


    days. How is she doing? Was she caught up in the awful affair?¡±


    This time, I frowned.


    ¡°Healer Cas sandra is quite busy these days,¡± I said vaguely. ¡°But she is fir Hard at work.¡±


    As petty as it sounded, I didn¡¯t like the way the king of Yurene paid too much attention to the healer and


    didn¡¯t want him anywhere near her.


    ¡°I was hoping to see her again,¡± Kaleb mused. ¡°But it seems that there are always guards surrounding


    her room or the ce where she works.¡±


    ¡°Security measures,¡± I noted through gritted teeth. ¡°Surely, you understand. Besides, she¡¯s my private


    healer. What business do you have with her?¡±


    ¡°Oh, please rx,¡± Kaleb chuckled, and he raised his hand. ¡°I was simply wondering how my friend


    was doing and wanted to ask her some questions.¡±


    ¡°What kind of questions?¡± I wondered as my eyebrow shot up. What kind of business did he have with


    Cas sandra? ¡°I could ask them for you.¡±


    Kaleb smirked. ¡°That is very kind of you, Alpha Asher. I would be grateful if you could ask her on my


    behalf. I was simply wanting to know if she had considered my offer thoroughly.¡±


    ¡°Your offer?¡± I wondered. ¡°What offer?¡±


    Kaleb¡¯s smirk shifted into a smile. He looked utterly fox-like, and I felt a mix of nger and intrigue. He


    was being purposely vague to both me, and as much as I ated to admit it, his efforts were working. He


    was hiding something, and I needed to know what it was immediately.


    ¡°I invited Healer Cas sandra toe to the North,¡± he revealed as he tucked his hair behind his ear


    casually. ¡°I think talents such as hers would be far more


    4/5


    appreciated in Turane.¡±

 Chapter 111

    Chapter 111


    Chapter 111 Don¡¯t put her in danger again


    ASHER


    What the f uck did he just say?


    I sat there in disbelief, but surprise soon gave way to anger. Meanwhile, the king of Yurene seemed


    surprised.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize she hadn¡¯t mentioned it to you yet,¡± he mused, and then he sat back in his seat


    casually. ¡°I suppose you may wish to discuss it with her next time you see her. Perhaps speaking with


    her directly would be best-¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± I said shortly as my hands curled into fists at my sides. ¡°Healer Cas sandra will not


    be going to the North with you.¡±


    I expected Kaleb to have a different reaction. He remained quite calm and gave me an interesting


    expression.


    ¡°I had heard that the current Alpha King of Wega was less arbitrary than the former ones, but it


    seems like that isn¡¯t true,¡± he stated, and then he smirked. ¡°You can¡¯t decide this for Cas sandra. She


    told me she would think about my offer instead of denying it at once, so clearly it¡¯s something she¡¯s


    taking under serious


    consideration.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why she would leave Wega,¡± I countered as I fought to stay collected. ¡°Cas sandra has


    work to do here, and besides, her son is here. Why would she uproot her life to go to a more barbaric


    country?¡±


    Kaleb opened his mouth to speak, but I knew that if he said anything further, I Cild onlysh out further.


    So instead, I rose to my feet and gestured toward the


    dcr.


    ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, Alpha Kaleb, I have some urgent matters to discuss with my councilors,¡± I


    announced. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I have to ask you to leave at once.¡±


    1/4. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    My volume was loud enough to trigger the guards, who immediately entered the room without


    permission. Normally, I didn¡¯t allow that kind of behavior, but their stry was wee. I needed the king


    of Yurene to go before I lost all control and gave into my more primal nature.


    Kaleb didn¡¯t put up a fight, and instead, rose to his feet. He bowed, and just as he was leaving the


    room, he turned around and smiled once more.


    ¡°If you¡¯re so confident, Alpha ASher, why don¡¯t you ask her for yourself?¡±


    I didn¡¯t reply and simply allowed him to leave. The king of Yurene was only trying to bait me further, but


    I wouldn¡¯t fall for it. I knew there was a reasonable exnation for all of this. Kaleb was conniving, but I


    trusted Cas sandra. There was a truth that I wasn¡¯t seeing right away, and I knew if I spoke with her, I¡¯d


    get the answers I needed.


    I would bring it up when I had the right chance after I dealt with some of the more pestering issues


    around us. I would be direct with Cas sandra, but I wouldn¡¯t push her too far. She¡¯d just started to be


    more frank with me, and I didn¡¯t want to force her.


    I turned to one of my guards.


    ¡°Please send Councilor Jacoby in,¡± I announced formally, and the guard nodded and left the room.


    Not too long after, the guard returned with not only Jacoby, but Kane as well. I was surprised to see my


    brother. His visits were far more frequenttely than they¡¯d ever been before.


    For probably the first time in his life, Kane¡¯s attitude wasn¡¯t cavalier. His hands W balled into fists at his


    side, and his mouth was set in a harsh, straight line. I Ein¡¯t seen him this worked up before, so I knew I


    was in for a mess of trouble.


    ¡°Mother is confined,¡± he stated the moment he walked in.


    I raised an eyebrow and then nced at Jacoby. The councilor nodded and then retreated, giving my


    brother and me a little privacy.


    2/4


    I


    ¡°Yes, she is,¡± I confirmed, and I crossed my arms against my chest. ¡°Because she did something


    wrong. Her violence waspletely unnecessary and out of bounds. So what are you doing here,


    Kane? Are you here to interrogate me, brother? Make a case for her release?¡±


    ¡°She told me her confinement was indefinite,¡± Kane replied, his violet eyes deadly serious as they


    stared into mine. ¡°And that if she wants freedom, she has to apologize about what happened with the


    maid. Mother won¡¯t do that. She wants to


    see you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for that,¡± I said shortly as my head pounded. Besides, you and I both know what she


    did was wrong. If she didn¡¯t want to face punishment, she shouldn¡¯t have done anything to Erika in the


    first ce.¡±


    Kane shook his head slowly.


    ¡°All of this for a maid who is suspicious of poisoning your wife and son?¡± he asked as his nostriis red.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, Asher.¡±


    ¡°No, not just the maid,¡± I sighed. ¡°This isplex-¡±


    ¡°Well, of course, but don¡¯t you see the problem here, brother?¡± he pressed.


    ¡°What problem are you referring to exactly?¡± I replied as my head pounded. I wanted nothing more than


    to sit down, but I knew this was about to get heated.


    Kane exhaled heavily and shook his head. ¡°Cas sandra Keller.¡±


    The room fell silent for a moment.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you see why Mother and Adalyn did that?¡± Kane spoke again after a ment. ¡°Can¡¯t you


    understand?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t think Cas sandra is a problem-¡±


    Kane cut me off immediately. ¡°No, brother, I don¡¯t mean she is the problem. The problem is how much


    you care about her¡±


    3/4


    I frowned and forced myself to remain calm.


    ¡°The more you care about her, the more Adalyn and Mother will go up against her,¡± Kane said softly.


    ¡°Tell me this. If Erika wasn¡¯t Cas sandra¡¯s maid, would you have done the same? Would Mother be


    confined and awaiting further punishment if the maid worked for someone else?¡±


    I remained silent and looked at my brother. As much as I tried, I was unable to read theplexity


    behind his eyes.


    ¡°Can you be sure that they won¡¯t turn even further on Cas sandra after this?¡± he continued. ¡°They will


    me all of this on her, not you. It¡¯s always like this, Asher.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®always like this¡±?¡± I asked, and my frown deepened as I stared at Kane. ¡°Speak


    inly, Kane.¡±


    ¡°I mean Cora,¡± my brother blurted, and my face suddenly grew hot. My eyes narrowed at him as I tried


    to understand what he was trying to say.


    ¡°This has nothing to do with Cora,¡± I said. ¡°The situation ispletely different than it was five years


    ago-¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference, brother?¡± Kane retorted, and he shook his head. ¡°The fact that you¡¯re king now?


    You always overestimate yourself.¡±


    Anger swelled up within me and I gritted my teeth. Why was my brother speaking to me like this?


    Everything he said was so ambiguous and strange as if he was speaking in riddles.


    ¡°What are you trying to say, Kane?¡± I sighed as I pinched the bridge of my nose between ry fingers.


    ¡°Speak it straight.¡±


    Kane shook his head.


    ¡°I have nothing to say, Asher,¡± he said, and his eyes narrowed. ¡°It¡¯s just a reminder. You could put her in


    danger again,¡±


    4/4

 Chapter 112

    Chapter 112


    Chapter 112 He didn¡¯t love anyone


    The nights in Anemond were always bustling.


    Much to my surprise and confusion, plenty of shops remained opente well into the evening hours.


    Citizens moved about the streets happily and mingled with one another in an almost picturesque sort of


    manner. Theirughter, music, and conversation melded together to create a disjointed yet delightful


    chorus.


    As I roamed the streets with my guards, I took care to smile at anyone who made eye contact with me.


    My gestures were always met with a friendly expression. To the citizens who lived here, I was just


    another friendly foreigner.


    It was a relief to go about my stroll calmly. I¡¯d taken extensive measures to appear to be just another


    kind face.


    I continued to stroll through the town until I entered a sea of greenery at the very edge of it. Lush nts


    and trees with long branches that loomed over the path like a curtain were plentiful, and I took a long,


    deep breath. The nt life filled the air with a sweet floral perfume that brought a smile to my face


    before I could stop it. I couldn¡¯t help but admire the beauty of this ce.


    I took a long deep breath as I stepped onto a small wooden bridge. Just beneath me was a man-made


    lake called Selene¡¯s Tear. Its waters glittered and gleamed under the light of the glowing moon, and as I


    walked along the bridge, stared out in awe. It was quite expansive and rather impressive to look at.


    I had been told theke had been constructed by the former Alpha for his first me, Asher¡¯s mother,


    Selene Collins. It was a touching physical disy of love but sl htly tainted by the fact that the former


    king had wedded another woman quickly after Selene had died.


    I smirked. It was unsurprising, really. Despite their outward appearance and feigned kindness,


    Anemond was a cruel, bitternd thatcked courtesy and


    1/5


    commitment.


    At the very least, I had to admit that it was indeed a beautiful park, extravagant, even, considering howBelongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    much Asher¡¯s father likely spent to build it.


    As I studied the view, my guards remained posted at the entry of the bridge. Their gazes were steady,


    and their eyes were sharp as they peered around. They had been given strict orders to surveil the area


    in case any unexpected visitors


    arrived.


    Just as I considered the possibility of someone showing up, a ck shadow appeared right before my


    eyes.


    My guards tensed up immediately and their hands fell to the weapons at their sides. But before they


    could strike, I raised my hand in the air.


    ¡°Rx,¡± I called out to them in a tone somewhere between stern and calm. ¡°He¡¯s a friend. We have


    something to discuss. Allow him to remain.¡±


    The guards beat their right fists against their chests in unison, a symbol of obedience in my country,


    and then retreated a few steps back. Once I was certain our conversation could continue on in privacy,


    I turned to the shadowy figure.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a month, Anubis,¡± I said in a low voice. ¡°What happened? I began to think you¡¯d forgotten


    about me.¡±


    The figure stepped out of the darkness and removed the ck hood of his cloak, revealing a handsome


    but rugged face.


    ¡°My apologies, Your Majesty,¡± Anubis replied with a small bow, and his dark eyes dart d around. ¡°After I


    burnt down the house, I was nearly caught by a guard


    e Alpha King of Wega-¡±


    ¡°And yet you¡¯re here,¡± I pointed out, and then my lips curled into a smile. ¡°So, you weren¡¯t caught after


    all.¡±


    ¡°Such is true, I suppose,¡± he remarked. When his full, lower trembled, my eyebrows knitted together.


    215


    ¡°Why do you appear worried?¡± I asked him outright. ¡°It is just the two of us alone. What do you have to


    fear?¡±


    Anubis nced around again and then leaned in closer.


    ¡°Though I wasn¡¯t caught, the guard saw me use the power,¡± he revealed.


    My eyebrow shot up immediately.


    ¡°That¡¯s bad news,¡± I remarked simply, and I fought the urge to lose myposure. ¡°Well, at the very


    least, did you find the thing?¡±


    Anubis shook his head and his ck, curly hair waved out around him.


    ¡°No, Your Majesty,¡± he admitted. ¡°But I managed to find something in the house. It was hidden deep


    within a drawer. I believe it¡¯s something important.¡±


    Before I could request to see it, Anubis reached into the pocket of his ebony velvet cloak and retrieved


    something. I held out my hand and he carefully ced the item on my palm. It was a small moonstone


    pendant circled with tiny brilliantly cut diamonds that glittered even in the low light of the evening. I held


    the white-gold chain aloft and admired the bit of jewelry. It was simple yet beautiful.


    ¡°Do you think this is rted to the talisman?¡± I wondered as I stared at the pendant.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Anubis admitted. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say.¡±


    I gathered the ne back into my hand and wrapped my fingers around it tightly.


    ¡®Interesting,¡± I remarked, and then I tilted my head to the side. ¡°Very neresting.¡±


    ¡°How have things progressed on your side, Your Majesty?¡± Anubis wondered.


    ¡°Not well,¡± I admitted. ¡°Wega caught a member of Dark Ab ss just a few days ago and they¡¯re


    currently holding him in the dungeon of their pce.¡±


    3.5


    Anubis¡¯ dark eyes narrowed and his expression grew deadly serious.


    ¡°Do I need to deal with him, Your Majesty?¡± he asked quietly.


    I considered his offer for a mere second and then shook my head.


    ¡°No,¡± I decided. ¡°I don¡¯t think the man is anyone of great importance. I¡¯ll look into it myself. For now, I


    think it would be best for you to keep a low profile. We don¡¯t need to raise any suspicions right now.


    We¡¯re getting too close to let it all fall apart.¡±


    Anubis nodded thoughtfully and his features softened ever so slightly as he crossed his arms against


    his chest. ¡°What about Emmett¡¯s wife?¡±


    ¡°She seems to know next to nothing about what herte husband had been involved in,¡± I remarked.


    ¡°But the talisman must be with her,¡± Anubis insisted.


    I remained silent, but I knew he was likely correct, which was exactly why Cas sandra needed toe


    with me.


    ¡°What are we waiting for?¡± Anubis spoke up again, and when he took a step closer, his eyes darted


    around again.


    ¡°I¡¯m not waiting,¡± I countered. ¡°I¡¯m simply biding my time. The king of Wega seems to care very much


    about her. I need to find out why.¡±


    ¡°You could always interrogate her when she goes to Yurene,¡± he suggested.


    I shook my head again. ¡°No. It wouldn¡¯t work.¡±


    I


    Though Cas sandra appeared fragile and timid, I knew she was secretly very Cgh and strong-willed,


    Interrogation would not work in my favor.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve fallen in love with her,¡± Anubis practically scoffed as he stared at me in disbelief.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the Kaleb I know. Since when have you been soft? You don¡¯t even care about the well-being


    of your own fathe..¡±


    4/5


    Through words anfuriated me, i simply didnt answer


    Past


    I dat love anyone, did

 Chapter 113

    Chapter 113


    Chapter 113 New clinic


    CAS SANDRA


    As I looked around at the two-story building that would soon be my new clinic, it took all of my effort to


    keep from dropping my jaw.


    I¡¯d been escorted to the building by one of Asher¡¯s councilors, and I waspletely taken aback by the


    size of it. It was far more sp acious than the clinic back in Wild Crawler, and even more impressive. The


    ce had tall ceilings, crea my ivory walls, and the most gorgeous white wood floors I¡¯d ever seen. The


    floor n was perfectly suited for a clinic, and it was a gorgeous building, but I was a little intimidated.


    ¡°What do you think of it, Healer Cas sandra?¡± the councilor prompted me.


    ¡°It¡¯s very nice, councilor,¡± I replied politely. ¡°Though, I wonder if it¡¯s a little toorge for a clinic.¡±


    ¡°You can call me, Jacoby,¡± he said with a smile, and then he turned back to the building. ¡°This location


    was hand-chosen by the Alpha King himself. The king thought it would be the best choice considering


    its location and condition. I could escort you to a few other ces if you wanted to take a look, but I


    promise you, this is the best pick.¡±


    Just as I opened my mouth to speak, Finnick came barreling down the stairs. The moment we¡¯d


    arrived, my son had rushed to the second floor excitedly and proimed he was going to check the


    ce out.


    Mommy, this is so cool!¡± he announced as he reached my side. ¡°I like it here!! ld see the carousel in the


    market¡¯s square from the window! I was so pretty. I want to live here.¡±


    I smiled at Finnick and ran my hand through his dark hair.


    ¡°I think that answers that,¡± Iughed, and then I turned to Jacoby. ¡°We¡¯ll take


    1/4


    this ce then. Thank you for going to all of this trouble.¡±


    The councilor gave me a kind smile. ¡°The pleasure is all mine, Healer Cas sandra.¡±


    After we gave the building one more inspection, Jacoby departed back to Merliscire and I was


    preparing to follow suit when Finnick tugged on the sleeve of my white sweater.


    ¡°Mommy, could we ride the carousel?¡± he asked quietly, his gray eyes wide with innocence as they


    peered up at me. ¡°Please? We didn¡¯t get tost time.¡±


    As much as I didn¡¯t want to go to the market, Finnick was right. We had nned on riding the carousel


    thest time we were in Anemond¡¯s busy market, but the kidnappers in the pet store had derailed us


    and ruined Finnick¡¯s first outing.


    I pushed my sleeve up, nced down at my gold watch, and checked the time. I still had a good deal of


    time before I needed to return to theb.


    Becky was going to be leaving for her short holiday this afternoon. With the help of the imposter from


    Dark Abyss that Asher had apprehended, we had created the cure for all of the venoms. It¡¯d been a


    painstaking process that cost me more. than a few sleepless nights and countless hours in theb, but


    we¡¯d conducted enough analysis and research to make the medicines possible.


    The man hadn¡¯t necessarily wanted to cooperate, but Asher had intervened enough behind the scenes


    to get him toply. I wasn¡¯t sure what methods or tactics the Alpha King had used to make it happen,


    but I didn¡¯t really want to know. All that mattered was that we were prepared for any and all viper


    attacks that could happen in the future.


    Furthermore, I¡¯d spoken with Asher about Marleying to Anemond, and the king had agreed to let


    her visit. My friend was set to arrive at the pce next week nd she was bringing the forensic report


    from the recently deceased man in Wild Crawler with her, along with the rest of the research she¡¯d


    been conducting on her


    own.


    Hopefully, her information could help us find the right path to curing the


    2/4-


    mysterious disease and save countless lives all over Wega.


    I was thrilled by the idea of furthering my research, but I was even more excited about the idea of


    reuniting with my friend. Our visit wasn¡¯t going to be long,


    but


    With all of that in mind, the pressures of recent events were lessened quite a bit, so the least I could do


    was spend a little bit of extra time with my son. He¡¯d been through so muchtely that he deserved


    some fun.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I agreed with a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the carousel.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡± Finnick eximed. ¡°Thank you, Mommy!¡±


    I took my son¡¯s hand and together, we made our way down to the market.


    It was just as busy as ever, but I wasn¡¯t nearly as terrified as I¡¯d beenst time. Of course, I remained


    vignt and kept an eye out for any danger, but the weight had been lifted slightly from my shoulders


    now that there was a location for a new clinic. Getting away from the pce, even just a short distance,


    would do great things for us and help life feel at least a little more normal.


    As we walked down the streets, I considered visiting the pet store to see if the old woman was doing


    alright. I¡¯d asked Asher about the investigation report that had been made that day and found out that


    the poordy wasn¡¯t doing all that well. She¡¯d been so scared from the encounter that she couldn¡¯t


    recall many details about that day. Not that I could me her, of course. It had been a traumatizing day,


    to say the least.


    The old woman had always been so kind, even when I was a child. It made me sad to know that she


    wasn¡¯t doing well.


    We passed by the store on our way to the carousel, and I was surprised to see hat the ce was


    closed. A sign on the front door stated that the ce was under construction.


    As I stared at the building, my heart ached. It was an awful sight to see. I hoped. that the woman could


    find peace and get her shop back in working order.


    34


    ¡°Mommy?¡± Finnick prompted me. ¡°Is that the pet store?¡±


    ¡°Yes, baby,¡± I replied as I stared on. I half-expected Finnick to grow upset at the memory, but instead,


    his expression was thoughtful.


    ¡°I hope all of the animals are okay,¡± he said quietly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they are,¡± I assured him. ¡°They¡¯re in good hands. It was a scary day, but everyone¡¯s going toContent held by N?velDrama.Org.


    be okay.¡±


    Finnick wrapped his arms around me and gave me a big hug. We stood like that for a moment, and the


    feeling in my


    -h eased a little. Finnick was such a kind


    andpassionate soul and I was lucky to have him.


    Once he pulled away, we started to walk back toward the carousel in silence.


    ¡°Cas sandra!¡± A strange, familiar voice called out to me.


    I lifted my head immediately and turned to see Kaleb. The king of Yurene was nked by a trio of his


    tall, muscr guards, and he shed me a brilliant smile as he approached. The breeze made his


    golden brown hair sway, and his cheeks were flushed a little from the cold.


    ¡°What a surprise to see you here,¡± Kaleb said once he reached my side.


    ¡°I could say the same thing,¡± I said with a smile.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you around the pce much these days,¡± the king remarked with a slight tilt of his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame, I¡¯ve missed you.¡±


    Hea spread to my cheeks and my eyes dropped to the ground. Before I could er a response, Finnick


    spoke up.


    ¡°I know you!¡± he dered, and he excitedly pointed at Kaleb. ¡°You¡¯re the hero who saved me and my


    Mommy!¡±


    3/4

 Chapter 114

    Chapter 114


    Chapter 114 Dating?


    CAS SANDRA


    As the heat in my cheeks furthered, Kaleb chuckled.


    ¡°Yes, I suppose I am,¡± the king of Yurene remarked, and then he crouched down to Finnick¡¯s level. ¡°And


    you¡¯re Finnick, am I correct?¡±


    When Finnick nodded happily, Kaleb¡¯s smile widened.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a pleasure to see you again,¡± he said. When he rose to his feet, he turned his attention back


    to me. ¡°Where are you two headed to?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to the carousel!¡± Finnick announced excitedly.


    ¡°The carousel?¡± Kaleb repeated back. ¡°I see. That sounds quite fun. May I escort you there?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay-¡± I started to say, but the king raised his hand.


    ¡°Please, it would be my pleasure,¡± he assured me. His smile was so kind that I decided to ept his


    invitation, and after I nodded, the three of us made our way toward the carousel.


    Once we reached the square, my jaw dropped.


    The carousel was just as beautiful as I remembered.


    It was a gorgeous thing, old-fashioned but clearly well-maintenanced. I¡¯d nif-expected to see years of


    wear and tear on the various painted horses, but their pint was just as bold and lovely as ever.


    As the jewel-toned colors of the horses danced by us, I felt as if I were a child again, and my lips curled


    into a delighted smile.


    175


    Wow, Mormy,


    ed,


    I nced down at him, his eyes


    were wide and almost doll-like. It touched my heart to see my son so excited and


    awestruck.


    I smiled down at him. ¡°Isn¡¯t it pretty?¡±


    Finnick nodded. ¡°Can we ride it now?¡±


    ¡°We have to get in line,¡± I said, and I gestured at the small line of people. ¡°Let¡¯s


    head over there.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡± Finnick eximed, and he took my hand in his and practically dragged me over to the line of


    people. Kaleb followed suit, and I was a little surprised to see that he looked just as cheerful as Finnick


    and me. The king of Yurene wasn¡¯t exactly a serious guy but I hadn¡¯t expected a grown man to


    appreciate something like a carousel.


    The line didn¡¯t take too long to move, and once we reached the front, a kind older man ushered us over


    to a trio of painted horses. I carefully helped Finnick onto the smallest one, and once he was seated, I


    climbed on the one beside him. Kaleb took the horse just behind us, and augh rose up at the sight of


    the tall man on the


    horse.


    We rode with Finnick for one round, and then he insisted he wanted to go again on his own. Kaleb and


    I shared augh and agreed to wait by the gate and watch.


    The king and I leaned against the cold metal gate and watched the carousel go by in silence, until


    finally, Kaleb spoke up.


    ¡°How have you been doing recently, Ca sandra?¡± he asked. ¡°I know there has been quite a deal of


    dramately, and you¡¯ve been busy with your research. Are you


    ng well¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± I said, and I offered him a kind smile. ¡°Thank you for asking.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± the foreign king replied, and then his expression grew serious. ¡°I didn¡¯t intend to ask this of


    you right now, but since I have you here¡­ have you considered my request at all?¡±


    2/5


    The truth of the matter was that I had strongly considered Kaleb¡¯s offer toe to the North. Up until a


    few days ago, I¡¯d thought going to Yurene was the only possible way to find a cure to the disease, but


    now, with the hope that Marley could be bringing something useful, I didn¡¯t think it was a good idea.


    ¡°I appreciate your generosity,¡± I said politely in the kindest tone I could manage. ¡°But I¡¯m afraid I have to


    decline. I can¡¯t leave Anemond at the moment¡­ and


    between us, I think I may have another way to figure out the root cause and cure of the disease that


    ails your father.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Kaleb asked as his eyebrow shot up. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say at the moment,¡± I replied. ¡°It¡¯s still just a theory at the moment, but if I continue down this


    path¡­ I may find a way to help everyone affected.¡±


    The king remained silent, but for the briefest of moments, his navy eyes darkened and his mouth drew


    into a thin line. A chill ran through me, but just as quickly as his expression shifted, it returned to its


    calm and collected state.


    Had my eyes deceived me?


    ¡°I understand,¡± Kaleb remarked thoughtfully, and he leaned further against the gate. ¡°The idea of


    visiting the North isn¡¯t the most appealing. I know everyone in Wega perceives Yurene to be


    impoverished and barbaric-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± I assured him.


    He smiled. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Cas sandra. I¡¯m going to be staying here in Wega for another two weeks


    before I return to Yurene. If you end up changing your mind, you can alwayse to me and let me


    know.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied, though I wasn¡¯t so sure my mind would change. My life was so tied up in


    Anemond, in Asher¡­ there was no way I could leave to go to a


    reignnd, not now anyway.


    Before the conversation could go any further, Finnick got off of the carousel and headed toward us. As


    he approached, I checked my watchjain.


    3:5


    ¡°I¡¯d better start heading back to the pce,¡± I said, and then I turned back to Kaleb. ¡°I¡¯m about to open


    a new clinic near the pce in a few days, so if you¡¯d like toe visit, you¡¯re more than wee


    there.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ¡°That sounds great,¡± the foreign king replied, and then he smiled. ¡°I will see yourter then, Cas


    sandra. Thank you for the wonderful afternoon.¡±


    He offered me a small bow and then excused himself. As he walked away, I took


    Finnick¡¯s hand in mine.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, baby,¡± I said.


    On our way back to the pce, Finnick hummed happily to himself.


    ¡°Did you have a good time today?¡± I asked as I smiled down at him.


    ¡°Oh yes,¡± he said, and then he tilted his head slightly. ¡°Mommy, are you dating


    the hero?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I blurted out, and my eyes widened. What had given Finnick that idea? Panic shot through me


    as heat rose to my cheeks. ¡°Where did you learn about dating from?¡±


    ¡°My picture books,¡± he stated simply and he shrugged. ¡°The hero always dates the pretty girl he saves.


    So, are you dating?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I assured him. ¡°We¡¯re not dating. He¡¯s my friend, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Finnick replied, and then he let out a little exhale. ¡°That¡¯s good. I don¡¯t like the hero, even though


    he saved us and yed with us today.¡±


    I froze in ce.


    ¡°Why not?¡± I wondered as my eyebrows knitted together.


    Finnick shrugged again. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Mommy, but I feel¡­ scared when I see him. I don¡¯t want you to


    date him, Mommy.¡±


    4/5


    I smirked and ran my hand through his hair. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that, baby. As I said, he¡¯s just a friend, that¡¯s


    all.¡±


    We started walking again, and a few minutester, Finnick spoke up.


    ¡°What about the Alpha King?¡± he wondered, and he pouted slightly. ¡°You spend more time with the King


    than you do with me, Mommy.¡±


    His tone was full of jealousy, and it made me sad to hear it.


    ¡°It¡¯s only for work, sweetie,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m his royal healer-¡±


    ¡°But he kissed you, Mommy,¡± Finnick insisted. ¡°I saw it! Why did he kiss you that night? Dominic said


    it¡¯s something lovers do, like his mommy and daddy.¡±


    My cheeks flushed and I grew flustered. I was a little shocked to hear words. like that from Finnick¡¯s


    mouth, and even more amazed to know that he was so observant. What could I say? I needed to give


    him an answer but didn¡¯t want to lie


    to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to exin,¡± I said slowly. ¡°But I¡¯ll tell you all about it someday, okay? Can you trust me?¡±


    Finnick didn¡¯t look all that satisfied with my answer but nodded anyway.


    ¡°I will protect you, Mommy,¡± Finnick stated bravely. ¡°If the king ever does anything wrong to you, I¡¯ll


    keep you safe.¡±


    ¡°I know, honey,¡± I said, and this time, I smiled.


    Finn k was always my little hero.


    5/5

 Chapter 115

    Chapter 115


    Chapter 115 Kane¡¯s visit


    CAS SANDRA


    ¡°Oh, Cas sandra, that¡¯s amarter Becky evmmed as the entered the clinic.


    My assistant strandlyrge eyes grew even wider as the shut the door and peered around the building


    She had just returned from her holliday and it was


    officially our moving day


    ¡°lent #?¡± | remarked as I carefully set down a pile of boxes Once they were on the ground, I wipe dust


    off of my hands and walked over to her T¡¯s great to


    I


    see you, Becky How were your days of


    ¡°They were


    pressure workin feeling much be


    11. Becky said with a small smile


    ) a small onile.¡± ¡°) always feel so much


    the pce, but I was


    ch up on some rest and m


    Sure enough the color had returned to her cheeks and her dark eyes were no


    mce and neat, and longer underscored with days circles er dare red hall noticed she was wearing a


    light touch of makeup, Becky looked great, and I was d to see that she was in such good spirits


    I


    y


    Tunderstandpletely,¡± I said and then lowered my voice between you and me. I feel relieved to be


    away from the pce . Ten quietar


    here.¡±


    ¡°Definitely¡± Becky agrees Tow will you show me amund?


    (g) 2. ¡°Of course Right this w


    The ally gave my esctt a altul tour of our new


    The process of being Wered over wel de gra


    progress in setting tigrip te wen abertage of cuts ¨C


    Tabies and they were dee Stand


    Chapter 115 Kane¡¯s visit


    CAS SANDRA


    ¡°Oh, Cas sandra, that¡¯s amazing!¡± Becky eximed as she entered the clinic.


    My assistant¡¯s alreadyrge eyes grew even wider as she shut the door and peered around the


    building. She had just returned from her holiday and it was officially our moving day.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± I remarked as I carefully set down a pile of boxes. Once they were on the ground, I wiped the


    dust off of my hands and walked over to her. ¡°It¡¯s great to see you, Becky. How were your days off?¡±


    ¡°They were great,¡± Becky said with a small smile. ¡°I always feel so much pressure working in the


    pce, but I was able to catch up on some rest and I¡¯m feeling much better.¡±


    Sure enough, the color had returned to her cheeks and her dark eyes were no longer underscored with


    dark circles. Her dark red hair was nice and neat, and I noticed she was wearing a light touch of


    makeup. Becky looked great, and I was d to see that she was in such good spirits.


    ¡°I understandpletely,¡± I said, and then I lowered my voice slightly. ¡°Between you and me¡­ I feel


    relieved to be away from the pce. Its much quieter


    here.¡±


    ¡°Definitely,¡± Becky agreed. ¡°Now, will you show me around?¡±


    I grinned. ¡°Of course. Right this way.¡±


    I happily gave my assistant a small tour of our new clinic. Ihough our equipment was still in the process


    of being moved over, we had made great progress in setting things up. There was no shortage of cots


    and examination tables, and they were all arranged behind thick fabric curtains ti t could be drawn for


    necessary privacy. Along the warm cream-colored walls were shelves and


    1/5 Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    ces for storage, and there were multiple stations that would allow Becky and I to clean up and


    operate efficiently.


    It was impressive that this had alle together so quickly, and that we¡¯d managed to get a ce set


    up that was not only professional butforting. All of the colors here were warm and inviting, whereas


    in Merliscire, everything was harsh and sterile. I wanted to make sure that my patients would feel at


    ease here, and I had no doubt in my mind that it was an easily reachable goal.


    As we walked around, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a wave of relief. Adalyn and Margaret had been rather


    silent these days and hadn¡¯t attempted anything further.


    I I that I was finally moving from the pce, I felt like I could breathe without


    No


    worry.


    When Becky and I returned to the reception area, Erika walked through the door, holding a box.


    ¡°Where should I ce this, Cas sandra?¡± she asked.


    ¡°That can go to the second floor,¡± I replied. Erika nodded and then smiled warmly at Becky before


    heading up the stairs. The maid was followed by a young girl, the new maid Asher had sent named


    Hannah. The girl was incredibly petite, with pretty dark skin and a mass of gorgeous ck curls. Her


    dark eyes peeked at us shyly, but she managed to give us a small smile as she passed by. She was a


    quiet girl, but she seemed very kind. I looked forward to getting to know her further.


    Just as the maids disappeared up the stairs, there was a knock on the door, and then a familiar voice.


    ¡°I hope I¡¯m not disturbing you.¡±


    In walked Kane Collins, who greeted us with a brilliant smile. Asher¡¯s handsome tepbrother was


    followed by several se rvants holding borately wrapped gift


    oxes.


    ¡°I¡¯m here on behalf of my very busy brother,¡± Kane continued. ¡°Who is unfortunately tied up at the


    moment? I do hope I¡¯m not interruping.¡±


    2/5


    ¡°Not at all,¡± I said warmly. ¡°It¡¯s great to see you. Come with me, we can speak in the meeting room.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful,¡± he said.


    I escorted him to the meeting room just down the hall, and invited him to take a seat on one of the


    plush white couches. As he gotfortable, I prepared some tea for us. Erika and Hannah were far too


    busy tidying up, so I had no problem with making it myself.


    Once it was ready, I set a cup down on the coffee table for Kane and then sat down on the chair


    opposite the couch.


    ¡°Thank you for this,¡± Kane remarked after he took a sip of tea. ¡°This is exactly what I needed. It¡¯s chilly


    out there.¡±


    ¡°It sure is,¡± I agreed. ¡°And it¡¯s no problem at all. Besides, it¡¯s the least I could do after all that you¡¯ve


    done for us. I haven¡¯t had the chance to thank you for helping Erika and mest week-.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all,¡± he insisted. ¡°It was the right thing to do. I¡¯m sorry for my mother¡¯s actions. I hope


    Erika is alright.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± I replied. ¡°She recovered very quickly and her wounds are all but


    gone.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Kane said, and then he nced around the room. ¡°Ashe wished toe here in person but he


    was busy today. He decided to send Marco to the primary school and have him take sses with the


    other kids. If you would like to do the same for Finnick, I would be d to help you with the enrollment.


    The school will ept children who are at least five years old.¡±


    At first, I wanted to turn down the idea, but then I remembered Finnick had said e was lonely here in


    Anemond and wished to make more funds. He would be Lurning six soon, and he had no friends aside


    from Dominic.


    Of course, children in Anemond were mostly from upper fan lies. I would be worried that Finnick might


    feel out of ce with them.


    3/5


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± I said. ¡°Thank you for offering.¡±


    Kane nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±


    We fell into silence as we sipped at our tea and then Kane cleared his throat.


    ¡°Asher is also busy preparing for the uing celebration to wee Ss next week,¡± he said


    casually. ¡°You should be receiving an invitation soon, as all members with a title will be invited. As one


    of the royal healers, that includes you.¡±


    It took all of my effort to keep from widening my eyes.


    Ss Moses¡­ the son of Oliver Moses.


    ¡°Ss has just finished inspecting all of the warriors stationed out at the borders,¡± Kane continued


    before I could say a word. ¡°He¡¯s also quelled several riots. Pack members will be excited to see their


    hero back in Anemond.¡±


    A lump formed in my throat. That respect and duty should have belonged to my brother Ector.


    Kane stared at me for a moment and as his violet eyes flicked over me, I wondered if my expression


    was betraying my thoughts. I didn¡¯t want to slip up, but the anger I felt toward the Moses family knew


    no bounds. I hated them all so much, and knowing that a celebration was being made in Ss¡¯ honor


    when it should have been for my brother¡­ it only made things worse.


    Still, I smiled anyway.


    ¡°That sounds wonderful,¡± I said simply. ¡°I look forward to seeing such a hero.¡±


    It took all of my effort to stay calm, and for a moment, I thought Kane would see ght through it, but he


    just smiled back.


    ¡°It will be a great evening,¡± he remarked, and then he set his teacup down on the table and stood.


    ¡°Now, I hate to leave so soon, but I have some other business to attend to.¡±


    4/5

 Chapter 116

    Chapter 116


    Chapter 116 He likes her a lot


    ASHER


    As Bert read his report about the preparations for the celebration in honor of Ss Moses, I could


    hardly focus. I knew it wasn¡¯t good that my mind was elsewhere. With Ss returning, I needed to pay


    special attention to the Beta¡¯s


    family.


    I didn¡¯t know much about him personally, just that he had a long history of military service and that he


    was new to the position of Beta. His role as a military official could make him potentially difficult to work


    with, as I had little experience. when it came to matters of war and battle, but truth be told, my concerns


    weren¡¯t


    about him.


    I was still preupied with what Kane had said to me the other day. His strange disposition brought me


    to a realization I¡¯d never had before- I knew too little about my own brother.


    I hadn¡¯t asked Kane if he¡¯d discovered Cas sandra¡¯s true identity, as exposing it directly could be risky,


    but I knew something was up. I was puzzled about why he seemed to care so much about her. From


    what I could recall from our childhood, Kane had always been a loner and rarely showed concern for


    anyone, but now¡­ he appeared to be looking after Cas sandra, which made me ufortable and


    stirred up feelings of jealousy within me.


    First, it was Kaleb, and now Kane. As the days went by and the list of suitors grew longer, the impulse


    to im Cas sandra as my mate only strengthened. I didn¡¯t like the ilea of others getting so close to


    her.


    ¡°Your Majesty, shall we invite the king of Yurene to the celebration?¡± Bert sked, and his question pulled


    me right back into reality. I blinked a few times and tried to get my head on straight.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± I murmured as I searched my mind for the right decision.


    1/5


    ¡°It would be impolite to exclude guests from the celebration,¡± Bert suggested gently.


    Though I wanted to deny this idea outright, I knew he was correct. Excluding the king of Yurene from


    the event would be impolite as well as suspect, and I didn¡¯t want any opportunity to raise suspicion in


    the pce. Kaleb and I were already on thin ice with one another, and any slight, no matter how small,


    could put Wega and Yurene in a precarious position.


    So, I took a deep breath and nodded.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I decided. ¡°Bert, please issue invitations for the king and his guards. They will be


    wee to the celebration.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± he said, and he offered me a small bow.


    Though I didn¡¯t trust Kaleb by any means, I knew this was the right choice. Besides, the foreign king


    was set to return to Yurene in two weeks. I wouldn¡¯t have to continue this polite charade for too much


    longer. Having him close at the celebration would allow me to keep an eye on him and ensure he


    couldn¡¯t be alone with Cas sandra.


    ¡°You may leave, Bert,¡± I addressed the head of serv nts politely. Bert bowed once more, and after he


    gave me a small smile, he left the room. Once I was alone, I released the breath I didn¡¯t realize I¡¯d been


    holding.


    Everything as ofte had me so stressed. I was ready for life to settle into some normalcy, but I wasn¡¯t


    so certain that that was a possibility. There was always some event to attend and host, or some other


    form of drama or crisis that pulled me in a million directions. I was only one man and yet there were so


    many roles for me to fill.


    I sat back in my chair and closed my eyes. I wondered if my father had ever felt his way when he was


    king. His reign was far different from m.. and he¡¯d greatly hanged as a person in theter half of his life,


    but was there ever a time when he just wanted to hide and get away from it all? How did he handle the


    weight of so many pressures and expectations?


    At the end of the day, though, I wasn¡¯t my father. I had a duty to fulfill to


    2/5


    Wega, and when I¡¯d taken the crown, I¡¯d decided I was going to be a much better ruler than him. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    My head pounded as if on cue, and I winced at the sudden pain. I wasn¡¯t sleeping as well as I wanted


    to, and my headaches were growing stronger with every day. It was a torment that only made the


    agitations of my day-to-day life event


    worse.


    I sat back for a while and let the pain subside, and once it became more bearable, I opened my eyes


    and rose from my seat.


    Despite having other meetings and matters to attend to, I decided I wanted to go to the clinic. I needed


    to see Ca ss andra. Surely, her mere presence would improve my poor mood.


    It always did.


    I snuck out of the pce through the back door and made my way to the clinic. It was surprisingly


    chilly, and I shivered, but the fresh air was nice.


    When I arrived at the clinic, I noticed a sign reading ¡°Keller¡¯s¡±. It was a wee but strange sight to


    see.


    The door was closed, but when I gently pushed it, it opened.


    ¡°Hello?¡± I called out, and when I got no answer, I stepped insid


    Despite the lights being on, the clinic appeared to be empty, but when I got a little further into the


    reception area, I spied Finnick and Cas sandra¡¯s maid, Erika, were seated on the floor in the hallway.


    Finnick was ying with some toys while Erika witched on happily.


    It had been a while since I¡¯d seen Finnick, and the first time since I¡¯d found out hat he was my son. As I


    stared at the young boy who shared both my dark hair and my serious gray eyes, I felt momentarily lost


    for words.


    Erika and Finnick soon noticed my arrival, and the maid rose to her feet and offered me a curtsy.


    3,5


    in.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± she greeted me warmly. ¡°My apologies, I didn¡¯t hear youe


    ¡°Quite alright,¡± I assured her, and I made my way to the hall to join them. Once I reached Finnick, I


    crouched down to his level and smiled. ¡°Hello, Finnick.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Your Majesty,¡± the boy greeted me politely. ¡°Are you looking for my Mommy? She¡¯s busy


    working with Becky in the back room.¡±


    ¡°I was,¡± I said. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t want to disturb her. So I wondering if it would be okay if I waited here with


    you?¡±


    Finnick nodded, and I carefully sat down beside him. He had a row of stuffed animals arranged in front


    of him and the sight made me smile.


    ¡°Now, who are these?¡± I wondered as I gestured at the toys.


    Finnick lit up at once.


    ¡°These are my friends,¡± he announced happily. ¡°We¡¯re ying healer and patient. Mr. Bear is feeling


    sick, so his friends are here to help him feel better. And I¡¯m the healer, just like Mommy.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Mr. Bear is lucky to have you as his healer. It sounds like he¡¯s in capable hands.¡±


    ¡°Would you like to hug him?¡± Finnick asked me earnestly.


    When I nodded, he handed me the slightly worn and well-loved brown stuffed bear. I smiled at its


    button eyes. The toy looked handmade. I gave it a hug and then hander it back to Finnick.


    ¡°I hope he feels better soon,¡± I remarked.


    ¡°He will now,¡± Finnick replied happily. ¡°Thanks to us.¡±


    He hugged the bear tightly, and then his expression grew rious.


    4/5


    mod


    ¡°Do you like my mommy?¡± he asked me


    was taken aback by the sudden question, but I couldn¡¯t help but smile and


    ¡°1 do,¡± I confirmed. ¡± like her a lot.¡±

 Chapter 117

    Chapter 117


    Chapter 117 Not him


    CAS SANDRA


    As Becky and I sorted through the equipment that had been packed up from the pce and tried to find


    the right ces to assemble them, I couldn¡¯t help but think of the uing celebration Kane had


    mentioned.


    ¡°Have you heard anything about the celebration to honor Ss Moses¡¯ return?¡± I asked my assistant.


    ¡°The Alpha King¡¯s brother mentioned it when he stopped by


    earlier.¡±


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t heard anything about it yet,¡± Becky remarked, and she tucked a strand of her dark red hair


    behind her ear. ¡°It¡¯s definitely something I would love to see, though. I haven¡¯t attended any type of


    party or Pack event since my mother fell ill. Of course, I¡¯m sure only the royal healers will be allowed to


    participate, and since I¡¯m only an assistant¡­¡±


    Her voice trailed off and I felt a little sad for her. Becky had been so dedicated to taking care of her


    mother, but she deserved some fun, no matter who the celebration was honoring.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t youe with me?¡± I suggested.


    ¡°Really?¡± Becky eximed, and when I nodded, she let out a small squeal of joy. ¡°Oh, Cas sy, that


    would be wonderful! Oh, this is so exciting.¡±


    Her eyes glittered and her smile brightened.


    ¡°Everyone is looking forward to Ss¡¯ return,¡± she noted as she turned her ttention back to the


    equipment in front of us. ¡°I can¡¯t believe i¡¯ll get to be there


    00.¡±


    Becky and I continued to work for another hour, and once we hit a stopping point, I decided it was time


    to finish for the day. We stacked up some empty boxes, and once the trash was discarded, we left the


    back room. As we stepped out into


    1/4 Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    the hall, I was surprised to see Asher sitting on the ground with Finnick. The two were sitting close and


    talking very quietly.


    A lump formed in my throat and for a moment I was frozen.


    ¡°Do you promise?¡± I heard Finnick ask. Asher nodded ordingly, and my nervousness grew stronger.


    you.¡±


    I took a step forward, the two of them turned their attention to us.


    ¡°Hello, Your Majesty,¡± I greeted the Alpha King formally. ¡°What a surprise to see


    ¡°Healer Cas sandra,¡± Asher replied politely, and when he smiled, I grew weak in the knees. ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°What were you two discussing?¡± I wondered as I nced between them. Finnick opened his mouth to


    speak, but Asher held his finger to his lips in a shushing motion. My son realized what he meant


    immediately and nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s a secret,¡± Asher replied. ¡°Just between us.¡±


    ¡°It was just a promise the Alpha King made,¡± Finnick chimed in. His face was proud but had undertones


    of mischief. ¡°That¡¯s all I can say.¡±


    I smiled. I was relieved. For a moment, I was worried that Asher had said something rting to my true


    identity.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, Becky,¡± I said to my assistant, and then I turned back to the others. ¡°Erika, will


    you watch Finnick? I¡¯d like to speak with the Alpha King.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± my maid replied.


    ¡°See youter, Cas sy,¡± Becky said, and without another word, she walked out into the reception area


    and then out the door. Once she was gone, Asher rose to his


    feet.


    ¡°Shall we?¡± he asked, and when I nodded, I gestured forward.


    2/4


    I led the king to the private room I¡¯d arranged just for our health checks, and once we were alone, I


    went to the supply closet in the back of the room and pulled out the necessary equipment. Asher took a


    seat on the examination table and


    looked around.


    ¡°I must say, this ce is much nicer than my study,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°Much more professional and


    private. Do you like it here? Is everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Everything is perfect,¡± I confirmed. ¡°And Finnick loves it too. He keeps telling. me how happy he is to


    be here. I think this ce will be good for him.¡±


    I brought my equipment to the table and began the health check. We were silent for a while, and then


    curiosity got the best of me.


    ¡°So, what were you and Finnick discussing?¡± I wondered in a way I hoped didn¡¯t seem too much like


    prying.


    Asher didn¡¯t fall for it and simply smiled.


    ¡°It¡¯s between us,¡± he said. ¡°Our secret. But don¡¯t worry, I have no intention of telling Finnick anything


    without your permission. I respect your choices and won¡¯t intervene.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, and relief flooded through me.


    ¡°Of course, Cas sandra,¡± he replied softly. As he stared deeply into my eyes, I felt that same sensation


    of weakness I¡¯d felt in the hallway. No matter how much time I spent with the Alpha King, I was certain I


    would never get used to the way he looked at me. There was so much warmth and kindness and


    devotion in those sterling gray eyes. The Asher before me was so different than the one I¡¯d met in Wild


    Crawler.


    I didn¡¯t know when or if I¡¯d ever feelfortable or safe telling our son about his rue heritage, but as I


    studied Asher, I didn¡¯t feel scared. We would tackle things together on our own time. For now, just the


    sight of him ying with Finnick was more than enough.


    ¡°So, word reached me about the celebration for Ss Moses¡¯ return,¡± I brought


    3/4


    up as I recorded his heart rate in my notebook. ¡°Becky seemed interested in attending, so I wanted to


    ask if it would be alright for me to bring her.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Asher replied, and then he touched my arm gently. ¡°Though, you don¡¯t have to go if you


    don¡¯t want to, Cas sandra. I¡¯m not going to force you to attend.¡±


    I appreciated his kindness and understanding but knew that it would be best for me to face my fears


    rather than continue to avoid them.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said gratefully. ¡°But I think I want to go. Becky seems thrilled the prospect and it might do


    her some good to get out of her mother¡¯s house for ai evening. She deserves some fun.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a good friend,¡± Asher noted. ¡°Consider it done, then. You and Becky are wee to join us.¡±


    We finished up the health check, and as I started to put the equipment back in the supply closet, Asher


    got up from the examination table and walked over to the marble countertop beside the sink.


    ¡°Where did you get this?¡± he remarked, and when I nced over in his direction, he was holding a


    porcin tea cup. The rest of the tea set was set up behind him, along with a container of jasmine tea


    leaves.


    I frowned. ¡°What do you mean? Kane brought those by earlier. I meant to thank you, he mentioned that


    they were gifts from you. The tea set is very lovely-¡±


    ¡°Kane


    brought these?¡± Asher cut me off, and his expression grew confused.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said slowly. ¡°He came to visit earlier. He said you were too busy toe y today and delivered


    the tea and the set on your behalf-¡±


    ¡°Cas sandra, these aren¡¯t from me,¡± Asher revealed, his tone gravely serious. ¡°And I didn¡¯t send Kane


    to visit you today.¡±


    KANE

 Chapter 118

    Chapter 118


    Chapter 118 Stay away from her


    After returning to the pce from Cas sandra¡¯s clinic, I decided to go and visit Mother. It wasn¡¯t my first


    choice of things to do, but I couldn¡¯t wait any longer, so I made my way to the South Wing until I


    reached her chambers.


    I knocked on the door but didn¡¯t bother to wait for a reply before entering.


    Mother seemed surprised to see me, and when she rose from the bed, her eyes wererge. She


    appeared more tired than usual, not that I could me her. She was experiencing quite the ordeal, and


    the stress of her confinement seemed to be taking its toll. Her already fairplexion had lost all of its


    color and her eyes seemed sunken. Her hair was loose from its usual intricate style, and her lips


    quivered.


    ¡°Kane,¡± she greeted me quietly. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I came to visit, Mother,¡± I replied as if it were obvious, and after I crossed the room to give her a hug, I


    took a seat in the velvet armchair in the corner. ¡°How are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been better,¡± Mother remarked dryly, and then she sighed. ¡°I heard talk from the halls that the


    wretched healer Cas sandra has moved out of the pce. Is there any specific reason behind it?¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Nothing that you need to concern yourself with.¡±


    Mother red at me for a moment, but when she


    As much as I disliked the situation, I was d that Asher had agreed not to escte the punishment of


    my mother and allowed me to handle things, though knew he was suspicious of my intentions.


    ¡°Ugh, that awful healer,¡± Mother continued, and she shook her head as she


    14:


    stared out the window into the darkening sky. ¡°What a terrible gue upon us all. I do not understand


    why Asher brought that vile girl to Merliscire, but I have the feeling that she is the root cause of all of


    this trouble. I¡¯m certain she¡¯s trying to seduce Asher and take Adalyn¡¯s ce-¡±


    ¡°Come now, Mother, that¡¯s not what¡¯s happening,¡± I sighed, and I ran a hand through my hair. ¡°Stop


    worrying about Cas sandra. She¡¯s no threat to you or Adalyn.¡±


    Mother exhaled sharply and crossed her arms.


    ¡°Says you,¡± she huffed, and then her lips pouted slightly and her eyes grew round with feigned emotion.


    ¡°I¡¯m only worried about Prince Marco. I can¡¯t imagine how the poor child is feeling. His father has been


    swept away from him by some. back woods woman from a territory no one cares or thinks about. I can¡¯t


    begin to understand what a child of five could be thinking right now. He must be both devastated and


    crushed by Asher¡¯s recent actions. And then the imprisonment of his grandmother! The boy has


    suffered too much.¡±


    I remained silent but rolled my eyes when she wasn¡¯t looking. I knew my mother all too well. Margaret


    Collins had never been a good person. Some had even considered her evil because she had once


    campaigned to have me take the crown instead of Asher. For months after my brother had be the


    Alpha King, there were whispers of my mother¡¯s wicked plights and suggestions that she¡¯d only married


    thete king to further her agenda.


    While I knew she wasn¡¯t a good person, I didn¡¯t think her actions were unforgivable. I knew redemption


    was possible for her.


    I also knew that she wasn¡¯t responsible for Cora Felix¡¯s death, even though Asher suspected her due to


    her absence from his coronation ceremony. He¡¯d harbor ill feelings toward her ever since that day, and


    though I knew where my


    other had actually been that day, I couldn¡¯t tell him. Even though her whereabouts could clear her of


    suspicion, it wasn¡¯t my secret to tell.


    I studied Mother closely.


    Even though she hadn¡¯t been responsible fr her death, then was no denying she had disliked Cora


    Felix strongly, and now she shared a simr distaste for


    2/4


    O


    Cas sandra. Margaret Collins saw anyone close to ASher as her enemy due to her deep-rooted


    insecurity.


    Truth be told, thete Alpha King had never sincerely liked or even loved her. From all that I¡¯d gatheredBelongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    over the years, he considered Mother to be another substitute for Selene, Asher¡¯ste mother and


    Mother had taken those sentiments to heart. That feeling of loneliness had only hardened her over the


    years and stripped her of any goodness she may have had within her.


    Lately, all Mother seemed to care about was her hatred for Cas sandra Keller


    and Prince Marco¡¯s ascension to the throne after Asher. She was hellbent on he


    grandson bing the Alpha King after my brother, even though the young pri wasn¡¯t Asher¡¯s


    biological son. I didn¡¯t understand her hyperfixation on the matter. Adalyn and Asher had no other


    offspring, so Marco was an uncontested heir no


    matter what.


    I sighed. No of this mattered to me. I didn¡¯t understand all of the drama surrounding the throne and the


    ruling of this country. Politics had never interested


    me.


    ¡°What did you do today?¡± Mother spoke up and interrupted my thoughts. ¡°I must say, my darling, I¡¯m


    surprised you¡¯ve stuck around the pce for so long. It isn¡¯t like you to linger. You¡¯re always traveling


    so much.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided to slow down a little,¡± I remarked off-handedly. ¡°No use jetting off when there¡¯s so much


    going on here. Now, let¡¯s see¡­ I spent some time in the library, walked the grounds, visited the new


    clinic-¡±


    ¡°The clinic?¡± Mother repeated back in surprise. ¡°What were you doing there? Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re


    experiencing feelings for the healer as well.¡±


    Despite her serious expression, her tone was light, so I knew she was joking. Of course, that did little to


    settle my nerves.


    ¡°I went there to apologize to her,¡± I said sternly. ¡°And rify that Erika¡¯s name has been cleared.¡±


    Mother scoffed and shook her head. ¡°Unbelievable. I don¡¯t understand, Kane.


    3/4


    Between you and Asher, it¡¯s as if I don¡¯t know either of you anymore. That maid was suspicious. Asher


    should never have punished me. All of this for a healer¡¯s maid.¡±


    Her scorn quickly shifted to sadness, and her eyes welled up with tears. Though I knew her actions had


    been worthy of this punishment, I couldn¡¯t stand seeing her cry like this. I rose from my seat and


    walked over to her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Mother,¡± I soothed her gently, and I ced my hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t cry.¡±


    Mother whimpered for a moment and then began to sniffle.


    ¡°Thank you, son,¡± she said softly, and then she looked up at me with tear-filled eyes. ¡°I know what I say


    doesn¡¯t matter, but I think it would be best for you to maintain some distance from the healer. She¡¯s


    nothing but trouble, and you don¡¯t need her causing any mischief in your life.¡±


    I smiled despite her words. ¡°I can¡¯t make any promises, Mother.¡±


    As she studied me and wiped the tears from her cheeks, I remembered the words she¡¯d said to me


    many years ago.


    ¡°Stay away from the warrior¡¯s daughter.¡±


    At the time, I¡¯d heeded her decree and stayed away from Cora Felix.


    However, this time, I didn¡¯t believe I should do the same again.


    4/4

 Chapter 119

    Chapter 119


    Chapter 119 Dangerous game


    KANE


    That same night, I hadn¡¯t anticipated Asher¡¯s visit, but at the same time, I wasn¡¯t surprised to see him.


    ¡°Come in, brother,¡± I said when I opened my chamber door, and I held it open for him to enter. As Asher


    crossed the threshold, I detected a look of sullenness in his expression, though his greeting was kind


    enough.


    ¡°How are you?¡± he wondered as he took a seat at the chair beside my small desk. As he crossed his


    legs and stared at me with those piercing gray eyes of his, I considered my words carefully. The Alpha


    King didn¡¯t seem to be in too great of a


    to escte the situation. mood and thest thing I needed was


    ¡°Fine,¡± I remarked as I studied him carefully and folded my arms against my chest. ¡°How are you?¡±


    what is it that you want? I know


    ¡°I¡¯ve been better,¡± Asher replied, and then his eyes narrowed. ¡°Tell me Kane,


    I you visited Cas sandra today and I also know that you lied to her about the ¡®gift¡¯ I allegedly asked you


    to deliver on my behalf. I don¡¯t understand. Why did you deliver her a tea set and some jasmine tea


    and say they were from me? What are you ying at, brother?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything,¡± I stated as calmly as possible. ¡°This is a


    misunderstanding, Asher. The only reason I lied to Cas sandra was so that she would ept the gift.


    Jasmine tea was Cora¡¯s favorite and I didn¡¯t want to make her panic by giving it to her out of the blue.¡±


    The Alpha King¡¯s face paled and his eyes widened. Asher attempted to hide his disbelief, but he wasn¡¯t


    the best of actors. His expression betrayed his emotions, and his nostrils red as he searched for the


    right words to say.


    ¡°How did you know?¡± he asked quietly.


    1/4


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    I offered him the smallest smile I could manage. ¡°It wasn¡¯t too difficult to uncover the truth, considering


    how different you¡¯ve be as of recently.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± he demanded.


    ¡°Only that you aren¡¯t merely attracted to Cas sandra as I¡¯d once thought, but because you¡¯re clearly


    obsessed with her,¡± I exined gently. ¡°You¡¯ve only ever loved one woman, Asher, and that¡¯s Cora. It


    wasn¡¯t hard to put two and two together.¡±


    The realization that he¡¯d been caught made Asher¡¯s face grow even more


    somber.


    ¡°Be cautious, brother,¡± I advised him as I took a step forward. ¡°If I could figure it out, so could the


    enemies of Cas sandra¡¯s family-¡±


    His eyes darkened and he rushed to his feet and advanced toward me.


    ¡°Stay away from her, Kane,¡± he practically growled at me. ¡°I mean it. I want you


    to stay away.¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Asher,¡± I insisted as I stared back at him. ¡°There¡¯s no need for


    malice.¡±


    ¡°I mean it,¡± he pressed, and his hands clenched into fists at his side. ¡°She isn¡¯t your concern. I don¡¯t


    need you anywhere near her.¡±


    ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± I countered.


    ¡°You know exactly what it means,¡± Asher retorted. ¡°You have no business being anywhere near her-¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re just friends, Asher-¡±


    He scoffed. ¡°Oh, please, Kane. Since when have you ever been friends with a woman? You¡¯re nothing


    more than a womanizer, and I won¡¯t let you try to get involved with her.¡±


    2/4


    My voice caught in my throat. I was taken aback by his sudden ferocity, and I realized that this was the


    first time we¡¯d quarreled like this. Since I moved into the pce with my mother, the two of us had


    never argued. Despite Asher¡¯s clear dislike for Mother, our rtionship remained strong, as if we were


    biological brothers.


    However, with the way Asher was snarling at me, I wondered if there were some ill feelings I¡¯d never


    picked up on.


    This vexation was unfamiliar and made my stomach churn.


    ¡°Wow,¡± I breathed. ¡°Who could have guessed you thought so little of me, Asher.


    Cora had a way of bringing out the more primal side of my brother.


    All of those years ago, I¡¯d never wanted to take Cora from Asher. I had always. admired Cora for her


    kindness and empathy, especially during the difficult times when I was viewed as nothing more than the


    useless stepson of the former Alpha King. However, Asher made Cora happy, and I was content with


    that.


    I¡¯d kept my distance from the happy couple and became what others in Merliscire referred to as a


    ¡°yb oy¡± Much to the dismay of the upper families in Anemond, I found pleasure in thepany of


    other women while my brother¡¯s heart opened to Cora.


    When they had be mates, I¡¯d been incredibly happy for them.


    Yet, despite being her fated mate, Asher hadn¡¯t been able to protect Cora well. As much as I hated


    thinking this way, I couldn¡¯t help but think if I hadn¡¯t stayed away from her like Mother had instructed,


    and had taken care of her, she might not have gotten hurt at all.


    Part of me wanted to rub that idea right into his face, but insulting him wasn¡¯t my intention. I would only


    be acting out of spite, and besides, despite how he was behaving, I didn¡¯t hate or even dislike Asher.


    He was my brother, after all.


    But that didn¡¯t mean I was going to let her go without a fight.


    My expression grew more serious as I studied him. Now that Cora was back


    and had a new name and identity, things were different than they¡¯d been back then. She wasn¡¯t his


    mate anymore; she had lost both her wolf and her scent in the


    inferno.


    ¡°Cas sandra isn¡¯t some object for you to possess,¡± I emphasized with my head. held high. ¡°She is an


    independent woman capable of making her own decisions. You don¡¯t own her and you certainly can¡¯t


    speak for her. You have to respect her free will and her right to choose for herself.¡±


    ¡°What are you implying she has to choose?¡± Asher asked calmly as his eyes. trailed over me. ¡°There¡¯s


    no decision for her to make. She¡¯s always been my mate,


    Kane-¡±


    §ê§Ö§Ô§Ö


    ¡°You¡¯re married,¡± I reminded him. ¡°Which is a fact you keep forgetting, by the way. Even if you wanted


    to pretend that things could go back to the way they were before the fire in Rosepetal, you¡¯re still bound


    to Adalyn and Prince Marco. If I you, I¡¯d keep that in mind going forward. I didn¡¯t mean any ill will


    toward you, brother, but others¡­ others may feel differently.¡±


    Asher clenched his jaw.


    ¡°You¡¯re ying a dangerous game,¡± I advised him. ¡°I won¡¯t be the only one to figure it out if you keep


    acting this way. And if Adalyn were to find out¡­ I wouldn¡¯t want to be Cas sandra, or even you for that


    matter.¡±


    ¡°Spit it out, Kane,¡± Asher whispered as his cheeks paled. ¡°Speak inly.


    ¡°Be careful,¡± I emphasized. ¡°That¡¯s all.¡±


    When he didn¡¯t say anything further, I gestured to the chamber door.


    ¡°You should go,¡± I suggested. ¡°Unless you have something more to say, brother.¡±


    Silence fell between us for a moment, and then he shook his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Asher uttered, and without another word, he stormed out of the room.

 Chapter 120

    Chapter 120


    Chapter 120 Report


    CAS SANDRA


    The morning air whipped around me and made me shiver as I eagerly waited outside of the clinic. I


    wrapped my thickly knit sweater tighter around me. Not even the coldness of the day could ruin my


    mood.


    I nced down at my watch. Any minute now.


    Momentster, I heard the sounds of wheels against the pavement, and suddenly, a car appeared in


    the distance. Excitement raced through me and I bounced in ce as it drove up to the clinic. When it


    came to a stop, the back door flew open, and Marley practically flew out of the vehicle.


    ¡°Cas sy!¡± she eximed, and as she barrelled toward me, my smile brightened. I braced for impact, but


    it did me no good. Marley ran right into me and wrapped her arms around me tightly. As we embraced,


    tears sprang from my eyes and I began to cry from happiness.


    you.¡±


    ¡°Marley,¡± I managed through my trembling lips. ¡°Oh, Marley, I¡¯m so happy to see


    ¡°You¡¯d better be,¡± she joked, and after we shared augh, we pulled apart from one another just in time


    to see Jasper heading toward us.


    ¡°Jasper!¡± I eximed. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you!¡±


    ¡°Someone had to drive,¡± he teased, and then his lips curled into a smile. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Cas


    sandra.¡±


    ¡°Likewise,¡± I said, and then I gestured toward the clinic. ¡°Let¡¯s head inside and get out of this cold. The


    clinic is nice and warm-¡±


    ¡°Wait this is your clinic?¡± Marley blurted out, and her jaw dropped in shock. ¡°Cas sy, this ce is huge!


    It¡¯s way better than the one back in Wild Crawler¡±


    1/5


    tour.¡±


    I grinned. ¡°Just wait until you see the inside of it. C¡¯mon, I¡¯ll give you guys a Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Without further ado, the three of us walked up the drive and into the clinic. As promised, I showed my


    friends all of the different rooms and amenities of the new clinic, and they both seemed thoroughly


    impressed by it all.


    Once I finished showing them around, I ushered them into the meeting room in the back and started


    heating up some water for tea.


    ¡°How is everything back in Wild Crawler?¡± I asked as I prepared my new tea


    ¡°Everything is fine,¡± Marley remarked and her light green eyes glittered with excitement. ¡°Better than


    usual, really. Rayden was crowned Alpha of the Pack yesterday. I wish you could have seen the


    ceremony, Cas sy, it was brilliant. Sofial and Gareth pulled out all of the stops and the banquet


    afterward¡­ some of the best food I¡¯ve ever had in my life.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± I said happily. ¡°I¡¯m d to hear it all went well. I¡¯m happy for Rayden.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to tell him that,¡± Marley said with a wink.¡±He wanted toe with us, but he needed to take


    care of some Pack issues first. He still has quite a bit to


    learn.¡±


    ording to the Pack traditions of Wega, the new Alpha would have toe to Anemond to see the


    Alpha King within a month of his crowning ceremony, so Rayden would likelye to visit soon. I had


    to admit I was happy at the idea of seeing him, though I knew after theirst encounter, that Rayden


    and Asher being in the same room might spell disaster.


    It was strange to think back to the Asher I¡¯d met back in Wild Crawler. He¡¯d been so different then.


    Just as I was about to say something more, the door to the meeting room opened, and in walked


    Becky.


    ¡°Oh,¡± she remarked in surprise, and she pushed her sses up the bridge of


    $75


    her nose. ¡°Sorry to interrupt, Cas sy, I didn¡¯t realize you were in here. Wait, are these your friends from


    Wild Crawler?¡±


    I nodded happily. ¡°Yes, this is Marley and Jasper. Marley and Jasper, meet my assistant, Becky. She¡¯s


    an absolutely brilliant researcher and healer in training.¡±¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so nice to meet you!¡± Marley eximed, and her smile brightened. ¡°Come sit with us, Becky.¡±


    My assistant joined us at the meeting table, and after I finished preparing the tea and passed the cups


    around, I sat opposite of Marley.


    ¡°Did you bring the forensic report with you?¡± I wondered. ¡°I know you just got here, but I¡¯m really


    curious about it.¡±


    ¡°No worries, I have it right here,¡± Marley replied, and she reached into her bag and retrieved it. She


    handed me the stack of papers.


    I briefly scanned them and my lips parted in surprise.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need to look this over further, but I think this might be rted to the poisons,¡± I realized, and then


    I handed the papers to Becky. My assistant looked them over and then nodded.


    ¡°I think you might be right,¡± she agreed. ¡°We definitely need to study this thoroughly andpare it


    with our notes.¡±


    ¡°Poisons?¡± Marley wondered with a worried expression. ¡°What poisons?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you all about itter,¡± I promised. ¡°We have plenty of time to discuss it all. I had Erika prepare a


    room for you upstairs if you need some time to rx first.¡±


    ¡°That might be good,¡± she agreed. ¡°It was a long drive.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of drives, I¡¯m afraid I must return to Wild Crawler,¡± Jasper announced. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of Pack


    business to get back to. I¡¯ll return in a few days to collect Marley.¡±


    3.5


    ¡°It was nice to see you, Jasper,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯ll escort you out.¡±


    We walked Jasper out to the car, and after he shared a small hug with Marley, I studied the two closely.


    It was clear that Jasper treated Marley differently. They had always quarreled, but I could see that he


    clearly cared for her.


    After he got in the car and drove away, I nudged my friend..


    ¡°Is there something going on between you two?¡± I wondered.


    Marley¡¯s cheeks flushed scarlet.


    ¡°No,¡± she denied it immediately. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m not interested in men right now.


    ¡°Fair,¡± Iughed and I smiled at her. I missed teasing my friend so much and wanted to spend more


    time chatting with her like this. But before I could visit with Marley, I needed to visit Asher first. I needed


    to see the man in the dungeon and see if he could figure out what the data on the report meant.


    When I reached Asher¡¯s study, he was busy dealing with a stack of documents. His expression was


    worried, and I had a sense that he was dealing with something stressful.


    ¡°Take a seat, Cas sandra,¡± he said without looking up from his papers. ¡°I just need a moment.¡±


    ¡°No problem,¡± I replied, and I sat down in the leather chair opposite him. Asher hadn¡¯t given me any


    clues about what was going on, but I wasn¡¯t going to press the matter. For now, I needed to focus on


    the business at hand.


    After Asher finished signing the document, he set it aside and looked at me.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he apologized. ¡°It¡¯s been a busy day already and it isn¡¯t even noon. What¡¯s going on?¡±


    I showed him the report and exined the situation. When I¡¯d asked if Marley


    475


    could visit Anemond, I hadn¡¯t given him any information about the forensic report. I hadn¡¯t meant to


    leave it out or keep it from him, but I knew the matter would be easier to exinter on.


    Asher frowned as he looked over the papers. I told him all about the theory that the poisons had some


    corrtion with the mysterious illness and his eyes widened.


    ¡°You think the disease may have some rtion to Dark Abyss?¡± he repeated back in surprise. When I


    nodded, he sighed. ¡°Well, ording to regtion, no one should visit the imposter. But if you really


    think that it¡¯s necessary to speak with him directly, I suppose I could grant you permission.¡±


    ¡°Thank you-¡± I started to say, but Asher held his hand up.


    ¡°I only have one condition,¡± he continued. ¡°I need to be with you when you¡¯re talking. I won¡¯t risk you


    getting hurt.¡±


    I considered the idea for a moment and then nodded.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I agreed. ¡°Shall we go to the dungeon?¡±


    5/5

 Chapter 121

    Chapter 121


    Chapter 121 Possibilities


    CAS SANDRA


    I¡¯d never been down to the pce dungeon before, and as we descended the staircase, a putrid odor


    reached my nose and I shivered from the cold. Back when my father had been imprisoned in this very


    same dungeon, I hadn¡¯t even had an opportunity to visit because he¡¯d made me swear not to. My father


    had encouraged me to stay away, thinking I might be incriminated if I went to visit him.


    At the time, it seemed like sound logic, but it was one of my biggest regrets. I hadn¡¯t gotten to say


    goodbye or tell him I loved him, and now¡­ it was toote.


    My heart pounded against my chest as we walked through the corridors, and when we arrived at the


    cells and I saw the man behind the iron bars, my temples pulsed. It would be a lite to say I wasn¡¯t


    afraid. Facing the man who had nearly taken my life was both intimidating and frightening, and part of


    me wanted to turn around and run away. But I managed to stay calm.


    ¡°Well, who do we have here?¡± the imposter remarked as his eyes trailed over me. ¡°I¡¯m surprised to see


    that I have visitors.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a social visit, Spi ke¡± Asher growled. ¡°We¡¯re here to talk about something important.¡±


    ¡°Then, by all means, go ahead,¡± the imposter replied with a raised eyebrow.


    forced back a gulp and then stepped forward and approached the cell. I har ed the imposter the papers


    through the bars, and he epted them with a confused look.


    ¡°I need you to read these,¡± I said cautiously. ¡°And then tell us if you think this person died from poison.¡±


    Spi ke stared at me for a moment and then nodded.


    1/5


    His dark eyebrows creased together as he read the report, and the entire room grew deadly silent. He


    took his time examining the papers, and once he reached the third page, his lips parted in surprise. He


    raised his head up and looked at me.


    ¡°Where did you find the body?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know,¡± Asher retorted sternly.


    Sp ik e sighed. His expression was incredibly serious.


    ¡°I¡¯m good at poison and sorcery, but I¡¯m not excellent,¡± he admitted. ¡°In this report, I can see that


    something found in the corpse of the deceased shares the same elements with the poisons created by


    the Ewonmiams, but there are subtle differences. I can¡¯t figure it out with absolute certainty just by


    reading the report. I


    need to know more.¡±


    His tone told me he was indicating something.


    ¡°Do you mean that this person died from a poison just like Udosyn?¡± I asked him directly.


    Spi k e shrugged.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± he said. ¡°Though I¡¯m not sure. If you want me to determine it for sure, I need something


    more.¡±


    ¡°What else do you need to know?¡± I asked calmly.


    Sp ik e¡¯s eyes scanned the report.


    ¡°This seems to be a chronic sort of poison,¡± he mused. ¡°Which is much more. difficult to recreate than


    Udosyn. If I¡¯m correct, the one who created this poison wouldn¡¯t have just used it on one wolf. He would


    have to test it out on different werewolves in order to be certain of its efficacy. There must be others


    who have. the same symptoms.¡±


    His sharp eyes shot over to us, and I felt a chill run down my spine.


    2/5


    Spi k e was onto something, I just knew it.


    The disease and the poison were rted.


    ¡°If I¡¯m on the right track, I would need more devices to carry out a test,¡± he continued. ¡°And I would


    need blood samples from those who had the same symptoms as the deceased. I would need samples


    daily to be able to track their changes.¡±


    I quickly thought of the possibility of bringing a patient from Wild Crawler to Anemond for this, but I


    didn¡¯t know if it could possibly be done. I would have to


    discuss the idea with Asherter.


    For now, I had another question for Spi ke.


    ¡°Did anything like this ever happen in Dark Abyss?¡± I wondered, and when Sp ik e and Asher stared at


    me in confusion, I continued. ¡°I¡¯m only curious because if this poison was subtle and difficult to create,


    it must have been crafted by an excellent sorcerer. But ever since the war with Yurene, Dark Abyss has


    been in the shadows. I guess I¡¯m just wondering the timeline of all of this.¡±


    Really, I wanted to know if there was a chance that Kaleb¡¯s father had gotten the disease during the


    war with Dark Abyss. Had this illness stemmed from their war and then spread down to Wega?


    Spi ke considered the idea for a moment.


    ¡°Dark Abyss had quite a few talented sorcerors before the war,¡± he said. ¡°Some of them not only


    recreated the spellwork of the Ewonmiams but also made their ow creations. I heard that they were


    powerful and horrible, but ultimately, their sc cery had led to the war. Yurene wanted their power for


    themselves, obviously think it¡¯s possible that this poison was created long ago tobat them, but it¡¯s


    ju a hunch. I can¡¯t be certain.¡±


    I considered what Kaleb had told me and assumed that given this new information, this was why his


    father had gotten the disease.


    The only thing I didn¡¯t understand was why it had appeared in Wild Crawler


    ?


    O


    3/5


    after all of these years.


    After we finished our conversation with Spi ke, Asher and I returned to his


    study.


    ¡°If Spi ke needs to do the test, we need to bring a patient from Wild Crawler to


    Anemond,¡± I announced the moment the door was closed. ¡°We can use their blood


    for our research and hopefully figure out the corrtion between the poison and the Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    disease.¡±


    Asher considered the idea for a moment and then shook his head. ¡°That wou


    cause too much attention. I let Alpha Gareth keep the disease that prevailed in Wil Cralwer a secret. I


    can¡¯t let anyone in Anemond know about it, or else we could


    cause mass hysteria.¡±


    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s fair,¡± I murmured.


    ¡°Do you believe Spi ke?¡± Asher wondered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I admitted. ¡°Bu I don¡¯t want to lose the chance to find out the truth. Spi ke might help us


    find the answers we need.¡±


    The Alpha King nodded, and after a moment of silence, he cleared his throat.


    ¡°If we need a patient, he can take my blood,¡± he dered.


    My eyes widened. ¡°Asher, that would be way too dangerous-¡±


    ¡°I know it is,¡± he cut me off. ¡°But it¡¯s the best way for us to keep a low pr Giving Sp i ke the necessary


    devices and allowing him to carry out a test is ri enough. We don¡¯t need to draw extra attention to it all.


    If Spi ke uses my blooL could stay between us.¡±


    Though I understood his logic, I wasn¡¯t a fan of this n. This was too risky. I was about to open my


    mouth to protest, but Asher stopped me. He took my hand and pulled it to his chest.


    4/5


    ¡°I just want to get this resolved quickly,¡± he said gently. ¡°So that we could move on to the next thing.


    What¡¯s going on between us.¡±


    When he smiled at me, I could feel my cheeks begin to flush. A sigh rose up from my chest.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I decided. ¡°But we have to take extra care to make sure S pike doesn¡¯t try anything dangerous.


    We won¡¯t tell him it¡¯s your blood, but we need to be careful anyway. He might be cooperating with us


    now, but he¡¯s still a criminal.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Asher said.. ¡°We¡¯ll take every precaution, Cas sandra.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said quietly, and I smiled at him.


    ¡°He leaned forward and kissed my forehead gently. ¡°Let¡¯s solve this together so that we can move on.


    All I want is for you to be by my side. I don¡¯t care about


    anything else.¡±


    O


    5/5

 Chapter 122

    Chapter 122


    Chapter 122 Need a new n


    As I waited for Anubis to meet me that night on the bridge above Selene¡¯s Tear, anger swelled in my


    belly, stronger than it ever had before. I¡¯d kept my feelings. submerged in the pce, but now that I


    was out in the city limits, things were different.


    I expelled an angry sigh of disappointment and leaned heavily on the railing of the bridge. The sun was


    a mere sliver on the h o rizon and the sky was an incredibly deep blue. It was beautiful, and normally I


    would have appreciated the view much more, but tonight, I was in no mood to care.


    Merliscire had been abuzz with preparations for the return of the Beta of the empire, and I had made it


    a point to keep myself scarce. My mood was too troubling and I thought it best to maintain distance so


    my armor would n ¡® t c rack, so to speak.


    When Anubis finally appeared, he took note of my mood and the moment my guards allowed him


    passage onto the bridge, he stared me down with fierce. intensity.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Kaleb?¡± he asked with a dark raised eyebrow. ¡°You look.


    irritated.¡±


    ¡°She rejected me,¡± I managed to say, though my words sounded more like at growl than a statement.


    Much to my surprise, augh escaped his mouth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you took such a soft approach to this,¡± he practically mocked me, his dark


    brown eyes crueler than usual. ¡°You should have kidnapped the girl ages ago-¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I said as I shook my head. ¡°Not again.¡±


    1/5


    I had certainly tried but failed at that, hadn¡¯t I?


    Those fools in the market couldn¡¯t do what I¡¯d paid them to do, so I¡¯d had to kill the useless pawns and


    pretend to be a hero in front of Cas sandra and her son that day outside of the pet store.


    From that day on, I¡¯d made it a point to try to earn her trust. Cas sandra wasn¡¯t one you could just tell


    what to do. She was too strong-willed.


    But Anubis was right. I¡¯d failed. My proposal hadn¡¯t been enticing enough to convince her to leave


    Anemond ande to the North.


    ¡°The Beta Ss¡¯ returning ceremony is approaching,¡± Anubis shifted the subject. ¡°I know you¡¯re likely


    invited to an affair such as that.¡±


    Though the mention of the Beta may have seemed random to anyone else, I knew what he meant. We


    had long heard about the Beta¡¯s conflict with Asher¡¯s old lover. And we also knew some other secrets


    of the old Beta, Ss¡¯ father, Oliver


    Moses.


    ¡°Perhaps you could make a deal with the new Beta,¡± Anubis continued. ¡°Make an offer he can¡¯t refuse.


    If he¡¯s a member of the Moses family, he might be willing to work with you and share in our cause.¡±


    Though Anubis was often full of meager ns and suggestions when it came to our business, this


    particr suggestion actually held some merit.


    ¡°I¡¯ll consider it,¡± I said, and I actually meant it. Of course, I didn¡¯t like Oliver Moses. The old man was far


    too crafty and greedy, and he couldn¡¯t be trusted.


    ¡°There¡¯s not much time,¡± Anubis spoke again as he stared out at the setting sur beyond us. ¡°You know


    what will happen if we can¡¯t find the talisman¡­ or if Wega were to find out what¡¯s going on.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I know. I know the stakes, Anubis. Trust me.¡±


    He nodded back. After he lingered for a moment in silence, he turned around and quickly left. Once he


    was off the bridge, he disappeared into the night and left


    2/5


    me alone with my thoughts once again.


    I stayed there for a little while and took it all into consideration. I stared down at theke beneath me. I


    remembered the story of Wega that used to be quite famous, even up in Yurene- the love story


    between the former king and his true Luna, Selene.


    Even in the North, we had heard all about how much the two had loved one another. Their rtionship


    was one of myth. They were fated mates with a bond like no other. Asher¡¯s father had apparently loved


    his mother more than anyone in the history of the Wegan monarchy. They were legendary partners.


    But despite everything I¡¯d ever heard, their story seemed to be built on lies. I had heard that the King


    had married his wife¡¯s maid not long after her death.


    If they had been such devoted partners, why had he taken another woman to be his wife so quickly?


    Had he even taken enough time to mourn her loss? Or had Asher¡¯s stepmother been waiting in the


    wings to swoop in and steal the king of Wega the moment he was a widower?


    I scoffed at the thought and shook my head.


    Wega was good at telling lies.


    Their great empire seemed to be built on them.


    I remained in the park for a while longer, and then my guards escorted me back through the markets of


    Anemond. All around me, people rushed to and fro, flitting from one shop to another like hummingbirds


    to a field of flowers. The music of street musicians filled my ears, and for a moment, I found myself


    smiling.


    I took a bit to admire the fountain in the town square and the way the strings. lights hung across the


    street poles and tw inkled in the night air.


    Per the usual, I made sure to smile at everyone I made eye contact with. It was important that I yed


    the role of the gentle foreigner well. No one could suspect that I had ulterior motives for being here, not


    even some lowly street peasants.


    3/5


    So, I smiled and waved. I even stopped at a cart and purchased some street food from a little cart for


    my guards and me. Much to my surprise, it was quite delicious.


    As toxic and troubled as Wega was, there was a great deal of culture and art, as well as food and


    music. Part of me felt regretful about the things toe, but the other part knew that my n existed


    for a reason, and I had to trust in itpletely.


    Once we left the market, I made my way to Cas sandra¡¯s clinic. As it was nearly midnight, the clinic was


    already closed, but I took a moment to admire the c wasrger than I expected, two stories, and


    painted a nice, cr eamy ivory that practically glowed in the dark.


    Thewn was well-manicured, and thendscaping was something to be admired. Rose bushes were


    nted out front, and the path leading to the front door was paved with reddish-brown stones.


    In front of the building was a sign that read ¡°Keller¡¯s¡±.


    A smirk formed on my lips as I studied it.


    Kellers.


    Clearly, Cas sandra still thought of herte husband tondly, if she was using his name for her clinic.


    There was no way I could be wrong. The thing Emmett had left must be with Cas sandra, whether she


    knew it or not. She was the only one who¡¯d been close to Emmett, the only one he would have trusted.


    I had to take her back to Yurene. I just had to.


    I


    ok another long, deep breath.


    The air of Wega smelled sweet.


    But soon, it wouldn¡¯t be Wega anymore.


    4/5Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

 Chapter 123

    Chapter 123


    Chapter 123 Busy day


    CAS SANDRA


    The clinic¡¯s first day of opening was far busier than any of us had ever expected. There was a line out


    the door from the moment opening hours began, and I was shocked. Ours was the first clinic opened


    by a royal healer, and from what I gathered from conversations in the lobby, some Pack members held


    my skills in a very high esteem. I was ttered, of course, but surprised that so many wolves


    wanted to see me.


    felt sorry for Marley. I¡¯d wanted my friend to get some rest and rxation after her long trip here to


    Anemond, but she wasn¡¯t epting of that n at all. In fact, she insisted on helping us out with our


    many new patients. After a while, it started feeling as if we were back in Wild Crawler again.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I apologized to her once we had a minute to spare. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you toe here so you


    could work-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize, Cas sy,¡± she interrupted me with a wave of her hand. ¡°Besides, I couldn¡¯t rx even if


    I wanted to. It¡¯s better for me to stay busy, anyway. If I were sitting in my room, all I¡¯d be thinking about


    is my disgusting ex-husband, not to mention worrying about my kids.¡±


    ¡°Who are the kids staying with?¡± I wondered.


    ¡°Their grandparents,¡± she answered. ¡°My parents were more than happy to take them. I know they¡¯re


    perfectly fine, but you know me. Tightly wound as always.¡±


    ¡°Well, try to breathe anyway,¡± I said, and I reached out and touched her shoulder. There was so much


    more I wanted to say, but before the words could escape my lips, a patient walked into the clinic and


    Marley rushed over to greet


    them.


    I smiled as I watched her escort the patient to a room. Sweet Marley. She was always so willing to help


    those in need that she hardly worried about herself.


    174


    The rest of the day was busy. I treated all kinds of ailments- from poison ivy, to some infected cuts,


    some allergies, sore throats, and even a sprained ankle.


    It was nearly midnight when we finally got to sit down and take a moment to breathe. We¡¯d been so


    busy that even Erika had to help with patients today. I was immensely grateful for all of the assistance.


    Finnick had been put to bed earlier by Erika, and I felt a little bad that I hadn¡¯t. been able to give him


    much attention today. My son was more than happy to entertain himself, but I wished he had more


    friends around to keep himpany


    when I was hard at work.


    Again, I thought about Kane¡¯s offer to enroll him in the


    Kane.


    School.


    I forced myself to shove away my thoughts of Asher¡¯s older brother. I was far too tired today to sort


    through the confusing affair of the gifts he¡¯d given me. My entire body ached, and I knew that I probably


    looked like aplete and total mess after all I¡¯d been through.


    My suspicions were confirmed when I took a moment to myself in the bathroom upstairs. After I¡¯d used


    thevatory, I went to the mirror to ssh some water on my face, and when I caught sight of myself in


    the mirror, my jaw dropped slightly.


    My skin was flushed, and the whites of my deep green eyes were red and tired-looking. My copper hair


    had sprang loose from the bun at the top of my head, and long, wavy tendrils fell into my face.


    I carefully fixed my hair and sshed the cool water on my face. I was visibly exhausted, but this was


    nothing a good night¡¯s sleep and a hot meal couldn¡¯t fix.


    I smiled at my reflection. All in all, this hadn¡¯t been a horrible day.


    I took a few minutes to breathe and get myself in order, and once I was in a calmer state, I made my


    way downstairs and rejoined my friends in the back room.


    Hannah prepared us a great meal for dinner, and Marley, Becky, Erika, and I al!


    ?


    2/4


    chatted happily as we scarfed downrge bowls of potato and leek soup and loaves. of crusty bread.


    ¡°You¡¯re seriously going to need some more healers and assistants to help you, Cas sy,¡± Marley


    remarked after taking a huge drink of water. She shook her head slowly. ¡°Otherwise, this clinic, and you


    for that matter, won¡¯t be able to function properly.


    She was right. When I had first moved out of the pce to start this clinic, I hadn¡¯t thought through all


    of the logistics. My main goals had been to stay away from Adalyn and Margaret and to protect Erika


    and Finnick. I hadn¡¯t expected th. clinic to get busy like this.


    Some of our patients today had been introduced to us by the guards who had gotten bitten in the


    basement by the vipers in the viper pit. Clearly, word of mouth had gotten around Merliscire, and while I


    wasn¡¯t going to turn anyone away who needed my help, I hadn¡¯t expected so many ailing people to


    show up today.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I admitted as I pushed my spoon around in my bowl. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure how many people we


    would see today, but it certainly wasn¡¯t this many.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we should limit the number of patients,¡± Becky suggested as she leaned forward. Like me, her


    eyes were a little bloodshot behind her sses. ¡°We can¡¯t take all of the people whoe here,


    otherwise we¡¯re going to get burnt out.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the solution,¡± Marley replied. ¡°No offense to you, Becky. In Wild Cralwer, we always


    manage to take all of the patients whoe to us for help. There¡¯s only one clinic, so we can¡¯t turn


    anyone away, of course. But I would be worried that it¡¯d be impossible to decide who to reject and who


    to take on. A new clinic like this needs to show the people of Anemond that Cas sandra is a capable


    and caring healer.¡±


    ¡°I think you bothe


    good points,¡± I interjected, and I smiled at both of them. ¡°Those are all ideas that we should take into


    consideration. But for now, let¡¯s focus of this great food Hannah made for us.¡±


    Marley and Becky shared a smile and then nodded their heads. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    3/4


    I was d that despite their differences, my friends could findmon ground


    and get along.


    The subject quickly shifted to the celebration in the pce tomorrow night. It was finally the evening


    before Ss¡¯ returning party and the whole room was abuzz


    with excitement.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s already time for the celebration,¡± I noted as I shook my head. ¡°I have so much to get


    done before then. I haven¡¯t even picked out a dress.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to go,¡± Marley mused thoughtfully. ¡°I don¡¯t like celebrations much. The


    coronation ceremony back in Wild Crawler was more tha enough for me. It was¡­ a little wild to say the


    least, so I think I¡¯d rather stay in the


    clinic with Finnick and Erika.¡±


    I


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m certainly excited to go,¡± Becky said, and her cheeks flushed pink. ¡°I¡¯ve picked out the perfect


    dress and everything. It¡¯ll be my first big celebration with the Pack, and I¡¯m definitely ready to get


    dressed up and do some dancing..¡±


    Marley¡¯s face lit up, and she grinned at Becky.


    ¡°Well, you know what, I¡¯m very excited for you!¡± she said genuinely, and then she winked at my


    assistant. ¡°Who knows, Becky, this might be your chance to find Mr. Right!¡±


    4/4

 Chapter 124

    Chapter 124


    Chapter 124 Mate


    CAS SANDRA


    When Becky and I arrived at the celebration the next day, I was amazed. The banquet hall was


    decorated to perfect, and it was already full of guests, many more. than thest time there¡¯d been a


    celebration. There had been far fewer people here to wee Kaleb to Wega. This was clearly a


    bigger affair than I¡¯d imagined. The Crescent Pack certainly cared about its own.


    Becky peered around with widened eyes. Her curiosity was at its peak, and I couldn¡¯t help but smile at


    her.


    My assistant looked incredibly gorgeous tonight. She was wearing a sapphire blue dress with billowy


    sleeves that fell off her freckled shoulders and contrasted beautifully with her fair skin. She wasn¡¯t


    wearing her round sses tonight, so her big, reddish-brown eyes seemed brighter than usual. Marley


    and I had curled her short red hair and applied makeup just before we¡¯d arrived, and her lovely, angr


    face looked fairy-like and ethereal. Her full, pink-painted lips parted lightly as she took in the sight of the


    lanterns and candles that glittered in the hall.


    ¡°Wow,¡± she breathed. ¡°It looks incredible in here, Cas sy.¡±


    ¡°It really does,¡± I agreed as I nced around the room. A small orchestra yed lightly in the corner,


    and the banquet table was impably dressed with a gold tablecloth and red rose centerpieces. This


    was the most royal celebration I¡¯d seen in


    a while.


    ¡°You look incredible, too,¡± Becky noted with a warm smile, and she yfully reached for my arm. We


    dissolved into a mess of giggles when she twirled me around, and my dress red out around me with


    the motion. I¡¯d borrowed a dress from Marley, who just so happened to bring it with her from Wild


    Crawler.


    ¡°I brought it just in case,¡± my friend had joked when she¡¯d shown it to me earlier. in the day. ¡°You never


    know.¡±


    1/5


    Luckily, Marley and I were simr sizes, so it fit perfectly. My dress was long, like Becky¡¯s, but the silky


    fabric was pale lc instead of blue, and it was sleeveless. It clung to every curve of my body, which


    usually would have made me


    ufortable, but to be honest, I felt really beautiful. I¡¯d curled my hair as well, and it hung in long


    waves down my back.


    I smiled at Becky. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    I caught sight of the Moses family immediately. They were at the center of the crowd, but Ss was


    missing. Perhaps he hadn¡¯t arrived yet.


    Asher was with them, talking. He was looking incredibly handsome in his ck suit. After a moment, he


    nced over at me and smiled. I smiled back. He didn¡¯te over to me, but that was alright. It was


    better this way. Asher and I had discussed it just the other day in the clinic after a health check. The


    Alpha King and I needed to pretend not to be so close in public.


    So, for now, these little smiles and nces were more than enough.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    I turned to Becky. ¡°Shall we get a drink?¡±


    She nodded, looking both excited and nervous. I took her arm and led her to the refreshment table. On


    the way there, we ran into Kaleb.


    ¡°Cas sandra,¡± the king of Yurene greeted me warmly. ¡°And Becky. You¡¯re hoth looking lovely tonight.


    How is the clinic going?¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much,¡± I replied with a kind smile of my own. ¡°The clinic is going. great! It¡¯s been very


    busy, but it¡¯s been nice.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy to hear that, Cas sandra,¡± Kaleb said, and his navy blue eyes danced in the light of the


    candles. ¡°I wish you nothing but the best-¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, a few councilors approached. Like Kaleb, they all wore impably


    tailored suits, but their expressions were far more


    reserved than his.


    As they swarmed around him, I led Becky away, and once we were at the


    2/5


    refreshment table, Becky released a long exhale.


    ¡°I¡¯m not good at these types of things, apparently,¡± she said as she rubbed her bare shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m so


    awkward-¡±


    ¡°I


    ¡°Don¡¯t even worry about it,¡± I assured her. ¡°Trust me, you¡¯re doing fine. It¡¯ll get much easier with time.


    Besides, if you want to be a royal healer one day, you¡¯l need to get used to talking with


    werewolves from the upper ss.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she admitted, and her cheeks flushed. ¡°Thanks for the reassurance, Cas sy. I¡¯m so lucky


    to have you as my friend.¡±


    ¡°I feel the same,¡± I said, and then I gestured at the table. ¡°Now, grab some champagne, and we can


    find a nice corner to hang out in while we get our bearings.¡±


    ¡°That sounds perfect to me,¡± Becky replied with a grin.


    We grabbed a couple of flutes of sparkling champagne, and as we sipped at the delicious, crisp, drinks,


    we meandered to a small area of the banquet hall that allowed us to observe without being in the way.


    A few familiar faces from the clinic approached and said hello to us. I let Becky handle much of the


    conversation, and after a while, she started to get the hang of it.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t too bad,¡± she admitted to me quietly.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing great,¡± I assured her with a smile.


    ¡°Thank you for bringing me,¡± Becky replied. ¡°Really, Cas sy, I appreciate it.¡±


    I reached out and lightly touched her arm. ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all. I¡¯m happy to have you with me.¡±


    We continued mingling, and after a while, the crowd of people parted, and the chorus of voices in the


    banquet hall hushed as Ss Moses finally appeared.


    Becky craned her neck to get a better look as the Beta entered the banquet


    O


    3/5


    hall.


    ¡°Wow,¡± she whispered when she spotted him. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ so handsome.¡±


    My assistant was correct. Ss was impossibly handsome. Tall, muscr, yet still lean, with the same


    deeply tanned skin, dark brown hair, and bright amber eyes as Adalyn. His face was just as angr as


    his sister¡¯s, but there was a seriousness and almost gloominess in his expression that seemed out of


    ce given the circumstances.


    His golden eyes darted around exhaustively as if he were searching for something.


    Oliver Moses stepped away from Asher and approached his son.


    ¡°Ss,¡± he said with a smile, but when he stepped forward to greet him, Ss made a point to ignore


    him in front of the whole room.


    Everyone began to chatter from a distance.


    Why was the Beta ignoring his father?


    Before I could specte on the matter too much, Ss¡¯ golden gaze fell upon us. His full lips parted


    and his nostrils red. Before I could react, he suddenly


    stormed over to us.


    My heart raced as he grew closer and I froze in ce.


    What was going on?


    Becky began to shiver, and before she could move out of the way, Ss marched right over to her,


    grabbed her waist, and pulled her to him.


    As Becky shook from what had to be sheer panic, he pulled her chin closer to


    his face.


    ¡°Mate,¡± he growled.


    |||


    4/5


    My heart stopped as his words crashed over me, and a gasp escaped my lips I realized what was


    going on.


    No. No way.


    This was impossible.


    Becky was Ss Moses¡¯ mate?


    As the pair stared into each other¡¯s eyes, the entire banquet hall suddenly fell into silence.

 Chapter 125

    Chapter 125


    Chapter 125 Must be mistake


    BECKY


    The moment I stared into Ss Moses¡¯ beautiful golden eyes, I knew something


    was wrong.


    I couldn¡¯t exin it, but there was a warmth, an urge in my body that was almost electric. It was an


    intense yearning unlike anything I¡¯d ever felt before, and the sensation was almost enough to bring me


    to my knees.


    What was this primal feeling within me?


    All was answered, though, when Ss wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me to his chest.


    The moment the growl came from his mouth, I knew it in my


    bones.


    ¡°Mate,¡± he practically snarled.


    Mate.


    Everything was so clear now.


    My heart raced so quickly that it felt almost as if it was going to leap from my chest at any moment, and


    that feeling only grew worse when I heard that word. This


    all felt so unreal.


    Mates- true, fated mates, were rare. I knew it just as well as anyone in Wega. Though I¡¯d always


    hoped to find my mate, I knew it was s tupid to cling to such an


    unrealistic dream.


    But now, it was more than just a dream. It was a reality.


    My fated mate had finally revealed himself to be Ss Moses, the Beta of the Crescent Pack.


    III


    1/5


    <


    I didn¡¯t know what to do as we stared into each other¡¯s eyes. What could I say to such a gorgeous man


    like him? Though I knew realistically, he was a total stranger, it was as if my soul had always known


    him.


    Before I could say a word, he drew me closer to him, and he embraced me tightly. He was quite tall, but


    as we hugged, it was as if our bodies were made to fit together. His scent was warm, like cin namon


    and cloves, and as it filled my nose, I felt somehow, like I was home.


    The tender moment between us was interrupted when I heard someone clear their throat beyond us.


    Suddenly, my cheeks grew hot, and I began to break out in a


    nervous sweat.


    ¡°Can you please let me go?¡± I requested as politely as possible.


    Ss took his sweet time, but finally, after a few breaths, he released me. He took a step back, but not


    arge one, so he was still in close proximity to me.


    The Alpha King suddenly cut through the crowd and approached us. I bowed in respect as the warmth


    on my face grew stronger. Surely, I looked like a pink-faced


    I


    fool in front of the whole Pack. And at my first celebration, too!


    I tried to look for Cas sy, but she was nowhere to be seen.


    The Alpha King smiled at us, and then his serious gray eyes fell on Ss.


    ¡°Ss,¡± he greeted his brother-inw warmly. ¡°How wonderful it is to see you. And even more wonderful


    that the Pack¡¯s Beta has


    found his mate.¡±


    This time, Ss¡¯ cheeks began to redden, and just as he opened his mouth to speak, his father, Oliver


    Moses stepped in. His hazel eyes were furious and his nostrils red in clear agitation.


    ¡°There must be some mistake,¡± the older man said sternly, and his sudden nce at me felt so


    intentionally spiteful that I almost shrank back in fear.


    We stared at one another, and I couldn¡¯t help but shiver. He was so sullen and angry, but I couldn¡¯t


    understand why. I¡¯d never spoken to him before, nor had 1


    2/5


    O


    anything to do with any of this. I hadn¡¯t nned to be Ss¡¯ mate.


    Oliver spoke again, this time with more disgust in his tone. ¡°Ss couldn¡¯t have


    a mate like her.¡±


    My heart suddenly felt cold, and I turned to look at Ss. He was staring at me too, yet he didn¡¯t say a


    word.


    The silence felt like itsted an eternity, until finally, Oliver gestured forward.


    ¡°You wille with me,¡± he said quietly to his son.


    Ss lingered for a moment and then gave me onest look before he nodded. and followed his father.


    The crowd parted to make way for them, and as they disappeared to a different part of the room, my


    stomach twisted into knots.


    I felt ashamed somehow. I didn¡¯t understand what I had to feel so bad about,


    but I couldn¡¯t help but notice how the upper-ss werewolves stared at me with condescending eyes. I


    remained frozen in ce and didn¡¯t move until Cas sandra finally appeared.


    ¡°Becky,¡± she breathed, and she gently grabbed my hand. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    I nodded and gave her a tiny, panicked smile. ¡°I¡­ I think so.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she whispered just low enough for us to hear. ¡°Do you want.


    leave?¡±


    I took a few long, deep breaths, and considered her offer for a moment, but I


    shook my head.


    ¡°No,¡± I decided, and I gave her a genuine smile. ¡°I didn¡¯te here because ! dreamt of finding a mate.


    I¡¯m here to enjoy the party and get away from my mother and her sickness for an evening. I¡¯m not


    going to run away. I¡¯m here to have a good time with you. We deserve it.¡±


    ¡°Yes we do,¡± Cas sandra agreed. Her pretty emerald eyes glittered, and she squeezed my hand.


    ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s have a good night. We can worry about the rest Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    3/5


    later.¡±


    ¡°Sounds perfect to me,¡± I said.


    The rest of the evening carried on quite splendidly. After another half hour of mingling, we were served


    an incredible meal of some of the most delicious food I¡¯d ever had before. The music was lovely and I


    had fun joking and talking with Cas sandra.


    But, there was part of me that couldn¡¯t focus.


    My eyes kept following Ss, no matter if I wanted to or not.


    Luckily, he seemed too distracted by all of the attention being ced on him. He was, of course, the


    focus of tonight¡¯s celebration. He mingled with the important. people in the Pack, and as he carried on


    with conversations, it seemed like the whole situation between us had been quickly forgotten by most


    of the upper-ss guests.


    As I sipped on my champagne, my head began to swim with thoughts.


    Just like what Oliver had so rudely said earlier, the whole thing could be a mistake, couldn¡¯t it?


    But just as quickly as the idea entered my mind, I knew it wasn¡¯t true. What


    Ss and I had both felt was real.


    But if so, why had Ss listened to his father and walked away from me? Wa rejecting me as his mate?


    L


    I suddenly felt suffocated. I needed to leave right now.


    I didn¡¯t want Cas sandra to worry about me, so I made up an excuse.


    ¡°I need to run to the bathroom, Cas sy,¡± I said to her. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a little bit.¡±


    Her eyebrows creased together and she studied me for a moment, but then she nodded. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be


    right here.¡±


    0


    4/5


    I nodded back and then turned on my heels and left the hall. I quickly rushed to the nearest bathroom,


    and once I reached the sink, I sshed a little cold water on my face. Not enough to ruin my makeup,


    but enough to calm me down. Cold water always brought me peace.


    I took a little bit to rx.


    ¡°It¡¯s gonna be okay, Becks,¡± I assured my reflection.


    Once my heart rate was under control, I left the bathroom, and just as I wa about to return to the


    banquet hall, I spotted Ss. He was standing near the entrance of the room, just staring at me.


    I decided to turn back to avoid him, but before I could get too far, Ss rushed over to my side and


    gently touched my arm.


    ¡°We need to talk,¡± he said.

 Chapter 126

    Chapter 126


    Chapter 126 Let¡¯s talk


    BECKY


    I was about to protest, but then Ss released his hold on my arm and instead reached for my hand. As


    he wrapped his fingers around mine, he began to walk forward, and before I knew it, I was being led


    down the empty corridor.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think this is a good idea,¡± I insisted.


    ¡°Please,¡± he pleaded. ¡°I just want to talk.¡±


    His amber eyes were wide but serious, and there was something about them that I was unable to


    resist. There was a maic pull between us that was too strong to resist. As much as I wanted to cast


    Ss aside, the thought of us being apart was almost too much to bear.


    I released a heavy sigh.


    This was a terrible idea, but I couldn¡¯t say no. I had to hear the Beta out.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I decided.


    Ss led me all the way out the back door. The night air was brisk, but it was a wee feeling after


    how much anxiety I¡¯d been feeling in the banquet hall. The moon was nearly full, and the silver light


    bathed the grass and lit our way.


    When we reached the garden, Ss finally stopped.


    He stared down at me with an expression I couldn¡¯t read, and my mind searched for the right words to


    say. I was both scared and at ease in his presence, but I had no clue what he wanted to tell me.


    ¡°What did you want to talk about?¡± I finally said. ¡°Whatever it is¡­ make it fast. I need to get back to the


    hall. Cas sandra might be worried about where I am, and the rest of the hall is probably searching for


    their great hero-¡±


    ?


    1/4


    Before I could finish my sentence, Ss pulled me close and kissed me. His lips pressed tightly againstExclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    mine, and my knees grew weak from the pure passion of it all. I wanted to struggle, but my body


    thought otherwise. I couldn¡¯t help but kiss him


    back.


    Mate.


    His lips were incredibly soft, and his kiss was expert, but not in a way that suggested he was too


    experienced with other women. It was more like his kiss w meant for me, like he¡¯d been waiting for this


    moment just as much as I had.


    Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Ss pulled away. I trembled and tried to catch my breath as I


    stared deeply into his eyes.


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked quietly.


    My mother had always told me stories about how nasty and cruel male wolves from the upper ss


    could be. She told me that they often yed with young girls¡¯ hearts only to abandon them when they


    grew tired of theirpany. Mother always said that was why she insisted on finding me a decent man.


    I wondered if Ss Moses was one of those men.


    1


    He didn¡¯t say anything, but the lust in his eyes was clear. He suddenly grabbed my wrist again and tried


    to lean forward and kiss me, but pped him away before he could get too close. The force of my


    strike was so strong that he was forced back a little, and I felt terrible at once for hurting him.


    Before he could say anything, I turned on my heels and ran out of the garden. Tears sprang from my


    cheeks and my lower lip began to tremble as I fought to keep


    I


    nyposure.


    What was all of that about?


    Why had he said he wanted to talk when really, he just wanted to use the opportunity as an excuse to


    try to take advantage of me?


    I wasn¡¯t a piece of meat.


    2/4


    I was so much more than that.


    I began to cry harder. Wasn¡¯t I worth more than just a secret encounter in a garden? Wasn¡¯t I worth a


    real, meaningful connection?


    When I returned inside, I rushed over to the bathroom and tried topose myself. I wiped the


    mascara from my eyes and forced myself to breathe.


    ¡°He¡¯s not worth it,¡± I addressed my reflection, but the words didn¡¯t feel: wasn¡¯t just another man. He was


    my mate. This was supposed to be one of th magical nights of my life. Instead, I was crying in the


    bathroom.


    I thought of my mother. What would I say to her about all of this? Hell, what would I say to anyone?


    I began to get even more upset, but just as the tears began, I stopped myself. No. No, I needed to be


    strong. So, I spent another minute in the bathroom and then went back to the banquet hall. Surely,


    Ss wouldn¡¯t bother me for the rest of the


    night.


    As soon as I returned to the banquet hall, Cas sandra¡¯s expression grew concerned. Her pretty eyes


    trailed over me, and her lips parted a little in surprise, but she didn¡¯t ask what was wrong.


    ¡°We can leave,¡± she said definitively, and I nodded.


    Cas s andra didn¡¯t bother saying a word to anyone, and instead, just escorted mu out of the hall. As we


    walked down the corridor, I thought again of my mother.


    ¡°Cas sandra?¡± I asked quietly. ¡°Is there any room for me at the clinic tonight? I¡­ I


    can¡¯t think I want to go back to my house and face my mother.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± she replied, and she wrapped her arm around me. ¡°You¡¯re always wee to stay, Becky.


    I¡¯ll have Erika prepare a room for you upstairs.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I whispered, and I forced a smile. ¡°You¡¯re a really good friend, Cas sy.¡±


    ?


    3/4


    ¡°And so are you,¡± Cas sandra replied. ¡°We¡¯re going to get you through this. I¡¯m here for you.¡±


    The entire way back to the clinic, I couldn¡¯t stop shivering. I wasn¡¯t necessarily cold. I was just anxious


    from the events of the evening. I¡¯d expected the party to be grand but simple. I thought the celebration


    was going to consist of Cas sandra and I gossiping in the corner of the room, watching the upper-ss


    wolves of Wega fawn all over their returning hero.


    Instead, it ended in humiliation and even a little heartbreak.


    When we entered the clinic, Cas sandra¡¯s friend Marley was sitting in the front


    room.


    ¡°What are you doing back so early?¡± she wondered as she nced between us with concern. ¡°I figured


    you wouldn¡¯t be back until well after midnight.¡±


    She and Cas sandra shared a look, and suddenly, Marley¡¯s face softened. She got up from her chair


    and walked over to us.


    ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± she asked me, and she gently touched my arm. As I dissolved into tears,


    Ca s sandra drew me into an embrace, and I buried my face


    in her shoulder.


    ¡°Is Finnick upstairs?¡± I heard her ask Marley.


    ¡°Yes,¡¯ she replied. ¡°He fell asleep a while ago.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Cas sandra replied, and she gently lifted my face up to meet hers. ¡°I think what we need is a


    good, old-fashioned girl talk in the meeting room. How does tl at sound, Becks?¡±


    I hesitated for a moment. I¡¯d never had many girlfriends before, and I didn¡¯t want to trouble them with


    my problems. But something about Cas sandra and Marley¡¯s expressions made me want to talk.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I decided, and I wiped my tears. ¡°Let¡¯s go talk.¡±

 Chapter 127

    Chapter 127


    Chapter 127 Comints andfort


    CAS SANDRA


    ¡°That ba st ard!¡± Marley eximed angrily as Becky finished the story. Her light green eyes shed and


    her nostrils red ever so slightly as she shook her head.


    ¡°I know,¡± I sighed. ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable.¡±


    ¡°You know, I was hit on by several men when I visited the city the other day,¡± Marley continued, and she


    tucked her dark hair behind her ear. ¡°They were all so arrogant and nasty. I couldn¡¯t believe the way


    they were treating me. It was as if I was a piece of meat rather than an aplished doctor.¡±


    When she proceeded to mock and mimic the men who¡¯d dared mess with her, Becky finally managed


    to crac k a smile. It was tiny and fleeting, but the color returned to her tear-stained cheeks.


    ¡°Look, Becks, Ss is just another jerk,¡± Marley said, and her tone fell somewhere between serious and


    soothing. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not even sure if I agree with the concept of mates. It all sounds like a made-up


    fantasy that¡¯s meant to convince women to stay with terrible men because they¡¯re allegedly fated.


    Moon Goddess knows I wasted enough time with my husband. Even the former Alphal King is guilty of


    that. When she died, he quickly remarried. He couldn¡¯t keep her safe and then he just¡­ moved on to


    the next woman.¡±


    The room fell into silence, and my friend nced around at us. Heat spread to my cheeks as she


    began to realize that no one had anything to say in response.


    ¡°Hannah?¡± Marley asked the maid directly. ¡°You agree, right?¡±


    The poor girl blinked herrge eyes with confusion and then finally nodded slowly.


    Erika and I exchanged a nce, and my stomach twisted into knots. Marley¡¯s sudden ramblings and


    denouncing of men had shifted the mood of the room.


    ´¨


    1/4


    entirely. After a long minute of silence, I patted Becky¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Do you want to get some rest¡± I suggested. ¡°It¡¯s been a long night. Maybe some sleep would put youBelongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    at ease.¡±


    Becky didn¡¯t respond at first. Her russet eyes were distant, and her lower lip trembled slightly. I knew


    exactly how the poor girl felt. The idea of a true, fated mate, something every woman longed for, but


    Becky¡¯s being Ss Moses of all people¡­ thatplicated matterspletely.


    Was


    I didn¡¯t know Ss particrly well, but the reputation of the Moses family only added weight to the


    situation. I didn¡¯t know how to soothe her. Finding a mate was considered the highest blessing from the


    Moon Goddess, but finding a mate from such a notorious family in the most regal of Packs in


    Wega¡­


    From everything Becky had told us, it seemed that Ss didn¡¯t want Becky as his met. I¡¯m sure the


    entire Moses n wanted nothing to do with an ordinary girl who worked in the pce rather than


    residing there.


    But if all of this was true, why had Ss taken Becky out to the garden and kissed her so passionately?


    Maybe Marley was right. He was just another ba stard upper-ss werewolf.


    Becky finally exhaled deeply and raised her eyes to meet nine.


    ¡°I think Marley¡¯s right,¡± she said quietly. ¡°This whole mate thing is nothing more. than a cruel joke. I


    should have just listened to my mother and married a decent


    guy.¡±


    She forced a smile on her face, and I knew that she didn¡¯t mean any of it. Becky had just suffered too


    much tonight. I understood her feelingspletely. I¡¯d spent so many sleepless nights longing and


    missing Asher just like this.


    I turned to Erika and Hannah.


    ¡°Could you prepare a room for Becky upstairs?¡± I asked the maids. The pair nodded enthusiastically,


    and without another word, the two rose from their seats


    |||


    2/4


    UJIIVU VII


    TUDUJ.


    ¡°Goodnight, everyone,¡± she said, and then she turned on her heels and rushed out of the room. As she


    headed toward the hallway, my heart began to ache.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cas sy,¡± Marley apologized once Becky was gone. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean toy it on so heavy with


    Becky. When she started telling her story¡­ I just got so angry thinking about my lousy ex-husband. I


    didn¡¯t mean to get so upset and ruin her evening. I¡¯m just so hurt by everything, you know? I didn¡¯t want


    her to go through the same thing I did.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± I assured her, and I ced my hand on her arm. ¡°I know you¡¯re hurting, Marley.


    No one can me you. You¡¯re going through a major life change. Anyone in your position would be


    upset. I think we just need to let Becky sort through it on her own for a little while. She¡¯s probably


    feeling really vulnerable


    at the moment.¡±


    Marley nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m going to go upstairs a. grab her a change of clothes and some water.


    She needs to get out of that dress and giving her somefy clothes is the least I can do. Maybe we


    can make her some tea?¡±


    I smiled. ¡°I think that¡¯s a great idea. I¡¯ll get the kettle going. After you get her sone clothes, maybe you


    should get some sleep as well?¡±


    ¡°That was going to be my next n,¡± my friend said and she nodded her head thoughtfully. ¡°Thanks,


    Cas s.¡±


    We shared a quick hug, and once Marley left, I went into the other room and started to heat up the


    kettle.


    3/4


    Mincu out. I was ge


    nerves.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a great idea, Erika replied.


    I smiled and then leaned on the counter and crossed my arms. ¡°Do you know anything about Ss,


    Erika?¡±


    ¡°Not much,¡± she admitted, and her kind eyes grew weary. ¡°Only that he rarely stays in Anemond. Ever


    since he assumed the position of Beta, he¡¯s been busy attending to troops at the borders. At the very


    least, I know that he¡¯s better than his sister. He doesn¡¯t talk much, but when he does, he¡¯s polite.¡±


    ¡°At least he¡¯s mostly well-mannered,¡± I noted, and I released a heavy sigh and pinched the bridge of my


    nose between my fingers. ¡°It¡¯s surprising that he¡¯s not just another Adalyn clone.¡±


    ¡°Thank the Moon Goddess,¡± Erika agreed, and then she rested her hand on my arm. ¡°I know you¡¯re


    worried for her, Cas sandra. You have a big heart and you don¡¯t want her heart to get broken. But


    Becky is a strong girl, not to mention incredibly intelligent. She¡¯ll weather this storm. She¡¯s just going to


    need some time.¡±


    I nodded. I knew Erika was right. Becky had a good head on her shoulders.


    But truth be told, I wasn¡¯t just worried about my wonderful friend. I was worried about myself as well.

 Chapter 128

    Chapter 128


    Chapter 128 Softness is useless


    SILAS


    I took my time returning to the banquet hall. It had been a long time since I¡¯d been in Merliscire, but


    everything was still the same. Always another celebration, another meeting, another bit of drama that


    ensnared my life so deeply that I could barely breathe.


    The scent of my mate¡¯s perfume lingered on my jacket and made my mouth. water. It was lovely- like


    raspberries and spun sugar. It was delicious and made me crave the taste of her lips even more.


    Her kiss was indescribable. It was as if the Moon Goddess had fashioned the most perfect woman for


    me, only to grant her so much scorn and inner fire that she wanted nothing to do with me.


    The image of her danced in my mind and haunted me with every step I took.


    I Her gorgeous auburn hair, her cr eamy white skin, her big reddish brown eyes, and her beautiful,


    petite frame. I could only imagine how easy it would have been to sweep her into my arms and draw


    her close enough to make her minepletely.


    The ghost of her lingered in my head until I entered the banquet hall, where it was suddenly snuffed out


    by the agitated expression on my father¡¯s face. Oliver Moses may have been smiling, but the


    sullenness in his eyes was clear.


    I had seen my father in this state many times when Adalyn and I were kids. Whenever we did


    something wrong, Father would act just like this. In front of an aurence, he would smile, but when we


    returned home, the most severe of punishments would await us.


    I hadn¡¯t seen Father like this in ages.


    But I knew the source of his unhappiness and anger straight away.


    Adalyn stood beside Father with her arms crossed. Her golden eyes mocked


    ?


    1/4


    me as they trailed over me, and her chin was lifted slightly. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. If Adalyn


    was good at one thing, it was acting superior to anyone else in the room, no matter who they were. I


    was no exception.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    I decided to ignore my sister and turned to face our father.


    ¡°Father,¡± I greeted him curtly.


    ¡°Ss,¡± he replied in a polite but still hardened tone. ¡°Where have you been?¡±


    ¡°The restroom,¡± I replied without ski pping a beat. Father¡¯s gray eyebrow shot up, and he opened his


    mouth to speak, but before the words could leave his mouth, Adalyn cleared her throat.


    ¡°Likely story,¡± she sneered, and then her eyes narrowed you were off


    with that girl.! saw her leave to go to the restroom too.¡±


    Father frowned.


    ¡°Is Adalyn correct?¡± he asked me. ¡°Did you leave to go sneaking around with that girl?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Of course not.¡±


    It was a lie, of course, and Adalyn snorted. Father didn¡¯t seem convinced wither, but after a moment of


    staring at me, his expression lightened.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re back, Ss, you should focus your attention on more important things,¡± Father spoke


    again, his tone dripping with condescension. ¡°Much is wrong these days in Anemond, and your


    loyalties are needed here. I believe that the events of earlier are little more than a mistake. That girl is


    not your mate. She


    coudn¡¯t be.¡±


    A tightness formed in my throat as Adalyn and Father stared at me with their equally stern expressions.


    I managed a nod. ¡°Yes, Father.¡±


    ???


    2/4


    her.


    I decided to push the girl out of my mind. I had to focus on the task at hand. Mingling with the upper-


    ss werewolves of Anemond.


    The elite members of the Crescent Pack seemed quite happy to see me, though I couldn¡¯t say why. As


    a few of the Alpha King¡¯s councilors approached us, I had to stifle my confusion and y the role my


    Father required of me.


    ¡°Ss,¡± one of the older councilors whose name I couldn¡¯t remember greeted me warmly. ¡°What a


    pleasure it is to see you back in Anemond. And Oliver¡­ your must be so proud of your son. What a


    worthy sessor to the position of Beta, huh?¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Father agreed, and his smile widened as he ced his arm around me. ¡°Ss is doing our


    family a great honor. It¡¯s such a pleasure to have another


    Moses serve the crown.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± the councilor agreed.


    Though I wanted to remain silent and endure the rest of this celebration, I yed my part well and


    exchanged pleasantries with the rest of our guests. I spoke of my travels and told everyone how happy


    I was to finally be back in Anemond.


    However, no matter how much I tried, I couldn¡¯t get my mate¡¯s soft lips and our passionate kiss off of


    my mind.


    It was hard to exin, but she reminded me of a small bird I¡¯d raised when I was very young. I¡¯d loved


    that delicate creature more than anything. In fact, it upied my thoughts so much that I¡¯d snuck away


    from the training grounds of the pce as


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    3/4


    often as I could to look after it. The tiny animal had been abandoned by its mother, so I was its sole


    caretaker.


    I was so happy to take care of it.


    And my father hated it.


    One day, I noticed my bird was sick. I ran to Father and asked him if I c bring it to a vet. I pleaded with


    all of my might and even offered to administer the necessary medicine myself. I would do anything so


    long as we could get the poor thing some help.


    I thought I¡¯d done a good job convincing him, but much to my shock, Father had taken the bird from my


    hand and thrown it out of the window.


    The bird was so sick and injured that it couldn¡¯t open its wings to fly and it plummeted to the ground.


    Much to my horror and sadness, the animal died the moment it hit the ground.


    As I sobbed and stared at Father with a look of pure disbelief and grief, he simply stared back with a


    venomous re.


    ¡°Softness is useless for a werewolf,¡± he said coldly. ¡°That creature was nothir but trouble. I never


    should have allowed you to take care of it.¡±


    I¡¯d never forgotten that day. It taught me the truth of life, and since then, my heart had been hardened


    and my outlook on the world had been dimmed.


    I stared out into the hall. My mate was nowhere to be found.


    It was probably for the best.


    I didn¡¯t need a bird anymore.


    ?

 Chapter 129

    Chapter 129


    Chapter 129 Little bird


    SILAS


    The celebration reached its peak as the Alpha King made a toast to wee


    my return.


    As Asher clinked a gold-ted knife against his champagne ss, it was clear that he was noticeably


    drunk, but there was no ill intent behind it. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes were a little distant,


    but his smile was warm and when he caught my gaze, he winked.


    The crowded banquet hall fell silent and all eyes fell to him. My father¡¯s in-depth conversation with the


    councilor beside me ceased, and relief swam through me. I was d to have a moment away from the


    heavy talk of battle strategy, no matter how brief it was.


    ¡°I would like to make a toast,¡± Asher announced to the waiting crowd, and his smile deepened as he


    gestured toward me. ¡°To Ss Moses, the Beta of this glorious Crescent Pack. His return is long-


    awaited, and it¡¯s a pleasure to finally have. him back in Merliscire. Though he is new to his position, it¡¯s


    safe to say that this Pack is in good hands with him as the Beta. Ss, I look forward to working with


    you closely. Wee back to Anemond. Cheers!¡±


    ¡°Cheers!¡± the rest of the banquet hall repeated back, and as they raised their sses to me in honor,


    my cheeks grew hot and my eyes looked elsewhere. I wasn¡¯t one who enjoyed attention, unlike the rest


    of my family. I preferred lingering in the background where no one could see me, but in a position like


    the one I¡¯d assumed,


    the was no longer an option.


    So, I knocked back the drink in my hand and saluted my king.


    Once the champagne made its way down my throat, I remembered that I was supposed to deliver a


    speech to everyone tonight. I wasn¡¯t particrly in the mood to do so, and when I met Asher¡¯s gaze


    again, the Alpha King seemed to take notice and nodded. When he didn¡¯t insist, I stepped away from


    the crowd of guests and


    |||


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    1/5


    returned to the refreshment table for a refill.


    On my way, I was intercepted by a few guests I didn¡¯t recognize. As these.


    strangers greeted me warmly and weed me back to the pce, I slowly downed a few more


    sses of wine. I wasn¡¯t usually much of a drinker, but I needed all of the liquid courage I could get to


    endure this party.


    After a while, the dizziness began to take hold.


    I nced around the banquet hall. My father seemed to be busy talking to some of the councilors about


    some business I didn¡¯t care about, so I decided to take the opportunity to step away. Everyone was so


    upied by the party that no one noticed when I walked out into the corridor.


    Just as before, the hall was empty save for a few guards, so I was free to wander without running into


    anyone. I took my time and studied some of the paintings that hung on the walls. I¡¯d seen them a


    million times growing up, but after being gone for so long, they were almost brand new. Everything felt


    so much different here than it¡¯d been before.


    A wave of sadness hit me. Things were soplicated now.


    I decided that I needed to get some fresh air, so I walked to the end of the hall until I reached the back


    door. The guards let me pass without question, and I stepped out onto the grounds.


    I wandered aimlessly in the night until I reached the garden again. Once I was amongst the rose


    bushes and tall, twi nkling fountain, I took a few much-needed deep breaths. When I closed my eyes, I


    briefly had a moment where I swore I could


    smell her scent.


    Becky.


    My mate.


    I knew the phantom smell was just a memory, but the raspberry and spun sugar lingered in my nose


    anyway, and I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about her. I had a strong impulse to find her, take her, and imContent held by N?velDrama.Org.


    her as my own. I remembered the woman


    2/5


    beside her was named Cas sandra, and she was a healer. Surely it wouldn¡¯t be


    difficult to find her at all.


    Just as I made the choice to find Becky after all, I opened my eyes to see Adalyn standing behind me.


    My sister¡¯s red-painted lips twisted into a cruel, vicious smile that sent a ch down my spine. As she


    walked toward me, my stomach twisted into knots.


    ¡°Brother, you don¡¯t seem very happy,¡± she remarked in a mocking tone. ¡°For someone being celebrated


    by the Pack, you look quite gloomy. Whatever could be wrong?¡±


    I knew she was just taunting me in order to get a rise out of me, so I just ignored her and walked past.


    As long as Adalyn was on my trail, my business with Becky could wait untilter. I decided the smartest


    move would be to head back to the banquet hall and immerse myself in the celebration.


    ¡°Father is wrong, you know,¡± Adalyn called after me. ¡°I know this whole mate affair isn¡¯t a mistake.¡±


    I stopped in my tracks and turned around to face her. I narrowed my eyes and focused on burning a


    hole through her with my gaze.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I all but growled.


    Adalyn¡¯s smile furthered. ¡°I know the name of the girl. Her name is Becky, and she works for Cas


    sandra Keller. They have a clinic not too far from the pce. You can reach it easily on foot.¡±


    So, the angel woman of my dreams had a name.


    Becky.


    I simply stared at Adalyn. Surely, she wasn¡¯t telling me all of this out of kindness. or consideration.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s all I wanted to tell you,¡± she remarked with a small shrug. ¡°Now that


    3/5


    you know where she lives, you can go see your little bird any time.¡±


    My heart dropped.


    Bird. She had used the word bird.


    Earlier, when I¡¯d thought of my long-dead pet, I¡¯d forgotten the most crur detail. The poor animal had


    grown sick because of Adalyn. I¡¯d always taken ca treat the animal well, but Adalyn¡­ when I¡¯d told my


    sister about my secret pet, st gone and visited it without my permission and fed it something she


    shouldn¡¯t.


    It had died because of her and my father both.


    I didn¡¯t understand why Adalyn hated me so much, but I wouldn¡¯t let her kill something I loved ever


    again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to y tricks on me ever again,¡± I warned her.


    Adalynughed. ¡°Why would I trick my own dear brother? I just want to help. I understand how


    irresistible mates can be. It¡¯s impossible to be apart from one


    another.¡±


    I sneered. ¡°Really? How could you possibly understand that?¡±


    My sister¡¯s face briefly twisted in anger, but she quickly regained her


    composure.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m on your sidepletely this time,¡± she said calmly. ¡°If needed I would even be willing to


    apologize for some of our¡­ disagreements from our childhood.¡±


    ¡°What is it that you want?¡± I sighed. ¡°I know you have an angle-¡±


    ¡°No angle,¡± she assured me. ¡°I want nothing, really. If you want Father to ept your mate, you¡¯ll need


    my help. And in exchange¡­ maybe your little mate can help


    me with some of the issues I have with the healer.¡±


    I knew at once that Adalyn wasn¡¯t making an offer, but a threat. If I didn¡¯tply, she¡¯d find some way


    to pit Father even further against me.


    111


    4/5


    I wasn¡¯t a child anymore. It was easy for me to recognize her desperation. Though she sounded calm


    and confident, the threat held no strength.


    Yet, I was interested in what Adalyn wanted.


    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± I wondered. ¡°In theory, of course.¡±


    ¡°I want to know what Ca ssandra Keller is doing,¡± Adalyn replied. ¡°The he sneaking around, and I want


    to make sure Asher is fine. He seems distant andtely. Something is going on.¡±


    Jealousy. It all came down to jealousy.


    I chuckled. It had been five years, and Adalyn still hadn¡¯t gotten what she wanted. And now, she


    wanted me to be her pawn.


    5/5

 Chapter 130

    Chapter 130


    Chapter 130 Stu pid protection


    ASHER


    As juvenile as it was, I¡¯d indulged too much the night before and felt the inter aftermath of a hangover


    after the celebration of Ss¡¯ return. I¡¯d banished myself to my study for the entire day and spent the


    majority of my time lying on my favorite leather couch with the curtains drawn and a cold cloth over my


    eyes. I¡¯d given the guards strict instructions to keep anyone from entering my chambers, with the


    exception of Lancel and Cas sandra.


    I was in no state to do business or deal with the daily dramas of pce life. I was simply too tired.


    The after-effects of my excessive drinking were only made worse


    by my mysterious illness. As much as I didn¡¯t want to admit it, I was even more tired than ever these


    days, and it seemed like my migraines and headaches were perpetual. The concerning ck marks on


    my arms hadn¡¯t spread much further, but it felt as if they¡¯d taken root and made things feel so much


    worse.


    When Cas sandra arrived for our health checkter on, I was rubbing my temples and trying to regain


    myposure. I¡¯d been staring over the same stack of paperwork for the past hour, trying to make


    sense of it. Sire Ss was back, I would need to schedule a meeting with him soon to discuss some


    Pack issues. It would be a very busy day, and I wasn¡¯t looking forward to it at all.


    All of that to say, I was very happy to see Cas sandra. Her arrival cheered me up more than anything.


    ¡°Hello,¡± I greeted her as she brought herrge medical kit over to the couch I was perched on. ¡°How


    are you today?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± she said with a smile, and when her emerald eyes met mine, my heart nearly ski pped a


    beat. ¡°And how are you? No offense, of course, but you look¡­ a little worse for wear.¡±


    |||


    1/4


    ¡°I¡¯ve been better,¡± I admitted with a smallugh. ¡°It was a bit of a¡­ wild night.¡±


    ¡°Did you have fun at least?¡± she wondered.


    ¡°I did, actually,¡± I admitted.


    As she retrieved the equipment from her medical kit, I sighed.


    ¡°Have


    you been busy these days?¡± I wondered. ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve barely seen


    Cas sandra nodded. ¡°The clinic is much busier than I expected. It¡¯s been pretty non-stop over there. So


    many patients, so little time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because everyone likes you,¡± I pointed out with a smile. Just like the old days. Everyone had liked


    Cora because they were always attracted to her kindness, and she made it easy to trust her.


    Cas sandra smiled and her cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± she murmured, and she tucked a lock of her long, coppery hair behind her


    ear. ¡°I¡¯m happy to help, though. We¡¯re working out how to handle the high volume of patients, but I


    don¡¯t mind the work at all. It¡¯s keeping me busy and I¡¯m d to give my patients some relief.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a good healer, Cas sandra,¡± Iplimented her.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered.


    We fell into silence for a moment, and then I thought again of the celebration when my headache


    pulsed.


    ¡°You left the celebration earlyst night,¡± I mentioned as she prepared to take my blood. ¡°Were you


    ufortable seeing Ss Moses?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t that. I didn¡¯t mind seeing him. We left because of Becky.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± I noted. The whole mate situation. The entire banquet hall had witnessed


    2/4


    that strange moment between Ss and Becky. With everything going on, the public scene had slipped


    my mind.


    ¡°Is she okay?¡± I wondered.


    Ca ssandra¡¯s expression softened. ¡°She thinks it¡¯s some kind of mistake. We had a long talkst night,


    and I think her opinion on the matter was swayed. Some Marley said, along with Ss¡¯ behavior. She


    thinks there¡¯s no such thing as f


    mates.¡±


    She fell quiet for a second and then met my gaze.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it was a mistake, Asher,¡± she said evenly.


    I nodded, ¡°I don¡¯t think so either.¡±


    Ca ssandra and I knew well how it felt to finally meet your fated mate. It was a Cas sandra and I knew


    well how it fe powerful feeling that couldn¡¯t be mistaken. It was more than just attraction. The moment


    you realized someone was your fated mate, it was as if the entire world vanished and only the two of


    you remained. It was as if you met the missing half of your soul.


    When Cora and I had be mates¡­ it had been the most powerful moment of my life. The sheer


    intensity of it was something I would never forget for as long as I lived. If Becky and Ss had


    experienced that with one anotherst night, as it certainly appeared to the rest of us, there was no


    mistake about it.


    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I don¡¯t think Ss is going to reject Becky,¡± I assured her. ¡°And it¡¯s not just because


    of how intense and irresistible the mate bond is. I think I can somehow understand why he treated her


    so coldlyst night.¡±


    Cas sandra frowned at me and set down her medical equipment.


    ¡°What do you mean, Asher?¡± she wondered as confusion painted her expression. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.


    Why would Ss act so mean to her if he didn¡¯t intend on rejecting her?¡±


    ¡°I know it sounds strange,¡± I said slowly, and I held my hands up slightly. ¡°But!


    |||


    3/4


    Chapter 130 Stu pid protection


    think Ss might want to protect Becky. We both know that Oliver Moses might try to intervene and do


    something to her if she¡¯s his mate. She could be put in danger.¡±


    ¡°Becky doesn¡¯t need to be protected,¡± Cas sandra insisted, and her eyes zed. with ferocity. ¡°She¡¯sExclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    clever and strong. In fact, she¡¯s one of the strongest and most intelligent women I¡¯ve ever met. She


    deserves the truth, not some so-called ¡®protection! If Ss is her mate, he shouldn¡¯t be ying with her


    emotions. He should trust that she can handle herself and whatever Oliver Moses can throw at her.¡±


    I sat there in awe for a moment. Cas sandra was nothing if not passionate when it came to justice and


    rtionships with her friends. Her strong will was one of the many reasons I loved her so much. She


    was right.


    I nodded. ¡°Ss might just be acting st upid because he¡¯s young. Just like I used to be.¡±


    Cas sandra stared at me for a moment, and her face was hard to read. My heart. raced in my chest,


    and I reached out to touch her arm.


    ¡°I was s tupid to believe that I could protect you,¡± I continued in a low voice. ¡°When in fact, all my


    actions did was push you to your fate.¡±


    Her cheeks paled and her eyes widened. She shifted her gaze to the ground and gulped. I knew


    bringing up the past made her feel ufortable, but I had to say my piece. I gently took her chin in


    my hand and forced her to look at me.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been regretting it every day since Cora died,¡± I said. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have left you alone in the


    mansion. I shouldn¡¯t have left-¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± Cas s andra whispered.


    I shook my head. ¡°I can¡¯t. , I was stup id too. And it¡¯s time for me to admit it to you.¡±


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 Chapter 131

    Chapter 131


    Chapter 131 What happened five years ago.


    ASHER


    ¡°Asher,¡± Cas sandra breathed, and her lower lip trembled as she broke eye contact with me. ¡°We can


    talk about this after we get the disease sorted out-¡±


    ¡°What if we can¡¯t figure it out?¡± I argued. ¡°What if we can¡¯t find out what¡¯s going


    on or how to cure the disease.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not an option,¡± she countered fiercely. ¡°I¡¯m going to do everything I can


    to find a cure.¡±


    I knew she meant it. Cas sandra was passionate and dedicated, not to mention an excellent healer. But


    deep down, we both understood that there was a possibility


    we might not be able to find a cure, at least not in time.


    I also knew that she was using the disease as an excuse to avoid this topic. Though we¡¯d healed most


    of our problems, I knew she was still afraid. Moon Goddess only knew that I was as well.


    But now, I felt the need to talk, not only because of Kane and Kaleb¡¯s sudden advances but also


    because what Cas sandra had said about mates and protection


    reminded me of our past. She was strong and clever. She didn¡¯t need to be shielded and protected like


    a delicate flower. She needed the truth.


    I wouldn¡¯t hold things back in an attempt to protect her.


    I would tell her the truth.


    I released my hold on her chin and instead took her hand in mine.


    ¡°Will you sit with me?¡± I asked gently. ¡°Please, Cas sandra?¡±


    She hesitated for a moment and looked as if she were going to refuse. I couldn¡¯t me her. This wasn¡¯t


    going to be an easy conversation, but it couldn¡¯t be avoided


    1/4


    any longer. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Cas sandra nodded.


    ¡°Let me set this stuff down,¡± she whispered.


    I let go of her hand and let her stash her equipment back into her pack. Once she was finished, I


    scooted a little further down and gave her some room to sit on the couch beside me. It was a sp ac ious


    piece of furniture, and I wanted us to have some closeness while still giving our conversation literal


    room to breathe.


    She sat down beside me and nervously tugged at a lock of her hair. I cleared my throat and then


    began.


    ¡°Do you want to know what happened to me five years ago?¡± I asked gently.


    She stared at me, visibly nervous, but after a second of hesitation, she nodded.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she whispered.


    I nodded and then gathered my thoughts before taking a long, deep breath. What happened all those


    years ago was the source of Cas sandra¡¯s nightmares, but


    also mine.


    ¡°As you already know, I reason I had to take the crown so hastily was because of my father¡¯s sudden


    death,¡± I exined. ¡°Normally, the coronation ceremony would have taken months, if not an entire year


    to n. Every detail would have been


    a whole team of people. It would have been a happy day for the entire Pack. But things didn¡¯t work out


    that way.¡±


    nned precisely b


    Cas sandra nodded.


    ¡°Since Father¡¯s death was so untimely, my coronation was a surprise to everyone,¡± I continued. ¡°So the


    ceremony was hastened. With everything going on¡­ my attention was elsewhere. It¡¯s no excuse, but if


    I¡¯d only known that the ident would happen that day¡­ I¡¯d wouldn¡¯t have left you alone. I would have


    brought you to a safer ce.¡±


    ¡°Asher,¡± she breathed.


    |||


    2/4


    I sighed and ran my hands through my hair.


    ¡°Back then, being the king was just an abstract idea,¡± I said. ¡°Until Father was gone. Suddenly, I was to


    be the ruler of an entire empire. I had so much to do, but I didn¡¯t know how to do it.¡±


    Cas sandra nodded again.


    ¡°For example, I didn¡¯t know how to clear the name of your family,¡± I admitted. ¡°I wanted to set the Felix


    family free, but I didn¡¯t know what to do. And that¡¯s when Adalyn turned up. She told me that she could


    help. She proposed that if I married her, her father would ease up enough to want to forgive your father.


    She said she wanted to help us-¡±


    ¡°And you just believed her?¡± Cas sandra gasped and then she shook her head.


    I gave her a bitter smile and nodded. ¡°I was st upid.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you were,¡± she mumbled, and her eyes fell to the floor. I wished I could read her mind, but I


    feared what she could be thinking about. I certainly wasn¡¯t painting myself in the best light, but I had to


    be honest about it all. I owed her that.


    ¡°I can¡¯t rewrite the past,¡± I said. ¡°All I can do is exin myself. I innocently thought that Adalyn¡¯s


    intentions were good. I thought we could use our marriage to fre: your family. It wasn¡¯t the most perfect


    of ns but given the circumstances of your father¡¯s imprisonment and your brother¡¯s exile to the


    bordends¡­ I don¡¯t know. I could see what she was saying. I was desperate to save you and give you


    your life back.¡±


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to say,¡± Cas sandra whispered. ¡°But it was still-¡±


    ¡°S tupid,¡± I finished for her. ¡°Yes, it was.¡±


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    3/4


    ¡°I was saved by Emmell Keller, she foru and brought me to Wild Crawler.¡±


    Emmett Keller.


    The healer.


    And Cas sandra¡¯s ex-husband.


    It all made sense now. Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Back in Wild Crawler, I¡¯d questioned Cas sandra¡¯s origins and how she¡¯d met Emmett Keller in the first


    ce. Her story hadn¡¯t lined up with what Lancel and Kane had uncovered in their reports. But now that


    she exined a little of what had happened¡­ it all made sense.


    I thought back to the day of my coronation ceremony. The day of the fire.


    Every Pack in Wega had brought their elite members to Anemond and attended the coronation


    ceremony to greet and congratte their new Alpha.


    The elites, namely the Alpha and Luna of Wild Crawler, had said their outstanding healer had important


    business, so he had to return to his Pack before he could greet his new king.


    Back then, I hadn¡¯t paid much attention to it. I had no reason to think otherwise about some healer from


    a Pack on the border of the country. I had too much on my mind that day to care.


    If only I¡¯d known that insignificant healer was going to be the one to save Cora.


    4/4

 Chapter 132

    Chapter 132


    Chapter 1 32 Secret of her husband


    CAS SANDRA


    I suddenly felt as if it were hard to breathe. The air felt heavy, and a strong wave of emotion engulfed


    me as I thought about the fact that Asher had ventured


    into the inferno to find me.


    The burn marks that covered his back made sense and answered the questions that hid in the back of


    my mind for so much time. He¡¯d plunged right into the ze and searched for me.


    As my thoughts swirled around my mind like a hurricane, I felt almost sick.


    I couldn¡¯t help but think about what life could have been like had he found me after all. What if he¡¯d


    arrived in time to save me? Would I have retained my old face, my old form? We wouldn¡¯t have been


    separated all of these years.


    But as tempting as it was to consider what could have been, there was no room for regret. Had Asher


    saved me in time, I wouldn¡¯t have be a healer. Finnick¡¯s life would have been in immediate danger


    since he was Asher¡¯s son, and I was nothing more than an exiled, foolish girl in love.


    Everything happened for a reason.


    What mattered now was that Asher and I were together again.


    ¡°Cas sandra, I need to ask you something,¡± Asher brought me back into reality with a simple question,


    and his expression softened. ¡°I need to know¡­ why do you look different now? Why is your face no


    longer the same as it was, and what happened to your wolf? I couldn¡¯t recognize you when you first got


    here because. you were so different. What happened?¡±


    ¡°My appearance had been significantly altered by the burns from the inferno,¡± I exined. ¡°My entire


    body sustained major injuries. It was so bad that Emmett had to perform multiple surgeries to treat the


    burns. Once my body healed¡­ I wasn¡¯t the


    1/5


    more beautiful now.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I whispered. ¡°I would be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t self-conscious. It¡¯s hard to go through a


    transformation like that. Sometimes I find myself staring at my reflection, especially when I wake up in


    the morning. I still look like a stranger.¡±


    ¡°That has to be hard,¡± he said quietly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to go through that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I replied. ¡°I¡¯m alive, at least. Besides, my change in appearance was necessary. Once I


    recovered from the burns, I knew I needed to seek out a new life. I couldn¡¯t be Cora Felix anymore.


    She died in the inferno.¡±


    Asher nodded thoughtfully.


    I wasn¡¯t sure how to word my next statement, but since we were being honest with one another, I had


    to just say it.


    ¡°After the inferno, I never thought about turning back or returning to Anemond,¡± I revealed. ¡°In fact, if it


    weren¡¯t for the ident Marco had suffered in Wild Crawler, we probably wouldn¡¯t have crossed paths


    again.¡±


    Asher remained silent. The pain on his face was unmistakable, though he tried to hide it.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s hard to hear,¡± I admitted. ¡°But Anemond was too dangerous toe back to. After


    everything I¡¯d been through, all I had wanted was a stable life with Finnick¡±


    The Alpha King nodded, and his serious gray eyes fell to the ground as he considered my words. I


    hadn¡¯t said them to wound him in any way. I just wanted to provide rity as he had with me.


    O


    2/5


    ¡°As for my wolf, I don¡¯t know why it¡¯s gone,¡± I continued. ¡°Even Emmett couldn¡¯t figure out why my wolf


    soul had disappeared. I suppose it could be due to the poison I had ingested.¡±


    ¡°Poison?¡± Asher repeated back, and his eyebrows knitted together as his eyes met mine.


    When I nodded, his lips parted in surprise, and he leaned forward.


    ¡°One of the soldiers had forced a liquid down my throat,¡± I exined as Asher¡¯s hands formed into fists


    at his side. ¡°It burned at once, so I knew it was some kind of poison. It was probably meant to kill me,


    but for some reason, it didn¡¯t. I¡¯d tried to beg them not to do it, but it was no use. He grabbed me and


    made me drink it. It made me delirious and my vision was altered. It was awful, probably the worst thing


    I¡¯ve been through.¡±


    Asher¡¯s eyes began to tear up.


    ¡°Cas sandra,¡± he whispered. ¡°Cas sandra, I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I assured him. ¡°I¡¯m okay now.¡±


    We sat in silence for a moment, and I let Asher collect himself. Surely, this wasn¡¯t easy for him to hear.


    The Alpha King wasn¡¯t weak by any means, but this information had brought out another side of him,


    one that rarely saw the light of day.


    He held me close for a while, and once I was sure he was alright, I finished my story.


    ¡°When Emmett got me back to Wild Crawler, he was able to detect a very tiny amount of poison in my


    blood, but he was unable to identify it.¡±


    ¡°Was Emmett skilled with poisons?¡± Asher suddenly blurted out.


    I blinked,pletely taken aback. ¡°What do you mean, Asher?¡±


    ¡°Was he skilled with poisons?¡± he repeated back.


    3/5


    I considered the idea for a moment.


    ¡°As bad as it sounds, I didn¡¯t know much about Emmett, to be honest,¡± I admitted. ¡°Our rtionship


    was purely out of benefit to Finnick¡¯s wellbeing, as well as my own. Our marriage was more of a


    formality than anything. He also preferred to be alone when working or studying something. He had a


    few notebooks that rted tomon wolf poisons. Other than that, I couldn¡¯t tell you what he knew.¡±


    mind.


    Asher remained silent for a moment, but it was clear he had something on his


    ¡°Lancel gathered some intel about Emmett Keller,¡± he revealed. ¡°A little while back. I know this isn¡¯t


    going to sound great on my part, but I wanted to know more about him. Emmett was born in Wild


    Crawler territory with his family, and then his parents were killed when he was young. Their murderer


    kidnapped Emmett too and when he never returned, the rest of the Pack thought he was dead.¡±


    I gasped. ¡°What?¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Asher nodded. ¡°Yes. He came back to Wild Crawler when he was sixteen.


    Everyone was surprised by his return since they thought he was dead. When he came back, he was


    suddenly a self-taught healer.¡±


    I had never heard anything about this. Emmett hardly mentioned anything about himself or his past. But


    there was one thing Asher had been right about- Emmett was an outstanding healer, probably better


    than most of the royal healt Anemond.


    But where had he learned it all from?


    Was there something more here that needed to be discovered?


    Did Emmett have a dark past that I knew nothing about?


    Then, Asher asked a question thatpletely took me by surprise.


    ¡°Cas sandra,¡± he said. ¡°Is there any possibility that Emmett could be a sorcerer or rted to the Dark


    Abyss?¡±


    ?

 Chapter 133

    Chapter 133


    Chapter 133 Memories of her husband


    CAS SANDRA


    I was stunned by Asher¡¯s question.


    My lips parted in shock and her entire body trembled as I stared at a point beyond me.


    Emmett?


    Rted to Dark Abyss?


    Or even worse, a sorcerer?


    No¡­ there was no way.


    Emmett may have been a mysterious person, but there was no way that he had anything to do with the


    sorcerers, the Ewonmiams, or any of it. The man I knew in Wild Crawler was nothing like those wicked


    magicians.


    After a long silence, I shook my head.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t think so,¡± I said quietly. ¡°Emmett was always so nice and kind and kind to everyone,


    including me and Finnick. It¡¯s impossible. There¡¯s no way he was entangled in dark magic.¡±


    When Asher simply stared at me, confusion swelled within me. We¡¯d barely ever spoken about Emmett


    before. Why would he be acting so strange about all of this?


    ¡°Did you like Emmett?¡± he asked me after a minute.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    I frowned and then shook my head. ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that, Asher. And this has nothing to do with it, either.¡±


    When he continued to study me, realization crashed over me.


    1/5


    ¡°Are you jealous?¡± I asked him directly.


    The Alpha King hesitated for a moment and then nodded.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he admitted. ¡°Yes, I am. I know it¡¯s foolish, but I can¡¯t lie to you. I¡¯m very jealous, Cas sandra.¡±


    I smiled despite myself. I had never realized the Alpha King was jealous of Emmett. I had always seen


    Emmett as my savior, my teacher, and my friend rather


    than


    my husband. But at the end of the day, he was in fact, my husband, and Asher was clearly jealous of


    that.


    ¡°Are you jealous of Adalyn?¡± Asher asked me.


    As he stared me down, I tried to keep my expression even. There were plenty of things I could say, but


    I chose to only reveal so much.


    ¡°Maybe a little,¡± I said, but my reaction obviously didn¡¯t satisfy Asher, because he then leaned over to


    kiss me.


    It was a strange moment to be intimate, but the feeling of his lips against mine was always wee,


    especially with how tense this conversation was. I knew it wasn¡¯t easy to put all of this out in the open,


    but it would only serve us betterter.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Asher apologized once we parted. ¡°I know that wasn¡¯t a fair question to ask of you. I know


    your history with Adalyn isn¡¯t great.¡±¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s only worse knowing what she said to convince you to marry he


    murmured.


    ¡°Cas sandra,¡± he whispered, and he ran his hand along my cheek. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I told you, I was st upid. If


    I¡¯d been a smarter man.''¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I said. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about it further, okay?¡±


    This time, I leaned back in to kiss him. In all honesty, I just needed a second to clear my head and shift


    the subject. I was so angry with Adalyn for poisoning Asher¡¯s mind like that. He¡¯d been in such a


    vulnerable position, and she¡¯d exploited


    2/5


    that for her own political and social gain. Asher had been a gheving both his mate and his father, and


    all she could think about was herself.


    Adalyn was selfish. That much I already knew. But I coudn¡¯t believe how deep her narcissism went.


    She was a vile, evil person, and it would take all of my effort to not tear her hair out the next time I saw


    her.


    It was a good thing, at least, that we no longer resided under the same roof. If I were still living in


    Merliscire, I¡¯d have no choice but to go after her.


    When we parted, I forced myself to breathe.


    I wasn¡¯t a violent person. That wasn¡¯t in my nature. Sure, I was protective and fierce when I needed to


    be, but I wasn¡¯t bloodthirsty. I needed to release some of my anger and deal with it in a constructive


    way.


    Asher stared at me and then frowned.


    ¡°Do you remember anything else about Emmett?¡± he wondered. Clearly, he seemed suspicious of


    Emmett¡¯s identity, and he wouldn¡¯t stop asking until he got


    more answers.


    I pondered his question for a moment. Even though we¡¯d been tonic partners, his death made my


    heart hurt, so I rarely thought of him.


    But when I searched my mind, I did remember something peculiar about


    Emmett.


    He made it a point to travel every year, and he would usually disappear fo months at a time. During


    those two months, I wasn¡¯t able to contact him at all. In fact, that was a big reason why I couldn¡¯t


    believe he was dead when I first received the news. I thought he was simply on another one of his


    mysterious trips.


    I exined this to Asher, and the Alpha King¡¯s frown deepened.


    ¡°Where would he go?¡± he wondered. ¡°On these trips, I mean. Did he ever tell


    you?¡±


    3/5

 Chapter 134

    Chapter 134


    I shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I asked him once, but all he said was that he was


    visiting some patients in other Packs. There were letters and papers he held on to for those patients,


    but since my house in Wild Crawler had been burnt down¡­ the records are gone.¡±


    With everything going on in Anemond, I¡¯dpletely forgotten about the fire. frowned as I thought


    about it again.


    ¡°Was the arsonist ever found?¡± I wondered.


    and then c


    Asher shook his head ¡°Lancel found someone suspicious, he disappeared during the chase before he


    could be apprehended and brought in for questioning.¡±


    ¡°Disappeared?¡± I repeated back,pletely puzzled.


    He nodded. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m wondering if Emmett could be rted to all of this sorcery. I had talked to


    Sp ik e about it in the dungeon, and he mentioned that some sorcerors were able to teleport with


    talismans. So, I¡¯m wondering if the arsonist was


    a sorcerer.¡±


    I nodded as I considered this new idea.


    Asher¡¯s theories and suspicions were valid and reasonable, but it was nearly impossible to confirm if


    they were true, since Emmett was dead.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he apologized. ¡°I know this is a lot to consider. I don¡¯t war think ill of Emmett or anything, or


    think I¡¯m saying all of this because I¡¯m j just trying to determine if these things are rted or not. This is


    all a hug puzzle, and it seems like it¡¯s only growing moreplicated with each pass.


    ¡°I understand,¡± I said. ¡°I feel the same way.¡±


    We fell into silence again, until I realized that Asher had nothing else to say. To be honest, I didn¡¯t


    either. There were a lot of things to consider, and tensions were high.


    I got my medical kit back out and prepared to take Asher¡¯s blood.


    4/5


    Shortly after I finished the king¡¯s health check, there was a knock on the


    chamber door.


    Who is it,¡± Asher called out, his tone dripping with irritation. ¡°I told you that ! will not be disturbed today.¡±


    ¡°My apologies, Your Majesty,¡± the guard on the other side of the door replied, his low voice mu ffled.


    ¡°The Beta Ss has arrived and wishes to speak with you.¡±


    5/5


    her belongings.


    ¡°I should take my leave,¡± she said quietly, and she nervously tucked her hair behind her ear. ¡°We can


    speak moreter. Have a good night.¡±


    ¡°You too,¡± I said, and then I addressed the guard. ¡°Send him in at once.¡±


    The doors parted and in walked Ss Moses. My brother-inw¡¯s face was weary, and his eyes had


    dark circles beneath them as if he hadn¡¯t gotten much sleep. Not that I could me him, of course. Last


    night¡¯s events had gone long into the night. The entire Pack had been so thrilled to see the Beta that


    the celebration


    had been drawn out.


    I


    Ss nced at Cas sandra but didn¡¯t say a word as the beautiful healer passed him. Instead, he


    offered her a soft nod, which she returned in kind, and then he gave me a polite bow of respect.


    ¡°Good evening, Your Majesty,¡± he said formally in his calm, even voice. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not interrupting


    anything.¡±


    ¡°No, not at all, Ss,¡± I said, and I gestured at the leather couch opposite mine. ¡°Please, take a seat.


    I¡¯ve been wanting an audience with you anyway. This saves me the trouble of having to track you


    down.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Ss said politely, and then he made his way over to me. I hadn¡¯t had a great


    opportunity to spend much time with the young man during the celebration party yesterday. There had


    been a great deal of people, and my attention had been pulled in a million directions. But now, as I


    studied Ss Moses, I found he was quite different than his father. Actually, unlike Adalyn, Ss


    seemed to


    be more like Linda than Oliver.


    O


    1/5


    He shared my wife¡¯s strange golden eyes, but his gaze was calmer, more steady. His dark hair was


    neatlybed and his appearance was put together without trying too hard.


    We spent a little time chatting about the festivities of the night before, and once the conversation


    reached a natural, organic end, Ss shifted the subject and reported on his inspection of the military.


    ¡°The Myriad is in good function,¡± he exined, and he crossed his lon folded his hands in hisp. ¡°And


    so are the other troops. They underwen inspection, and everything is in great standing. Training and


    logistics are ju optimal as ever and morale is good.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m d to hear they¡¯re up to code.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Ss replied. ¡°They¡¯re doing fine work. There is something on my mind, though, if


    you don¡¯t mind my bringing it up.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I said with a gesture of my hand. ¡°Please, go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Well, I was thinking on the subject, and I believe we should implement a change,¡± he began. ¡°I think


    the recruitment of the Myriad should be open to more ordinary werewolves in Wega rather than just


    young werewolves from upper-ss families.¡±


    req


    ¡°Oh,¡± I remarked, and I was admittedly taken aback by this idea. This had my immediate interest


    because most werewolves, especially the ones in Anemond, believed warriors in the Myriad should be


    elites, and elites were the to onlye from upper-ss families.


    ¡°What made you think of this?¡± I wondered with a small smile.


    Ss took a moment to gather his thoughts and then locked eyes with me.


    ¡°Upon my observation, there are no huge gaps in capabilities between ordinary wolves and so-called


    ¡®prestigious¡¯ werewolves,¡± he answered. ¡°I¡¯ve seen plenty of capable warriors from ordinary families


    who outperformed warriors from families in Anemond. I think it¡¯s ssist and ridiculous to pretend


    otherwise. A fighter is a


    |||


    O


    2/5


    fighter. Why should one¡¯s family name determine their skillset?¡±


    I was in shock. I hadn¡¯t expected such words from Oliver Moses¡¯ son.


    I nodded in agreement. ¡°Well said, Ss. I agree with youpletely. Honestly, I think that logic


    shouldn¡¯t just apply to warriors either. I think Wega should focus less on the pecking order and more


    on ways to better ourselves and our country.¡±


    ¡°I agree, Your Majesty,¡± Ss replied, and he offered me a small smile.


    ¡°Please, it¡¯s just you and me,¡± I said. ¡°Not to mention I¡¯m your brothe can just call me Asher.¡±


    ¡°Asher,¡± he repeated back. ¡°Right.¡±


    As we looked at one another, I remembered what Cas sandra had told me earlier and shifted the topic.


    ¡°Yesterday¡¯s party,¡± I remarked. ¡°I know it¡¯s likely a tough subject, but I have to bring attention to it since


    I have you here.¡±


    ¡°I figured as much,¡± Ss said quietly.


    ¡°Speaking as the Alpha King, I don¡¯t think this incident was a mistake,¡± I noted. ¡°Like your father noted.¡±


    Ss¡¯ body stiffened and then he nodded slowly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so either,¡± he admitted.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just speak the truth?¡± I wondered. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you announce the banquet hall that


    Becky was your mate?


    After a second of silence, Ss answered.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of my father,¡± he exined. ¡°I¡¯m¡­. worried what he would do to Becky if I were to im


    her as my mate. He¡¯s ruthless and callous, and I wouldn¡¯t want him to bring her any harm. He doesn¡¯t


    think as we do. The ss system of


    L


    O


    3/5


    Anemond suits his agenda, so he has no reason to question it.¡±


    I was surprised again by the way he spoke. Not many talked against Oliver Moses. Ss was honest. I


    liked that about him.


    ¡°So, it was out of protection?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied. ¡°I know it sounds¡­ cowardly.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°No, I understand.¡±


    A sigh rose up from my chest, and again I thought of Cas sandra, and furthermore, Cora.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t do this based on your own assumptions,¡± I said, and I rested my hands in myp. ¡°It¡¯s


    unfair to Becky, and it could also hurt her. I know you¡¯re doing your best to protect her, but you¡¯re


    risking hurting her feelings, as well. Some hurts will never heal, even if you try to apologize for itter.


    Regret only goes so far.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Ss replied thoughtfully. ¡°If it¡¯s alright with you, I¡¯ll take this conversation into


    consideration. I don¡¯t know what I want to say to her, but I need to gather my thoughts. I want to be


    honest with her, but I can¡¯t risk her safety.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I replied. ¡°Do what you must. Just know that should you need anything, I¡¯m here to help.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Your Maje- Asher,¡± he corrected himself. ¡°I appreciate your


    of wisdom.¡±


    ¡°Any time,¡± I said.


    I hadn¡¯t meant to sound like the young man¡¯s father, nor had I intended t him a lesson. I simply wanted


    to help Cas sandra and her friend. So, I quickly shifte the conversation back to business.


    ¡°Now, is there anything else you¡¯d like to report?¡± I wondered.


    Ss nodded, and suddenly, his expression grew even more serious. He took a


    4/5


    moment to gather himself and then spoke. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°When I was inspecting the border, I came across someone,¡± he said quietly, and he nced around as


    if he were worried about being overheard. ¡°Someone I didn¡¯t expect to find. Ector Felix.¡±

 Chapter 135

    Chapter 135


    Chapter 135 Ector Felix


    ASHER


    ¡°Ector Felix?¡± I replied back in disbelief, and when he nodded, my calm expression turned into a frown.


    There was no way. Ector, Cora¡¯s brother, had b banished to the border shortly after their father, Darrin


    Felix was imprisoned allegedly trying to harm Oliver Moses.


    On paper, his punishment seemed kinder than that of his father¡¯s, but in all reality, it was far worse. It


    was nearly impossible to survive at the border of Wega. Thend was deserted andcked many


    resources. A sentence to the bordends


    was a sentence of death.


    Back then, after Cora perished in the fire, and I¡¯d built my own power in Anemond, I¡¯d sent guards out


    there to search for Ector and see if he was still alive. But when my team returned, they were empty-


    handed. Ector was nowhere to be found.


    Since that day, I¡¯d assumed he was dead.


    But now, Ss said he¡¯d found him?


    ¡°How did you find him?¡± I asked as I tried to wrap my brain around this information. ¡°And how do you


    know for sure that it was Ector?¡±


    ¡°When I was inspecting the bordends, I found a man being chased by roguel werewolves,¡± he


    exined. ¡°The man¡¯s clothes were ragged, but it wasn¡¯t difficult for me to recognize that he was from


    Wega. So, I saved him from the rogues. Once we got away, I got a good look at him. The man was


    thin and weak, and suffering from malnutrition. He could hardly hold his head up or even speak. He led


    me to a house he¡¯d built out of tree branches and dry grasses. It was a terrible sight, Asher. It was a


    wonder he was still alive with a shelter that poor. I wanted to take him away, but he insisted on staying


    at this ragged house. While I was there, I found a Felix family badge.¡±


    |||


    1/4


    My lips parted as I fought the urge to drop my jaw. A badge of Felix. Ever since the family had been


    framed, no one had dared to keep a Felix family badge, lest they be used of conspiring with them.


    Considering where Ss had discovered the man, it was easy to believe that he was really Ector.


    ¡°So why


    why hadn¡¯t I found him myself?¡± I asked aloud, not even realizing I¡¯d spoken the words until Ss sat up


    in his seat.


    ¡°I think it might be because the man hid himself deliberately,¡± he answe calmly. ¡°When I found him, he


    was panicked to see my armor and the crest of Wega. He¡¯d tried to run away from me, but before he


    could get too far, the rogue wolves appeared. He couldn¡¯t get very far, which is how I got the


    opportunity to


    catch him.¡±


    I nodded, and when my head began to pulse again, I gently rubbed my temples to soothe the pain.


    ¡°Where is the man now?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s still in that house,¡± Ss replied. ¡°I left a guard there to look after him, and some basic supplies


    should be arriving to them soon. I wanted to bring him back to Anemond, but I don¡¯t see that being an


    easy task. It was almost impossible to get him out of that ragged little house. When I ordered the


    guards to drag him out, hel tried to hurt himself. So, I had to give up on the matter.¡±


    I nodded.


    This¡­ this was so much more than I¡¯d expected to hear from Ss, and I di know what to do with this


    information.


    Cora, Ector, and I had been so close as children. We were an inseparable trio, always ying games


    with one another, and always going on adventures throughout the pce and the surrounding area. I¡¯d


    always considered Ector to be family. Since I hadn¡¯t had siblings until Kane, Ector had always served


    as a friend


    and role model.


    He¡¯d taught me how to properly hold a sword, how to climb trees¡­ We¡¯d spent countless hours


    together reading, drawing, ying¡­ He was one of the best ment


    111


    2/4


    that I knew, and I looked up to him greatly. He was kind and thoughtful, not to mention he had a


    wonderful sense of humor that kept meughing even when pce life grew tense.


    When the Felix family met their demise after the false usations had been made, my heart ached like


    no other. Undoubtedly, my biggest regret was the loss of Cora, but Ector¡¯s exile hit me hard as well.


    When I hadn¡¯t been able to find him, I¡¯d med myself. His death felt like another on a long list of


    heartaches, and it was one of the nightmares that kept me up at night.


    Until recently, I hadn¡¯t believed in miracles. But now that Cora had returned to me and Ector Felix had


    been discovered in the bordends¡­ I needed to offer an


    extra prayer to the Moon Goddess in thanks.


    My mind went immediately to Cas sandra. This was incredible news, but I didn¡¯t know what to do with


    it. Until his identity was confirmed by either my own eyes or Lancel¡¯s, I couldn¡¯t take it as fact. I needed


    to know with one hundred percent certainty before I got Ca ss andra¡¯s hopes up. She was in such a


    fragile statetely and this news, if wrong, had the possibility of really hurting her.


    Of course, if it was true, this could really turn things around for her.


    Being reunited with Ector was a possibility she probably never considered.


    But, I was getting ahead of myself in more ways than one. I needed to be level-headed and get all of


    the facts before I proceeded. If it wasn¡¯t really Ect Felix, I couldn¡¯t risk Cas s andra¡¯s sanity.


    ¡°What do I need to do with the man?¡± Ss asked me calmly, and I was insta pulled back into reality.


    ¡°How should I proceed?¡±


    I considered the Beta¡¯s question for a moment, and before I gave my answer, I had one question.


    ¡°Does your father know about this?¡± I asked quietly.


    Ss frowned slightly and shook his head.


    3/4


    ¡°No,¡± he replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell him and I don¡¯t intend on telling him. We both know how that information


    would affect him. No, the only people who know about the man are us and the guards I have stationedThis text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    with him at the borders.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± I said, and after I let out a long exhale, I rolled my shoulders back. ¡°For now, Ss, I want this


    to be kept between us. No third party should be privy to this, not even your parents. I don¡¯t want


    anyone to get the wrong idea and I don¡¯t want to risk any harming to the man. It sounds as if he¡¯s


    been through a lot.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Asher,¡± Ss replied, and he gave me a small bow. ¡°You can t loyalty.¡±


    I studied Ss. Unlike the rest of the Moses family, he seemed to be sincere and kind-hearted. But I


    couldn¡¯t easily trust him, especially on this. I needed to visit the man in person if I wanted to confirm


    that he was Ector.


    I certainly wanted the man to be Ector. If so, that would definitely lighten. Cas sandra¡¯s spirits and bring


    her some much-needed happiness.

 Chapter 136

    Chapter 136


    Chapter 136 Becky¡¯s finding


    CAS SANDRA


    When I returned to the clinic after Asher¡¯s health check, Marley was speaking. with a patient. I waited


    patiently for them to finish, and when she turned around 1 face me, she smiled.


    ¡°Have you seen Becky?¡± I wondered.


    My friend nodded and gestured behind her. ¡°She¡¯s in theb room. She¡¯s been back there all day.


    Hasn¡¯t taken a break at all today.¡±


    Becky hadn¡¯te to breakfast either. As hard as I tried, I couldn¡¯t stop worrying about her. She had


    always been a dedicated worker and assistant, but she was pushing herself too far. She needed to take


    a break and face what was going


    on.


    So, I nodded and then headed toward theb room.


    When I reached the door, I knocked twice, and when I didn¡¯t get a response, I entered anyway. Becky


    was standing in front of one of our devices, studying it so closely that she hadn¡¯t even realized I¡¯d


    entered until I walked up beside her.


    ¡°Cas sy,¡± she eximed, and she pushed her round sses up her nose. ¡°I didn¡¯t even see you.¡±


    After she greeted me, her attention went right back to her experiment, and she cuickly scribbled down


    some notes I couldn¡¯t make out.


    ¡°Becks, you should take a break,¡± I advised. ¡°You¡¯ve been in here all day.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± she replied with a wave of her hand. ¡°I just need another minute to finish this, alright?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said, and I took a seat on the nearest stool and waited for her to wrap.


    111


    up her project. Once her minute was up, she set her note sheet down and turned to face me. Her


    cheeks were pale and her eyes were bloodshot and tired-looking. She stretched her arms above her


    head and gave me a small smile.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re worried about me,¡± she said. ¡°After everything that happened yesterday. But it¡¯s all over


    and done with now. That ba stard of a man won¡¯t bother me anymore. Besides, even if things hadn¡¯t


    been so terrible, we wouldn¡¯t make a nice couple anyway. He¡¯s an upper-ss wolf and I¡¯m just a


    commoner. We never would have worked out.¡±


    Sho


    I remained silent and studied her expression. I couldn¡¯t tell if she meant wha said or not. Her words


    were cheerful and casual, but the redness of her eyes and the swollenness of her lips suggested she¡¯d


    been crying. I knew she was trying to deflect in an attempt to save face, but I wasn¡¯t so easily


    convinced. I was too in touch with my emotions to know when someone was trying to lie about


    something


    like this.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been in here since yesterday,¡± I pointed out gently. ¡°Erika told me that you didn¡¯t use the room


    they prepared for you. Is that true?¡±


    Erika hade to me before I¡¯d gone to the pce to check on Asher. The maid¡¯s kind eyes had been


    wrought with concern.


    ¡°I know she¡¯s going through a lot,¡± she¡¯d said. ¡°So don¡¯t be too hard on her. I only bring this up because


    I¡¯m worried, Cas sandra. Becky is a good girl with a kind hear I don¡¯t want to see her hurt.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I¡¯d replied. ¡°Thank you for telling me, Erika. I¡¯ll check in with her and find out what¡¯s going on.


    I¡¯m sure she¡¯s okay. Just needs to ride the wave for a


    while.¡±


    My entire way back to the clinic, I¡¯d considered what to say to her. I didn¡¯t want to be confrontational. I


    couldn¡¯t force Becky to face her problems head-on. I just wanted to be a good friend to her and let her


    know that she had our full support.


    In the meantime, I hoped Asher would touch base with Ss so we could get this mate business all


    sorted. Becky deserved a loving man, and while I didn¡¯t know Ss well, he surely deserved a kind


    partner like Becky.


    ||| Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    2/4


    Meanwhile, Becky nodded and pulled me back into the present moment. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been in here since


    yesterday, Cas sy. But it¡¯s not because of Ss, I promise. I¡¯ve been hard at work on something else.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I wondered, and my eyebrows creased together. ¡°Something else?¡±


    Becky nodded again, only this time it was far more enthusiastic than before.


    ¡°Come here, and I¡¯ll show you.¡±


    I stepped off of my stool and walked over to her workstation. Becky hand. a stack of papers, and I


    scanned them quickly.


    ¡°What are these?¡± I wondered as I tried to make sense of theb results.


    ¡°After the celebration, I came in here and studied the coroner¡¯s report thoroughly,¡± she replied. ¡°In it, I


    found something simr to the poison Udosyn. So, I tried to recreate a few elements based on Udosyn


    and tested it¡­. It turns out our assumption was correct. It¡¯s all rted, Cas sy.¡±


    My lips parted in surprise. I had only mentioned once in front of Becky that the disease might be rted


    to the poison, and I certainly hadn¡¯t expected my assistant


    to recreate it overnight.


    ¡°Becky this is¡­¡± my words trailed off as I tried to find the right this to say. ¡°How did you do this? And so


    quickly? This is insane.¡±


    ¡°I used my anger as motivation,¡± she replied with a small shrug. ¡°I wanted to show anyone who looked


    down on me that I was capable and intelligent. I¡¯m not going to let someone treat me badly or think I¡¯m


    stu pid just because I don¡¯te from money.¡±


    ¡°Good for you,¡± I replied, and I sincerely meant it. ¡°Seriously, Becky this is amazing. You are so


    incredibly talented. I¡¯m impressed.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she replied, and her smile grew brighter.


    I was so proud of her. Though we hadn¡¯t known each other as Marley and I had,


    I felt an intense bond with Becky. I thought of her like a sister, and I was so


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    3/4


    impressed by her scientific mind and her will to persevere.


    ¡°If you could recreate this overnight, there¡¯s even more hope that we could find a cure for the disease,¡±


    I remarked as I stared down at the data. ¡°We could save so many lives with this information and put a


    stop to this terrible illness.¡±


    ¡°Marley told me the disease is prevailing in Wild Crawler,¡± Becky mentioned thoughtfully. ¡°I don¡¯t know if


    it would be possible, but I was wondering if I could go and visit to get more information. The more


    patients I could study, the better. And besides¡­ I¡¯ve never been on that side of the country before. It


    could be


    trip for me. Get my mind off of things.¡±


    Becky had a good point. Her hypothesis and research could really do some good in Wild Crawler. It


    would also be good for her to get away from Anemond and take a break away from the capital city for a


    bit.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask the Alpha King for permission,¡± I said. ¡°But I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be okay with it. One thing you


    need to keep in mind- Wild Crawler is a very small Pack and the disease can be dangerous. You¡¯ll have


    to be extremely cautious.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Becky said, and she nodded seriously. ¡°Thank you, Cas sandra. I think this could be good


    news for everyone.¡±


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    III


    3/4

 Chapter 137

    Chapter 137


    Marley had originally nned to leave Anemond in a few days to return nome, but when she heard that


    Becky was going to Wild Crawler, she pointed out that my clinic was going to be short-handed.


    ¡°As much as I want to get home, I won¡¯t leave you to deal with all of these patients on your own,¡± my


    friend insisted with a twi nkle in her light green eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll extend my stay a little longer so I can help.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that,¡± I countered. ¡°What about your boys?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be fine,¡± she assured me with a wave of her hand. ¡°Besides, I¡¯ll just call my parents. They love


    spending time with the kids and the kids love their grandparents. It works out well for everyone, Cas


    sy.¡±


    I offered her a small smile. ¡°That¡¯s really kind of you, Marley. Thank you. I really appreciate the help.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s what sisters are for.¡±


    Sisters.


    The words from her lips brought me joy like no other. Though my identity prior to Wild Crawler was a


    mystery to them both, I considered Marley and Becky as my sisters. They were there for me and made


    this life of insanity andplications worth it, and I was lucky to have them by my side.


    Once we got the ns arranged, we decided to have a nice dinner with one another to celebrate


    Becky¡¯s newest scientific aplishments.


    Erika and Hannah prepared an insane amount of food, including some mouthwatering roasted chicken,


    garlic and cheese potatoes, a sd full of leafy greens, and an impressive dark chocte cake for


    dessert.


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    As we tucked into the food, Marley did her best to cheer everyone up. Despite the gorgeous meal, our


    spirits were a little dim and tired, but that didn¡¯t stop my friend from trying.


    Finnick was seated beside me, but he was preupied with a new book Asher had gifted him.


    Normally I didn¡¯t allow books or toys at the table, but since it was a gift from the Alpha King and it


    offered a little bit of a distraction so the adults could talk, I allowed it.


    The new book was a lot more wordy than the picture books Finnick wa to, but he was keeping up quite


    well. Finnick was naturally a quick learner and very proud at him for pushing his studies further.


    Meanwhile, it took a few attempts, but finally, Marley managed to make Beckyugh, and then the


    floodgates opened. We were all cracking up like we¡¯d been friends for decades. It was a relief. I knew


    Marley felt responsible for Becky¡¯s feelings about Ss and was doing all she could to smooth it over.


    After a long session ofughter, we sipped at the sparkling grape juice I¡¯d requested (since alcoholic


    beverages didn¡¯t feel fitting given the circumstances), and Marley shifted the subject.


    ¡°Becky, if you¡¯re looking for a handsome guy in Wild Crawler, you might be out of luck,¡± she giggled.


    t was difficult back when I had first started dating and nov well, it¡¯s even harder to find a decent young


    guy there now.¡±


    I half-expected Becky to be upset by talk of men, but to my surprise, she simply chuckled and nodded


    in agreement.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± she noted. ¡°It¡¯s the same in Anemond, too. You should have seen. some of the men my


    mother tried to set me up with. Even the handsome ones had some serious problems.¡±


    ¡°Like the Alpha King?¡± Marley quipped, and a lump formed in my throat as heat spread to my cheeks. ¡°I


    mean, don¡¯t get me wrong, he¡¯s handsome and all, but between him and Rayden, I think I would


    choose Rayden.¡±


    ¡°Marley!¡± I gasped, and I yfully rolled my eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you would say


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    |||


    that.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± she replied, and despite all of the eyes on her, she strongly defended herself. ¡°I¡¯m serious!


    Rayden is a total catch. You know what I¡¯m talking about Cas s! He¡¯s got that gorgeous bluish-ck


    hair and those eyes¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, he¡¯s handsome,¡± I said off-handedly, and I nced down at Finnick. Luckily, he was still too


    absorbed in his book, along with his mashed potatoes, to pay attention.


    ¡°Tell me more,¡± Becky insisted, and she leaned forward. ¡°This Rayden interesting.¡±


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s the new Alpha of the Wild Crawler Pack,¡± Marley exined without sk ipping a beat. ¡°Used


    to serve in the Myriad, but he came back not too long ago. He was cute when he was younger, but


    now¡­ He came back with all of these interesting tattoos. I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s quite handsome, Becks.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like it,¡± she remarked. ¡°I like tattoos.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Marley agreed, and then she nudged me. ¡°What about you, Cas s-¡±


    ¡°Hey, now, leave me out of this,¡± I giggled as she continued to poke my side. ¡°Sure, Rayden¡¯s cute, but


    I don¡¯t think of him like that.¡±


    Marley rolled her green eyes yfully. ¡°Boo. One day I¡¯ll get you to tell type.¡±


    My eyes fell to the table and I sipped at my drink. I certainly had a type alrig¡­. but only one man met


    the qualifications. Asher. If Marley knew that I was entangled with the Alpha King¡­ I could only


    imagine how she would react.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame he¡¯s been rejecting every girl his parents try to set him up with,¡± Marley continued on.


    ¡°Clearly, he¡¯s waiting for someone special.¡±


    now.


    I tried to steer the conversation away. ¡°Rayden¡¯s just focused on the Pack right


    111Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 138

    Chapter 138


    Marley turned to Finnick. ¡°Who do you think is better, Finnick, Rayden or the Alpha King?¡±


    Finnick, ever so loyal to his best friend Dominic, answered over his book


    without hesitation. ¡°Rayden, of course.¡±


    His immediate answer was enough to send us into another bout ofughter. Finnick¡¯s smile widened for


    a moment, and I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.


    Marley looked as if she were going to say something else, but befor utter another word, I shot her a


    gentle re, yful, of course.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she conceded with a grin. ¡°We¡¯ll see. Rayden will be in Anemond soon, and then Cas s andra


    can figure it out herself.¡±


    The subject shifted after that until we reached the end of our meal. Once thest bits of chocte cake


    were devoured and Finnick had been tucked into bed, Becky gathered up her things and mentioned


    she needed to get home.


    ¡°I need to check on my mother,¡± she said with a small groan. ¡°She¡¯s probably going to be upset that I


    didn¡¯t returnst night and I need to smooth it all over. Thank you for letting me stay, Cas s.¡±


    ¡°Any time, Becky,¡± I assured her. ¡°You¡¯re always wee here. I¡¯ll be sure to speak with the Alpha King


    tomorrow and get permission for you to go to Wild Crawler. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll have no problem with it.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ll speak with Jasper,¡± Marley chimed in. ¡°He could give you s assistance during your stay.¡±


    ¡°That would be wonderful,¡± Becky replied, and she smiled between us. ¡°Thari you, both. I think this is


    going to be a great thing for our research. I¡¯m excited for the opportunity to put our work to use. We


    have the potential to save a lot of lives in Anemond.¡±


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    4/4


    belly.


    I knew there was likely going to be a confrontation with my mother the moment I stepped through the


    door. She would likely inquire about my whereabouts from the night before and would also undoubtedly


    bring up the subject of marrying the seemingly decent yet boring man she¡¯d been campaigning for


    weeks now.


    I sighed as I walked. This was all so exhausting. I worked long hours in the clinic and theb, only to


    have toe home to tiring conversations about my love life.


    I slowed my pace a little. I¡¯d already been gone all night. She could wait for me a


    little longer.


    The night air was crisp and I stared up at the glittering stars above me. It was a nice evening, but I felt


    so suffocated. I longed for the freedom the stars had. I wanted desperately to distance myself from my


    mother¡¯s pressure, but it was all soplicated. Despite Mother¡¯s traditional stubbornness, I knew she


    loved me, and her intentions were rooted in concern for my future.


    I had a few districts to cross before reaching my house. Despite living in the capital city of Anemond,


    my family had never been wealthy or powerful. My father had passed away when I was very young,


    and my mother had kept the circumstances of his death a secret. Every time I¡¯d tried to bring it up,


    Mother managed to shift the subject or get too upset to speak. So, over time, I stopped asking.


    Whatever had happened affected her emotional state andter her physical one too. It was a struggle


    for her to raise my sister and me.


    I had worked hard to secure the opportunity to work for Cas sandra, and I was determined to do my


    best. I had big dreams and aspirations for a long and fruitful career. Sure, love was something I desired


    as much as anyone else, but above all


    §à


    1/4


    else, I wanted to use my scientific mind and capabilities to do some real good for Wega. If I worked


    hard enough, perhaps the antidotes and cures Cas sandra and I had crafted could go on to save lives.


    live:


    Healing was my calling. I¡¯d known that since I was young.


    Love, of course, was important, but that wasn¡¯t everything. Maybe I could event


    it, if it meant that I could be of use to the empire.


    As I thought of the potential trip to Wild Cralwer, my lips curled into a s Sure, the encounter with Ss at


    the celebration had thrown me off and injure heart, but I wouldn¡¯t let that pain burden me forever. No, I


    needed to focus on the positives and think about all of the good Cas sandra and I, as well as Marley,


    were doing in the new clinic.


    Still wearing a bright smile, I finally reached the house, and after I walked along the gray-paved path, I


    reached into my pocket and pulled out the keys. I unlocked the door, and the moment I stepped inside,


    I braced myself for impact.


    When my mother didn¡¯t call out to me, my eyebrows came together. Her greeting was like clockwork


    every time I entered the house. Before I could set my keys down, Mother always called my name, and I


    would go to the living room to discuss my day with her. Every day was the same.


    So, where was she?


    I clenched my keys in my hand and took a step in. Beyond me, in the hallv saw a shadow.


    ¡°Mother?¡± I called out, but when the shadow stepped into the light of the kitchen, it wasn¡¯t her.


    It was the man Mother had tried to set me up with, Frederick, if I remembered his name correctly.


    He offered me a smile as he stepped toward me.


    ¡°Hello, Becky,¡± he said warmly, and when he took a step closer, I stepped back.


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    2/4


    ¡°Hello,¡± I said awkwardly, and I peered around. ¡°Um, where is my mother?¡±


    ¡°Jane is in the other room-¡± he started to say, but before he could finish his sentence, Mother stepped


    into the room.


    ¡°Becky,¡± she announced as she entered, and her hazel eyes trailed over me in surprise. ¡°Good, you¡¯re


    here. I was wondering if you were ever going toe home.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Mother, I¡¯ve been busy with work,¡± I said cautiously, my own on Frederick. ¡°What¡¯s going on


    here?¡±


    ¡°Frederick just came over to see how you were doing,¡± Mother exined, she shed a sickly-sweet


    smile in my would-be suitor¡¯s direction. ¡°Isn¡¯t that so


    sweet of him?¡±


    Her tone was surely meant to emphasize how much this man allegedly cared for me, as did his


    intentions, most likely, but I wasn¡¯t falling for it.


    Frederick was young, rtively wealthy by Anemond¡¯s standards, and supposedly, ording to


    Mother, a sessful businessman. Upon our initiall introduction, she¡¯d told me that he was quite the


    eligible bachelor in our part of the vige.


    The young man¡¯s eyes were kind enough, but the longer his gaze lingered, the more unnerving it


    became. It was clear from his mannerisms that he was the kind of man that saw women as a


    possession rather than a real partner. In me, he saw ¨C potential mother, a caretaker, a piece of meat.


    But I knew my worth.


    I was more than that.


    Besides, Frederick wasn¡¯t the kind of man I desired, wealthy or not. He had a decent head of blonde


    hair, but when he turned around, there was a noticeable bald spot forming in the back, not to mention a


    clearly receding hairline. His waistline. bulged slightly, and from the odor on his clothing, it was easy to


    assume he frequented the taverns in town. A lingering smell of alcohol remained on his jacket.


    3/4


    He wasn¡¯t the kind of man I wanted to be with.


    Since ourst date, I¡¯d avoided contact with him, but he obviously hadn¡¯t gotten


    the hint.


    ¡°Very sweet,¡± I finally replied, and I nced at the clock. It was toote to deal with all of this. All I


    wanted was to change my clothes and take a bath after my long


    day.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 139

    Chapter 139


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you two go take a walk outside?¡± Mother suggested, muc


    irritation. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful night.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Frederick spoke up. ¡°I would love to take you on a walk, Miss Becky.¡±


    The sound of my name from his mouth made me want to vomit. But I didn¡¯t want to show any signs of


    difort in front of my mother. She was fragile these. days, and I knew her intent was good. She was


    only doing what she thought was


    best for me.


    So, I took a short breath and nodded.


    ¡°Sure,¡± I said.


    Mother smiled, and without another word, Frederick walked to the door and


    held it open for me.


    We stepped out into the night, and I fought the urge to groan. It was qui out and our district wasn¡¯t


    exactly appealing, so this walk wouldn¡¯t be very ev


    or beautiful.


    We continued down the sidewalks in silence for a moment before Frederick


    turned to me and cleared his throat.


    ¡°So, Miss Becky,¡± he began, and then he smiled his off-putting smile. ¡°Have you considered my offer?¡±


    4/4


    His offer?


    I simply stared back at him. He hadn¡¯t even bothered to ask me for my hand in marriage. He¡¯d


    expected me to bepletely swept off my feet after a single mediocre date. I knew what he meant by


    his question. His offer was to make an obedient wife out of me and turn my thoughts away from my


    dreams.


    I fought the urge to roll my eyes.


    ¡°No, thank you,¡± I said politely but firmly. ¡°I appreciate youing to my house tonight to see me, but I


    don¡¯t think we¡¯re¡­patible. So I¡¯m unfortunately going to have to decline.¡±


    ¡°Decline?¡± Frederick asked in surprise, and his fake-charming persona immediately dropped. ¡°What do


    you mean?¡±


    My stomach threatened to heave again. I couldn¡¯t believe his audacity. I was being more than polite to


    him, even though after our date, I shouldn¡¯t have given him the time of day. I could still remember his


    offhandments about my dress being out of fashion, as well as the quips about my body. I had


    always been very small and thin, and hisments about myck of ¡°womanly curves¡± still haunted


    me.


    As he stared at me in shock, I nearly scoffed. Frederick clearly couldn¡¯t fathom


    how a girl like me could reject him.


    ¡°I¡¯m just not interested,¡± I replied simply. ¡°I have a career to think of-¡±


    ¡°A career?¡± heughed cruelly, and his eyes narrowed at me. ¡°Miss Becky, you


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    1/5


    might want to think this over a little further. You¡¯re so young. Sure, you may have ¡®dreams¡¯ of a career,


    but girls your age often have their heads in the clouds about such things and don¡¯t tend to look at the


    bigger picture.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I replied dryly, and I crossed my arms.


    Frederick nodded, unaware of my agitation.


    I shook my head in response. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this. I have work to attend to in the morning, and I


    need to return home. Thank you for the walk. Good n


    I turned on my heels and had no intention of looking back, but Frederick give me the chance to leave.


    He followed suit and then stood right in front of me.


    ¡°We have much more to discuss,¡± he insisted. ¡°I¡¯m extremely satisfied with your Becky. You¡¯re the best


    choice I¡¯ve encountered here in Anemond and I think you would make a good wife-¡±


    The word ¡°satisfied¡± sickened me immediately. What kind of person referred to another person like


    that? I wasn¡¯t an object.


    I decided then that I wanted to escape. He wasn¡¯t worth any more conversation and especially not a


    polite farewell. He didn¡¯t deserve a second more of my time.


    So, I walked past him and began to head back home. I only got a few steps in before suddenly,


    Frederick stopped me in my tracks and grabbed my wrist, pullin


    me closer to him.


    I froze, a wave of revulsion crashing over me when Frederick touched me. waspletely different


    from how Ss Moses had touched me in the garden. While I¡¯d been angered and taken aback by the


    Beta¡¯s unexpected kiss, I hadn¡¯t felt repulsed. Frederick made me feel as if I was being handled by an


    ugly monster.


    ¡°Let go of me,¡± I demanded, and I tried to yank my arm away, but Frederick wouldn¡¯t let go.


    ¡°No,¡± he said firmly as he held me in ce. ¡°We still have more to discuss-¡±


    2/5


    ¡°No!¡± I shouted back, and I continued to struggle.


    ¡°There¡¯s no reason to be shy,¡± Frederick insisted. ¡°Please, Becky, just stay here. If you ept my offer,


    I¡¯ll be such a great husband to you. You¡¯ll see. I¡¯m the ideal match for you-¡±


    ¡°I said, let me go!¡± I shouted again, and I raised my foot to kick Frederick¡¯s shin. I was going to hit back


    as hard as I could and then run all the way back to my house. From there, I was going to lock the door


    and call Cas sandra. Her closeness with the Alpha King might be able to grant me some security.


    But just as I was about to deliver the blow, something shed and Frederick was knocked to the


    ground, releasing my wrist in the


    My breath caught in my throat as I stared up at my savior.


    Ss Moses. His breathtaking golden eyes red with ferocity as he stood. above Frederick. Frederick,


    meanwhile, groaned in pain and held his hands against his abdomen.


    I was stunned. Everything had happened so quickly that it barely registered in my mind.


    What was Ss doing here?


    But I couldn¡¯t linger on my confusion too long. Ss suddenly reached down and grabbed Frederick by


    the shirt. His nostrils were red and a growl escaped him


    He was going to hurt him!


    ¡°Stop!¡± I called out. While Frederick certainly deserved to be punished. such a creep and a scoundrel, it


    was clear that Ss was out for blood. The Bet grasped onto Frederick tighter, but before he could


    deliver another blow, I touched


    his arm.


    ¡°Ss, please,¡± I pleaded, and suddenly, Ss softened. My sudden touch. seemed to calm him down,


    but when he nced at me, it was obvious he was still


    out for blood.


    3/5


    Part of me wanted to let him continue until Frederick¡¯s miserable, terrible fac was bashed in. I wanted


    to see that awful man pay for the way he had grabbed r the way he¡¯d insulted me. But the other part


    knew what scrutiny Ss would face he followed through and killed the man.


    After a moment, the Beta took a breath and released his hold on Frederick.


    Frederick gasped for breath and then scrambled to his feet.


    ¡°Stay away from her,¡± Ss growled with disgust. ¡°If you ever c try to harm her ever again, I¡¯lle


    back here and kill you. That¡¯s a p


    Frederick¡¯s face went pale and his eyes nearly burst out of his skull. He and without another word, he


    turned on his heels and ran.


    Once he was gone, anger stirred within me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to fight my battles for me,¡± I huffed. ¡°What are you even doin! here? Why did you step


    in?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t understand why Ss Moses had intervened.


    He frowned as if it were obvious.


    ¡°You¡¯re my mate,¡± he said. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I help you?¡±


    Mate?


    I scoffed. ¡°Oh, so we¡¯re mates again? Interesting, since I didn¡¯t see yesterday. This back and forth is


    giving me whish, Ss.¡±


    I despised being toyed with. So, I decided then that I was going to leav finally go back to my mother¡¯s


    house. This was all too much for me.


    I wasn¡¯t a ything for men to fight over. I was an independent person who deserved more than either


    of them was offering me.


    But just as I was about to leave, Ss gently touched my arm, and before I


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    could react, he pulled my wrist up close to his lips and kissed the spot where Frederick had forcefully


    grabbed me.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 140

    Chapter 140


    Chapter 140 I need to see you


    BECKY


    I widened my eyes and for a moment, I couldn¡¯t react. I was frozen like a statue, trapped in this


    moment with the Beta of the Crescent Pack.


    crazy


    This was all so crazy.


    Frederick, Ss, my mother, all of it. My mind was filled to the brim with swirling thoughts, and I was


    thinking so fast that I could hardly process it all.


    I


    But as I stared into Ss¡¯ eyes, I remembered the night in the garden, and my mind shifted to anger.


    ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± I demanded as I red at him. ¡°Why are you here, Ss?¡±


    ¡°I told you, I came here to help,¡± he replied, and then his mouth hardened into a thin line. ¡°And I don¡¯t


    want you to be touched by other men.¡±


    I


    Irritation bloomed within me and I shook my head as I thought again about the fact that he had kicked


    Frederick to the ground. Surely, my would-be suitor would bring this mess of drama to my mother¡¯s


    door, which would lead to even more nagging.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t need your help or your attention,¡± I insisted as I pulled my arm back. ¡°I could have handled that


    on my own, and now, the situation is only going to get worse. I don¡¯t understand what you want Ss,


    but I¡¯m in no mood to y games with you.¡±


    All I wanted was to get home, turn off the lights, take a bath, and forget everything that had happened


    tonight. I would spend the rest of my evening in solitude, praying that Frederick didn¡¯t show up with


    guards. It was clear that Frederick had no idea who Ss was, so intervention from the district guards


    out of the realm of possibilities. I didn¡¯t want my mother to be pulled into the middle


    wasn¡¯t


    1/5


    of this mess, nor did I want her to know about Ss.


    I half expected the Beta to fight me and try to kiss me again, but he seemed to understand what I was


    thinking just from my expression and gave me a simple nod.


    ¡°I was serious about what I said,¡± he mentioned again quietly. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure that man won¡¯t bother you


    ever again. Just one word from me to the guards is all it will take. He won¡¯te near you again,


    Becky.¡±


    My name from his mouth was enough to bring me to my knees, but I was about to show him my true


    feelings. Sure, Ss was handsome and charming, bu


    with an apparentplex when it came to overprotectiveness.


    was also an as sy t


    ¡°Please just drop the matter,¡± I insisted. ¡°I don¡¯t want to linger on it any longer. What I do want, though,


    is for you to answer my earlier question. What are your doing here, Ss? Why did youe all the


    way out to my district when you should be back in the pce.¡±


    Ss took a long deep breath and ran his hand through his thick, dark hair. When he dropped his arm


    back to his side, he lifted his chin and observed the dark night sky for a moment before answering.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is I desire,¡± he admitted quietly. ¡°I just knew I needed to


    see you.¡±


    When his beautiful golden eyes met mine, a shiver ran down my spine.


    ¡°Can I walk you to your house?¡± he asked me politely. ¡°It¡¯s awfullyte, and it isn¡¯t safe for ady to


    walk dark streets alone.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very familiar with these ¡®dark streets¡± I reminded him. ¡°I¡¯ve lived here my whole life, Ss. I¡¯m not in


    danger here.¡±


    Ss stared at me for a moment and heat rose to my cheeks. He was so quiet and strange. I was used


    to men like Frederick who ran their mouths at any opportunity, speaking about anything that came to


    their minds. The Beta didn¡¯t seem to be like that at all. Sure, he was pretty insistent and relentless


    when it came to physical affection with me, but I could tell somehow that there was more to him


    2/5


    than met the eye.


    Still, I wasn¡¯t about to let him in, not after what had happened during the


    celebration. I couldn¡¯t trust him, even after the way he¡¯d saved me from Frederick¡¯s advances.


    ¡°Please,¡± he insisted.


    I stared back at him and deliberated until finally, I sighed.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I said with a slight roll of my eyes.


    Without another word, I continued down the sidewalk and headed toward my house. Ss lingered a


    few feet back, which I was perfectly fine with. I was in no mood to make small talk with a man who¡¯d


    forsaken me in front of the upper-ss wolves of Anemond.


    The entire way back, I wasn¡¯t sure what I would say to my mother. I didn¡¯t want to let her down, but I


    couldn¡¯t lie and pretend that things with Frederick had gone. well. I needed to be firm and let her know


    that our pairing wasn¡¯t going to happen like she wanted it to.


    But how could I do it without hurting her?


    She wanted me to get married to a wealthy man so badly, but most of them were just in awful. I


    wasn¡¯t about to sacrifice my hard-earned dreams just to be a traditional wife. Sure, motherhood


    was appealing, but I was still so young. Settling down and having children wasn¡¯t in my ns, at least


    not right now. I wanted to be a royal healer and make advances in medicine that would save lives.


    A man like Frederick would expect me to cast those dreams aside so I could


    better serve his own interests.


    I nced back at Ss and couldn¡¯t help but wonder what a man like him would


    be like as a husband.


    No, Becky, I thought as I turned back around. I couldn¡¯t allow myself to even


    consider the idea.


    3/5


    Ss Moses wasn¡¯t my future.


    That much was clear.


    When we finally reached my house, I was surprised to see my mother was waiting for us on the porch. I


    wanted to tell Ss to leave before she could see him, but it was toote for that. Sweat formed on my


    brow as Mother¡¯s dark eyes


    widened in surprise.


    ¡°Becky?¡± she wondered as she rose up from the rocking chair by the c ¡°Where¡¯s¡­ where¡¯s Frederick?¡±


    As my cheeks grew hot, I nced between her and Ss. For a moment, I considered lying, but I knew


    there was no use.


    So, I sighed and then told her everything.


    As I exined Frederick¡¯s behavior, her face grew visibly shocked. I couldn¡¯t read her expression or


    surmise whether or not she believed me, because Frederick had always acted like a gentleman in front


    of her.


    Once I was done, Mother¡¯s eyes went to Ss, who had lingered on the path in front of the house.


    ¡°And who is this?¡± she wondered.


    Before I could say anything, Ss answered for me.


    ¡°I¡¯m Ss Moses,¡± he introduced himself politely.


    Mother froze for a moment and blinked her eyes.


    ¡°Moses,¡± she mumbled, and suddenly, her eyes widened again, and she straightened her posture.


    ¡°Lord Beta.¡±


    She began to move as if she were about to kneel, but Ss held his hand up.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t do that,¡± he insisted. ¡°It¡¯spletely unnecessary. You can just


    4/5


    call me Ss.


    ¡°What are you doing in our district. Sis? Mother wondered as her brow furrowed in confusion. ¡°is all


    well in the pce? Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Everything is fine,¡± he replied, and then he nced at me Tim here because i saw Frederick behaving


    inappropriately toward Becky I wanted to make sure the got home safe¡± Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Mother stared at us in surprise, and a lump formed in my throat


    I had no idea what she was about to say, but I was terrified to find o

 Chapter 141

    Chapter 141


    Chapter 141 Have a nice trip


    BECKY


    Much to my surprise, Mother didn¡¯t ask any further questions. She simply tucked her long, reddish-


    brown hair behind her ears and smiled at Ss. If I had to guess, I would say she appeared to be


    pleased to have such a prestigious guest visiting. Though we¡¯d been on our own for quite some time,


    she used to have friends over all the time. She loved havingpany.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t youe inside,¡± she said to Ss with a warm smile.


    ¡°That would be lovely,¡± Ss replied, much to my dismay.


    He was conducting himself very politely, but I wasn¡¯t sure that I wanted him anywhere near my mother.


    I wouldn¡¯t know how to exin this to her.


    But, it was toote. Ss had already epted her invitation, and Mother had already opened the door


    for him. As his tall frame moved past me, his cin namon and clove scent reached my nose, and my


    mouth watered.


    Dam n this attraction.


    I released a sigh and entered the house behind him.


    On a more personal note, I was scared by how he would react to our house. I doubted that Ss would


    feelfortable in our small parlor, especially when youpared it to the grand Beta¡¯s mansion. He


    was used to wealth beyond my wildest imagination. How would he react when he saw our threadbare


    floors? Our antique furniture, our mismatched tes?


    Usually, I didn¡¯t care about material things or appearances, but for the first me, I felt self-conscious of


    my dwelling.


    I nced at Ss but didn¡¯t say anything when we entered the kitchen. As he took a look around,


    Mother pulled me closer and whispered just low enough for me


    1/5


    to hear.


    ¡°Reba, how do you know Ss Moses?¡± she wondered. ¡°He just returned to the Anemond recently,This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    but you seem to be friends.¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t friends,¡± I assured her quickly. I studied her expression and briefly considered telling her


    about my real rtionship with Ss, but decided against it. I was too scared of her reaction, and


    besides, even if she took the news well, there


    was little she could do to help.


    So, I came up with another exnation.


    ¡°We met at the celebration,¡± I continued quietly. ¡°He was out on some business tonight, and happened


    to witness Frederick¡¯s behavior, so he stepped in and offered to help. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Mother nodded and then nced over at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that,¡± she remarked. ¡°He seems like a nice young man. I¡¯m happy he was there to


    intervene. It sounds as if he arrived at the most opportune


    moment.¡±


    ¡°He did,¡± I agreed.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you get the kettle going for our guest, sweetheart?¡± she suggested. ¡°The least we could do


    is make him some tea.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    As I stayed in the kitchen, Mother escorted him to the parlor. When Ss started looking around at our


    house, I began to blush.


    ¡°Your home looks quite cozy andfortable,¡± hemented with a smile ont rs face. ¡°Thank you


    again for the invitation.¡±


    I lingered on his expression and tried to read his features. His tone seemed genuine, but could he


    mean it? Our home wasn¡¯t in utter shambles, but could someone of his social standing really find it to


    be charming?


    275


    ¡°Thank you so much, Ss,¡± Mother replied with a smile of her own. ¡°That¡¯s very. kind of you to say.


    Please,e take a seat with me.¡±


    Ss¡¯ eyes glittered and he epted Mother¡¯s invitation without hesitation. As they sat down at the


    kitchen table, another shiver ran through me. This was such a strange situation. My mother and the


    Beta of Wega in the same room? What were


    the odds?


    I nced out the window above the sink and stared at the moon.


    ¡°Please let this go okay,¡± I whispered, intending my words of prayer for the


    Moon Goddess.


    Surely, I would need all of the help I could get if I was going to survive this.


    As I prepared some chamomile tea, Mother struck up a conversation with Ss and much to my


    surprise, he appeared much more easygoing than he had during


    the celebration.


    ¡°How was your inspection of the border?¡± she wondered. ¡°Is everything well on


    that front?¡±


    ¡°It was good,¡± he replied kindly. ¡°Everything is in order and there was no cause for rm, so that was


    great. Between us, I have to say that I enjoyed getting to see beyond Anemond. I¡¯d been here my


    whole life, so seeing the rest of Wega made me feel more connected to things than I had before.¡±


    ¡°I could only imagine,¡± Mother noted thoughtfully. ¡°How wonderful that you got to see the rest of


    Wega. We¡¯ve always been here as well. I¡¯ve always wondered what life is like in other Packs. Now


    that your business has concluded, do you intend on staying in Anemond for an extended period, or will


    you go elsewhere?¡±


    ¡°The n is to stay,¡± he said. ¡°But there are some other matters I need to end, of course. It will all


    depend on what the Alpha King needs of me.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Mother replied seriously.


    The tea kettle whistled and I jumped back in surprise before removing it from


    3/5


    the stovetop. I¡¯d been so engrossed in their conversation, that I hadn¡¯t been paying


    attention.


    he


    As I poured the hot water over the tea leaves, I thought about Ss¡¯ answer. So, was


    nning on staying in Anemond after all? What would that mean for us? Sure, I was working in the


    clinic now, but with our proximity to the pce, I would likely be running into him fairly often.


    Luckily, my impending trip to Wild Crawler would grant me some distance. The distraction would be


    wee after all of this.


    I carried the cups carefully to the table, and when I set them in front of Mother and Ss, they thanked


    me.


    I took a seat beside Mother and carefully sipped on my tea.


    They continued to talk more and more, but I remained silent, choosing to observe rather than speak.


    The atmosphere grew sofortable and pleasant that she began to ask more personal questions, like


    if Ss was married or seeing anyone special.


    ¡°Mother!¡± I blurted out as my cheeks grew hot.


    At my sudden outburst, she seemed to realize how inappropriate the question was and apologized.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she said quickly. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to pry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Ss assured her, clearly not upset in the slightest. ¡°No, I¡¯m not married. Maybe one day,


    though.¡±


    His golden eyes lingered on me, but I managed to turn away. I wasn¡¯t in the mood to entertain games,


    whether they were intentional or not.


    Mother shifted the subject, and they continued to talk until finally, Ss nc the clock above the door.


    ¡°I should be going,¡± he announced, then rose from his chair and smiled at


    Mother. ¡°Thank you for the tea and conversation. It was very nice of you to invite me


    inside.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Mother said with a smile. ¡°Let us walk you to the door.¡±


    She got up and I followed suit. We led Ss to the door, and after she said goodnight to the Beta, she


    headed back into the kitchen, most likely to grant us some privacy.


    Once we were alone, my stomach twisted into knots. I wasn¡¯t sure what to say. Thankfully, Ss broke


    the silence first.


    Will


    you be on duty at the clinic next week?¡± he wondered, and when I frowned, he continued. ¡°I was


    wanting to get a health check, but I prefer not to t the royal healers. Will you be around?¡±


    I was about to say yes and then remembered my uing visit to Wild.


    Crawler.


    ¡°I might not be in Anemond next week,¡± I replied. ¡°But Ca ssandra can help you


    out.¡±


    Ss frowned. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a private matter,¡± I said quickly.


    ¡°Private,¡± he repeated back.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said, flustered at the sudden questioning. Why did he care where I was going? My personal


    affairs were none of his business.


    Ss stared at me and then nodded.


    ¡°Have a good trip,¡± he said simply, and without another word, he left.


    III

 Chapter 142

    Chapter 142


    Chapter 142 Respect her


    CAS SANDRA


    Thankfully, obtaining permission for Becky to leave Anemond wasn¡¯t difficult in the least. After I told


    Asher all about the new chemicalpounds and the potential research that my assistant was


    nning to conduct in Wild Crawler, the Alphal King¡¯s eyes widened, and his lips parted in surprise.


    ¡°Wow,¡± he said. ¡°Yes, by all means, she is wee to go to Wild Crawler. Any bit of information she


    can get will be helpful. She has my permission to leave for however long she needs.¡±


    With the king¡¯s blessing in mind, Becky went straight to work right away and packed her belongings.


    Marley and I advised her on the right things to wear and supplied her with warmer coats and sweaters


    just in case.


    ¡°With it being near the border, there¡¯s a lot of forests, so the weather is going to be a lot colder,¡± Marley


    exined as she exchanged coats with Becky. ¡°This has a sherpa lining so it¡¯ll keep you nice and


    warm.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Marley,¡± Becky thanked my friend happily. ¡°I really appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Marley replied with a wave of her hand. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal, honestly. Just can¡¯t have you


    freeze to death out there.¡±


    Becky giggled. ¡°I appreciate it.¡±


    Once she was all packed, we helped her gather her luggage up and bring it to the front of her mother¡¯s


    house. Jane watched us carry her suitcase and studied us


    with a look somewhere between concerned and curious.


    ¡°Cas sandra?¡± she prompted me, and she waved me over to where she was ated in the parlor.


    I nced at Becky, who was lost in conversation with Marley, and then walked


    O


    1/5


    ¡°Yes?¡± I wondered.


    Jane seemed hesitant for a moment and then gave me a worried smile.


    ¡°Is my Becky going to be safe in Wild Crawler?¡± she asked me quietly. ¡°She¡¯s never left Anemond


    before. I¡¯m a little nervous for her. I know she can handle herself, of course, but I¡¯m her mother.¡±


    ¡°Your nervousness is totally valid,¡± I assured her. ¡°Any mother would be worried about their child


    leaving for the first time. But she¡¯s going to be perfectly safe there. It¡¯s a quiet Pack, full of a lot of good


    people. They¡¯re going to take care of her, Jar I promise.¡±


    Jane began to nod in relief, and then she touched my arm gently.


    ¡°Thank you, dear,¡± she said. ¡°I appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I replied. Becky¡¯s mother may have been insistent when it came to her daughter¡¯s future as


    a wife, but she was still very kind and understanding. She clearly cared for Becky.


    Finally, after her luggage was handled and she said goodbye to her mother, Marley and I escorted


    Becky to the town square, where a car and a guard were waiting for her.


    As the guard loaded up her luggage, we both gave her huge hugs and then she got into the car. Becky


    waved to us as the car drove away, and once it was gone, Marley and I turned back to walk back to the


    clinic.


    But before we could leave, Ss Moses appeared, almost out of nowhere. His golden eyes were fixed


    on the car as it drove off, and once it was gone, he turned to


    ¡°Cas sandra Keller?¡± he asked politely. ¡°May I have a word?¡±


    I stared back at him in surprise and then nced at Marley. My friend looked


    <


    2/5


    just as shocked to see the Beta as I was.


    ¡°I have something important I¡¯d like to discuss with you, Cas sandra,¡± Ss continued as Marley


    suddenly shot daggers at him with her eyes. Her mouth had drawn into a thin line and her irritation


    radiated from her. She clearly disliked Ss, not that I could me her. I wasn¡¯t a huge fan of himself


    given the circumstances.


    I stood there for a moment and debated my next move, but ultimately decided that speaking with him


    was the best option. Though I was no longer in the pce, I was still a royal healer and needed to be


    polite with the upper-ss members of Anemond.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°We can step over here.¡±


    I then turned to Marley. ¡°Wait for me at the clinic?¡±


    My friend continued to stare at Ss but nodded her head.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she remarked. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in a little while.¡±


    was one


    She offered Ss onest re and then left. Once she Ss led me over to a nearby bench beneath a


    large tree. We sat down, and nervousness rose within me. What did he want?


    ¡°So, where is Becky going?¡± Ss broke the silence finally.


    ¡°She¡¯s going to the Wild Crawler Pack,¡± I exined shortly. ¡°She has some business to attend to.¡±


    ¡°Wild Crawler,¡± he repeated back. ¡°Is that your hometown?¡±


    I was a little taken aback but I nodded.


    ¡°M/ sister told me so,¡± he exined.


    Adalyn. Of course, she had told Ss all about me. The mere thought of her made me a bit uneasy.


    Though Ss conducted himself politely, he was still a Moses.


    |||


    3/5


    Could I trust him?


    Ss seemed to pick up on my concern right away and smiled at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here to spy on you or intercept information on her behalf,¡± he assured me. ¡°Although that¡¯s


    what she wants. I¡¯m not her pawn, Cas sandra, I swear.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you here?¡± I asked directly. But before he could respond, I realized the reason. He was


    here because of Becky. He was actually concerned


    about her.


    ¡°Is Wild Crawler a safe ce?¡± he wondered quietly. Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Iughed lightly. ¡°There are hardly any safer ces in Wega than Wild Crawler. She¡¯s going to be


    perfectly fine.¡±


    As Ss nodded, I lowered my voice.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe over when we were saying goodbye?¡± I asked gently.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think she would want to see me,¡± he replied.


    As his expression saddened, I was reminded of what had happened during the celebration, and before


    I could stop myself, I blurted out the question we¡¯d all be wondering.


    ¡°Do you truly like her, Ss?¡±


    The Beta nodded again without hesitation. ¡°She¡¯s all I can think about. Not being around her¡­ it¡¯s


    awful. The pull is irresistible. I can¡¯t exin it. It¡¯s unlike anything I¡¯ve ever experienced before.


    Lunderstood him immediately. I knew that feeling all too well. When Asher and I


    from him Every


    sally ? Addyn was trying to investor bunnen, but I decided the


    if


    tough strong-willed get Dot push her but prove


    that prou care for fact


    from Sac express that he understand


    ght by tecky (


    deserved


    especially if Adalyn was trying to involve herself in our business, but I decided the best course of action


    was to give him a little advice from someone who¡¯d been in this position before.


    ¡°If you want to be with her, you need to respect her,¡± I emphasized. ¡°She¡¯s at tough strong-willed girl.


    Don¡¯t push her, but prove to her that you care for her.¡±


    We fell into silence, but I knew from Ss¡¯ expression that he understood.


    bet


    All I could hope was that he would do right by Becky and be the man she


    deserved.


    55

 Chapter 143

    Chapter 143


    Chapter 143 Something different


    CAS SANDRA


    Later that day, Lancel apanied me to the dungeon to check on Spi ke¡¯s


    progress.


    Between the celebration, the opening of the clinic, and all of the other events. ofte, I hadn¡¯t stopped


    in to visit the imposter in a while. I had no idea where he was at with his research and wanted to


    compare it to what Becky had been working


    on.


    There was bound to be ovep, and hopefully, we wereing close to


    progress.


    If we could help heal the people of Wild Crawler as well as the man that I loved¡­ there could be a real


    improvement in the state of Wega. I could finally put to rest the years of countless research and


    focus my efforts on other things, like my rtionship with the Alpha King.


    As Lancel and I descended the staircase to the dungeon, the awkwardness


    between us grew.


    Asher¡¯s most trusted guard said little and seemed even more reserved than usual as we walked. I


    knew he was unhappy with the Alpha King¡¯s decision to let an imposter and criminal conduct such


    important research, but there was no other


    choice.


    Whatever Asher ordered was absolute, so Lancel had no choice but to honor it.


    I could admire his dedication to his Alpha, but I wished that he could lighten up round me and let his


    guard down, so to speak. Lancel and I had spent plenty of ime in close proximity with one another. Why


    was he still so on edge in my presence?


    Did he suspect my true identity?


    1/5


    aimer


    Was there mistrust there?


    It was hard to say. But by the time we reached the dungeon, I cast those questions aside. There were


    more pressing matters to attend to. My rtionship with Lancel could wait.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be over here,¡± Lancel announced gruffly, and he stood like a statue just beyond the cells. ¡°Call if


    something is awry. If he tries anything funny-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be the first to know,¡± I assured him.


    Lancel offered me a single nod, and then I walked down the hall until I reached Spi ke¡¯s cell.


    Spi ke seemed exceptionally focused today. His dark eyes were narrowed behind his safety goggles,


    and his gaze was hyper-focused on the beaker in front of


    him.


    I tried to tread lightly to not disturb him, but when I approached the bars of his cell to see what he was


    doing, the man let out a huff and cursed under his breath.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I apologized quickly.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Spi k e replied, but he cast his beaker back down on the ground. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t sneak up on


    someone mid-experiment.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I emphasized again, and then I gestured down at the beaker. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡±


    I was close to being sessful,¡± he murmured, and then he huffed again. ¡°So very close.¡±


    frowned. ¡°What were you close to seeding?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to recreate a poison,¡± he exined, his voice weary and tired. ¡°I was suspecting that


    the disease was initially caused by a chronic poison. However, I failed to replicate it. Something isn¡¯t


    right.¡±


    2/5


    As Spi ke¡¯s revtion sunk in, I nodded my head in response. I hadn¡¯t expected progress so soon. This


    was likely great news and could be a massive help to us.


    ¡°Could you attempt it again?¡± I wondered.


    ¡°Again?¡± Spi ke repeated back and then, much to my dismay, he shook his head dejectedly. ¡°No, this


    attempt was myst idea. I don¡¯t have any further inspiration


    on the matter.¡±


    I was puzzled by his answer and took a step closer.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± I admitted as my brow furrowed. ¡°What do you mean by


    that?¡±


    Spi ke took a deep breath and stepped away from his table full of scientific equipment and data.


    ¡°When I examined the coroner¡¯s report, I was confident we were dealing with a chronic poison,¡± he


    borated as he crossed his arms against his chest and approached the bars. ¡°However, this blood


    sample appears to be slightly different. I believe this discrepancy was because the sample I used today


    and the others I tried before came from different individuals, which could exin the differing test


    results. Consequently, I attempted to conduct experiments based on this assumption¡­ but I


    failed.¡±


    He released a heavy sigh. ¡°There are two potential exnations for the failure. Either my initial


    research direction was wrong, or the person who provided the blood sample had a simr, yet subtly


    different disease.¡±


    ¡°A different disease?¡± I asked in surprise.


    Spi ke nodded. ¡°I believe I might have been mistaken from the beginning because I wasn¡¯t aware that


    the blood sample was taken from the Alpha King. I had assumed both of the samples came from a


    different source, but clearly, that wasn¡¯t


    the case.¡±


    I was taken aback by his answer.


    3/5


    I understood what he was implying, and realized the problem momentster. I didn¡¯t think Spi ke was


    initially wrong and knew in the back of my mind that it was possible that the disease Asher had was


    different than the one prevalent in Wild


    Crawler.


    But I hadn¡¯t given it too much thought out of fear of the truth. If Asher¡¯s disease was different¡­ what


    could that mean?


    I cast those worries aside at once. Though he was correct, I couldn¡¯t let him know that the blood


    sample had in facte from Asher. No one, aside from me, could know that the Alpha King was ill. It


    was an irond secret that I had no intention of sharing.


    So, I simply rolled my shoulders back and smiled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lose hope,¡± I assured him calmly. ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a reasonable exnation for all of this. Just


    run the samples again. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re simr.¡±


    Spi ke didn¡¯t seem convinced. His dark eyes studied me for a moment, but my gaze didn¡¯t waver.


    Finally, he offered me a strange smile.


    ¡°Sure,¡± he said, and a chill ran through me. ¡°Perhaps I¡¯m wrong after all.¡±


    He picked his goggles up again and ced them on his head, and then he returned to his work. I


    lingered there for a minute more and then headed back down


    the hallway.


    Once I reached Lancel, the guard studied me, and then we began our ascent up


    the stairs.


    ¡°Is Asher in the pce?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°The Alpha is visiting soldiers who have returned from the border with Ss Moses,¡± he answered


    formally. His eyes were distant, and his mind was clearly preupied.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for him in his study then,¡± I decided.


    475


    Lancel apanied me up the winding stairs silently. Though we exchanged no words, the silence


    was heavy.


    Once we reached the corridor outside of the study, Lancel stopped in his tracks and looked around.


    Luckily, we were entirely alone, so there was no one to overhear us. I stopped with him and frowned as


    the guard leaned in closely.


    ¡°Miss Cas sandra, did the criminal speak the truth?¡± he asked softly. ¡°Was the blood sample from the


    Alpha?¡±


    I was surprised by his question. I knew that Asher trusted Lancel with his life, yet he didn¡¯t know.


    When I confirmed it with a nod, Lancel sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯m concerned about the danger of all of this,¡± he remarked. ¡°Giving a criminal his blood¡­ I don¡¯t think


    this is the best idea.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I agreed. ¡°But bringing a patient from Wild Crawler to Anemond would attract too much


    attention. No one here can know about the disease, not yet


    anyway.¡±


    I half-expected Lancel to protest or say something against me, but instead, he sighed again.


    ¡°I hope you can keep the Alpha safe, Miss Cas sandra,¡± he said quietly. ¡°I understand the severity of


    the disease. I hope you can find a cure quickly.¡±


    The sincerity in Lancel¡¯s eyes left me stunned and gave me the sense that maybe Asher¡¯s most loyal


    guard was starting to trust me after all.


    I smiled at him. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll do everything I can, Lancel.¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

 Chapter 144

    Chapter 144


    Chapter 144 Worse situation


    BECKY


    As the car drove on, I watched in wonder as the tall buildings and bustling streets dwindled. Once we


    were outside the city limits of Anemond, I was surprised to see the sheer amount of trees and wooded


    lands.


    I¡¯d always lived in the capital. This was my first time visiting a different Pack in Wega, and while I was


    nervous to travel somewhere new, I had to admit that I was excited about the adventure of it all. Sure, I


    had research to do, but the experience of leaving the capital and seeing how other people lived their


    lives elsewhere was incredible.


    We continued on for a few hours until finally, we reached a ce that was nothing but wooded areas. I


    saw a single sign, weathered by the elements that read: Wild Crawler.


    We were here atst.


    The car entered a small road with tall, evergreen trees on both sides and continued until we reached a


    tall, rtivelyrge house. While it wasn¡¯t nearly as grand as some of the luxurious mansions I¡¯d seen


    in Anemond, it appeared to be thergest one here. Outside, it bore a sign with a Pack symbol on it,


    which told me it was likely the Pack House of the Wild Crawler Pack.


    The car came to a stop, and I took a long, deep breath.


    Two handsome men stood waiting at the gate in front of the house.


    As I exited the car and bid farewell to the guard who had driven me there, the nen approached me and


    offered me twin smiles.


    ¡°Are you Becky?¡± the taller one asked, and for a moment, I was taken aback. He was one of the most


    beautiful men I¡¯d ever seen. His hair was ck with a tint of blue, and his eyes wererge and dark. His


    slender but muscr frame was covered


    1/4


    in intricate tattoos.


    I nodded, and he extended his hand toward me. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°My name is Rayden,¡± he introduced himself. ¡°I¡¯m the Wild Crawler Pack¡¯s new Alpha. It¡¯s a pleasure to


    meet you.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m Jasper,¡± the other one smiled at me when he finished speaking. ¡°I¡¯m one of the guards who


    works for the Alpha family.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very nice to meet you both,¡± I said as I smiled between them. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much was said


    about my visit, but I¡¯m grateful for the opportunity to be here.¡±


    ¡°Cas sandra didn¡¯t say much,¡± Rayden admitted, and he crossed his arms against his chest.


    ¡°Something about medical research?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes. We¡¯ve been working on some research in Anemond, and I think. some of the patients


    here could give me insight that would be vital to my theories.¡±


    Rayden and Jasper nodded in unison.


    ¡°We¡¯ve prepared a room for you in the Pack House,¡± the Alpha said, and he gestured toward the


    house. ¡°Do you want to take some time to rest before discussing business, Becky? I know it was a long


    trip for you.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you to offer. Thank you for your hospitality. But I think I¡¯m alright. I¡¯m not as


    tired as I thought I¡¯d be. Would it be possible for me to visit Cas sandra and Marley¡¯s clinic first?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Rayden replied with no hesitation, and then he turned to a se rvant standing not too far


    away. ¡°Please take Miss Becky¡¯s luggage to her room.¡±


    The ser vant nodded and swooped in and grabbed my luggage before I could think twice about it. I held


    on to the bag with my medical equipment and research papers, but the rest went with the young man.


    ¡°I need to attend to some Pack matters, but I will join you for lunch,¡± Rayden said when he turned back


    to me. ¡°Jasper can escort you to the clinic.¡±


    2/4


    ¡°Perfect,¡± I said. ¡°Thank you again for your hospitality. I really appreciate you letting me stay here,


    Alpha Rayden.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Becky,¡± he replied, and he tucked his dark hair behind his ear. ¡°Any friend of Cas sandra


    and Marley¡¯s is a friend of mine.¡±


    His tone was incredibly kind, and for a moment, I felt a little strange. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was jealousy, but


    thinking of Cas sandra and Marley living here rather than Anemond made me feel odd. I wasn¡¯t sure of


    the circumstances of why Cas sandra hade to the capital, but I couldn¡¯t imagine why someone


    would want to leave a peaceful ce like Wild Crawler toe to live at the pce.


    I snapped out of it when Rayden bid us a quick farewell, and without another moment of hesitation,


    Jasper and I began the walk to the clinic. The guard and I were silent for the first few minutes, and then


    I decided to make some small talk.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the current situation with the clinic?¡± I wondered.


    Jasper offered me a sad expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s in rough shape,¡± he admitted, and his eyes were weary as they met mine. ¡°And it¡¯s filled with


    patients that are in pretty poor condition. I would advise you to prepare for what you¡¯re about to


    witness. It isn¡¯t pretty.¡±


    I nodded and tried to push aside my feelings of nervousness. If I was going to be a true royal healer, I


    needed to steady myself and get used to things like this.


    After a minute, Jasper spoke again.


    ¡°How¡­ how is Marley doing in Anemond?¡± he wondered. ¡°Is she alright?¡±


    I smiled. ¡°She¡¯s doing well. It¡¯s been busy, but she seems to be enjoying her me in Anemond.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± he remarked, and after a second of hesitation, he nced down at the ground. ¡°When is she


    nning to return to Wild Crawler?¡±


    I noticed a slight blush on his face when he asked, and I couldn¡¯t help but smile


    3/4


    to myself.


    ¡°Marley will likely return when I go back,¡± I replied. ¡°She was originally going toe back a few days


    from now, but wanted to make sure Cas sandra had some extra assistance at Keller¡¯s while I was


    gone.¡±


    Jasper simply nodded. I fought back a small giggle. It was clear the guard cared about Marley.


    Once we reached the clinic, I was surprised to see that it was bustling with activity. People hurriedly


    moved in and out, and once we reached the door, I couldn¡¯t help but shiver.


    Just as Jasper had warned, this was pure chaos.


    The guard held the door open to me, and once he did, I immediately raised t. sleeve of my coat over


    my nose and mouth. There was a foul odor in the air that lingered in the air, and it was almost enough


    to send me to my knees.


    Cries and groans echoed around us, and when we entered the clinic, my jaw nearly dropped.


    Jasper¡¯s warning had not been an exaggeration.


    This was a dire situation, one that we had all underestimated back in Anemond.


    The clinic was much smaller than Keller¡¯s, and it was clear that there weren¡¯t enough wards to


    amodate the sheer amount of patients. Beds lined the corridor, and all were filled. There wasn¡¯t a


    single vacancy in the ce.


    Some patients appeared to be in excruciating pain, and their whimpers and cries were nightmare-


    inducing. As I nced around and studied them, a shiver +aveled through me.


    Each of these sad, ailing patients had horrific ck marks on their skin.


    BECKY

 Chapter 145

    Chapter 145


    Chapter 145 Mess in the clinic


    I stood there in shock for a moment as I tried toprehend it all. The marks¡­ the deep ck


    marks¡­ they stood out in the sea of pale skin, and I knew the image of so many people painted with


    those terrifying lines would haunt me forever.


    It was like something out of a nightmare.


    Why hadn¡¯t Marley or Cas sandra talked about them?


    An old woman in the corner waved her hands above her head and I refocused


    after a moment of fear.


    ¡°Help,¡± she called out, but no one around her seemed to notice amidst the clinic¡¯s noisymotion. I


    wasn¡¯t sure who she was trying to reach, but I was here now, so I rushed over to her and Jasper


    followed suit.


    When we arrived at her bedside, I noticed at once that the old woman was having difficulty breathing.


    The sounds that escaped her mouth sounded pained, and her chest heaved a little as she whimpered.


    ¡°Youngdy, where¡¯s the healer?¡± the woman asked as her cloudy brown eyes stared into mine with


    distress. I turned to Jasper, and the guard began to scan the


    area.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± he murmured, and then he ran over to one of the rooms. When he returned, a young


    man was with him.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    He appeared to be around my age, with wavy reddish blonde hair, sky-blue eyes, and a freckled


    complexion. He wore a pair of thick dark sses, and abcoat and gloves.


    ¡°Becky, this is Dic kson,¡± Jasper introduced us. ¡°He was one of the healers sent by the Alpha King after


    Cas s andra was taken to Anemond. He¡¯s currently in charge


    1/4


    of the clinic. Dic kson, this is Becky. She¡¯s a healer from Anemond.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± I nodded at the man. Despite him being from Anemond, I¡¯d never seen him before.


    At first, Dic kson¡¯s expression seemed neutral enough, but from the way his eyebrows creased


    together, it was clear he was a little irritated.


    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± he managed, and then he turned to Jasper. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°This woman is having difficulty breathing,¡± I exined as I gestured at the olderdy. ¡°She needs a


    venttor.¡±


    I then nced around at the clinic full of people, and an agitated statement burst out of me. ¡°Why are


    so many patients going without proper care?¡±


    Dic kson¡¯s eyes darkened and trailed over me.


    ¡°There¡¯s a shortage of venttors,¡± he huffed. ¡°And healers for that matter. If your want to find a spare


    venttor, you¡¯re going to have to search for one yourself. If you think the patients need an additional


    healer, be my guest. I¡¯m too tied up to deal with this right now.¡±


    Before I could even open my mouth to argue, Dic kson turned on his heels and left the room. As anger


    swelled in my belly, I contemted pursuing him, but Jasper intervened and ced a hand gently on


    my arm to stop me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± he said quietly as he shook his head. ¡°I know, trust me. But Dic kson was the only one willing to


    stay, and he¡¯s exhausted and overworked. Pay him no mind. I can lead you to the device room to look


    for a venttor.¡±


    Jasper¡¯s eyes were kind and his expression was apologetic. I was still irritated with the way Dic kson


    had spoken to me, but at the end of the day, I wasn¡¯t here to be his friend. I was here to help with


    patients.


    So, I nodded and followed Jasper down the corridor.


    The device room was in shambles. It was clear that Dic kson really was exhausted and that the Pack


    was short on medical supplies. Empty boxes were


    everywhere. Shelves werepletely bare, and what little remained was admittedly pathetic.


    Jasper and I searched the room for a little while until finally, I discovered a venttor in an old, dusty


    box tucked away in a supply closet. I cleaned it up using a spare rag near the sink in the corner of the


    room, and once it was at least passable, Jasper and I went back into the corridor and brought it over to


    the old woman.


    As I got it set up, her cloudy eyes turned grateful.


    ¡°Thank you, miss,¡± she thanked me. ¡°Your kindness means the world to me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the least I can do,¡± I assured her.


    I got her h ooked up to the device, and after a little while, her breathing started to grow normal. I


    lingered at her bedside until I knew that everything was working properly, and then nced around the


    room. As I surveyed the patients, I couldn¡¯t quite articte my feelings.


    The situation was much worse than I¡¯d expected.


    ¡°How is the clinic even functioning with so few healers?¡± I asked Jasper.


    The guard sighed. ¡°asionally, Ie to assist and some other guards and ser vants from the Pack


    House do as well. We offer as much support as we can. But these days¡­ it¡¯s getting harder and


    harder. We need more help.¡±


    ¡°What about the other healers from Anemond?¡± I wondered. ¡°You mentioned Dic kson was from there,


    but didn¡¯t the Alpha King send others in Cas sandra¡¯s


    stead?¡±


    Jasper sighed again and shook his head.


    ¡°They left,¡± he exined dejectedly. ¡°The disease is now widespread and affecting an increasing


    number of vigers. The healers from Anemond couldn¡¯t handle it and didn¡¯t want to risk getting


    infected.¡±


    I nodded as I soaked it all in. How cowardly. Though, I couldn¡¯t me them.


    3/4

 Chapter 146

    Chapter 146


    Chapter 146 A little offended


    BECKY


    Alpha Rayden seemed to pick up on my disillusion immediately and set his own fork down. He leaned


    forward and gave me an apologetic look.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re worried,¡± he acknowledged, and he exhaled deeply. ¡°I don¡¯t me you. I didn¡¯t properly


    warn you about the state of things. I should have said more to put it in perspective. The situation in the


    clinic is dire, to say the least.¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± I agreed without missing a beat. ¡°Alpha Rayden, why haven¡¯t you informed the Alpha King and


    requested more healers? Jasper told me the ones he sent here from Anemond left.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been contemting the right way to go about it,¡± he replied in a genuine tone. ¡°I was nning on


    informing the Alpha King of the state of things when I go to visit Anemond next week. The situation


    wasn¡¯t as severest week, but over the past few days, it¡¯s rapidly worsened. The number of patients


    increased significantly this week, and I¡¯m not sure of the cause.¡±


    While I was still so shocked by everything, I could tell from the newly-appointed Alpha¡¯s words that he


    was at aplete loss. This wasn¡¯t his fault and I knew he was hurting on behalf of his people.


    ¡°It¡¯s aplex disease,¡± I agreed with a small nod. ¡°I can tell from my research. Can I ask you, Alpha


    Rayden, when did the disease initially appear here in Wild Crawler? And who was the first patient who


    contracted it?¡±


    Jasper cleared his throat. ¡°Alpha Rayden was in the midst of his military service ven it had first started


    and returned when it had already begun spreading. But I can offer my insight. We couldn¡¯t identify the


    first patient bese many patients had arrived at the clinic within a few days of the outbreak. It had


    urred around the start of spring as the weather was warming, but the exact date is unknown. No


    one in the area has experience dealing with an epidemic, Miss Becky. We¡¯re very new to this.¡±


    1/4


    ¡°I understand,¡± I assured him. There was definitely a challenge in attempting to gather information from


    vague details provided by ailing patients. I could ask them more questions now, but if I wanted to learn


    more about the disease, I needed to do some hands-on research and examine the ailing patients.


    ¡°Thank you for giving me some information. I appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Alpha Rayden replied.


    Despite the looming threat of the situation in the clinic, the rest of the lunch.


    was pl


    I had expected dining with the Alpha of the Pack to be more formal, but the atmosphere was rxed. It


    was surprising to me that Jasper, a guard, and I, a stranger, were allowed to be seated at the same


    table as the leader of the Pack, but Rayden exined without prompting that the kitchen always


    prepared extra food and Jasper needed to eat just as much as anyone else.


    I appreciated the casual and free atmosphere. Anemond was too formal for anything like this. A


    commoner sharing a meal with the upper ss or the Alpha at the same table was unthinkable,


    The people of the capital always considered themselves the elite of Wega, but Wild Crawler seemed


    like a much more hospitable and genuine ce.


    After we finished eating, Jasper apanied me back to the clinic.


    ¡°I wish I could stay with you, Miss Becky, but unfortunately, I have some other tasks to attend to in the


    afternoon,¡± he said as we approached the front door.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± I replied with a smile. ¡°I understand. I don¡¯t expect you to drop everything to help me. I can


    handle things from here, Jasper. I¡¯m going to spend the afternoon getting better acquainted with the


    clinic and maybe start examining patients so I know what I¡¯m going to be dealing with.¡±


    ¡°Well, you won¡¯t be going through it alone,¡± Jasper assured me, ¡°I¡¯ll have a se rvante and help you


    in the afternoon.¡±


    ¡°That would be great,¡± I said.


    We stopped in front of the door, and Jasper reached into the pocket of his


    214


    jacket and retrieved something wrapped in stic.


    ¡°Here,¡± he said as he handed it to me. ¡°This is for you. A mask. So you don¡¯t have to breathe things in


    longer than necessary. As I said, we don¡¯t know if the disease is airborne, but this should at least help


    minimize the smell. I know it can get pretty cloying in there. This should reduce headaches and lessen


    your exposure to the germs.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Jasper,¡± I said, and I epted the mask gratefully. ¡°This is really helpful. I appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± the guard replied. ¡°I¡¯ll see youter, alright?¡±


    After I nodded, Jasper turned around and headed back to the Pack House. I lingered outside of the


    clinic for a moment and gathered my thoughts.


    This was going to be a troubling visit, but I needed to stay strong.


    So, I unwrapped the mask, ced it over my nose and mouth, and then headed


    inside.


    Dic kson was hard at work assessing patients in the corridor. He briefly nced at me as I approached


    but didn¡¯t utter a word.


    I was a little offended at the way he was treating me, but at the same time, I could tell from the dark


    circles under his eyes and the silver hairs on the sides of his head that he was stressed. I understood


    Jasper¡¯sments better. The guard was right. It was clear that Dic kson was a dedicated healer,


    which was why he had remained, but the dire situation at hand was taking a toll on him.


    Nheless, we would be working together in theing days, so I needed to find a way to get along


    with him.


    I lingered for a moment and then cleared my throat.


    Becky.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about the rushed introduction earlier,¡± I managed. ¡°My name I¡¯m from Anemond. I¡¯m studying


    to be a royal healer and conducting research about the disease to take back to the capital. We¡¯re trying


    to work toward a cure. I¡¯m not


    3/4


    here to step on your toes or get in your space. I just want to help.¡±


    Dic kson simply nodded, and I was disappointed when he didn¡¯t say anything more. It was clear that


    despite my best efforts to be kind, he was going to maintain his unfriendly demeanor from our initialC0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    encounter.


    I fought back my irritation. I couldn¡¯t hold it against him no matter how much I wanted to. We were here


    to do a job, not be best friends. If he wanted to keep things professional, I couldn¡¯t fight it..


    I was about to turn away when Dic kson finally rose from his stool and turned to face me. His eyes fell


    to my mask and he practically scoffed at the sight. Then, without another word, he walked away and


    stepped into the room closest to us.


    When he returned a couple of minutester, he had arge stack of documents in his hands. He


    walked up to me and held the stack out.


    ¡°These contain the records of all of the patients, along with the details of their symptoms,¡± he said.


    I epted the papers and waited for him to say more, but clearly, that was all he had to say. So, I just


    nodded.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll start looking through them right away.¡±

 Chapter 147

    Chapter 147


    Chapter 147 She had made a promise


    CAS SANDRA


    As I waited in Asher¡¯s study for him to return, I paced the room and pondered what Spi ke had said.


    The imposter¡¯s words swirled around my mind like a storm, and I felt baffled by all of this.


    If the two diseases or chronic poisons were in fact, different, then how had Asher been infected? How


    had the Alpha King contracted a disease that was so simr yet so different from the one I¡¯d been


    treating in Wild Crawler?


    Was he poisoned?


    And if so, who could have done it?


    Just a day ago, I thought we had finally found a small shred of hope in this nightmare of a situation. But


    if what Asher suffered from was different than the patients in Wild Cralwer, did that mean I couldn¡¯t cure


    him even if Becky or Spi ke


    found a cure?


    couldn¡¯t bear the thought of losing Asher, not now, not ever.


    my heated cheeks, I


    As tears began to well up and threatened to spill onto closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths. I


    forced any and all thoughts to leave my mind as I centered myself, and soon, I was able to calm down.


    Suddenly, just as I was about to open them, a warm hand covered my eyes.


    ¡°Guess who?¡± Asher¡¯s voice yfully tickled my ears.


    I tried to fight my smile, but it was impossible.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I feigned ignorance. ¡°I have no clue. Who is there?¡±


    Asher chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ve never been a good liar.¡±


    1/5


    His arms wrapped around me and hugged me tightly from behind. This had always been his favorite


    yful gesture when we were young. But today, in the midst of all of these discoveries and realizations,


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little sorrowful.


    I forced myself to push through it and remain calm. I shoved my emotions to + side.


    Asher released his hold around me.


    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting,¡± he apologized as he walked over to his favorite leather sofa and took a


    seat. ¡°Have you been here long?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Not too long. It¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± he remarked, and then he patted the cu shion beside him. ¡°Come sit


    with me.¡±


    I nodded and then happily joined him on the sofa. We sat there for a moment, so close that I could feel


    the warmth that radiated from his body. At the very least, it was good that he wasn¡¯t yet cold. Had he


    been freezing, I would have been much more worried. He seemed to be in good spirits despite the dark


    circles that underscored his beautiful gray eyes.


    ¡°I spoke with Spi ke today,¡± I decided to share.


    ¡°Oh?¡± he asked in surprise. ¡°And how was that? Has he made any new


    discoveries?¡±


    ¡°Sort of,¡± I admitted. ¡°He¡­ he noticed that the blood samples weren¡¯t from the same person. He


    recognized that the blood was yours.¡±


    The Alpha King was taken aback and his lips parted in surprise.


    ¡°Oh,¡± he said quietly.


    ¡°He also¡­¡± I trailed off, and I fought to gather myself. ¡°He thinks that your illness is different from the


    one I was dealing with in Wild Crawler.¡±


    2/5


    Asher¡¯s dark eyebrows shot up and his normally tanned face paled. As he


    stared at me in shock, my heart beat rapidly in my chest and I felt as if I were going to cry again.


    I hadn¡¯t wanted to tell him. In a perfect world, I would have withheld this information until I knew what it


    meant for sure. I did this all the time with patients Sometimes, remaining quiet until all of the facts were


    in ce was better. It kep patients from getting prematurely upset.


    But Asher Collins wasn¡¯t just another patient.


    He was the love of my life, and he was


    incredibly sick. Even if I wanted to lie to preserve his feelings, I couldn¡¯t do it. He meant too much to


    me, and I¡¯d spent too much time lying to him.


    Just as I was about to speak, Asher reached over and gently ran his hands through my hair.


    ¡°I now understand why you didn¡¯t seem too happy when I walked in,¡± he said softly as he stroked my


    hair.


    I leaned into his touch and then forced myself to put on a cheerful facade.


    ¡°I made you a promise, Asher,¡± I assured him quietly. ¡°I¡¯m going to find a way to


    cure you.¡±


    Asher smiled back and nodded. ¡°I know. I trust you, Cas sandra. More than anyone else.¡±


    We sat there for a little bit, and once his hand dropped back down into hisp, I cleared my throat and


    oriented my body toward him.


    ¡°Asher, when did you first notice the symptoms of the disease?¡± I wondered.


    He considered the question for a moment.


    ¡°I can¡¯t pinpoint the exact time,¡± he admitted. ¡°But it started not long before my visit to Wild Crawler.¡±


    3/5


    ¡°Had you taken anything suspicious during that period?¡± I inquired, but he


    shook his head.


    ¡°Nothing out of the ordinary,¡± he said.


    I nodded as his words sank in.


    It would have been easier if he¡¯d known, but there was nothing I could do about


    that now.


    We sat in silence for a little while and then I smiled at him.


    ¡°Would you like to visit Finnick today?¡± I shifted the subject.


    Finnick had been feeling quite boredtely. Despite his dislike for Prince Marco, he missed the timesBelongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    when he wasn¡¯t so alone. We were so overwhelmed at the clinic that Erika and Hannah had started


    helping with patient care, leaving Finnick with more free time on his own. Though he was an


    independent boy, he was still at child and yearned for some fun.


    Asher nodded, and without hesitation, we got up from the couch and made our way to the clinic.


    The walk was silent, but I could tell Asher was pleased.


    Once we got there, I led Asher upstairs and down the hall until we reached


    Finnick¡¯s room.


    I knocked on his door.


    ¡°Finnick,¡± I called out. ¡°Finnick, I brought a guest to keep youpany.¡±


    The door opened at once, and Finnick¡¯s eyes were wide with excitement as he greeted me, but when


    he spotted the Alpha King, his smile waned and he looked disappointed. Though he didn¡¯t say


    anything, his expression conveyed his feelings.


    ¡°Hello, Your Majesty,¡± he greeted Asher politely. I shot the Alpha King an apologetic look, but he didn¡¯t


    seem to mind.


    4/5


    We stepped into Finnick¡¯s room and sat down with him on the soft rug in the. center of his room. We sat


    in silence for a moment until Asher reached behind him and grabbed the small backpack he¡¯d grabbed


    before we left his study.


    ¡°I have something I wanted to show you,¡± Asher said, and he reached into the backpack and pulled out


    a box. He handed it to Finnick. ¡°Do you know what this is?


    Finnick carefully opened the box and then widened his gray eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s a chess set,¡± he noted in awe. ¡°Dominic showed me a set in his brother¡¯s room in Wild Crawler. He


    said it was a challenging game.¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± Asher said with a small nod, and then he smiled. ¡°But I can teach you how. to y if you¡¯re


    interested.¡±


    Finnick¡¯s expression brightened and he nodded.


    ¡°Yes, please!¡± he said. ¡°I want to learn.¡±

 Chapter 148

    Chapter 148


    Chapter 148 Chess teacher


    CAS SANDRA


    Asher proved to be a patient teacher, and Finnick was an eager student.


    I sat back and observed their game with interest from the sofa about ten feet away with an impressed


    smile on my face.


    Initially reserved, Finnick soon began asking questions and showing more. interest in the game. His


    furrowed brow unfurled as time went on, and his adorably serious expression shifted to one of intrigue.


    As the game went on, it was clear that the Alpha King and my son were getting along quite well. Asher


    was far more gentle and understanding than I¡¯d expected him to be, and my heart warmed at the sight


    of him spending so much time with Finnick. I¡¯d never imagined this day woulde, and I was relieved


    to have a moment of happiness amidst the tense atmosphere ofte.


    They took a break when Erika entered the yroom with some tea. As Asher, Finnick, and I sat down


    at the table by the window, I ran my hands through Finnick¡¯s


    thick dark brown hair.


    ¡°Did you find the chess game interesting, honey?¡± I asked him gently.


    Finnick smiled at me and nodded. ¡°I want to y chess with you, Mommy. Do


    you know how to y?¡±


    When I nodded, Finnick lit up and raised his eyebrows in surprise. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I confirmed, and then my cheeks heated up a bit. ¡°Actually, I must admit that I¡¯m a pretty skilled


    yer. My father taught me how to y when I was very young. The Alpha King¡¯s father did as well.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± Finnick breathed, and then his head tilted to the side slightly at the revtion. ¡°Mommy, why


    didn¡¯t I know you could y chess? And why hadn¡¯t you


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    taught me before? We could have yed together.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were interested, honey,¡± I exined with a shrug. ¡°If I¡¯d known that you were, I would


    have shown you much earlier.¡±


    Finnick nodded as he considered my words, and then his smile grew wide.


    ¡°So, Mommy, can you show me more?¡± he wondered. ¡°I want to learn. everything I can, and if you¡¯re a


    skilled yer, maybe I could be one someday too!¡±


    Before I could respond, Asher cleared his throat.


    ¡°You know, Finnick, I coulde by every day and teach you if you want,¡± he offered generously. ¡°Your


    mother might be too busy with the clinic to do much, but I can make time toe by and y. I think


    you have a lot of potential as a student.¡±


    Finnick and I nced at each other, clearly surprised by Asher¡¯s offer. Surely, as the Alpha King, his


    schedule had to be far more busy than mine. Was it a good ideal for him to set such time aside for a


    child that wasn¡¯t Prince Marco?


    I was about to object to the idea when Asher spoke again.


    ¡°No pressure, of course,¡± he assured Finnick in a gentle tone. ¡°I just think it


    could be fun for us.¡±


    It was clear that the Alpha King wanted to build a closer rtionship with his son. While I knew the idea


    was a little dangerous, I didn¡¯t object further. His intentions were good, and if Finnick wanted him as a


    ymate, I would ept the idea. Finnick was so lonely here in the clinic while I was working. He


    deserved some


    fun.


    Finnick nced at me, and when I nodded in approval, he extended his hand to


    Asher.


    ¡°Sounds like a deal to me!¡± he noted excitedly. Asherughed and shook his hand, and as they


    laughed, my heart throbbed in my chest. This moment was so special, and I was grateful that the two of


    them were getting along. They were the two most important men in my life. Seeing them together was


    doing so much for my


    2/4


    me ntal health, which had been in shambles for far too long.


    Once we finished the lovely peach green tea and ate some scones Hannah had. made, Asher and


    Finnick sat down to y for a bit longer. I studied a book as they resumed their game, but peeked over


    the heavy volume every once in a while to check their progress. Finnick was catching on fast. I was


    very proud of his progr and knew that he would likely be a very good yer one day.


    Chess had been a passion of mine in my younger years, and as I watched Finnick y against the


    Alpha King, I remembered howpetitive Asher and I used to get when we were children. Asher was


    always so determined to defeat me, but his confidence did him no good. I was too skilled of a yer


    and always managed toe out the victor.


    After a little while, Asher nced at the clock on the wall and let out a small sigh.


    ¡°I wish I could continue ying all night,¡± hemented with a frown. ¡°But unfortunately, I have to be


    leaving. Thank you so much for ying with me, Finnick.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Finnick replied politely, and his cheeks flushed pink with bashfulness. ¡°I had a lot of fun.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Asher agreed.


    He rose to his feet and I set my book aside.


    ¡°I¡¯ll walk you out,¡± I said.


    Finnick and Asher said their goodbyes, and then I led Asher down the stairs and out of the clinic. By


    the time we reached the front door, I was surprised to see that the sky had darkened significantly and


    guards were waiting nearby.


    Asher lingered for a moment.


    ¡°I had a good time with Finnick,¡± he said with a genuine smile. ¡°I look forward to ying future games


    with him.¡±


    3/4


    I nodded. ¡°He¡¯d like that a lot.¡±


    As we stared at one another in silence, I understood that Asher wanted nothing more than to tell


    Finnick the truth and share his true identity. His gray eyes were filled with longing, and I wanted nothing


    more than for that to happen.


    After a brief second of quiet, I spoke again.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find an appropriate time to reveal the truth to him,¡± I assured him softly.


    ¡°I know,¡± Asher replied. ¡°Trust me, Cas sandra, I have no intention of pressuring you. It¡¯s a difficult


    situation and I want you to take your time with it. In the meantime, I just¡­ I want to spend more time


    with Finnick. Get to know him better.¡±


    ¡°Quality time is a great idea,¡± I said as Asher pulled me into an embrace. We hugged for a bit and then


    Asher lifted my chin up and ced his lips against mine.


    We began toss, and I didn¡¯t want to let go, but I gently pushed him before things got too passionate.


    ¡°We¡¯re at the clinic¡¯s door,¡± I reminded him. ¡°Someone could see us.¡±


    away


    Asher chuckled and then kissed me once more. When he pulled away, he


    winked.


    ¡°Have a good evening, Cas sandra,¡± he said, and without another word, he left.


    I watched him depart for a second, and just as I was about to reenter the clinic, I noticed a pair of


    figures beyond me on the street. I squinted. The light was low, but after a moment, my vision focused


    and my heart dropped.


    It was Adalyn and Marco.


    I wasn¡¯t sure how long they¡¯d been there, but from Ada yn¡¯s scowl, it was clear they had witnessed the


    moment between Asher and me.


    C

 Chapter 149

    Chapter 149


    Chapter 149 She seems idealistic


    BECKY


    As I nced over therge stack of patient records that Dic kson had handed me, my eyebrows shot


    up in surprise. The records were more detailed than I¡¯d expected, and I knew they would be of great


    help to my research.


    I scanned through them and sighed. I certainly had my work cut out for me, but I was excited to get


    somewhere with it all. The sooner I found answers, the sooner could go back to Anemond.


    But as I nced over and watched Dic kson take a long, deep breath before heading over to treat yet


    another patient, I knew I had a moral obligation to help him out. Healers wouldn¡¯t let others struggle, no


    matter how rude or off-putting they


    Dwere.


    So, I set the records down in the first room down the hallway, and once returned from stashing them


    away, I approached Dic kson and the woman he was currently taking a look at.


    ¡°How can I help?¡± I asked.


    The healer seemed taken aback by my offer, and his eyebrows crinkled as he turned to look at me..


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you here solely for an investigation?¡± he wondered as he stared at me in confusion. ¡°I gave you


    the records


    You should be able to begin your work.¡±


    ¡°Sure, but you look like you could use a hand,¡± I replied as if my answer was


    vious.


    But Dic kson still didn¡¯t look convinced.


    ¡°I can handle this,¡± he insisted, but I shook my head.


    1/5


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you can,¡± I said gently. ¡°On a normal day. But I can see it in your eyes. It¡¯s been a long day.¡±


    Dic k son¡¯s blue eyes blinked in surprise as he studied me.


    ¡°I guess I just thought you would grab the records and leave,¡± he admitted quietly. ¡°I figured you were


    some kind of detective or something and once you were set on your mission¡­ I don¡¯t know, you¡¯d


    forget all about Wild Crawler.¡±


    I shook my head and smiled at him. ¡°I¡¯m not that sort of person. Sure, I¡¯m trying to do some


    investigative work to bring back to Anemond, but I¡¯m a healer first and foremost. I won¡¯t stand by when


    patients are clearly suffering. If we work together, we should be able to do some good around here.¡±


    ¡°You seem idealistic,¡± Dic kson remarked. ¡°I wish I could be that positive.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t disagree,¡± I admitted, and then I smirked. ¡°But you too, must have at least some idealism as


    you¡¯ve chosen to stay here in Wild Crawler rather than return to the safety of the capital.¡±


    ¡°The sry doesn¡¯t hurt either,¡± he chuckled as he pushed his sses further up his freckled nose.


    ¡°The Alpha King promised a pretty high amount, you know. It¡¯s basically a bribe.¡±


    I smirked. ¡°Well, either way. I¡¯m here to help. Jasper said he¡¯d send a se rvant overter, but until then,


    I¡¯m at your disposal. Just tell me how I can assist.¡±


    Dic kson considered the offer for a moment and then gave me a genuine, though tired smile. ¡°Okay.¡±


    I nodded.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel for him. This was a stressful situation all around and I could only imagine how


    awful he had to feel after so long with little sleep.


    We got to work right away. I helped Dic kson set up a venttor for an ailing young woman, and once


    she was set, we walked over and set up an IV for an older gentleman in the cot next to her.


    2/5


    As we adjusted the medical devices, Dic kson nced over at me. ¡°Thank you, Becky. I appreciate the


    help.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I replied. ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all.¡±


    ¡°Still,¡± he said. ¡°Every bit helps. I¡¯m sorry about my attitude earlier. I had wrongly assumed that you


    would be like the other healers who made brief visits here and then left without actually helping with


    patient care. It¡¯s been a frustrating past few weeks. I¡¯m at my wit¡¯s end.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you¡¯ve had to shoulder that burden. I know my visit is at an inopportune


    time. But I appreciate you helping me with the patient records, and I¡¯ll do anything I can to assist while? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    I¡¯m here.¡±


    Dic kson smiled. Though he was a little rough around the edges, I could. understand that he at least


    had a sense of humor, and likely a good heart buried deep down.


    We spent the afternoon working together and taking care of the ailing patients of Wild Crawler. Just as


    Jasper had promised, a few serv ants arrivedter in the day and helped out with cleaning and other


    tasks that helped lighten our workload.


    Once our patient checks werepleted, we found a moment to rest in the office room where I¡¯d


    stashed away my backpack and medical kit.


    Dic kson stared at my belongings in confusion.


    ¡°What¡¯s all that?¡± he wondered.


    ¡°Oh, those are mine,¡± I exined. ¡°Just some research and other supplies I brought with me from


    Anemond.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Dic kson noted, but he still appeared confused.


    ¡°I¡¯m nning to stay here in the clinic to conduct my research,¡± I exined.


    ¡°It might be better for you to take the documents with you and return here tomorrow,¡± he suggested


    gently, and he walked over to the counter and poured me


    3/5


    a ss of water from a pitcher. I epted it gratefully, and after I took a long, satisfying drink, I shook


    my head.


    ¡°I think I would prefer to stay here,¡± I said. ¡°I want to learn more about the patients and the source of


    the infection. Lugging all of the information back and forth would be inconvenient, and besides, I work


    best at night. Having ess to all of the medical equipment and such would be better for me.¡±


    Dic kson hesitated for a moment and then removed his sses.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have any avable rooms,¡± he said cautiously. ¡°So you¡¯d have to sleep


    here in the office.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s perfectly fine by me,¡± I insisted. ¡°I can sleep on the couch with noints. I¡¯m used to doing


    that in the clinic in Anemond. It¡¯ll be no trouble at all.¡±


    Dic kson studied me for a moment and then smirked.


    ¡°I do my best workte too,¡± he agreed. ¡°I usually stay in the clinic overnight if there aren¡¯t any


    experienced ser vants to help out. I¡¯m sure we could work something out. I might actually be able to get


    some sleep if there¡¯s someone else to take overnight shifts.¡±


    ¡°I would be more than willing to do so,¡± I insisted.


    Dic kson nodded and then put his sses back on.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got a deal,¡± he said.


    I smiled. ¡°Excellent.¡±


    After a moment¡¯s silence, Dic kson removed hisb coat and hung it on a rack in the corner of the


    office.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we go get some dinner?¡± he suggested. ¡°There¡¯s a good restaurant at the end of the street


    that stays opente.¡±


    I considered the idea for a moment. I supposed I¡¯d be expected back at the


    4/5


    Pack House, but getting to know Dic kson better sounded like a better idea.


    were going to be spending some long hours together in the clinic. The least I could do was join him for


    a meal.


    ¡°Sounds great,¡± I agreed.


    I removed my ownb coat and after I hung it up on the rack, I followed Dic kson to the front of the


    clinic.


    ¡°Will you please tell Alpha Rayden that I won¡¯t be having dinner at the Pack House?¡± I asked one of the


    serv ants.


    ¡°Of course, Miss Becky,¡± she replied politely


    I smiled at her, and after Dic kson and I shared a nod, we left the clinic to go get


    dinner.

 Chapter 150

    Chapter 150


    Chapter 150 Curse of the mountain


    BECKY


    With how small Wild Crawler was inparison to Anemond, I didn¡¯t expect much in the way of


    entertainment and dining. But when Dic kson and I arrived at the restaurant just down the street from


    the clinic, I had to fight to keep my jaw from dropping.


    It was a cozy little ce with arge deck extending off of the building. String lights hung from dark


    wood beams and lit the entire ce like stars. With the gorgeous, fragrant forestnds in the


    background, the atmosphere was immacte, and I found myself in awe.


    this smaller


    Anemond had its highlights and its charm, but it had nothing on this Pack on the bordends.


    ¡°Wow¡± uttered. If only Mother could see how beautiful this ce was. Like me, she¡¯d never left the


    capital city, and I often wondered what things would have been like if we¡¯d ventured farther into


    Wega.


    Dic kson smiled when he noticed my expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s my f


    my favorite ce in Wild Crawler,¡± he noted with a gleam in his blue eyes. ¡°Just wait until you try the


    food. It makes an extremely long shift at the clinic feel


    worth it.¡±


    A kind waitress with a beautiful smile escorted us to a table near the windows, giving us a good look at


    the gorgeous night surrounding us. She handed us a pair of menus, and I was surprised to see the


    sheer amount of delicious-sounding food. I struggled to make a choice.


    ¡°The burger is amazing,¡± Dic kson suggested.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll do that,¡± I decided.


    0


    1/5


    The wait was far less than expected, and the waitress delivered our burgers. They came with a pile of? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    seasoned fries, and it was truly love at first bite. The food. was far more delicious than I expected, and I


    savored it slowly.


    Dic kson seemed to be doing the same thing. We ate in silence for a little while,


    and then he cleared his throat.


    ¡°So, Becky, I have to ask¡­why did you willinglye to Wild Crawler to conduct your research?¡± he


    wondered. ¡°Most of the healers from Anemond turned on their heels when they got a good look at the


    circumstances. Why didn¡¯t it bother. you?¡±


    ¡°It bothered me a little,¡± I admitted after I dabbed at the corners of my mouth with a napkin. ¡°But not in


    the way you¡¯d think.¡±


    ¡°Please exin,¡± he urged gently.


    ¡°Well, I knew it was going to be a challenging thing toe here,¡± I said. ¡°I didn¡¯t know the full scope of


    it, though, and that¡¯s what took me by surprise. Marley didn¡¯t mention how bad things had gotten.¡±


    ¡°I was worried about that,¡± Dic kson said quietly, and he let out an exhale.


    ¡°But no matter how challenging this environment might be, I want to uncover the truth behind the


    disease to help Cas sandra,¡± I continued. ¡°I admire her determination to find a cure and if I¡¯m being


    honest, I have an innate interest in it as well. It¡¯s fascinating from a purely scientific standpoint.¡±


    ¡°Cas sandra Keller?¡± Dic kson asked in surprise.


    I nodded. ¡°Yes. She runs the clinic in Anemond.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard plenty about her from Marley,¡± Dic kson confirmed. ¡°And of course from the others here in


    Wild Crawler. I understand that she¡¯s quite a capable healer. They miss her very much around here.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the most talented healer I know,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°She¡¯s got the biggest heart and a very


    keen mind.¡±


    2/5


    ¡°She sounds wonderful,¡± he noted, and then he sipped at his drink. I studied him for a moment and


    then leaned forward.


    ¡°Dic kson, what are the real reasons you stayed?¡± I wondered. ¡°I know it isn¡¯t just for the money,


    despite what you were trying to convince me.¡±


    He smirked at first and thenughed lightly. ¡°I know. I didn¡¯t mean it as anything more than a joke. To


    be honest, Becky, our motivations are pretty well aligned. I can¡¯t bear to see patients suffer without


    proper care. It¡¯s inhumane. Besides, the enigmatic nature of the disease intrigues me.¡±


    I nodded and then began to eat again. As I grew closer to finishing my meal, I briefly contemted


    whether or not to reveal to Dic kson that the disease may have some rtion to poison, but ultimately


    decided against it. I remembered Cas sandra¡¯s cautious approach when sharing information, and while


    Dic kson seemed trustworthy, I opted to keep things confidential for now.


    After our meal, Dic kson escorted me out of the restaurant. We lingered outside for a second, and then


    the healer nced around.


    ¡°I can apany you back to the clinic,¡± he offered politely. ¡°We were there. muchter than I


    expected.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± I assured him. ¡°It isn¡¯t too far away. Thank you, though, Dic kson. This was really nice.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± he replied, and then he ran a hand through his reddish blonde hair. ¡°I¡¯ll at least walk you a


    little further down.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I agreed.


    We continued to walk into the night until we reached a crossroads.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you in the morning,¡± Dic kson said as he stifled a yawn. ¡°Hopefully I¡¯ll be


    a little better rested. Are you sure you¡¯re okay to be at the clinic alone?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I assured him again. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡±


    O


    3/5


    We exchanged our goodbyes and then I continued my journey back to the


    clinic.


    Once I got back, I checked on a few patients before returning to the office to study the pile of medical


    records.


    I set up shop at therge desk in the corner and carefully arranged some papers around me. I studied


    them for quite some time and took thorough notes in my journal.


    The records documented the disease¡¯s progression and as I studied the data, I noted that it seemed to


    advance more rapidly in recently admitted patients.


    What did that mean?


    Were these new cases a new strain of the illness?


    I searched the pages for answers, but couldn¡¯t uncover any additional clues. It would likelye to me


    in time. This was my first night here, after all. It would take hours of study to reach a conclusion.


    I left the office after a while and decided to visit some of the patients before resting. It waste in the


    night, but there were still many patients awake in their


    cots and beds.


    I approached a pair of women conversing in the corridor. My intention was to advise them to get some


    rest, but as I got closer, I noticed they were crying.


    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± I asked as I walked up.


    One of the women appeared to be my mother¡¯s age while the other was likely no older than me. As


    they spoke to me, they revealed that they were in fact, mother and daughter.


    They expressed regret for contracting the illness, believing they could have taken better care of


    themselves.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± I assured them both gently. ¡°The source of the disease.


    |||


    4/5


    hasn¡¯t been identified and its transmission is still unclear.¡±


    ¡°Still, I shouldn¡¯t have visited the mountain,¡± the mothermented as she rant her hands through her


    daughter¡¯s long blonde hair affectionately. ¡°That¡¯s where the disease seems to have originated. I should


    have known better.¡±


    ¡°The mountain?¡± I repeated back in surprise. ¡°How do you know that¡¯s where it came from?¡±


    The mother exined that she had friends who lived in the area and they told her all about it. One of


    her friends had also fallen ill, although not as severely, and she had visited that friendst week before


    contracting the disease herself.


    ¡°It¡¯s the curse of the mountain,¡± she sighed.


    While I knew as a healer that this was more than just a curse, I found the mother¡¯s ount interesting.


    How was her friend so certain that the disease originated near the mountain when even the Alpha


    wasn¡¯t aware of this?


    5/5

 Chapter 151

    Chapter 151


    Chapter 151 Dangerous visit


    BECKY


    Before my brain could start spinning out with the possibilities of this revtion, I gestured to the cots


    pressed up against the walls.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a seat and tell me more about this,¡± I advised gently. ¡°I¡¯ll go grab a stool and then


    we can talk.¡±


    The mother nodded, and as they got situated back in their beds, I stepped into the office and grabbed


    the stool in front of the desk, along with a notepad and a pen. I carefully wheeled the chair out into the


    hallway in front of their beds and opened the pad to a fresh sheet of paper once I sat down.


    ¡°So, before we start, what are your names?¡± I asked with a small smile. ¡°I¡¯m


    we start, what are your names?¡± Becky, and I¡¯m a researcher and healer in training from Anemond.¡±


    ¡°Anemond?¡± the mother asked in surprise, and when I nodded, her eyes widened. ¡°Wow. I¡¯ve never


    been to the capital before. Is it as amazing as they say?¡±


    ¡°Parts of it are alright,¡± I admitted, and then I leaned in closer. ¡°But from what I¡¯ve seen of Wild


    Crawler¡­ it¡¯s much better here.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± she gasped, and her hand fell to her chest. ¡°My goodness. That¡¯s quite apliment. Well,


    anyways, my name is Ang, and this is my daughter, Marina.¡±


    Marina smiled and tucked her blonde hair behind her ear.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you both,¡± I said genuinely. ¡°Now, could you tell me more about what you said?


    That the disease came from the mountain? What does that


    ean?¡±


    Marina and Ang nced at one another and then Ang cleared her throat.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t believe the rumors when I went there for a visit,¡± she exined quietly,


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    1/4


    and she folded her hands in herp. ¡°But it seemed to be true. Otherwise, why would Marina and I


    have gotten infected so quickly after our trip?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why didn¡¯t I see that same pattern in other patients¡¯ records?¡± I asked respectfully. ¡°I


    didn¡¯t see any evidence stating that the patients. here all came from near the mountains?¡±


    Ang let out a small sigh and then shook her head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she admitted. ¡°But I know that not all of the people who got infected came here for help


    because they knew this wasn¡¯t going to be cured. I know a few people, neighbors, friends, people I¡¯ve


    known my whole life¡­ they chose to stay home rather than die in this cold, dark clinic.¡±


    At the mention of death, Ang¡¯s eyes started to well up with tears.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t cry-¡± I tried to soothe her, but it was no use. The tears spilled onto her pale cheeks, and


    when I looked over at Marina, I was saddened to see that she was crying as well. My heart began to


    ache as sadness knawed at my belly.


    This was a terrible situation that no one deserved to be in. Both Ang and Marina were far too young


    to have to worry about death.


    Though I nearly joined them in their fit of upset, I managed to pull myself together. I needed to stay


    under control and put them at ease to keep the other patients from panicking as well.


    ¡°Shhh,¡± I attempted again to soothe them. ¡°Please, don¡¯t cry. It¡¯s going to be alright. I promise I¡¯m going


    to visit the mountain area and try to find some evidence to corroborate your theory. I¡¯ll take some


    samples, interview some people, and do everything in my power to get us closer to some answers.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Marina sniffled, and after she wiped the tears from her eyes with her sleeve, she turned to


    her still-weeping mother. ¡°Please, Mother. Take a deep breath. Let¡¯s try to get some sleep, alright?


    You¡¯ve been awake for hours.¡±


    Ang nodded, and eventually, sheyed down in her col. As Marina tucked her in and wrapped a


    nket around her, recurring memories shed in my mind. I¡¯d


    2/4


    spent countless nights doing the same for my own ailing mother. I would wipe her tears, tuck her into


    bed, and soothe her cries. It was a difficult job, but I would do it a million times over.


    ¡°Get some sleep,¡± I said gently. ¡°Good night,dies.¡±


    ¡°Good night, Healer Becky,¡± Marina said, and as I walked back down the corridor, a smile reached my


    lips.


    Healer Becky. No one had ever called me that before.


    When I returned to the office, I closed the door andy down on the couch. Though I was physically


    tired, my mind raced.


    I didn¡¯t know how much I believed in a ¡°curse of the mountain¡± but there had to be something behind


    Ang¡¯s belief, and I wanted to find out what it was.


    When Dic kson arrived at the clinic early the next morning, I felt like the walking dead. I was awake, but


    just barely, and hadn¡¯t left my perch on the office couch.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± he greeted me chipperly, and he gestured to me with a brown paper bag. ¡°I brought us


    some breakfast.¡±¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you,¡± I said, and I stifled a yawn as he rifled through the bag. He handed me a


    fragrant pastry, and my mouth began to water as I epted it gratefully.


    ¡°Did something happenst night?¡± he frowned as his blue eyes trailed over me. ¡°Your eyes have dark


    circles. Did you get any rest?¡±


    1 took a bite of the pastry and then shook my head.


    ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°Not exactly. But I do have something I¡¯d like to discuss with you.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Dic kson replied seriously, and he dragged a chair over to me. He took a seat and then


    studied me closely. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    3/4


    I took a breath and then told him what Ang had told mest night. Dic kson. listened carefully, and


    once I was finished, he frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of this before,¡± he admitted, and his eyebrows knitted together. ¡°But I didn¡¯t pay much


    attention to it at the time. People tend to believe in superstition when they find medical science unable


    to clear their doubts and fears. What do you think, Becky? Is this something you find any validity in?¡±


    I looked at him for a moment and then answered.


    ¡°Dic kson, have you heard anything about sorcery before?¡± I wondered.


    His frown deepened and he shook his head. ¡°No.¡±


    I sighed and decided to be frank.


    ¡°I don¡¯tpletely believe in what Ang said,¡± I began. ¡°But me and my colleagues in Anemond


    highly suspect that this disease is rted to old sorcery.¡±


    Dic kson looked shocked, to say the least, but I continued anyway. I briefly told him what we had found


    in Anemond- the poison and the suspicious sorcerer, but I didn¡¯t give him all of the details. As I finished


    the story, Dic kson remained silent. I knew he probably didn¡¯t believe me.


    Just as I was about to say something else, he let out a heavy exhale.


    ¡°This definitely isn¡¯t what I expected you to tell me,¡± he said slowly. ¡°And it¡¯s hard for me to believe in


    the existence of sorcery. But I agree with you, Becky. Since we have no clue yet how to cure the


    disease, any information is worth


    investigating.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°We should visit the mountain area,¡± Dic kson decided. ¡°But I think you should report this information to


    the Alpha first. He needs to be aware and evaluate the risk of it all. If what Ang says is true, it¡¯s


    highly possible that we could get infected by visiting the area.¡±


    4/4


    BECKY

 Chapter 152

    Chapter 152


    Chapter 152 Ang¡¯s friend


    I went to Wild Crawler¡¯s Pack House immediately after our conversation. Dic kson remained at the


    clinic in my stead. He¡¯d gotten plenty of rest the night before, so he was awake enough to handle the


    patients while I was away.


    The entire walk there, I tried to formte a n. I needed Alpha Rayden¡¯s permission and blessing to


    leave since I was a guest in his Pack, and I wanted to speak with him in a way that demonstrated that I


    was up to the task of investigating the mountain area of Wild Crawler.


    Being younger than most of my peers presented me with a challenge when it came to most things.


    While I wasn¡¯t as experienced as most, I was a hard worker and quick on my feet.


    Once I reached the Pack House, Jasper escorted me to the Alpha. Rayden was sitting in his library and


    when I entered the room, his eyebrows knitted together.


    ¡°Becky,¡± he greeted me as his dark eyes studied me with concern. ¡°Is everything alright? You look


    exhausted.¡±


    ¡°It was a long night,¡± I admitted and I managed a small smile. ¡°I appreciate you asking. I¡¯m okay,


    though.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Rayden noted, and then he tilted his head slightly. ¡°How can I help you


    then?¡±


    I took a breath and then exined everything I had heard from Ang and Marina in the clinic. I told


    the story in vivid detail so Alpha Rayden could get a clear image of what was happening, or at least


    what could be happening.


    When I asked for his permission to leave, he simply nodded.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he said. ¡°But I must insist that you take extra guards with you. The


    1/5


    strange. I don¡¯t want you to go alone, not when you¡¯re a guest of mine.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Alpha Rayden,¡± I replied gratefully. ¡°I appreciate it.¡±


    With his blessing in mind, I asked to use one of the Pack House phones to call Cas sandra inBelongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Anemond. Since this project was hers, I wanted to make sure she knew what was happening here and


    get her advice since she had once lived here.


    Erika answered the clinic phone and after some brief small talk, she handed it


    over to Cas sandra.


    ¡°Becky?¡± she asked in surprise. ¡°Is everything okay? How are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I noted. ¡°Though, I do have some news.¡±


    I told her everything, and once I was finished, she let out a soft exhale.


    ¡°Be careful,¡± she urged me gently. ¡°This could be a highly dangerous situation. Thest thing we need


    is for you to get infected.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± I assured her. ¡°I promise you, Cas sy, I¡¯ll take extra care and wear a mask so I can limit


    exposure.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± the healer replied. ¡°Remember, Becky, your safety is the most important thing. If it gets too bad


    out there, I want you to leave.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± I promised.


    Once I finished my conversation with Cas sandra, I went back to the clinic. I needed to prepare for the


    visit to the mountains and get some more information from Ang about where to go.


    spent a good amount of the day treating patients alongside Dic kson. It was mostly uneventful and Dic


    kson didn¡¯t seem too talkative. I tried to get a read on his emotions, but it was difficult. I chalked it up to


    residual tiredness and didn¡¯t think much of it.


    E


    But at the end of the day, when we retired to the office for a breather, Dic kson cleared his throat and


    crossed his arms against his chest.


    ¡°Becky, I¡¯ve been thinking about it and I think it would be best for me to go alone,¡± he announced. ¡°You


    could stay here in the clinic while I¡¯m gone-¡±


    ¡°No way,¡± I blurted out immediately. ¡°No, I¡¯m not letting you go alone-¡±


    ¡°Please, at least take a moment to think about it,¡± he sighed. ¡°Who is going to take care of the patients


    and continue to figure out a cure if we both get infected? We don¡¯t need to increase the risk by all of


    our eggs in one basket.¡±


    I wanted to fight against his words immediately, but he had a point. I considered his proposal for a


    moment but ultimately shook my head.


    ¡°No,¡± I decided. ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying Dic kson, but I think we have to do this. We need to


    make the utmost effort to figure out the source of the disease. And I think we need to do it together. I


    know you¡¯re worried about me, but I¡¯m not vulnerable. I¡¯ve been working on this research for a while.


    I¡¯m not going to sit behind and do nothing.¡±


    I raised my chin slightly and waited for his response.


    After a moment of silence, Dic kson exhaled.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he said. ¡°Then we¡¯ll both go.¡±


    ***


    We left the next day. Jasper and a few se rvants agreed to take care of the patients in our stead, so Dic


    kson and I were free to leave.


    Alpha Rayden assigned a driver to take us, and thankfully, it didn¡¯t take long for us to arrive at the


    mountain area. Only one road led in, and was surprised when we arrived.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what I¡¯d expected from Ang¡¯s description, but I was surprised at the sight of the ce.


    The mountain area was more like an isted vige tucked


    3/5


    away amongst tall ridges. It was lovely and idyllic up here.


    When we reached what the driver told us was the residential area, I spotted a smallke through the


    window. It was right in the center of the residential district, and as we got closer, I noticed a few


    vigers taking water from theke.


    ¡°Can we stop here?¡± I asked the driver politely, and though he seemed surprised by the question, he


    nodded and the car came to a stop. Dic kson frowned.


    ¡°What are we doing?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I want to talk to them,¡± I announced, and I quickly pulled a mask from my


    medical kit. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    After I got out of the car, I slipped the mask on and approached the vigers. The trio of women halted


    their conversation at once and widened their eyes as I


    walked over.


    ¡°Hello,¡± I greeted them.


    They nced at one another and didn¡¯t say anything. They appeared timid and I couldn¡¯t me them. I


    was a stranger, after all, so I couldn¡¯t me them.


    ¡°My name is Becky,¡± I tried again. ¡°What are you gathering the water for-¡±


    Before I could even finish my question, the women ran away. I stood there in shock for a moment.


    What was going on?


    Dic kson appeared a momentter. ¡°Should we go after them?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No. I don¡¯t want to scare them further. Let¡¯s get back in the car and get to Ang¡¯s


    friend¡¯s house.¡±


    We got back to the car and then asked the driver to take us to our original destination.


    It wasn¡¯t too much further, and we stopped at a small yellow house at the edge of the residential area. It


    was no bigger than the one I shared with my mother, and I


    4/5


    admired the wildflowers nted along the path.


    Dic kson and I grabbed our masks and then got out of the car. We headed up the drive and my heart


    pounded in my chest. I wasn¡¯t sure what to expect, but I was nervous all the same.


    I knocked on the door and momentster, it opened to reveal a pretty middle-aged woman. Her green


    eyes trailed over me as her eyebrows knitted together.


    ¡°Hello?¡± she asked in surprise. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Hello, ma¡¯am,¡± I said politely. ¡°My name is Becky-¡±


    Before I could finish my sentence, the woman tried to close the door. Instinctively, I tried to stop her,


    and my hand got caught in the door.


    I let out a cry of surprise and the woman¡¯s face grew apologetic.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she apologized but she still didn¡¯t seem eager to speak.


    My hand throbbed but I forced myself to ignore it.


    ¡°Please, can we speak with you?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯m a healer and researcher from Anemond. I was hoping to


    talk to you and get some answers about something I¡¯m currently working on. I won¡¯t take up much of


    your time.¡±


    The woman hesitated for a moment and then nced down at my reddened


    hand.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she decided, and she held the door open for us. ¡°Please,e in.¡±


    5/5

 Chapter 153

    Chapter 153


    Chapter 153 Water from theke


    BECKY


    Dic kson and I stepped into the woman¡¯s home, and the moment we did, the strong scent of herbs


    tickled my nose even through my mask. The scent was pleasant but erring on the side of too potent,


    and winced slightly.


    The woman led us to her parlor, and as we stepped through the kitchen, I was reminded of my home


    back in Anemond. Her house was cozy and simple, and my heart ached a little as I thought of my


    mother.


    Once we entered the other room, the woman stared at me for a second. Though her eyes were bright,


    the rest of her looked exhausted. Her skin was deathly pale, and though she wore a top with a high


    cor, I could see a prominent back mark that spanned from her neck to her ear.


    ¡°Please, take a seat,¡± she said, and she gestured at the round white dining room table. ¡°Can I make


    you some teap


    Dic kson and I nced at one another as we took a seat.


    ¡°No thank you,¡± I said as I shook my head politely. ¡°I appreciate your hospitality, but we¡¯re here to ask


    you a few questions. We won¡¯t take up much of your time, ma¡¯am, I promise.¡±


    The woman¡¯s expression sank even further and her lips curled down slightly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any answers for you,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Anything can help,¡± I tried to coax it out of her. ¡°Ang sent us. She said you might be able to help us.


    We¡¯re on your side here. We just want to help.¡±


    At the mention of Ang¡¯s name, the woman¡¯s lips parted in surprise and then she took a long, deep


    breath.


    1/5


    ¡°You can¡¯t help us, miss,¡± she replied, and she gripped the back of one of the dining room chairs tightly


    as she stared at the floor. ¡°We¡¯re cursed. No one can help


    us.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that?¡± I asked, and I leaned forward in my seat and rested my hands on the table.


    The woman¡¯s chest heaved up and down and her lower lip trembled..


    ¡°D-d-d-don¡¯t you see h-healer?¡± she asked as she gestured at her neck, and her voice grew louder as


    she began to emotionally break down. ¡°Everyone here was infected with this¡­thing. It¡¯s been so long


    and no one has been able to cure the disease. People have been dying left and right. There are so few


    of us left now.¡±


    As she dissolved into tears, I started to stand, but Dic kson gripped my arm and shook his head. I


    wanted nothing more than to soothe the poor woman, but if the disease was really as rampant in this


    part of the country as she was making it seem, then we couldn¡¯t get too close.


    We remained silent until the woman calmed down a bit. She took long, deep breaths until finally, she


    was able to raise her head and look at us again.


    ¡°Whatever questions you have, I¡¯m not sure if I can help you,¡± she said. ¡°I know very grew little. No one


    knows how the disease got started so no one knows why it


    more severe.¡±


    I was about to ask a follow-up question, but before the words could escape my mouth, the woman


    spoke again.


    ¡°Now, if you don¡¯t mind, I need to take care of my husband. He¡¯s far iller than I am. If your hand is


    better, miss, you should leave.¡±


    Dic kson and I shared another look and then I nodded. We rose from our seats and just as we prepared


    to follow the woman out, another question escaped me.


    ¡°Why are people taking water from theke?¡± I wondered. ¡°When we arrived, we saw women there


    filling up containers. As far as we know, the whole vige has tap water. So why draw from theke?¡±


    2/5


    The woman didn¡¯t appear as if she were going to answer, and then finally, she


    sighed.


    ¡°By taking the water, we can slow the progress of the disease.¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°How?¡± I asked.


    The woman huffed impatiently and gestured toward the door. She red at me


    angrily.


    ¡°Please leave,¡± she demanded. ¡°Immediately.¡±


    Dic kson and I wasted no time and nodded. We scrambled out of the house quickly and once we


    reached thewn, I released a heavy sigh.


    ¡°Well, that didn¡¯t go how I thought it would,¡± I murmured.


    I stared back at the house and my mind began to spin. I hadn¡¯t intended Ang¡¯s friend to give us all of


    the answers we required, but I¡¯d expected far more than she¡¯d given. At the very least, at least we got


    to witness the disease. It was obvious that the people of the mountain really were sick.


    Had Ang been correct?


    Had the disease originated from here?


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Dic kson asked as he gestured at my still-red hand.


    I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m alright. I appreciate you asking.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± he said. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go to the vige and see if we can find someone else to help us.¡±


    After we shared a nod, we walked further into the residential area. As we meandered through the


    vige, it seemed obvious that everyone was trying to avoid us. I wasn¡¯t sure if it could be attributed to


    our masks or the fact that we were outsiders, but either way, we couldn¡¯t get much information.


    3/5


    ¡°Dic kson, what do you think about what the woman said?¡± I asked after a while.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted, and he took off his sses and wiped the fog from the lenses on the hem


    of his shirt. ¡°But I doubt the water from theke could be


    effective.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I figured as much. But there¡¯s no reason for the woman to lie. Since there are vigers


    taking water from theke, we should try to collect a sample. We can test it in theb and make sure


    there aren¡¯t any properties we weren¡¯t aware of.¡±


    We decided that since we weren¡¯t making good progress with the vigers and it was unlikely anyone


    would give us information, we should head back to the clinic. On the way out, we asked the driver to


    take us back to theke.


    When we arrived, I was surprised to see another group of women collecting water in buckets.


    I grabbed a test tube from my medical kit and Dic kson and I approached theke, but when we got


    closer, the women rushed away. I fought back a sigh. I wished we could speak to them, but I wasn¡¯t


    going to force them into a conversation.


    So, I took a sample of the water, and once it was collected, we returned to the car and headed back to


    the clinic.


    Our drive was silent but short.


    When we arrived back at the clinic, I wanted to go to sleep, but before I retired to the office¡¯s couch, I


    decided to check in with Ang.


    Thankfully, she and Marina were still awake, and they offered me smiles as ! approached.


    ¡°Healer Becky,¡± Ang said. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± I said with a small smile. ¡°I went to the mountain area. I tried to speak with your friend but she


    didn¡¯t want to answer any questions.¡±


    ¦¥¦°

 Chapter 154

    Chapter 154


    Chapter 154 Water sample


    BECKY


    Ang stared at me in disbelief and her eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked confusedly, and she nced over at Marina. Her daughter shrugged


    and stared at me with the same expression.


    ¡°The water in theke,¡± I rified, and when she still didn¡¯t seem to understand what I meant, I took a


    breath and then ryed what her friend had told me about the water and its supposedly healing


    properties.


    ¡°Did you know anything about this?¡± I asked once I finished.


    Ang shook her head slowly. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. No one ever said anything about it, especially not her.


    Besides, when I was there for a visit¡­ Pauline just kept crying. She was so upset about her health and


    her husband¡¯s that I was hardly able to get a word in otherwise. All I could do was try to soothe her.


    She used to be so happy before, but since the illness set in, she hasn¡¯t been the same.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± I remarked.


    I couldn¡¯t me Ang¡¯s friend in the slightest. Any person would feel the same in her situation, and


    my heart ached at the thought of so many citizens in Wega suffering a simr fate. This feeling


    motivated me as a researcher and healer in training. I would do all I could to help Ca ssandra cure the


    mysterious disease.


    Suddenly, an idea crossed my mind.


    ¡°This might be a silly question, but did you drink anything there?¡± I wondered. ¡°Anything in your friend¡¯s


    house? Either of you?¡±


    Ang frowned but nodded as if it werepletely obvious. ¡°Of course. I was there half a day. Pauline


    made me tea.¡±


    1/5


    Of course. Tea would have been made with water, which meant there was a strong chance its source


    was from theke. I had a bold suspicion.


    The disease could be spreading from the water in theke.


    Of course, I wasn¡¯t entirely positive that this was the case. It was a bit of a long-shot and I had little to


    no evidence, but I decided I would run the idea by Dic kson first.


    I bid goodnight to Ang and Marina and then quietly returned to the office. Dic kson was there waiting


    and once the door was shut, I told him my idea.


    He was a little surprised by it, ut agreed that my suspicion had a point.


    We hadn¡¯t suspected the water because we had all assumed that the Wild Crawler members drank tap


    water, which should be from the same source. But if the vigers in the mountain area drank water from


    theke, it could be the source of the disease.


    I thought then of the sorcerors.


    Did someone poison theke?


    A chill traveled down my spine at the idea.


    Di kson and I spent the rest of the evening speaking with the many patients in the clinic, conducting


    interviews about what they knew to see if my theory had any legs to stand on. Luckily for us, many of


    them were native to the districts near the mountain area.


    Some remembered they took water home with them after a visit because theke was clean, and they


    believed it represented good luck. Others couldn¡¯t remember if they had consumed or gotten wet from


    the waters at all.


    Unfortunately, these varying stories didn¡¯t make much of a difference. My suspicion couldn¡¯t be proven


    by mere conversation alone.


    If I wanted to know more, I had to test the water sample.


    2/5


    ***


    I went to the Pack House with Dic kson. Once we arrived, we were greeted by some guards who


    immediately escorted us to Alpha Rayden. I was tired from my visit and longed for a nap, but I knew my


    business took precedence. I could sleepter once my findings were made known to the Alpha. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    But just as we were about to meet with him, Dic kson touched my arm.


    ¡°I can handle Alpha Rayden,¡± he decided. ¡°I¡¯ll update him on everything we¡¯ve learned. In the


    meantime, why don¡¯t you call Cas sandra Keller in Anemond? I¡¯m sure she wants to know what¡¯s going


    on and she might have some insight that could help us.¡±


    ¡°Good idea,¡± I said, and I offered my fellow healer a smile. ¡°Thank you, Dic kson. I appreciate all of your


    help.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Becky,¡± he replied.


    A se rvant escorted me to an empty office, and once the door was closed behind me, I dialed the clinic


    in Anemond¡¯s number. As I waited for an answer, a lump formed in my throat. I was experiencing some


    lingering nervousness about all of this and was worried about what Ca ssandra would say about my


    theory.


    Luckily, she picked up quickly.


    ¡°Cas sy?¡± I prompted her. ¡°It¡¯s Becky.¡±


    ¡°Becky?¡± Cas sandra said in surprise. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Did you visit the mountain area?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± I confirmed. I told her everything about our visit and our working theory about theke water.


    Cas sandra was silent for a little while and then cleared her


    throat.


    3/5


    ¡°Becky, I think it¡¯s time for you to return to Anemond,¡± she said reluctantly.


    I frowned. ¡°What do you mean? I want to stay here and help-¡±


    ¡°I know you do,¡± Cas sandra interrupted gently. ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°Alpha Rayden is going to be visiting Anemond soon,¡± I spoke quickly. ¡°He cou. take the sample back


    with him.¡±


    ¡°The sample needs to be tested immediately,¡± Ca ssandra insisted calmly. ¡°And I can¡¯t find another


    trustworthy healer as excellent as you, Becky. I need you. Besides, I spoke with the Alpha King and he


    said he¡¯s going to send more healers to Wild Crawler. He also said that more soldiers will be sent to the


    Pack to keep things


    under control.¡±


    I fell silent as her words set in. I wanted to argue and remain here. But she was right. We needed


    Anemond¡¯s equipment to test the sample.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re right. I need to finish some business here and then I¡¯ll return as soon as


    possible.¡±


    Once the conversation concluded, I left the office and when I stepped out into the hall, Dic kson was


    waiting for me. He frowned slightly. His expression told me that he¡¯d likely heard what I¡¯d said to Cas


    sandra about returning to Anemond.


    But the healer didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, we left the Pack House quietly and started walking back to


    the clinic.


    After a minute or two, I spoke up.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I apologized. ¡°I said I would stay to help and now I can¡¯t keep my promise.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Dic kson replied, but his eyes remained fixer on a point beyond us.


    ¡°Cas s andra told me more healers are on the way,¡± I continued. ¡°So you won¡¯t have to fight this alone. I


    know I¡¯m leaving, but I¡¯m going to do everything in my power to find a cure.¡±


    4/5


    This time, he finally looked at me and his lower lip twitched.


    ¡°I believe you,¡± he said.


    We fell into silence again until we reached the clinic.


    ¡°When are you leaving?¡± Dic kson asked.


    I I


    ¡°Maybe the day after tomorrow?¡± I guessed. ¡°I want to get organized and check. the patients¡¯ data once


    more before I leave.¡±


    He nodded.


    We didn¡¯t speak for the rest of the day. I could tell as we worked that Dic kson was distressed but I


    couldn¡¯t figure out why. I wanted to ask him outright, but like always, we were extremely busy.


    So, I put my head down and concentrated on my work.


    5/5

 Chapter 155

    Chapter 155


    Chapter 155 Suspicion


    ASHER


    ¡°Checkmate,¡± I announced with a small smirk, and when I looked at Finnick, I had to fight augh. The


    poor boy pouted as his big gray eyes stared down at the board and appeared disappointed.


    ¡°Shoot,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sad,¡± I chuckled, and I reached across the table and touched his arm gently. ¡°You¡¯re making


    excellent progress, Finnick. You¡¯re learning chess in such a short amount of time. At this rate, it¡¯s only a


    matter of time before you will defeat


    me.¡±


    The young boy didn¡¯t seem all that convinced and continued to study the board carefully without saying


    a word.


    Meanwhile, I looked at Finnick and began to wonder whether I should let him win the next time we


    yed. It was incredibly tempting, but I remembered Cas sandra¡¯s advice that Finnick was a proud


    child who wouldn¡¯t be happy if he found out I¡¯d deliberately lost the game.


    Just as I was about to say something to cheer Finnick up, Cas sandra finished her call and entered the


    room. Her emerald eyes were full of worry and her fair cheeks were even more pale than usual. She


    tugged at a strand of her long copper hair and then turned to Finnick.


    ¡°Honey, I need to speak with the Alpha King alone,¡± she requested politely.


    Finnick nodded right away and rose to his feet. He was far more polite than most boys his age and I


    admired how easily he seemed to understand his mother¡¯s needs.


    Erika stepped in to y with the boy while Cas sandra gestured for me to follow her. I stood up and


    once we were in the hallway, I tried to read her expression.


    1/5


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked.


    Cas sandra remained silent but took my hand and led me to the meeting room. Once the door was


    closed behind us, she let out a small sigh.


    ¡°I just spoke with Becky on the phone,¡± she revealed. ¡°It seems like the situation in Wild Crawler is far


    worse than we imagined.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I said as my eyebrows came together in confusion. I was well aware that C ass


    andra¡¯s former Pack was in rough shape. I¡¯d sent a group of royal healers to aid the singr clinic, but


    from the look on her face, it was clear that it hadn¡¯t been enough.


    Cas sandra carefully took a seat on the edge of one of the leather sofas and stared vacantly in the


    distance. Distress painted her features, and while I wanted to push to find out what had happened, I


    knew I needed to grant her some space to gather her thoughts.


    We lingered in silence for a few minutes until she relinquished a sigh.


    ¡°Becky went to visit the mountain area in Wild Crawler,¡± she revealed finally. ¡°She got Alpha Rayden¡¯s


    permission to go investigate. She got a tip from one of the patients in the clinic who mentioned that the


    disease originated from there.¡±


    My lips parted in surprise.


    ¡°The mountain area,¡± I repeated back.


    Cas sandra nodded. ¡°There¡¯s ake there that¡¯s a prominent water source for the Pack. Becky thinks


    there¡¯s a chance that the waters are infected. We aren¡¯t sure how many people have drank from it, but


    it seems to be a high amount. As such, Becky took a sample of the waters. We want to test it and see if


    it holds any properties that could support her theory.¡±


    ¡°A tainted water supply,¡± I breathed, and as the word, sank in, I ran my hand through my hair.


    This wasn¡¯t good at all.


    2/5


    I could see the worry in Cas sandra¡¯s demeanor. She had a deep attachment to Wild Crawler after


    living there for five years. I could tell her heart was aching for her


    people.


    I reached out and gently squeezed her hand. When her beautiful eyes met my gaze, I pulled her closer


    and then into my arms. I rested my chin on her head and rubbed her back to soothe her.


    ¡°More healers and soldiers are ready to support Wild Crawler,¡± I assured her gently. ¡°I promise, Cas


    sandra, we¡¯ll get to the bottom of this and make sure that the people of the Pack are taken care of.¡±


    She nodded quietly.


    We remained locked in each other¡¯s arms. I snuggled her close and buried my face in her sweet-


    smelling hair.


    When Cas sandra spoke again, she said something that made me freeze in surprise.


    ¡°If the disease came from the water, someone must have poisoned it,¡± she whispered.


    Though she didn¡¯t name names in her deration, I knew at once that we likely had the same suspect


    in mind.


    Emmett Keller.


    Cas sandra¡¯s former husband.


    I could feel her heart pounding in her chest and squeezed her tighter. I knew this was all almost too


    much to bear. She had been Emmett¡¯s friend and mentee. It was probably hard to even consider him to


    be a viin.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be by your side no matter what the truth is,¡± I assured her. ¡°I¡¯ll be with you every step of the way.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Asher,¡± she replied, and when we pulled apart, she offered me a


    3/5


    tiny smile and wiped her eyes. They were red and wet with tears. I hadn¡¯t even realized she had been


    crying.


    Just as I was about to say something more, there was a knock on the door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Cas sandra called out, and she quickly regained herposure.


    The door opened to reveal Erika.


    ¡°Cas sandra, there¡¯s a guard here who wants to report something to the Alpha King,¡± she said with an


    apologetic look.


    Cas sandra nodded and then turned to me.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± she urged me. ¡°We can talk moreter.¡±


    I nodded and after Erika stepped back out into the hallway, I kissed Cas sandra on the forehead. AfterContent held by N?velDrama.Org.


    she smiled at me, I headed out of the meeting room.


    A pair of guards stood waiting for me, and after they offered me bows respect, one of them spoke.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the Beta Ss wishes to see you,¡± he dered. ¡°He has an urgent report.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, and without hesitation, I left the clinic and followed the guards back to the pce.


    Once we reached my study, I was surprised to see Ss waiting outside of the doors. My brother-in-


    law¡¯s face was deadly serious and his golden eyes appeared troubled.


    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting,¡± I said, and I held the door open for him. The Beta and I went inside, and


    once the door was closed, I released a short breath. I had no idea what this was about, but Ss wasn¡¯t


    one to call an impromptu meeting.


    Ss took a seat on the chair opposite my desk, and once I was seated, he cleared his throat.


    475


    Your Majesty, I received a report from the border about Ector Felix¡¯s illness,¡± he


    revealed solemnly. ¡°His condition is deteriorating and the healers at the border


    couldn¡¯t provide the necessary medical care. I worry that if there isn¡¯t some kind intervention on


    Anemond¡¯s royal healer¡¯s behalf, he may not survive much longer.¡±


    As his words crashed over me, I rubbed my temples. I would need to visit the border sooner than


    nned. I had intended to go after Kaleb returned to the North,


    but now I had to expedite the trip.

 Chapter 156

    Chapter 156


    Chapter 156 Loyal to Wega


    ASHER


    I considered the idea for a moment before speaking up. This decision couldn¡¯t be a careless one, not if


    Ector Felix¡¯s life were at stake.


    I knew at once that Ss¡¯ suggestion for royal healers was out of the question. The Felix family had


    been banished from Anemond. There was no way we could let something this confidential be revealed


    to healers I didn¡¯t even trust with my own condition. Ector wouldn¡¯t be weed back to the Crescent


    Pack with open arms. I knew well that the people of the capital wouldn¡¯t be satisfied with his return, not


    when he¡¯d been so publicly banished by my father.


    But they did matter.


    Cas sandra and Ector were the only ones I was thinking of


    Ector needed my help and I wasn¡¯t about to refuse him medical intervention.


    ¡°I¡¯ll visit the borders in two days,¡± I decided. ¡°I¡¯ll need yourpany as well, Ss, but I want this trip to


    remain confidential. I don¡¯t want this news to get out to anyone else in Merliscire. Is that clear?¡±


    Ss nodded. ¡°Of course, Your Majesty. This will remain between us.¡±


    Just as I was about to speak, there was a knock at the door, so loud that I jumped in surprise.


    ¡°Who goes there?¡± I asked as I steadied my nerves. Between Ector and the bu iness in Wild Crawler, I


    was feeling a tad bit unsteady.


    ¡°Lancel, Alpha,¡± I heard in reply from the other side of the door


    ¡°Come in,¡± I called out. Momentster, the door opened to reveal my most trusted guard. I hadn¡¯t seen


    him in a while; he¡¯d been on a confidental assignment.


    As ofte, he¡¯d been tasked with the job of investigating the Beta family.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    As Lancel entered my study, his expression was reluctant as he noticed Ss.


    ¡°Good evening, Beta Ss,¡± he greeted him politely anyway.


    ¡°Good evening,¡± Ss replied politely. He seemed to notice Lancel¡¯s strangely stiff demeanor, and I


    could practically see the gears of his mind trying to make sense of the suddenly strange atmosphere of


    the room.


    Meanwhile, my head began to throb as a headache began to manifest. Every instinct wanted me to


    dismiss both the guard and the Beta so I couldy down and try to rest, but there was too much to


    attend to. I had to cast my physical illness aside and fulfill my duties as the Alpha King first and


    foremost.


    As Lancel stood before me, I could sense he was hesitant to begin speaking, which told me he was


    going to report something rted to the Beta family.


    I was about to ask Ss to leave, but suddenly, an idea struck me. It was a daring one for sure, but the


    moment it entered my mind, I couldn¡¯t let it go.


    ¡°Lancel, please go ahead and share your report,¡± Imanded with my chin raised slightly.


    Lancel¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, and he nced at Ss before looking back. at me. I gave him a


    nod and a reassuring look. While this was potentially one of the worst ideas I¡¯d ever had, this was also


    an opportunity to test whether Ss was involved in what Oliver Moses was doing.


    The guard took a quick breath and then began his report.


    ¡°Alpha, I have observed the king of Yerene visiting the House of Moses several times recently,¡± he


    revealed. ¡°Both alone and with diplomats.¡±


    Ss started to frown and nced at me in surprise. Clearly, he hadn¡¯t expected Lancel to mention


    something like this right in front of him. It was also immediately obvious that he had no idea what the


    guard was talking about.


    2/4


    ¡°Really?¡± I asked in surprise, and I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my desk. Lancel nodded


    once.


    ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± he replied solemnly. ¡°I witnessed it on a total of six asions. I couldn¡¯t gather more


    information than that without risking being seen.¡±


    I nodded in consideration and stared out the window as I thought about this new information.


    What business did the King of Yurene have with the Moses family?


    Before my mind could jump to the worst of circumstances, I turned back to


    Lancel.


    ¡°The House of Moses was likely trying to show hospitality to our guests from the North,¡± I offered


    nonchntly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that is cause for rm. But thank you for your information, Lancel. I


    appreciate it greatly.¡±


    My words were hollow, and Ss seemed to know that immediately. It wasn¡¯t normal for the Beta family


    to have private meetings with a foreign king, especially without informing the Alpha King beforehand.


    ¡°Of course, Alpha,¡± Lancel replied politely. ¡°Shall I take my leave?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said with no hesitation, my eyes locked on Ss. ¡°You are dismissed.¡±


    Lancel gave me a small bow and without another word, the guard left the study. When Ss and I were


    finally alone, the Beta bowed his head.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I have no knowledge of these meetings,¡± he swore. ¡°I have no involvement in my


    father¡¯s business.¡±


    I nodded as his head raised back up. I leaned forward and raised an eyebrow in his direction.


    ¡°How do you feel about this situation?¡± I asked him directly.


    Ss seemed a little taken aback by the question and hesitated in his reply.


    3/4


    After a moment, he spoke again.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s inappropriate for my father to meet with the king of Yurene in private,¡± he stated. ¡°I assure


    you, Your Majesty, that I am not involved. I am loyal to the country and my Alpha King. I would never


    allow my father to do anything. harmful or treacherous to Wega. I care for my family, but our duties to


    your supersede my feelings.¡±


    I stared at him for a moment and looked for any physical indication that he was lying. It was the most


    prominent Moses family trait. Adalyn lied just as easily as breathing and Oliver was a master


    maniptor. Even Marco had picked up on his mother¡¯s tendencies to bend the truth.


    But Ss didn¡¯t appear to be lying. His golden gaze was steady and calm, and his tone emphasized his


    words without overexaggeration. I didn¡¯t know with the utmost certainty, but I had a strong sense that


    he was telling me the truth.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I epted his response and didn¡¯t ask him any more questions about the matter. ¡°Thank you,


    Ss. Please get to work straight away and arrange our visit to the border in two days¡¯ time.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± he replied, and he rose from his seat. He gave me a simple bow but as he walked


    to the door, his pace slowed, and he turned back to face me.


    ¡°Have you heard any news of Becky¡¯s return?¡± he asked quietly. ¡°When will she be returning to


    Anemond?¡±


    I had to force back a surprised look. I hadn¡¯t expected the serious and guarded Beta to inquire about


    Cas sandra¡¯s assistant.


    ¡°Very soon,¡± I answered. ¡°There¡¯s a dangerous situation in Wild Crawler. Becky uncovered some clues


    and will be returning to conduct some more research as soon as possible.¡±


    At the mention of Wild Crawler¡¯s danger, Ss¡¯ golden eyes widened, but he simply nodded and didn¡¯t


    ask any further questions. Instead, he just left the room.


    4/4

 Chapter 157

    Chapter 157


    Chapter 157 I like you


    BECKY


    After my call with Cas sandra, I had a conversation with Alpha Rayden, and my departure was quickly


    arranged. This would be myst night in Wild Crawler, and despite my short stay, I had grown fond of


    the small Pack.


    The trees, the fresh air, the seclusion, and the general feeling of hominess made my return to


    Anemond feel all the more difficult. While some patients could be unreasonable or even extremely hard


    to deal with at times, most of them had been so kind to me. Anemond had a tendency to treat outsiders


    with scrutiny and mistrust. Wild Crawler had been the opposite.


    I¡¯d never felt more wee in a Pack.


    In Anemond, I was just a poormoner with no title and no worth other than my scientific mind. Here,


    I felt valued and cared for.


    It would be hard to leave, but I had no choice. I had to get the sample from theke to the clinic in


    Anemond so I could conduct the proper research and get a step closer to solving the mystery of this


    terrible illness.


    I had to break the news to the patients in the clinic, and most of them were sad but understanding


    about my departure. I assured them they were in good hands with Dic kson and that the Alpha King


    was going to deploy more help for their Pack.


    When it came time to say goodbye to Ang and Marina, I felt a particr bit of sadness. I wished I


    could stay to help them further but I had no choice. Thankfully, Ang understood immediately.


    ¡°Thank you for your help, Healer Becky,¡± she said gratefully with a smile. ¡°I appreciate everything


    you¡¯ve done for us.¡±


    Marina offered a nod and a smile. ¡°Safe travels, Healer Becky.¡±


    1/4


    ¡°Thank you both,¡± I said, and then I continued to make my rounds. Word spread quickly that I was


    leaving the next morning, and I was surprised at the amount of people who were sad at the news. Even


    Jasper expressed his disappointment when he came by to assist us with our patients in the afternoon.


    That night, I went to dinner with Dic kson once more at the restaurant he had previously taken me to. I


    decided to use this opportunity to ask the healer what was on his mind, as he had appeared unfazed


    and nonchnt since I mentioned my


    departure.


    I wanted to treat him to dinner to lift his spirits. I would likely need his assistance even after returning to


    Anemond, so I wanted our friendship and partnership to end on a positive note. I couldn¡¯t leave things


    fractured, not when he was under so much pressure here.


    As we were seated at a table by the same waitress from the other night, I expected Dic kson to


    continue to remain silent, but to my surprise, he cleared his throat and then turned to me.


    ¡°I hope you can figure out more about this disease and find a cure, Becky,¡± he said kindly. ¡°You¡¯re far


    more skilled than 1 am and I think you¡¯re capable of saving all of these people.¡±


    I was taken aback by his statement.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied, and I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. ¡°That¡¯s very nice of you to say, Dic


    kson. But for the record, I don¡¯t consider myself better than you. You¡¯re an excellent healer with great


    compassion and work ethic. In fact, if we¡¯re being honest¡­ you¡¯re better than most of the royal healers


    in Anemond.¡±


    Dic kson smiled wistfully at the praise and removed his ck-rimmed sses. His sky-blue eyes were


    warm and bright, and his smile was genuine.


    ¡°I have to be honest with you as well,¡± he began, and he nced around before continuing. ¡°My


    reasons for staying here in Wild Crawler extend beyond simply wanting to uncover the truth about the


    disease and help the patients here. Of course, I want to help them, that goes without saying, but I¡­ I


    hope this experience can enhance my chances of bing a royal healer myself. Is that selfish to


    2/4


    admit?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No, not at all. I understand your ambition entirely. Aspiring to be a royal healer


    is amon goal among healers. Truth be told, I hope my own experience as Cas sandra¡¯s assistant


    will help me achieve that goal as well. I¡¯m just as ambitious as you are.¡±


    Dic ksonughed softly.


    ¡°That makes me happy to hear,¡± he acknowledged as he ran his hand through his reddish blonde hair.


    ¡°I was worried that it was a terrible want.¡±


    ¡°No, not at all,¡± I swore.


    The waitress appeared with our food, and she walked away after setting the tes in front of us. We


    dug in happily, and as I savored my burger and mashed potatoes, I wished I could extend my visit here.


    As silly as it was to admit, the hospitality and food here were unmatched, and I loved having this


    chance to just share a meal with a friend without the expectations Anemond ced on me.


    Mother would love this ce so much.


    Once we discovered a cure for the dreaded disease, I would bring her here.


    Once our meal concluded, Dic kson offered to walk me back to the clinic. This time, I epted his kind


    offer.


    Now that our prior silence had been breached, we discussed the people we had encountered in the


    mountain area.


    ¡°Alpha Rayden believes it might be appropriate for him to visit the area,¡± Dic kson noted. ¡°He hasn¡¯t


    been there in a long time and wants to get an idea of the situation himself.¡±


    ¡°Having an Alpha present could encourage more honesty from the locals,¡± I agreed. ¡°Refusing to


    answer questions from a pair of strangers is understandable, but dodging the questions of an Alpha¡­


    that would be highly unlikely. If you speak of it again, encourage Rayden to wear a mask. Thest thing


    this Pack needs is for


    3/4


    their Alpha to fall sick.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Dic kson said with a nod. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to pass that information along. Luckily, I think Rayden


    understands the risks well.¡±


    Once we reached the clinic, Dic kson stopped in ce and turned to face me with a strange


    expression.


    ¡°Becky, do you n to visit Wild Crawler again?¡± he wondered quietly.


    I stopped in my tracks and stared back at him in surprise. Dic kson spoke again.


    ¡°I was¡­ I was just wondering if I would ever see you again,¡± he said, his gaze focused intently on me.


    Even in the darkness of the night, I could see his cheeks had flushed a deep pink.


    on?


    Stunned by the depth of his stare, I was rendered speechless. What was going


    Dic kson approached and once he was in front of me, he reached out and gently tucked a lock of my


    short hair behind my ear. Much to my surprise, I didn¡¯t step


    back.


    He drew so close that I could smell the rich scent of his woody cologne.


    ¡°I like you, Becky,¡± he admitted softly. ¡°I know this might be a blunt confession, but I don¡¯t want to miss


    the opportunity to tell you. I think you¡¯re wonderful, Becky, and I want to see you again.¡±


    44C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 158

    Chapter 158


    Chapter 158 Her answer


    BECKY


    My eyes widened in surprise and a lump formed in my throat.


    Had Dic kson really just said that?


    Did he actually like me?


    I hadn¡¯t expected the healer¡¯s confession at all. I¡¯d thought our rtionship was purely professional, but


    judging by the seriousness of his tone, he saw me in a different light.


    His intense gaze made me feel dizzy, which prompted me to take a step back to create some space


    between us.


    ¡°I think you might be mistaken,¡± I managed as I stumbled over my words. ¡°Your feelings might not be


    what you think they are. We¡¯re in a dangerous environment with a high amount of tension. This might


    be a case of misattribution of arousal.¡±


    I¡¯d read much on the subject in a book I¡¯d found in the library in Anemond. People in situations such as


    ours often found themselves dealing with emotions they weren¡¯t used to because they were under


    duress.


    Surely, that had to be the case with Dic kson.


    But he shook his head.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t a false feeling,¡± he said slowly with fierce determination. ¡°I¡¯m genuinely attracted to you, Becky.


    I¡¯ve never felt this way about any woman before. But I¡¯ve contemted my feelings for an entire day


    and I¡¯m certain about them.¡±


    He stared up at the moon above us and took a long, deep breath.


    ¡°I don¡¯t deserve a woman like you,¡± he admitted sadly. ¡°I¡¯ve always considered


    1/4


    myself to be nothing more than an unattractive nerd. The Moon Goddess hasn¡¯t blessed me with


    desirable features like she has with other men. I¡¯m grateful for my scientific mind, but when ites to


    my appearance¡­ I know I¡¯m not much.


    Nevertheless. I want you to know my feelings, Becky.¡±


    I studied Dic kson and observed a vulnerability in his demeanor. Most of the men I¡¯d encountered back


    in Anemond hadn¡¯t ever expressed things like this aloud. I was used to men who treated me like


    objects. It was clear that Dic kson wasn¡¯t one of them. He was kind and gentle.


    ¡°Don¡¯t demean yourself,¡± I reassured him quietly. ¡°You¡¯re a kind, considerate, and truthfully attractive


    person, despite your outward projection of being hard and reserved.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just saying that,¡± he muttered.


    I shook my head. ¡°No. I¡¯m not a liar. I¡¯m being honest, Dic kson.¡±


    A glimmer of hope shed across his lovely eyes at the sound of my words and his lips curled into a


    smile.


    ¡°Would you¡­ ept my feelings?¡± he asked. ¡°Do you feel the same way, Becky? Be honest with me. I


    can handle it.¡±


    ¡°With everything going on in this Pack, I haven¡¯t given it much thought,¡± I admitted, and I offered him an


    apologetic smile.


    Luckily, he didn¡¯t seem hurt by my response and simply took a step closer.


    ¡°Can I ask why?¡± he wondered.


    I hesitated and struggled to find an answer. Truth be told, during the duration of my stay, I hadn¡¯t


    considered Dic kson as any more than a decent colleague. I¡¯de here to cast aside my thoughts


    and experiences with men. Sure, Marley had practically encouraged me to shift my affections to


    someone new, but I hadn¡¯t thought of Dic kson as that person.


    I considered whether the image of Ss Moses in my mind had something to do


    with my hesitation. The mere thought of him began to intrude my brain and I shook my head in an


    attempt to banish him from my mind.


    After I nced up at the moon, I took a long, deep breath and shifted my gaze. over to Dic kson.


    ¡°I can¡¯t give you an answer at this moment,¡± I said. ¡°I appreciate your sentiments and I appreciate that


    you like me, but I don¡¯t know how to respond to it.¡±


    I half-expected the healer to blow up at me or make some snide remark to hurt me, but instead, heBelongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    simply nodded and appeared vulnerable once again.


    I felt awful. This was aplete and total mess. I wished Ca ssandra or Marley were here to help


    provide support to me.


    All of my experience with men came from the ones in my district that Mother had tried to set me up


    with. Outside of them, I had only ever interacted with Ss, and clearly, that hadn¡¯t ended well for either


    of us.


    What could I do? I didn¡¯t want to lose Dic kson as a friend but I couldn¡¯t lead him on if I was so unsure


    of my feelings.


    As I studied him, I had to admit he was quite handsome. Though his sses were a little on the nerdy


    side, his wavy reddish-gold hair was thick and very nice. I loved the s at tering of freckles on the bridge


    of his nose, and his smile was brilliant. Sure, he had a tendency to be quiet and hardened, but


    underneath that surface, he was intelligent and kind. Any woman would be lucky to have him.


    I just wasn¡¯t sure if I was that woman.


    ¡°I promise I¡¯ll visit Wild Crawler again once I solve the mystery of the disease,¡± I said after a moment of


    pause. ¡°And when I do¡­ I¡¯ll give you an answer then.¡±


    ¡°What happens if you can¡¯t figure it out?¡± Dic kson said with a sad smile.


    I smiled back and answered yfully. ¡°Well, you¡¯re just going to have to pray that I seed.¡±


    3/4


    He didn¡¯t speak at first and then he rxed andughed lightly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait however long you need,¡± he said, and he pushed his sses up the bridge of his nose. ¡°Have


    a good rest of the night, Becky. I¡¯ll see you in the morning. before you leave.¡±


    I nodded and tucked my hair behind my ear. ¡°Good night, Dic kson.¡±


    After he gave me onest lingering smile, Dic kson left and I entered the clinic. Although I tried to


    maintain myposure as I headed to the office, my heart raced in my chest.


    Dic kson was unlike any man I¡¯d met before. He wasn¡¯t like the others I¡¯d had the displeasure of


    knowing in Anemond. He was quiet, almost too quiet, but I could sense the depth of his emotions when


    he confessed his feelings to me.


    I didn¡¯t want to let him down, but there was something in the back of my mind, an annoying image that


    kept intruding.


    Ss¡¯ golden eyes in the garden. The way he¡¯d held my chin and stared at me under the silver light of


    the moon.


    I pushed the image away just as quickly as it arrived. No. No, I couldn¡¯t think about Ss, not now.


    So, instead, I decided to focus on my work. I picked up some supplies from the office and then began


    my evening rounds. I made sure my patients werefortable and took their vitals. I chatted with them


    happily and did my best to assure them that they were in good hands with Dic son.


    I


    Ipleted my tasks quicker than I wanted to. When I returned to the office, I stared at the couch. Part


    of me wanted to lie down, but the other part knew I wouldn¡¯t sleep too well.


    So, I decided to take a walk outside to clear my mind. Surely, a stroll in the moonlight would rx my


    nerves.

 Chapter 159

    Chapter 159


    Chapter 159 Foolish decision


    SILAS


    My decision to leave Anemond to visit Wild Crawler territory wasn¡¯t a rational one, especially at such a


    late hour. But I couldn¡¯t remain calm after learning that the remote Pack was in a dangerous situation.


    In fact, ever since I¡¯d left the Alpha King¡¯s study that afternoon, the image of Becky kept shing in my


    mind.


    I had initially nned to check on the night training of the royal guards at dawn, but changed my mind


    upon reaching the training yard. I asked the captain to oversee the training session instead. The


    captain agreed without question, but I could sense some confusion behind his gaze. He was a good


    and loyal man, but right now, his concern t didn¡¯t matter much to me. I needed to leave.


    Instead of taking a car, which would have attracted too much attention, I made an impulsive decision.


    I decided to shift into my wolf form and run.


    While it may have seemed foolish and impossible to others, I was an impossibly fast runner. I had


    trained countless hours to build my muscles and agility, which made my wolf form stronger than most


    my age.


    Before I shifted into my second form, I slipped out of the castle grounds and made my way out of town


    through the back roads. It would have been faster to slip out through the market, but my face was too


    easily recognized there.


    Once I was out of the city limits, I shifted into my wolf form and began to run.


    Through my experience and vast study of the borders of Wega, I knew exactly where to go, even


    without a map. Though the journey was normally quite long, I was impossibly fast, and I managed to


    reach the Pack within a few hours.


    Darkness had fallen by the time I made it to Wild Crawler. I slipped into the trees undetected and once I


    shifted back into my human form, I took a moment to


    1/4


    catch my breath. My heart raced in my chest and a sheen of sweat broke out across my forehead. IContent held by N?velDrama.Org.


    wiped it away andbed through my hair with my fingers.


    Once I was decent, I made my way down the paved road and began my search


    for the clinic.


    Unlike the bustling streets of Anemond, Wild Crawler was quiet, and there were few people outside.


    After a while of struggling to find my bearings, I decided to approach a trio of unassuming vigers.


    ¡°Could you tell me the address of the clinic?¡± I requested. I understood the viger¡¯s panic as they


    looked at me with varying degrees of concern. Just as the Alpha King had said, the disease was


    rampant in this part of the country as well as dangerous. Everyone likely feared the clinic.


    The youngest of the trio spoke up and gave me directions, and without any hesitation, I headed down


    the street.


    I figured it might be a foolish decision to go to the clinic sote, as Becky might not be there. For all I


    knew she could be resting in the Pack House or at a hotel.


    nearby.


    But as I approached the clinic, I spotted a sh of dark red hair as a figure walked by and all of my


    doubts vanished.


    Becky was there in front of the building and she appeared lively and well, which was a massive relief.


    Even from a distance, I could detect a sparkle in her reddish brown eyes, and skin was luminous in the


    silver light of the moon. I longed to kiss her full pink lips and kiss every freckle on her nose.


    Yet, much to my dismay, she was in thepany of a young man, which was not aforting sight.


    He was tall and conventionally attractive, but wore a pair of dark rimmed sses that did him no favors.


    He didn¡¯t seem like much, but when he reached out and touched her hair, a knot formed in my stomach


    and jealousy swelled within me.


    I had an overpowering impulse to intervene and confront the man who stood


    2/4


    too close to my mate. However, I managed to keep myself under control, as I was well aware that


    Becky would not appreciate such an outburst.


    It was difficult to control myself in this situation. My instincts told me to behave one way and yet my


    thoughts urged me to be more rational.


    So, I waited behind a tree near the clinic. Its trunk wasrge enough to shield me from view but I could


    still overhear everything they were saying.


    The conversation was simple enough until the young man took a deep breath and confessed his


    feelings to Becky. My hands balled into fists as my eyes widened in surprise. This was a shocking


    moment to walk into, but I couldn¡¯t leave, not now. I needed to hear what this young man had to say


    and I needed to know Becky¡¯s


    response.


    There was only one truthful part to the man¡¯s confession: he didn¡¯t deserve her. A wave of satisfaction


    crashed over me as the statement left his mouth.


    No, he didn¡¯t deserve a woman like her at all.


    What infuriated me, though, was that Becky didn¡¯t outright reject him. As I hid behind the tree, I waited


    as they conversed for her to cast him aside, to mention she had a mate, a boyfriend, anything that


    would spurn his advances.


    And yet, it never came up. In fact, she said something to the affect of she would give the man answer


    when she returned.


    Returned?


    To Wild Crawler?


    I didn¡¯t understand what was happening.


    A surge of rage coursed through my veins and I didn¡¯t know how to handle this sutyatuin. I was usually


    adept at handling any challenges that came my way, but I felt powerless when it came to Becky. She


    remained beyond my control and it was frustrating.


    1/4


    As I leaned against the trunk of the tree, I studied the path leading to the clinic. I knew I should leave; if


    I stayed any longer, I might lose control again and risk losing Becky for good.


    The young man departed a minuteter and as he left, I let out a sigh of relief. His absence would only


    put me more at ease.


    Becky went inside the clinic and I debated how to proceed. I couldn¡¯t deny that I had an intense desire


    to rush into the clinic, kiss her, and even im her as my


    mate.


    But I couldn¡¯t act on those impulses. Not now, at least. I needed to be rational.


    So, I sat down on the ground for a while and admired the wooded area around me. There was a


    calmness here that didn¡¯t exist in Anemond. The fresh scent of pine filled the air and as I breathed it in,


    I felt my muscles rx My hands stopped shaking and I rolled my shoulders back. I was tense from my


    temper and sore from my run.


    Once I was at ease, I rose to my feet and stood up straight. I decided I should return to Anemond after


    all. Becky was safe and I needed some time to think.


    I stepped out from behind the tree and just as I was about to leave, I heard a familiar, beautiful voice


    call my name.


    ¡°Ss?¡±


    It was Becky.


    I turned toward the direction of her call, and when our eyes met, Becky¡¯s lower lip trembled.


    474

 Chapter 160

    Chapter 160


    Chapter 160 He missed her


    BECKY


    I blinked my eyes three times to make sure I hadn¡¯t mistaken Ss¡¯ presence. Despite my disbelief,


    though, his c innamon and clove scent lingered in the air and filled my nose until my mouth began to


    water.


    He looked just as handsome as ever. His golden eyes practically glowed with warmth and his dark


    brown hair was swept away from his face. His tannedplexion was as perfect as ever, and as my


    eyes fell to his full lips, I noticed a small birthmark there I¡¯d never noticed before.


    Before I could lose myself in the beauty that was Ss Moses I forced myself to focus. Why was the


    Beta here in Wild Crawler? Had he followed me here? The thought was amusing enough for me to ask


    it aloud.


    ¡°Did you follow me here, Ss? Have you been here this whole time?¡±


    Much to my irritation, he didn¡¯t answer my question and instead uttered a simple greeting.


    ¡°Good evening, Becky,¡± he said softly.


    His gaze was strange and unwavering, but I couldn¡¯t help but get lost in his longshed eyes. I


    managed to regain myposure once more and sighed.


    ¡°Did the Alpha King send you here?¡± I asked. Cas sandra had told me during our phone call that the


    king of Wega was going to be deploying more healers and soldiers to help Wild Crawler get back on


    their feet. Was Ss merely one of those aforementioned bodies?


    Was he here out of duty or because he was here to see me?


    Stop it, Becky, I urged myself before I could get too carried away. Don¡¯t fall into that kind of thinking.


    1/5


    Ss remained silent for a moment and then spoke again.


    ¡°Do you care about why I¡¯m here?¡± he asked.


    I found hisck of responses frustrating. Given our history, I genuinely didn¡¯t care about his reasons for


    being in Wild Crawler, and I was tired of the constant mind games. I wasn¡¯t a ything to be messed


    around with by men. I was a human being and a woman worthy of genuine connection and concern.


    So, I simply huffed and attempted to walk past him and ignore him. I fully nned to give up on the


    idea of a moonlit walk and return to the clinic and get some rest so I could feel better in the morning


    and make one final round of visits to my patients before returning to Anemond.


    However, before I could get away, Ss caught my wrist suddenly and prevented me from leaving.


    ¡°Let me go,¡± I sighed, and I struggled against his grip, but Ss held on tighter. It wasn¡¯t tough enough


    to hurt me, but I couldn¡¯t break free.


    ¡°Who was the man?¡± he asked, and when I frowned, he rified. ¡°The young man with the sses that


    you were speaking with earlier. Who was he?¡±


    It took a moment for me to realize that he was referring to Dic kson.


    ¡°He¡¯s a healer in the clinic,¡± I exined. ¡°His name is Dic kson. He¡¯s a colleague.¡±


    Ss¡¯ eyes narrowed slightly.


    ¡°He told you he liked you,¡± he said in a tone that was eerily calm but still had undertones of jealousy.


    Heat rushed into my cheeks at once.


    ¡°You were eavesdropping on our conversation!¡± I used him. ¡°What, were you spying on me or


    something?¡±


    Ss remained calm but nced down at the ground for a moment.


    2/5


    ¡°Are you going to give him a response?¡± he asked softly. ¡°Are you going to tell him you share feelings


    for him?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not any of your business,¡± I reiterated as anger filled my belly.


    What did Ss care about any of this?


    He publicly rejected me time and time again. Sure, he had shown up to help me when Frederick was


    getting too intense with his advances, and then spoke kindly with my mother at my house, but we were


    still at odds with one another.


    ¡°Do you like him,¡± he pressed further. Just as I was about to reply and tell him again that it was none of


    his business, Ss pulled me closer until I was practically up against him. For a moment, I thought he


    was about to kiss me, and instinctively, I raised my hand up and pped him.


    Ss waspletely taken aback and sta ggered at the motion. When he frowned, I expected him to


    be angry, but instead, he released his hold on my wrist and took a step back.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Becky,¡± he apologized. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you. I won¡¯t force you anymore.¡±


    For a moment, I couldn¡¯t believe what I had heard, but I was relieved that the Beta wasn¡¯t going to push


    the matter any further.


    I chose not to say anything more about it. We stood opposite one another in silence until Ss spoke


    again.


    ¡°I came to Wild Crawler because I missed you,¡± he admitted softly. ¡°Ourst encounter left me¡­


    longing for you. I don¡¯t know how else to exin it. When I heard that things here were dire, I wanted to


    ensure everything was fine.¡±


    His eyes nced skyward, and when he looked down at me a secondter, my heart nearly sk ipped a


    beat.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be visiting the border again soon,¡± he continued in a tone I had difficulty reading. ¡°I won¡¯t


    be interrupting you anymore. Good night, Becky.¡±


    36


    Without another word, he turned away to leave. As I watched him walk away, I wanted to say


    something more, but I found my throat was too tight with emotion to say a word.


    I considered chasing after him. I was short but I could run quickly.


    But even if I managed to catch up to the Beta, what would I say? Would I confess that I¡¯d been thinking


    of him too? That being away from him was so difficult it was almost painful? That most of my dreams


    involved him and my daydreams


    consisted of my lips against his?


    No.


    None of that would go over well.


    Once Ss was gone, I didn¡¯t feel like taking a walk anymore. Instead, I quietly slipped back into the


    clinic and returned to the office. Once the door was closed, I let out a deep exhale andy down on theC0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    couch. I sunk back into therge cus hions and tried to sleep, but my mind raced too quickly for me to


    rx.


    Everything felt so chaotic.


    First, there was Dic kson¡¯s sudden confession of love and then there was Ss, my mate, showing up


    out of the blue to tell me he missed me.


    This was all so crazy.


    When Ss had mentioned missing me, I was sure my heart had ski pped a beat, but I couldn¡¯t be


    certain if the feeling within me was truly love or just the effects of our mate bond. Though the stories


    were few since mate bonds were so rare, I knew the connection between mates was incredibly strong.


    So was our connection just purely based on that?


    Or did Ss Moses truly care enough about me to miss my presence?


    Either way, I couldn¡¯t do this anymore. I nestled back into the cu shion and closed my eyes tightly.

 Chapter 161

    Chapter 161


    Chapter 161 Back to Anemond


    BECKY


    My departure came faster than I was ready for. The night before was sleepless, as I couldn¡¯t rx after


    everything that had happened between Dic kson, Ss, and


    me.


    Jasper had told me yesterday that the car arranged for me would be waiting outside of the clinic around


    6:00 AM. I stretched my arms up above my head and yawned, then I checked the clock hanging on the


    office wall. It was around 5:30.


    I had already packed up my belongings, except for a change of clothes. I would. slip into them before I


    left so I would feel refreshed for the long drive ahead.


    For now, I decided that I would do onest round and see how the patients. were doing. It had been a


    quiet night in the clinic, but that didn¡¯t mean much.


    I left the office and walked around quietly. Most of the patients were still fast asleep in their beds and


    cots, but when I began to walk down the corridor off of the main clinic area, I spotted Ang and


    Marina. Marina was tucked in, fast asleep, but her mother was awake.


    ¡°Becky,¡± Ang greeted me with a small smile as I approached. ¡°How did you sleep, honey?¡±


    ¡°Not as well as I¡¯d hoped,¡± I admitted, and then I smiled back. ¡°But I have plenty of time to rest in the


    car so it¡¯ll be alright. How are you feeling this morning?¡±


    ¡°A little sore,¡± she replied and she gently rubbed one of the dark marks on her pale neck. ¡°The marks


    hurt more and more these days.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± I remarked, and then I held up my medical kit. ¡°Let me take your vitals before I


    go.¡±


    I went ahead and took her temperature and made some notes on her chart.


    2/5


    Once I was finished, Ang held my hand in hers and I was surprised at how warm it was. Her high


    body temperature was likely rted to the disease and it sent a wave of sadness through me.


    ¡°Thank you for helping us, Healer Becky,¡± she said earnestly. ¡°May the Moont Goddess bless you on


    your life¡¯s journey.¡±


    When she squeezed my hand, I squeezed it back. ¡°You as well, Ang.¡±


    The woman nodded and thenid back on her cot and closed her eyes. I lingered there and once her


    eyelids started fluttering, I made my way back down toward the office. I took a moment to double-check


    that I had all of my belongings with me, and once I was sure everything was in its proper ce, I picked


    up my bags and carried them out the front door.


    The early-morning air was chillier than I anticipated and I shivered a bit in surprise. The car hadn¡¯t


    arrived yet, but there, standing near the tree where I had discovered Ssst night, was Dic kson. His


    arms were crossed against his chest and his eyes were fixed on the ground.


    I wasn¡¯t sure how long he¡¯d been there, but I supposed he had arrived early. He seemed lost in his


    thoughts but when I walked down the path and approached him, he finally lifted his gaze.


    ¡°Becky,¡± he said, and his cheeks flushed a little. ¡°Good morning.¡±


    ¡°Good morning,¡± I replied politely but shortly. I wanted to say more but on the off chance that things


    were still strange between us, I kept quiet.


    I had expected there to be awkwardness between us considering what Dic kson had said to mest


    night, but as he smiled at me, I could hardly sense anything off.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that,¡± Dic kson said, and he gestured to my backpack. ¡°The car should be here in a minute or


    so.¡±


    I nodded and handed my pack to him. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± he replied.


    2/5


    We stood there in silence until a long ck car pulled up to the clinic. Once it came to a halt, Dic kson


    picked up my belongings and began to load them into the trunk. Just as he¡¯d finished, Jasper arrived at


    the clinic and greeted us.


    ¡°Good morning Becky,¡± Jasper greeted me and then turned to Dic kson. ¡°Dic kson, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d


    be here so early. I wasn¡¯t expecting you until the Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    afternoon¡±


    His demeanor seemed bright despite the early hour, and I had the strong sense that it was because of


    Marley. My return to Anemond meant that she would be returning to Wild Crawler, and from what I¡¯d


    gathered about the two of them, they bore strong feelings toward one another.


    Dic kson smiled and pushed his dark sses up the bridge of his freckled nose.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t fall asleepst night, so I decided toe to work early today,¡± he exined nonchntly.


    ¡°I see,¡± Jasper noted, and then he nced between us. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t your sleep? Was there a


    development in the research?¡±


    Dic kson shook his head and gave an apologetic smile. ¡°No, unfortunately not.¡±


    I swallowed silently and stared beyond them. I had a strong theory as to why the healer couldn¡¯t fall


    asleep, but I couldn¡¯t say so, not to Jasper. After a moment, I nced at Dic kson. There was a strange


    feeling hanging over my heart when looking at him, an unexinable unease.¡±


    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s everything, Becky, you should get going,¡± Jasper said and he nced at his watch. ¡°You


    have a long drive ahead of you.¡±


    I nodded and then smiled at them. ¡°Thank you both for everything. I¡¯m going to miss you.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll miss you too,¡± Jasper replied.


    ¡°We sure will,¡± Dic kson chimed in quietly.


    3/5


    comfier than the one I¡¯de to Wild Crawler in and I relished the cus hioned seats.


    I had nned to rest during the drive, but again, I couldn¡¯t fall asleep. Perhaps I was just too excited to


    return to Anemond to test out the water sample and get closer to the truth of this all, but I couldn¡¯t


    pretend like that was the only thing on my mind.


    As my head swam with the possibilities, I tried my best to cast aside all thoughts of Ss and Dic kson.


    They had given me a lot to consider, but I couldn¡¯t worry about that now.


    So, I simply stared out the window and watched as the vastness of looming forest gave way to


    sprawling cities and enormous buildings.


    The hours went quickly until we finally arrived back in Anemond. As the car drove onto the street where


    Keller¡¯s was located, the cloud in my heart diminished. I took a breath, and as we pulled up to the


    clinic, Marley and Cas sandra stepped out of the building and waved excitedly.


    When I got out of the car, Marley rushed over and gave me a huge hug.


    ¡°Wee back, Becky,¡± she greeted me warmly. ¡°I missed you!¡±


    I smiled and hugged her back. ¡°I missed you too. But I¡¯m sure there¡¯s someone you miss more than


    me¡­ someone back in Wild Crawler?¡±


    4/5

 Chapter 162

    Chapter 162


    Chapter 162 The way to truth


    CAS SANDRA


    On the morning of Becky¡¯s return to Anemond, Asher arrived at the clinic to pay me a visit. I was


    surprised when the Alpha King greeted me at the door because just the day before, he¡¯d mentioned


    that he was leaving Anemond on business for a couple of days.


    While I¡¯d wanted to know what he was up to, I knew better than to ask. As the leader of Wega, there


    was likely something to handle with the military, especially with Ss¡¯ recent return to the Pack. The


    Beta had been away to observe the troops on the border and make sure they were up to the Alpha


    King¡¯s standards, so I was sure it had to do with that.


    Despite his assurance and calm demeanor when he¡¯d told me the news, that morning when he stepped


    into the clinic, his expression was strange.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± he greeted me quietly, so as to not wake Finnick, who was still


    fast asleep.


    ¡°Good morning to you as well,¡± I replied, and then I offered him a small smile of surprise. ¡°What are you


    doing here, Asher?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to check in before I left,¡± he exined softly, and then he reached out to touch my cheek. ¡°I


    know we said goodbye already, but I wanted to make sure that you were going to be alright while I was


    gone.¡±


    I nodded thoughtfully. ¡°I appreciate that very much, but I¡¯ll be okay. Becky is set to return today and


    we¡¯re going to be hard at work on the water sample and such. I¡¯ll be so busy that I¡¯ll hardly have time to


    get myself into any trouble.¡±


    Asher smirked. ¡°Good. Thest thing I need is for you to get into something while I¡¯m away.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a tough girl,¡± I assured him yfully. ¡°I¡¯ll be able to handle myself.¡±


    1/4


    ¡°Still,¡± he remarked. He then drew me closer to him and once I wrapped my


    arms around his neck, he wrapped his around my waist and pressed his lips against mine. His kiss was


    warm and inviting, and since there was no one around who could possibly see us, it was more drawn


    out than usual.


    Once it ended, the


    Inba King¡¯s gray vect


    ¡°I might have a big surprise for you when I return,¡± he mentioned off-handedly.


    My eyebrow shot up. ¡°Oh? What do you mean by ¡®might¡¯?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll just have to wait and see,¡± he teased, and then he leaned in and kissec my temple. ¡°I¡¯ll be back


    before you know it.¡±


    We shared one more embrace and then Asher left. As I watched him through the window as he walked


    down the drive, I frowned slightly. There was something strange in his behavior that made me feel a


    little uneasy, but I dismissed those feelings before they could fester. It was early and I might have just


    been overly sensitive.


    Things were getting better between us, even taking Adalyn and Marco into consideration. Even though


    Adalyn had witnessed our kiss that night outside of the clinic, she hadn¡¯t done anything about it. While


    that fact was a little worrying, I wondered if she¡¯d decided it wasn¡¯t worth the trouble and let it go.


    Either way, I wasn¡¯t going to question it too much. I had too many other things upying my mind. I


    needed to stay sharp so I could focus on Becky¡¯s return and what this new piece of evidence could


    mean for our research.


    As I waited for the car to arrive, I brewed some morning tea and when Finnick awoke, I spent some


    time with him. Erika mentioned that they would be coloring today, which was one of his favorite


    activities, so my son¡¯s demeanor was happier than usual.


    Marley awoke a littleter and sat with me in the waiting room of the clinic. We sipped at our tea and


    nibbled on some pastries that Hannah had made. We made some small talk but avoided the impending


    subject of Marley leaving. Becky¡¯s arrival meant my friend would be going back to Wild Crawler, and I


    was sad, to say the


    214


    least.


    Finally, after a few hours, Becky arrived, and after we gave her a warm wee, we helped her carry


    her things inside.


    Once she was settled in, we had lunch together, and then Becky went to focus on the water sample. To


    my surprise, my assistant didn¡¯t seem all that excited about her findings. I could tell from the weary look


    in her russet eyes that something had happened in Wild Crawler- not something big, but something that


    was clearly weighing on her mind.


    I decided not to ask, even though I wanted to. If she wanted to talk about it, would wait for her to bring it


    up.


    Before she went straight to theb, she gave Marley a tight hug and wished her a nice journey.


    As my friends said goodbye to one another, my heart began to ache. I would do anything to keep


    Marley with me. With her, Erika, and Becky in the clinic, Anemond was finally beginning to feel like


    home. But Marley had children to worry about. She had done me a huge favor by staying here in


    Becky¡¯s stead, and now that my assistant was back, Marley had to go figure out the details of her own


    life, including her divorce.


    Marley collected her bags, and I helped her carry them to the car. The driver loaded them up and


    Marley and I stepped away to say our goodbyes.


    ¡°My kids are going to be thrilled to see the toys I got them here,¡± Marley remarked. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to give


    them to them.¡±


    But as soon as the words left her lips, her light green eyes started to well up


    with tears.


    ¡°Oh, Cas sy,¡± she managed to say. ¡°I know it¡¯s not like we¡¯re never going to see each other again, but


    leaving you is¡­ it¡¯s so hard. I miss you so much.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, I miss you too,¡± I agreed, and I reached out and touched her arm. ¡°Maybe next time, you can


    bring your family.¡±


    JA


    ¡°That would be great,¡± Marley said through her sniffles.


    ¡°Maybe you could even bring Jasper-¡± I teased, and before I could finish my sentence, Marley punched


    my arm and then began tough.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, yeah,¡± she chuckled, and then she pulled me into her arms. We hugged each other tightly


    and remained there for a minute or two until finally, she pulled away. ¡°I love you, Cas sandra.¡±


    ¡°I love you too


    Marley,¡± I replied, and finally, I began to tear up as well.


    She climbed into the car and I watched it leave until it disappeared at the end of the street. I took a


    moment to collect myself and then I walked back into the


    clinic.


    but I decided to be productive instead. Becky had left part of the water sample with me, and an idea


    crossed my mind.


    Part of me wanted to go back to my room and cry a little more


    Becky had mentioned the idea of the water source in the mountain area being poisoned.


    Who better to look at the water sample than Spi ke, our resident poison expert?


    I picked the second tube from theb, tucked it into my medical kit, and once it was secure, I headed


    out of the clinic and toward the pce dungeon.


    4/4C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 163

    Chapter 163


    Chapter 163 Probing


    CAS ANDRA


    When I arrived at Merliscire, I was greeted immediately by Lancel. The Alpha King¡¯s most loyal and


    trustworthy guard seemed surprised to see me and remarked as such after I said hello..


    ¡°Miss Ca ss andra,¡± he remarked curtly. ¡°What brings you to the pce? The Alpha King is away on


    business-¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I interrupted gently. ¡°He told me yesterday after our health check.¡±


    Lancel nodded. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°I was actually wondering, Lancel, if you could do me a favor?¡± I wondered, and when the older man¡¯s


    thick eyebrows knitted together in confusion, I took a step forward and leaned in slightly. ¡°I¡¯ve been


    entrusted with a sample from Wild Crawler that may be beneficial to our research.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± he asked in surprise and then he regained his no-nonsense air. ¡°And what would you intend


    to do with it, Miss Cas sandra?¡±


    I nced around the entryway of the pce to ensure that no one was around to overhear our


    business and when I was sure we were alone, I spoke candidly. ¡°I want to take it to the dungeon. I think


    the imposter may have some insight into its properties.¡±


    Lancel nodded again, finally understanding my request.


    ¡°I shall escort you,¡± he dered, and without further hesitation, he began to walk down the corridor.


    I followed suit and let out a small exhalo of relief. I hadn¡¯t expected the guard to give me any grief about


    the matter, of course, but I knew any dealings with Spi ke set him on edge. I knew he didn¡¯t approve of


    our current alliance with the viin, but


    1/5


    absolute, and he¡¯d never sway from a decision made by Asher, no matter what.


    We continued down to the dungeon and a shiver ran through me as we descended the staircase. While


    I¡¯d been here many times, I never got used to theck of lighting or the temperature of the prison. It


    was deste and dark, which made sense, but knowing that my father once resided here made it feel


    even more


    lonely.


    e we were th


    Lancel escorted me to Spi ke¡¯s cell, and he stepped aside a


    little but remained alert.


    Spi ke seemed equally surprised to see me.


    ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?¡± he asked me with a raised eyebrow. ¡°More research?¡±


    I rooted around in my medical kit and retrieved the tube containing the water sample.


    ¡°I need you to look at this,¡± I stated, and I held it through the bars. Spi ke approached with curiosity, and


    when he epted the sample, he stared at me nkly.


    ¡°Water?¡± he wondered as he held the tube up. ¡°That¡¯s what¡¯s in this, correct?¡±


    When I nodded, his frown deepened.


    ¡°Why do you suddenly want me to study a water sample?¡± he asked.


    ¡°It might be rted to the poison you¡¯ve suspected,¡± I remarked.


    Spi ke¡¯s eyebrow lifted and his eyes studied me closely. ¡°Where was it taken


    from?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± I replied. ¡°It¡¯s not important for you to know.¡±


    He looked as if he were about to question me further, but when he caught a


    2/5


    I didn¡¯t me him for being rmed. I was relieved that Lancel was here to help me.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Spi ke decided. ¡°I¡¯ll take a look at it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, and without another word, I started to walk back down the corridor. Lancel walked


    beside me. Once we reached the top of the stairs and stepped out into the main corridor, I smiled at the


    guard. ¡°Thank you foring. with me, Lancel.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± he replied curtly. ¡°I¡¯m just doing my duties.¡±


    Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind and I frowned. Why hadn¡¯t Asher taken Lancel with him? ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Lancel, do you know where the Alpha King was going?¡± I wondered. ¡°He left so quickly that I didn¡¯t get


    to ask.¡±


    The guard hesitated a moment and then shook his head. ¡°I have no idea.¡±


    I knew it was a lie, but there was no way Lancel would tell me something Asher hadn¡¯t. We may have


    been getting along now, but the stubborn guard would only be loyal to his Alpha and no one else.


    Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed someone standing not too far away from us. I turned in


    their direction and realized it was Kane. Asher¡¯s stepbrother was leaning against the wall with a slight


    frown on his handsome face, but when he noticed us, he smiled and approached.


    ¡°Well, well, well,¡± he mused. ¡°What a pleasant surprise to see you here, Healer Cas sandra.¡±


    ¡°Hello,¡± I greeted him pleasantly though I was confused by his being here. Encountering Kane Collins


    here was unusual, especially since our presence near the dungeon was supposed to be a secret.


    ¡°What brings you to the dungeon of all ces?¡± he wondered, and before! could make an excuse and


    exin why we were here, Lancel spoke first.


    3/5


    ¡°Healer Cas sandra was brought here to offer medical care to an important prisoner,¡± he stated simply.


    Kane¡¯s eyebrow raised up. ¡°How interesting. They must be important if they require her care.¡±


    Lancel opened his mouth to speak, but Kane raised his hand in the air.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not too concerned with the matter,¡± he said, and then he turned to me. ¡°If you¡¯re


    finished with your business, could I apany you back to the clinic, Healer Cas sandra?¡±


    I nced at Lancel and after he gave the tiniest of expressions, I nodded at


    Kane.


    I didn¡¯t believe Kane would harm Asher or me, though I didn¡¯t know much nim. Kane Collins was


    pleasant to get along with. Normally, someone from the privileged family in Wega wouldn¡¯t be so


    friendly towardmoners from a smaller Pack, but Kane was different. I had noticed it since hisst


    visit to the clinic. Kane was genuinely affable to everyone there- Becky, Erika, and Hannah.


    Of course, perhaps it was because he was a  cyboy and knew how to make women feel at ease with


    his presence.


    I said goodbye to Lancel and then Kane and I headed to the clinic. We chatted freely about various


    topics like the weather and the clinic¡¯s condition, until suddenly, Kane made a remark that almost made


    me stop in my tracks.


    ¡°So, I¡¯ve noticed that my brother has been visiting the clinic a lottely,¡± he said. ¡°Is he sick or


    something?¡±


    His tone was so nonchnt, that for a moment, Ipletely forgot myself and spoke with less caution


    than usual.


    ¡°No, Asher is fine,¡± I blurted out, and it took me a second to realize that I¡¯d referred to him by his first


    name rather than his title of ¡°Alpha King¡±


    As my heart throbbed in my chest from embarrassment and worry, I thought I


    caught a glimpse of darkness in Kane¡¯s violet eyes, but it could very well have been my imagination.


    However, he merely smiled and nodded, seemingly unperturbed by the way I¡¯d informally referred to


    the Alpha King. ¡°I see. Well, I¡¯m d he isn¡¯t sick. That would sure be a shame.¡±

 Chapter 164

    Chapter 164


    Chapter 164 His chance at redemption


    ASHER


    Darkness fell as we reached the military base near the bordends.


    Our journey to search for Ector Feliz was so ssified that apart from myself and Ss Moses, only


    one guard of the Beta¡¯s apanied us.


    Normally, a mission of this caliber would have required a vehicle, but we opted not to use one to avoid


    attracting attention. So, instead, my brother-inw, the guard, and I shifted into our wolf forms and


    ventured out of Anemond, toward the border.


    It took a whole day of traveling to reach the edge of Wega. We were so eager to carry out our


    mission that we didn¡¯t pause to rest for even a moment during the journey. Each of us was well-trained


    and physically in shape enough to meet the demands of that kind of travel, so our wolf forms were


    easily able to handle an endless run.


    ording to Ss¡¯ intel, the military base was miles away from Ector¡¯s ce of residence. Although we


    were all capable wolves and could have continued running the rest of the way, we needed something in


    our bellies.


    The lieutenantmander of the base had received news of our visit


    beforehand and had prepared a nice feast for the King and his Bera. Goddess knew how he managed


    it considering how deserted the bordends were..


    While I appreciated the effort and lengths they had gone to to ensure that we were taken care of,


    neither Ss nor I seemed to have much of an appetite. I picked at my food politely and ate just enough


    to satisfy the people who¡¯d taken the time to prepare it for us. Their time and effort were important, but I


    was too worried about finding Ector Felix and what it would mean for Cas sandra if it was him.


    I had no idea how she would react to his reappearance, but I knew this was too important of a situation


    to not follow through. I knew the sight of her long-lost


    ??


    1/4


    brother might be too much to bear, but I cared about her more than anyone else. I owed it to Cas


    sandra to investigate.


    After we ate, we were escorted to one of the empty guest buildings on base by the lieutenant. His


    mood was far more chipper than mine and Ss¡¯ and for a moment, I was a little agitated as he spoke,


    but I forced myself to breathe. He was merely doing his job, and I couldn¡¯t fault him for treating us with


    loyalty and kindness.


    The n was for us to take an hour or two to rest and then head back out. If we were fast enough, we


    would arrive at Ector¡¯s ce in a few hours.


    But as we lingered in the guest building, the lieutenant cleared his throat.


    ¡°Perhaps, Your Majesty, you should get a good night¡¯s sleep here and then continue on your journey


    tomorrow,¡± he suggested cautiously.


    Ss nced at me.


    I simply shook my head. I hadn¡¯t nned to waste time here, and even if we did stay on the base, I


    knew I wouldn¡¯t be able to fall asleep. I needed to ensure that Ector was alright, and more importantly, I


    needed to confirm it was really Ector after


    all.


    I had been casting this doubt aside since Ss mentioned the possibility of finding him, but what if the


    man wasn¡¯t him at all?


    What if he was simply in possession of the Felix family badge? What then?


    But I couldn¡¯t think that way. I needed to think positively.


    This was my chance at r¨¦demption.


    We made the decision to leave an hourter. We bid the lieutenant farewell and thanked him for his


    generous hospitality before shifting and getting back on the road, so to speak.


    O


    2/4 Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Ss took the lead, and we ran for a few hours until finally, we reached the far reaches of the


    bordends.


    The area around us was deste and terrible. The few trees around us were dead and I couldn¡¯t spy a


    water source anywhere. Thisnd was even more awful than I¡¯d expected and it was a miracle anyone


    had survived living out here.


    We shifted back into our human forms, and then I stood outside the ragged wooden house while Ss


    checked with the guard stationed there.


    ¡°How is he?¡± the Beta wondered, and the guard¡¯s face grew solemn.


    ¡°His condition has deteriorated greatly, Lord Beta,¡± he replied, his tone somber. ¡°He¡¯s less aggressive


    than thest time you were here, but physically, he is much worse off. He can¡¯t remove himself from


    bed.¡±


    Ss¡¯ gold eyes darted over to me, and it took all of my effort to remain calm. That certainly wasn¡¯t what


    I wanted to hear, but I couldn¡¯t let it outwardly affect me. I needed to keep my wits about me and


    conduct myself like the king I was.


    ¡°What would you like us to do, Your Majesty?¡± the Beta asked me as he smoothed his dark wavy hair


    from his forehead.


    ¡°We should speak with him,¡± I decided. ¡°I don¡¯t want to disturb him in his weakened state, but we came


    all of this way. I suppose we should enter quietly as a group and evaluate what he needs. If medical


    intervention is necessary, we¡¯ll need to act quickly.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± the guard replied dutifully and he offered me a bow of


    respect.


    Ss nodded. ¡°Shall we?¡±


    I nodded back, and after I took a deep breath, I opened the door.


    When we entered the crude house, a rotten odor streamed forth and nearly sent me to my knees. My


    hand flew over my nose instinctively and my stomach turned at the scent. It was the stench of medical


    decay along with dirtiness and


    3/4


    something else. I could only assume the man had soiled himself or something,


    especially knowing that he couldn¡¯t leave his bed. My heart ached. Ector or not, no one deserved that


    kind of fate.


    Ss and the guards immediately frowned and studied each other with


    concern.


    As I moved on from the odor and limated to our surroundings, my gaze shifted over to the bed


    along the back wall, and I caught sight of the man within it.


    His dirty face was partially obscured by locks of long, golden blond hair. Even though the tresses were


    sticky and greasy, the color was unmistakable.


    Shock traveled through me.


    The man appeared to be sleeping, yet his snores were interrupted by soft groans of pain.


    ¡°He won¡¯t allow anyone to clean his face or body,¡± the guard spoke up quietly as he fell back. ¡°Every


    time someone has tried, he acts as if he¡¯s ready to attack. My men want to help, but it¡¯s a safety issue.


    We don¡¯t know what he¡¯s capable of.¡±


    Ss nodded. ¡°Of course.


    Though there was so much I could have said, I remained silent as my brain swam with a million


    thoughts. Despite their warnings, I decided to approach the bed anyway. I took quiet steps so as not to


    wake the man up, and once I was at his bedside, I leaned in just enough to get a better look at the


    man.


    His skin was tanned from the sun exposure, but his cheeks were hollow and sunken. His body was


    bony and emaciated and his face was different than it had been in the old days, but when I caught sight


    of the birthmark on his neck, my eyes. widened and I was certain.


    This had to be Ector Felix.

 Chapter 165

    Chapter 165


    Chapter 165 Do you want to see Cora?


    ASHER


    Just as the thought left my mind, Ector¡¯s eyelids began to flutter, and then momentster, his eyes


    opened and met my gaze. His green eyes resembled Cora¡¯s albeit murky. The whites of them were red


    with irritation and there was an emptiness in his stare at that tugged at my heartstrings.


    For a moment, I thought Ector recognized me, however, he quickly averted his stare and nced at


    Ss and the guard. His eyes widened as a guttural sound rumbled in his throat. The terrible noise was


    panicked and angry at the same time. Ector managed to push his body in a swinging motion and sat up


    in bed.


    I instinctively took a step back and braced myself for the worst as Ector began to snarl at us. The


    sounds that escaped his mouth were garbled, and we couldn¡¯t understand him until he managed to say


    one thing clearly.


    ¡°Go!¡± he shouted. ¡°Go!¡±


    When I took a step closer, Ector pressed his back against the wall and let out a gruesome shriek. I


    retreated and remained still so I wouldn¡¯t scare him.


    ¡°Ector, it¡¯s me, Ash-¡± I started to say, but just as I was about to speak my name, Ss stepped forward


    and halted me.


    ¡°Your identity might agitate him further,¡± the Beta uttered just low enough for me to hear. ¡°After


    everything he¡¯s been through, I mean. Your name might trigger some unpleasant memories for him.¡±


    Right. Of course.


    Ss was correct. If I mentioned that I was in fact the Asher Collins of his past, it might set off an


    adverse reaction and escte the situation further.


    Even though I wanted nothing more than to reassure my old friend and put his


    1/5


    mind at ease, Ector wasn¡¯t in the right me ntal state to handle this. So, I took a pause and stepped


    back.


    We remained locked in this tense situation until Ector¡¯s breath managed to steady a bit. His emaciated


    chest began to heave less and less until finally, he appeared calm. While his eyes were still distrustful,


    the severity of his gaze had lessened significantly, and I decided to try again.


    ¡°Ector, I¡¯m here because of ady¡¯s request,¡± I spoke slowly but calmly.


    He didn¡¯t seem as agitated by my words this time, so I continued on.


    ¡°Thedy¡¯s name¡­ is Cora,¡± I said gently..


    Something seemed toe over Ector when he heard his sister¡¯s name. He suddenly froze and his


    dry, cracked lips parted in surprise.


    ¡°Cora?¡± he whispered, and when I nodded, tears burst forth from his eyes and spilled down his dirt-


    covered cheeks. He began to murmur her name repeatedly as he cried and stared at me as if he were


    a lost boy. The sight was almost enough to make me cry as well, but instead, I simply nodded and


    softly smiled at my old friend.


    ¡°Yes, Cora,¡± I said.


    Suddenly, Ector groaned as if the name had brought him great pain. He lifted his hand as if he were


    reaching for something, and without thinking it through too much, I took the chance and stepped


    forward and grabbed his hand. Though Ector flinched at the sudden movement, he didn¡¯t pull away.


    ¡°She¡¯s doing perfectly fine,¡± I assured him quietly. ¡°And she wants to see you, Ector. She¡¯s missed you


    so much.¡±


    Ector mumbled something I couldn¡¯t quite make out and then fell quiet. Then, after a while, his lips


    twisted into something resembling a smile, but tears still streamed down his hollow face. He continued


    like this for a minute until his cries turned to so bs, and he gently pulled his hand away so he could bury


    his face in


    them.


    2/5


    remained crying. I waited for a second and then spoke.


    ¡°Ector, would you like to see Cora?¡± I wondered.


    Suddenly, Ector¡¯s sounds of despair stopped, and he lifted his head from his hands. His green eyes


    remained locked on mine I briefly wondered if he was going tosh out again or tell me to leave. But


    much to my surprise, he nodded his head.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he whispered. ¡°Yes.¡±


    *****


    Under normal circumstances, we would have shifted to wolf form and returned. to Anemond at once,


    but Ector¡¯s physical condition was too poor for that. If we wanted to bring him back to the capital, a car


    and a healer were necessary.


    The guard that Ss brought with us went to make the necessary arrangements while the Beta and I


    took a moment outside the wooden house to catch our breath.


    Ector had long since drifted off into sleep. The stationed guard remarked that he had never seen him


    so calm while resting. Normally, a statement like that would have made me feel better, but instead, it


    made me feel sad. I wished so badly that Ector hadn¡¯t had to suffer like this.


    Standing side by side another, Ss and I gazed at the moon. Though the


    A


    3/5


    deserted bordends were terrible and ill-suited for life, the beauty of the sky was unmatched. With no


    buildings or wildlife to interrupt the view, the crescent moon was on full disy and shimmered


    stunningly bright.


    ¡°I could understand why you might prefer staying at the borders over returning to Anemond,¡± I


    remarked jestingly. ¡°It¡¯s tranquil here. And of course, there aren¡¯t anyplicated politics like back in


    the capital. Given the opportunity, I¡¯m not so sure would ever return.¡±


    ¡°I have no intention of shirking my responsibilities,¡± Ss replied, and then he nced over at me. ¡°I


    apologize for my dy in returning to Anemond, Asher. I know I was gone for a while-¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for an apology,¡± I assured him with a shake of my head. grateful for you, Ss.


    Without you, I might never have found Ector. I have to ask though¡­ I¡¯m surprised by yourck of


    animosity towards him. In Anemond, most people believe that the Felix family were a bunch of traitors.


    They were used of attempting to


    kill your father, after all. So, why didn¡¯t you kill him when you found


    him?¡±


    Ss took a long deep breath and then turned to face me.


    ¡°I thought it was necessary to report this to my Alpha King before any decisions were made,¡± he noted


    diplomatically. ¡°As a Beta, I understand that I don¡¯t have the right to pass judgment on a wolf on a


    whim. Even if I did¡­ I don¡¯t know that I would want to. I value other¡¯s lives too much to act on impulse.


    I don¡¯t want to be like my father¡±


    That sentiment was surprising. The Moses¡¯ weren¡¯t known for theirpassion, but then again, Ss


    was so different from his father and sister.


    I didn¡¯t press the issue further. Instead, I cleared my throat and shifted the subject just slightly.


    ¡°As my Beta, do you have any questions or concerns? I wondered. ¡°About any of this?¡±


    Ss hesitated for a second. ¡°I suppose I worry that if Ector discovered that


    4/5


    Cora died, he might not be able to cope with it. I know you said what you did to convince him to leave.


    But I worry about what might happenter on.¡±


    I


    I nodded thoughtfully. I wanted to tell Ss the truth, but it wasn¡¯t my secret to reveal. Cas sandra¡¯s real


    identity was hers to share and hers alone.


    ¡°That¡¯s a valid concern,¡± I decided to say instead. ¡°Aside from malnutrition, hist condition isrgely due


    to his me ntal state. He¡¯s been through so much. But whateveres next, I¡¯ll handle the situation.


    Right now, we need to get him out of here and get him help.¡±


    Ss nodded and then we got to work and crafted a n.


    We were going to move Ector to the military base for proper medical care t next day, however, if Ector


    strongly insisted on seeing Cora, we would return to Anemond right away.


    Now that I knew it was really him, I needed to speak with Cas sandra before! made any important


    decisions regarding his well-being.


    Though I was under a lot of stress, thinking of Cas sandra brought me a sense of relief. I looked


    forward to seeing how she would react upon learning that her brother was alive. While she had been


    opening up to me more and moretely, I couldn¡¯t help but admit that I desired her to be happier.


    Perhaps Ector¡¯s return would help bring back the Cora I¡¯d known so long ago.


    575? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

 Chapter 166

    Chapter 166


    Chapter 166 Strange unease


    CAS SANDRA


    I sensed a strange unease in my heart, restlessness and exhaustion creeping in that I didn¡¯t know how


    to curb. Perhaps it was due to Asher¡¯s absence from Anemond, or maybe it had stemmed from Kane¡¯s


    strange behavior from the day before. The words he¡¯d uttered to me were ambiguous and set me on


    edge in a way I couldn¡¯t exin.


    Asher¡¯s stepbrother had told me that I hadn¡¯t changed much, which at the time had caused my heart to


    sk ip a beat in panic.


    What did that really mean?


    And why had he said such a thing to me in private?


    While Kane had attempted to exin that many people changed considerably after attaining a


    significant position in Anemond, such as that of a royal healer, his reasoning didn¡¯t quite convince me.


    I could sense that he was hinting at something else, yet I couldn¡¯t decipher or make sense of his true


    intent. Was it possible that he could know something about me, that he could know who I¡¯d been in the


    past? The idea startled and scared me; after all, I¡¯d never been particrly close to Kane.


    During our childhood, I had spent most of my time and days with Asher, while Kane had seemed like a


    distant figure. He¡¯d always been Asher¡¯s brother and little more. We might have exchanged a few


    words asionally and made a few niceties here and then, but nothing significant lingered in my


    memories of the past. As we¡¯d grown older, we became little more than strangers, since my attention


    was solely focused on Asher.


    Yet, a nagging possibility haunted my mind.


    Could Kane Collins have somehow uncovered something about me?


    III


    1/4


    I knew he was astute. Margaret had once foolishly insisted and campaigned amongst others that her


    son could ascend to the throne and rule over Wega, and I was certain it wasn¡¯t for nothing.


    If Kane had information about my past, why hadn¡¯t he brought it up directly? And why did he regard me


    with that ufortable gaze? His violet eyes were beautiful, but there was something in them that


    made chills run down my spine. It was as if he knew something he didn¡¯t want to share, a joke or


    conspiracy that belonged to him and him alone.


    Was Asher¡¯s brother nning something devious?


    Though I didn¡¯t want to suspect him, especially considering how much the Alpha King trusted him, it


    was odd that Kane offered mepany yet only spoke so ambiguously.


    Encounters with him often left me confused and nervous, which only hurt my m ental state. I was under


    so much stress with the clinic, the poison, and the mysterious disease already. Did I now have to fear


    Kane Collins in the same way that I did his mother and the rest of the people in Merliscire who didn¡¯t


    want me around?


    Just as I started to drown in my sea of thoughts, a voice interrupted my descent into worry.


    ¡°Cas sandra?¡± Erika tried to get my attention. ¡°Ca ssandra?¡±


    I blinked a few times and then met the maid¡¯s worried gaze. For a moment, I couldn¡¯t formte a reply


    and simply stared back at her until she spoke again.


    ¡°Cas sandra, honey, you¡¯ve been staring at those boxes for ten minutes now,¡± she said gently, and her


    big blue eyes were full of concern. ¡°Are you okay, sweetheart?¡±


    At once I remembered my purpose in the room, and embarrassment flooded through me. I hade


    into the medical supply room in the clinic to retrieve a heartbeat monitor and meant to return to my


    patient shortly after.


    L


    2/4


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I uttered quietly, and heat spread through my face.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t like you,¡± Erika said as she walked toward me. ¡°You¡¯re usually more professional when it


    comes to a patient needing attention. Do you need some help?¡±


    Though her words could have been construed as harsh, I knew her well enough. to know that that


    wasn¡¯t the case.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± I assured her, and I forced an apologetic smile as I tucked a loose strand of hair back into


    my bun. ¡°Thank you for offering, Erika.¡±


    She nodded but continued to study me.


    ¡°Is this about the king?¡± she wondered as she took a step toward me. I¡¯d off-handedly mentioned to her


    that Asher was leaving the capital for a brief, unknown reason, but she hadn¡¯t asked too many


    questions. ¡°Are you worried about him?¡±


    ¡°A little,¡± I admitted. ¡°But I know he¡¯ll be alright.¡±


    Asher had mentioned a three-day return upon his departure, which was nothingpared to the five


    years we¡¯d spent apart. If I could handle that, I could handle this.


    Besides, it was his brother I was more anxious about.


    I managed to snap out of my daze and continued about my business as usual. It was yet another busy


    day with plenty of patients requiring assistance.


    There were a few with minor injuries along with a few dealing with colds or instances of seasonal


    allergies. I administered medicine, and herbs, and even had to stitch up the knee of a young girl who


    had taken a tumble in the district not too far from here.


    While the work seemed never-ending, I was grateful for the distraction. With how much focus my healer


    duties required, I was able to push Asher and Kane from my mind and worry about my patients.


    3/4


    I was grateful that Asher had given me this building and allowed me the honor of helping the people


    who lived here. It was one thing to treat the people of Merliscire and another to take care of the


    commoners who lived on the outskirts of the pce. I was d to be able to aid my newmunity,


    and it was rewarding to heal people who really needed it.


    ÀÎÀÎÀÎ


    Later on, during a patient checkup in the afternoon, Lancel made an


    unexpected visit. When he walked into the clinic, his typically serious demeanor seemed more


    pronounced than usual.


    Erika offered him a seat, but I heard him refuse from the entry.


    ¡°Thank you for the offer, but I don¡¯t need to sit,¡± he insisted. ¡°I wish to speak with Healer Cas sandra


    privately,¡±


    I finished up with my patient, and once I had sent them on their way with some medicine to take care of


    their cough, I followed Erika to the waiting room. Once the maid departed and Lancel and I were alone,


    the older guard approached me. His expression was intense and my heart began to race.


    Had something happened to Asher?


    ¡°I have a message for you, Miss Cas sandra,¡± he stated with urgency. ¡°Spi ke wishes to see you


    immediately. Will youe with me?¡±


    While I was relieved that his concern had nothing to do with the Alpha King, his tone was more strange


    than usual. Lancel was usually very collected and curt.


    If Spi ke needed me immediately, something was up. Perhaps he had the results of the water sample


    or some other important findings to share. Either way, I couldn¡¯t refuse him an audience.


    4/4Content held by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 167

    Chapter 167


    Chapter 167 Hope


    CAS SANDRA


    I struggled to keep up with Lancel¡¯s long strides as we reached Merliscire. The older guard was much


    taller than I, so the effort made my heart race, but I managed to speed up enough to follow alongside


    him. His urgent gait only made my worry


    increase.


    What had Spi ke discovered?


    And how did he manage to get Lancel¡¯s attention in the first ce? Had the guard been posted near


    the dungeon at the right time? Or had Spi ke merely waited for him to appear so he could ry the


    message?


    Focus, Cas s andra, I urged myself. I knew the more questions I asked, the more I would panic, and I


    needed to remain level-headed. For all I knew, the news was going to be important, and I needed to be


    calm in order to think clearly.


    When we reached the dungeon, we practically raced down the stairs until we arrived at the hall of cells.


    I nearly tripped as I speed-walked, but Lancel managed to steady me before I could fall and hurt myself


    on the cold stone floor.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said gratefully, and after he nodded, I slowed my pace and walked at a normal speed


    toward Spi ke¡¯s cell.


    As we approached, I was surprised to see that the imprisoned imposter was in such high spirits. His


    face was visibly excited, and his trembling hands repeatedly skimmed over the paper he held. He


    murmured phrases like ¡°right¡±, ¡°brilliant¡±, and ¡°perfect¡±, and with each utterance, my curiosity grew


    stronger.


    myc


    As he noticed me, Spi ke tossed the paper aside onto the table and rushed over to the bars in an


    almost frenzied manner. His dark eyes were frantic, and if it weren¡¯t for the iron fence that separated


    us, I wondered if he might haveunched into an attack.


    1/5


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I wondered, curious about our unexpected meeting. ¡°Lancel mentioned you urgently


    wanted to see me. This isn¡¯t our usual time to meet.¡±


    Spi ke¡¯s eyes glinted with even stronger intensity and he clenched the bars so tightly that his knuckles


    paled.


    ¡°Where did the water sample originate from?¡± he asked.


    I hesitated for a moment as my stomach twisted into a knot as I considered telling him it was none of


    his concern. While confidentiality had been the name of the game this entire investigation, I quickly


    debated whether or not I needed to continue on with the secrecy.


    But before I could make that call, Sp i ke spoke again.


    ¡°You were right, Cas sandra,¡± he blurted out. ¡°The water you brought me is contaminated. If what I¡¯ve


    uncovered is correct, it likely caused the disease that was recorded in the coroner¡¯s report.¡±


    My heart suddenly ski pped a beat and my lips parted in shock. I struggled to find words and my


    thoughts raced through my mind in disbelief.


    Becky¡¯s theory and suspicions had been correct.


    The people of Wild Crawler were getting infected by their water supply.


    I took a moment to men tally praise my assistant¡¯s scientific mind. For someone so young, Becky was a


    force to be reckoned with, and I was lucky to have her as my partner. Her discovery had the potential to


    save a lot of lives.


    But before I could get ahead of myself, I had to ask Sp i ke a question, one I¡¯d been wondering since


    Becky had shared her theory.


    ¡°Does this discovery mean you could find a cure for the disease?¡± I wondered.


    Spi ke¡¯s lips curled downward into a slight frown, and I started to grow worried, but before I could panic


    too much, his expression shifted into one that was borderline arrogant.


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    L


    2/5


    ¡°Of course I can,¡± he proimed, and then his words grew even more confident. ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate you


    questioning my abilities, Healer Cas sandra. Though I¡¯m not as proficient as some talented sorcerers, I


    hail from Dark Abyss, after all. I should be able to cure it easily.¡±


    Relieved yet dizzy with euphoria at this revtion, I took a long, deep breath and tried to steady myself.


    This was an incredible development and I wasn¡¯t sure how to handle this news.


    ¡°Well, please develop the cure as quickly as possible,¡± I urged him. ¡°How long do you think it could


    take?¡±


    At the mention of a timeframe, Spi ke hesitated, but then he shrugged.


    ¡°I won¡¯t take too long,¡± he said nonchntly. ¡°Perhaps a week or so.¡±


    ¡°A week or so?¡± I repeated back in surprise, and again, my heart leaped in my chest. Could we really


    come that much closer to healing the people of Wega within a week?


    Could we be that much closer to healing Asher in a week?


    ¡°Yes,¡± Spi ke replied.


    ¡°That would be perfect,¡± I agreed, eager for the results. ¡°Please do your best, Spi ke. This could do


    wonders for the country.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± he said, and then he got a strange glint in his dark brown eyes. ¡°You know, I could use


    something to inspire my creativity¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I asked, and immediately, rm bells rang out in my mind. ¡°What did you have in mind?¡±


    ¡°I do my best work after a drop of ale,¡± he mused, and a devilish grin crossed over his lips. ¡°Perhaps a


    mead or a nice wine would do the trick as well.¡±


    I felt conflicted by the proposal. While giving the imposter at least a little something for all of his trouble,


    providing alcohol to a prisoner of the Alpha King¡¯s


    3/5


    raised viable concerns.


    Lancel and I exchanged a nce and his eyebrow raised up but then he


    nodded.


    ¡°I think something can be arranged,¡± I agreed cautiously. ¡°Or at least be


    considered.¡±


    Spi ke nodded and then shrugged. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s all I can hope for. Now, leave me be. I would like to


    get to work at once if this is going to get done in a week. Goodbye, Healer Ca ssandra. The next time


    we speak, I should have something to give you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Spi ke,¡± I said gratefully. ¡°I appreciate it.¡±


    Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, I gestured down the hall and Lancel began to lead me at once. As we


    ascended the stairs back up to the main floor of the pce, an idea crossed my mind..


    ¡°Lancel, is there a possibility of reaching the Alpha King?¡± I asked. ¡°I think this is something he should


    be made aware of right away.¡±


    But the older guard shook his head in response. ¡°He¡¯s unreachable. But he¡¯ll return in a few days and


    he will be briefed then.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I decided, though that answer didn¡¯t satisfy me much. ¡°And Lancel, I think it would be best for


    us to ept Spi ke¡¯s request. I¡¯ll bear the responsibility if anything goes awry.¡±


    Lancel nodded and that was that.


    I immediately returned to the clinic and ryed this new information to Becky, who appeared surprised.


    ¡°I was right?¡± she asked quietly and when I nodded she shook her head in shock. ¡°Wow. I can¡¯t believe


    it.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I agreed. ¡°It¡¯s insane.¡±


    4/5


    ¡°Well, I promise I¡¯ll double-check the findings for uracy,¡± she said. ¡°Just to make sure that we¡¯re not


    getting too excited.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I said with a nod.


    Hope surged through me as I anticipated sharing this new development with


    Asher.


    Hope. It was something I hadn¡¯t felt in a while, and it was refreshing.


    5/5Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 168

    Chapter 168


    Chapter 168 Something in discussion


    As I led Marco away from the busy corridor of the pce and left the attending guard¡¯s side, a snarl


    rose from my belly.


    ¡°Ss is aplete and total a ss,¡± I cursed under my breath as my head began to pound with anger.


    My hands curled into fists at my side and an indescribable. sense of agitation swelled within me.


    My spiteful brother hadn¡¯t bothered to inform me that he was going to be leaving Anemond with Asher,


    and I couldn¡¯t wrap my mind around his reasoning.


    Why hadn¡¯t he told me they were leaving?


    had assumed my threats against his little mate would have stuck, rendering Ss obedient and


    compliant with my demands to watch my husband, however, it seemed my little brother had changed.


    He no longer heeded me as he had in the


    past.


    I cursed again. It seemed as if no one truly graced mypany these days, nor did they wish to.


    I realized that I hardly saw Margaret anymore. Kane Collins, ever the gant y boy, had suddenly


    transformed into a devoted son. He rarely left his mother¡¯s side, which left me with no opportunity to


    discuss serious matters with her.


    For instance, that dreadful, terrible kiss I¡¯d witnessed between that dirty, filthy healer and Asher¡­


    To think a peasant¡¯s lips had been pressed against my husband¡¯s, far from the watching eyes of


    Merliscire. Now that his little mistress had moved away from the pce, the happy pair had every


    opportunity to kiss and canoodle without anyone catching onto their game. To witness Asher¡¯s infidelity


    had been heartbreaking and filled me a scorn unlike any other.


    O


    1/4


    I¡¯d wanted to tell Margaret right away so we could put our heads together and craft a scheme to finally


    send that wretched Cas s andra Keller away for good, but I couldn¡¯t mention that vile woman¡¯s name in


    front of Kane. And Margaret had once advised me against acting alone, so I was feeling beyond


    helpless just standing by and watching as Cas sandra kissed my man.


    As I pictured them kissing in front of their shoddy clinic, my vision grew tinged with red, and I clenched


    my hand. A whimpering sound interrupted my thoughts, and when I looked down, I realized I¡¯d


    unintentionally gripped Marco¡¯s hand too


    tightly.


    ¡°Mommy?¡± he whined quietly, and I quickly released my hold.


    ¡°Sorry, baby,¡± I apologized gently, and I leaned down and kissed the top of his dark curls. Normally, the


    smell of my son¡¯s headforted me like no other, but between Kane, Asher, and Ss, I was in no


    state to rx.


    ¡°Mommy, where did Daddy go?¡± Marco wondered as he froze in ce. His sudden stop yanked at my


    arm and I was forced toe to a halt.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I huffed, and just as I was about to roll my eyes, I forced myself! to be kinder to my son.


    After all, it wasn¡¯t his fault that he had an absent father who just disappeared without exining


    himself. ¡°You heard the guard, honey. Daddy had to go conduct some business with Uncle Ss-¡±


    ¡°But I want to see himmmm,¡± Marco extended his words into a whine, and he stomped his little foot on


    the ground as he frowned at me. ¡°Why would he leave without telling us?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I admitted shortly. ¡°But he¡¯ll be back soon. Come on, Marco, your grandmother is waiting


    for us. Perhaps she¡¯ll have some new games to y with you.¡±


    At the mention of ying, Marco nodded, and then we resumed our walk.


    Taking Marco to the House of Moses was mostly for my mother¡¯s benefit. Mother hadn¡¯t seen Marco


    since the prince had begun school, and ording to her, she missed him quite dearly. She¡¯d sent a


    letter to the pce asking me to bring him


    2/4


    over this afternoon, and while I didn¡¯t particrly want to see my parents with everything going on,


    dropping Marco off would only benefit me.


    I needed some alone time to sort through my feelings and formte a n of attack. I couldn¡¯t let Cas


    sandra Keller go unchecked, nor could I with Ss. Asher was different, as he was the Alpha King of


    Wega, and I had little to no jurisdiction. over his affairs. He coulde and go as he pleased, as


    much as I hated that, but that didn¡¯t mean I would let him disappear without getting to the bottom of his


    whereabouts.


    The walk was brisk, and within minutes, we arrived at the mansion¡¯s front gate. But as we approached,


    I was suddenly taken aback and stopped in my tracks. Marco stopped beside me and craned his neck


    to see what was happening.


    Kaleb, the handsome king of Yurene, stood on the porch with my father, sharingughter as if they


    were the closest of friends. His golden-brown hair glinted in the afternoon sun, and even from my


    vantage, I could see a glimmer in his dark blue


    eyes.


    Why was he here?


    A frown formed on my lips as I studied them. As of recently, Kaleb frequently visited the House of


    Moses. My father had even apanied the foreign king around Anemond- an unusual urrence for


    him, as he was never one for doing things personally like that. He preferred to keep guests of the


    pce at arm¡¯s length.


    Truth be told, I wasn¡¯t fond of Kaleb. Though the man was incredibly handsome and tall, he paled in


    comparison to my Asher and seemed sly. Unease crept over me as I worried about my husband¡¯s


    potential misunderstanding of Kaleb¡¯s frequent visits. I wondered at once if Asher knew how often he


    was here. Perhaps that was why he¡¯d slipped away without telling me a word, or even why he was so


    distanttely.


    I


    I led Marco through the gate, and as we approached, I red at Kaleb when our eyes met.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see youter, Oliver,¡± the king of Yurene said to my father, and then he


    3/4


    nodded at me. ¡°Lady Adalyn. Good to see you.¡±


    ¡°You as well,¡± I replied, though my tone held little interest. He seemed indifferent to my unfriendliness,


    and as he passed by, I rolled my eyes in his direction. I was relieved that the king of the North was


    leaving the day after tomorrow. It was fortunate that both the Beta and the Alpha would be away from


    Anemond when Kaleb left. He didn¡¯t need any extra attention. Yurene was a small country that honestly


    didn¡¯t seem worth all of this fuss.


    Father didn¡¯t wear his usual disapproving expression when he saw me. Usually, he ignored me, and


    when he didn¡¯t, all he¡¯d offer me was a nod upon my return from the pce, conveying his


    disappointment.


    I knew he saw me as a disgrace to the family. My inability to capture the Alp King¡¯s heart along with my


    awkward position in court fueled gossip. I was the king wife without a im, which meant I was hardly


    anything in their eyes.


    However, today seemed different.


    Father twitched his lips and ruffled Marco¡¯s curls before he straightened up and


    met my gaze.


    ¡°Adalyn,¡± he said in a tone I couldn¡¯t make sense of. ¡°After you take Prince


    Marco to your mother,e join me in my study. I have something I want to discuss with you.¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 169

    Chapter 169


    Chapter 169 Crazy Old Beta


    ADALYN


    After I nodded in surprise, Father gave me a small gesture of his own and then. disappeared into the


    mansion. I stood there, frozen for the briefest of moments as my heart pounded heavily in my chest.


    What did Father wish to speak to me about?


    His tone was as serious as usual, but itcked the severity I¡¯de to expect. So, what was the


    problem? Did this have something to do with Margaret? Or perhaps with Asher or even Ss?


    Whatever it was, I knew better than to leave my father waiting, so I leaned down and ran my hand over


    Marco¡¯s soft hair.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you over to Grandma, baby,¡± I suggested to the young prince gently. ¡°Grandpa and I have


    some business we have to attend to.¡±


    Marco¡¯s eyebrow shot skyward, and just as I thought he was about to whine, his expression shifted and


    he simply smiled a dimpled smile.


    ¡°Okay, Mommy,¡± he said patiently.


    I was a little surprised at theck of argument or whining but didn¡¯t question it. My mind was too


    preupied with whatever Father was about to share with me to worry about Marco¡¯s unexpected


    behavior.


    So, I led him inside the House of Moses. The moment we stepped into the family mansion, the familiar


    scent ofvender and lemon reached my nose and I let out a soft sigh. Mother had a strong love of


    candles, particrly ones made in the market of Anemond, and for as long as I could remember, the


    house always smelled like flowers and citrus.


    Mother appeared from the dining room and offered a brilliant smile at Marcus as


    1/5


    he ran into her arms.


    ¡°Oh, my sweet boy!¡± she greeted him warmly as she squeezed him tightly. Her eyes fell on mine and


    she gestured toward the stairs with her head. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, darling, I¡¯ve got him,¡± she assured me quietly. ¡°Go on up to the study. Your father is


    waiting.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Mother,¡± I replied, and then I turned to Marco. ¡°Have fun, baby.¡±


    When Marco didn¡¯t respond, I let out a small exhale. Now that he was with his grandmother, it didn¡¯t


    matter, so it was best for me to just go ahead and leave them


    be.


    My heart raced in my chest as I ascended the stairs toward Father¡¯s study on the third floor. The entire


    level was Father¡¯s private domain, off limits unless granted express permission.


    I remembered once, as a foolish child, I¡¯d daringly climbed up to the third floor to exhibit my courage


    and intimidate Ss. I¡¯d stood there in the hallway,ughing at my little brother¡¯s reluctance to follow,


    but myughter came to a sudden halt when I felt Father¡¯s grip on my shoulder. His hazel eyes had


    zed with an unmatched fury, and that night, I¡¯d been denied dinner as punishment.


    Even now, my body was trembling with fear as I walked through the silent hallway. The entire third floor


    exuded a quiet atmosphere. The curtains were drawn and what little light remained came from a few


    flickering candles. No se rvants were allowed up here, and as I approached the door of Father¡¯s study,


    the sound of my heels echoed through the corridor.


    I took a deep breath as my head swam with anxiety and excitement, and then I knocked on the door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Father called out promptly, and without hesitation, I opened the door and stepped into the


    room.


    The study appeared far more ordinary than I¡¯d expected. It was smallpared to the Alpha King¡¯s,


    but it was s acious enough to house arge ebony table and


    215


    jet-ck leather couches. Just like out in the hallway, the heavy curtains were drawn shut, and


    lavender candles flickered on the mantle above the firece.


    Father sat at the table in a tall wingback chair, examining some papers. Silently, he gestured for me to


    take a seat opposite him.


    I swallowed hard, feeling a lump in my throat as I did. I took a seat and then Father raised his piercing


    eyes from his papers and studied me.


    ¡°How are you doing, Adalyn?¡± he asked me casually. ¡°And Prince Marco, is he


    well?¡±


    I nodded in surprise. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re doing quite well. Thank you for asking, Fat


    ¡°Of course,¡± he replied.


    Though the conversation was simple enough, I felt awkward. Father and I rarely engaged in small talk.


    As I observed him closely, I noticed the dark circles under his eyes. He seemed more exhausted than


    usual, which was strange because for as long as I could remember, he¡¯d never seemed tired even


    once.


    table.


    Father cleared his throat and then leaned forward and rested his elbows on the


    ¡°Adalyn, how long have you been married to Asher?¡± he wondered.


    ¡°Five years,¡± I replied, and then I rified. ¡°Well, five years, two months, and seven days to be precise.¡±


    Father nodded slowly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, darling, that I neverpelled Asher to im you as his Luna. It¡¯s one


    of my strongest regrets.¡±


    My eyebrows shot up and the lump in my throat tightened. Father had never apologized to me before,


    so it wasn¡¯t a sentiment I was familiar with. I was rendered speechless and then he spoke again.


    ¡°Tell me, Adalyn, do you desire to be the Luna of the Crescent Pack or Asher¡¯s wife?¡±


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    I was confused, to say the least. ¡°Forgive me for saying so, but those two


    options aren¡¯t contradictory, Father. If Asher imed me, I¡¯d still be his wife, right?¡±


    Father raised a gray eyebrow. ¡°They aren¡¯t contradictory for now, but perhaps soon they might be.¡±


    His tone was as causal as if he were discussing the weather, meanwhile, I was


    stunned.


    What was he implying?


    My eyes widened in disbelief, and then Father smiled at me. It was an expression I didn¡¯t see often,


    and that smile sent a chill down my spine. I shivered and then Father leaned in even further.


    ¡°You needn¡¯t rush to decide,¡± he assured me. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t harm Asher. I like the boy well enough.


    Though I suppose I should rify¡­ I won¡¯t cause him harm so long as you cooperate.¡±


    Speechless and rigid, I sat there in shock as my brain considered what he was saying. Father¡¯s threats


    weren¡¯t to be taken lightly, if the past was any indication, and whatever he was implying¡­ it was likely


    something terrible and perhaps illegal.


    What was he threatening?


    Was Asher in danger?


    Was my position in court and my standing in the Crescent Pack in danger?


    All of these vague questions and suspicious undertones left me confused. My head ached as I tried to


    keep up with what was happening.


    Before I could open my mouth to question him and get some rity on this meeting, Father continued


    speaking.


    ¡°Cooperating with me would be beneficial, my dear daughter,¡± he suggested with a sly smile on his lips.


    ¡°In fact, it might help you with certain desires¡­ such as removing that healer you despise so much.¡±


    4/5


    As I gazed into his eyes, my stomach twisted into knots and another shiver ran


    through me.


    Whatever was going on, I was thoroughly convinced that Father had lost his


    sanity.


    5/5

 Chapter 170

    Chapter 170


    Chapter 170 Dream about Emmett


    CAS SANDRA


    That night, I had a terrible dream.


    It wasn¡¯t the first time I¡¯d dreamt about Emmett since his death, but this one was peculiar, to say the


    least.


    In the dream, Emmett wore a long ck robe with a good that mostly obscured his handsome face,


    though I could still see the familiar glow of his blue-green eyes. They were a strange shade, a rich teal


    blue with a ring of emerald around them, and in the dream, they were so bright, that it was as if they


    were lit from within.


    We lingered outside the forest, and it seemed as if he were about to embark on a journey. As he


    breached the line of trees, I stood there for a moment and then decided to follow discreetly behind.


    I followed the trail of his cloak and shadowed him closely, so much that I could smell the familiar


    warmth of his cologne. All around me, the trees loomed above, so far into the sky that I could hardly


    see anything else. The immense forest seemed endless, and as I peered around us, a strange, anxious


    feeling crashed over me.


    I¡¯d always felt a peace in the woods.


    But this ce seemed dangerous.


    Just as quickly as he appeared, Emmett seemed to vanish suddenly, leaving me startled and frozen in


    my tracks. I tried to call out for him, but my voice caught in my throat, and couldn¡¯t escape. Sweat


    broke out across my forehead, and then a dark figure shed before my eyes.


    Again, I tried to cry out, but suddenly, I became aware that someone was standing behind me, and their


    hand covered my mouth. Before I could fight against them, I was pulled backward. My heels dug into


    the earth in an attempt to escape, but my attacker was too strong for me. My heart pounded in my


    chest and I fought


    O C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    1/4


    for breath. I managed to make a small noise, and then the figure spoke.


    ¡°Shhh,¡± he urged, and I quickly stopped struggling. I knew that low, soothing voice anywhere. It was


    Emmett.


    Once I was steady in my stance, I straightened up and turned around to face him. But even in our close


    proximity to one another, his face remained concealed. Despite this, I could sense his solemnity. This


    wasn¡¯t unusual for Emmett, but I felt a deeper indication of things being amiss.


    He then started walking forward, and as his cloak dragged along the forest floor, I knew I had no choice


    but to follow yet again. I nced around cautiously, taking note of my surroundings. Emmett guided me


    through thick dark green foliag but then came to a sudden stop behind arge fallen trunk. The wood


    was decaying- it was clear it had crashed down long ago.


    Emmett spoke again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t follow me,¡± he said calmly. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous.¡±


    My curiosity spi ked as I tried to make sense of what was happening, and then a question appeared in


    my semi-lucid mind. ¡°Emmett, when you went on all of those mysterious journeys, when you left me in


    the clinic at Wild Crawler to fend for myself¡­ where did you go?¡±


    He remained silent for a moment.


    ¡°Go home, Cas sandra,¡± he urged me finally. ¡°Please, return.¡±


    He turned to leave, but I wasn¡¯t going to let him. In the back of my mind, I wondered if my insistence on


    following him might have stemmed from a subconscious awareness that Emmett was destined to


    perish. Either way, I didn¡¯t want to lose him again.


    So, I reached out to touch him, but when I did, his cloak gained a mist-like property, and my hand ran


    through it as if he were a ghost.


    Emmett turned back around, and though his face was mostly concealed, I could


    see his lips for the briefest of seconds, and they parted to speak, but before his words could escape,


    the dark figure from before appeared again.


    As it quickly vanished, I began to tremble in fear, and Emmett swiftly pulled me forward and switched


    ces with me. When he did, I saw the dark figure looming behind him, and my jaw dropped in shock.


    Though I couldn¡¯t make sense of the figure¡¯s shape, the feeling of dread washed


    over me.


    Confused by the sudden turn of events, my vision turned red, as if it were blurred with blood. The figure


    spoke in a deep, gravelly voice.


    ¡°What are the whereabouts of the ¡°thing¡±?¡± it demanded.


    Emmett began tough and as the sound of it filled the air, then blood started to gush from his neck.


    Tears welled from my eyes at the gruesome sight and soon spilled onto my cheeks as the blood


    streamed everywhere. I cried out but remained frozen, and then a colossal hand moved past Emmett¡¯s


    dying body and reached toward my throat.


    ¡°What are the whereabouts?¡± the voice demanded again, and just as I closed my eyes in the dream


    and prepared to meet my demise¡­


    I woke up with a start.


    I sat up in bed and panted heavily. As I fought to catch my breath, I wiped a sheen of perspiration from


    my forehead. I clutched onto my damp bed sheets until my knuckles paled, and a few deep breaths


    later, my racing heart finally slowed.


    Once I was steady, I quietly climbed out of bed and walked over to Finnick. My beautiful boy was fast


    asleep, and I took sce in the peaceful sight of his dreaming body.


    As I stood there, my lower lip trembled.


    Poor Emmett.


    Why had I dreamed of something so distressing? Bad dreams hadn¡¯t gued me for a while, and this


    one added to the uneasiness in my heart.


    Clearly, my brain was under immense pressure from the events ofte, but why had my dream been so


    gruesome? I¡¯d dreamed of the inferno and the pain over and over again, but this instance was far more


    terrifying somehow.


    Once I realized I wouldn¡¯t be able to fall back asleep, I decided to head downstairs. Theb beckoned.


    In the wake of this dream, I knew I needed to review Spi ke¡¯s report, as it had gone straight to Becky


    without my scrutiny. Though I knew my assistant was more than capable of handling the evidence


    herself, I needed to see the report for my own peace of mind and ensure that all was well.


    As it was the middle of the night, the clinic was cold and quiet, and I wrapped my robe around me


    tightly. The stairs beneath my bare feet were freezing, and I regretted not wearing slippers. Still, I


    walked through the lobby and made my way


    to theb.


    The clock in the corner of the room read 3:00 AM. A yawn rose up from my throat, and I knew I would


    likely feel awfulter in the day, but I couldn¡¯t stop thinking of things. Surely, the report would put me at


    ease.


    But upon entering theb, I sensed something amiss. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and


    my arms broke out in goosebumps.


    I nced to the right of me, and suddenly, a dark figure shed past the window for a split second. I


    rushed to the window with incredible speed, but when I gazed out of it, I found no one in sight.

 Chapter 171

    Chapter 171


    Chapter 171 The final stage of the disease


    CAS SANDRA


    After spotting the mysterious dark figure outside, I meticulously inspected the entireb. I searched


    high and low and examined every surface to make sure that nothing had been stolen or removed by an


    unknown intruder.


    But much to my confusion, nothing was amiss.


    My heart still raced in my chest from being startled, so I stood there for a second and forced myself to


    breathe deeply. As the cold air flooded my lungs, I found myself finally growing calmer. Perhaps this


    was merely a delusion, a residual effect from the unsettling dream. Clearly, I was still frightened and at


    least half-asleep when I nced out the window. Seeing shadows out of the corner of your eye at night


    wasn¡¯t out of the ordinary. It happened to just about anyone.


    When I settled down, I turned on amp, and as its warm, calming light filled. the room, I pulled up my


    favorite chair and picked up Becky¡¯s report. I sunk into the chair and allowed the soft fabric tofort


    me before diving into the report.


    Becky¡¯s notes facilitated my understanding of the situation. She¡¯d madements all over the paper


    and even added little sticky notes to expand on her thoughts. I scanned through her neat handwriting


    and started to take in the report.


    Becky outlined that the poison she uncovered in the water from the mountain area of Wild Crawler


    could induce several physical and psychological disorders. Initially, patients who had fallen victim to the


    poison in some manner exhibited physical deterioration. Then, the physical decay gave way to the


    poison attacking their neuro system, which led to a sort of hysteria.


    However, a question lingered in Becky¡¯s exnation. Her words rambled on with the possibilities and


    then led to a pair of sentences that she¡¯d circled in dark. ink.


    Does the final stage of the disease cause patients to lose their minds? Contact


    1/4


    Dic kson for confirmation.


    I frowned at the questions for a moment and clutched the papers tighter. Suddenly, I recalled


    something Emmett had once mentioned. It had been the only time he¡¯d ever spoken to me about


    poison.


    Since I¡¯d grown up in Anemond, I¡¯d had no formal education when it came to medicine. None of my


    sses, in all of my years of high-born education, had anything to offer in the way of biology and


    chemistry, so when Emmett had brought me to Wild Crawler and took me under his wing as a healer,


    I¡¯d had to start at the


    beginning.


    It was a casual conversation we¡¯d shared in the beginning of my training. Emmett had lent me his book


    of research and notes, and as I¡¯d scanned through the pages, I¡¯de across the section that


    mentioned poisons-both man-made and


    venoms.


    ***


    The healer had exined to me that poison was used not only to kill but also to control. When I¡¯d been


    confused by that statement, he¡¯d rified and detailed instances where poisons were employed


    chronically, for instance, to render female wolves infertile or paralyze wolves¡¯ bodies.


    The ultimate aim behind such poisons, Emmett emphasized, was control, namely, the sinister prospect


    of manipting people¡¯s minds.


    At the time, that conversation had struck me as odd, but it hadn¡¯t gone any further. My memory of the


    discussion had been a little hazy, as Emmett had swiftly shifted the subject after mentioning ¡°mind


    control¡±:


    But now, as I read Becky¡¯sments on Spi ke¡¯s report, the memory resurfaced vividly. As I stared at


    the pages of the report, I recollected Emmett¡¯s somber expression during the conversation. His blue-


    green eyes had been distant and sad, as if something deeply sorrowful had affected him.


    As I pictured him sitting there in the clinic in Wild Crawler, my mind began to race. Why had he been so


    upset? Had he known something then, something that


    2/4


    rted to our present situation?


    I hated that I truly knew so little about the man who was at one time, my


    husband. Though I owed him an enormous debt for rescuing me from the inferno and getting me out of


    Anemond, there were so many questions I had about him and his background.


    When he had disappeared all of those years from Wild Crawler, where had he been? And where did he


    travel to on those mysterious journeys away from the


    clinic?


    I set the papers down and cursed under my breath. Though we were getting closer to answers about


    the poison that was affecting a chunk of Wega¡¯s poption, there was so much that I desperately


    needed to know.


    As the confusion and frustration of the unknown started to consume me, I closed my eyes. I wanted


    nothing more than to bring Finnick over to my bed and cuddle him close, but I knew that the moment I


    did, I would likely be gued with even more bad dreams. I didn¡¯t want to upset my son, so I forced


    myself to sit up in my chair and regain myposure.


    I sat there until dawn, pursuing the report until I had the details memorized, and the phrase ¡°mind


    control¡± haunted my every thought. I couldn¡¯t shake the notion that this might be linked to the poison,


    though I had no strong evidence to support the theory.


    As the golden rays of the rising sun streamed through the window, I rose from my chair, and decided to


    get dressed. I resolved to eat a swift breakfast after getting ready, and then I was going to go to the


    pce to visit Spi ke.


    After I checked in with Erika, I left a note for Becky, who had requested a half day off, and then headed


    to the pce.


    But when I reached Merliscire, Lancel was nowhere to be found, and when I checked in with one of the


    other higher-level guards, he reported that Lancel was unavable. He exined that the older guard


    was upied with a task for Prince Marco and that he wouldn¡¯t be back for a while.


    3/4


    After I thanked the guard, I walked down the corridor and weighed my options. People went about their


    business around me, and I was thrilled that no one seemed to notice me pondering in the corner.


    I could always visit Spi ke unapanied, though I knew Asher or Lancel would firmly oppose that


    idea. They had always been very insistent on one of them being. present on our visits, but as I recalled


    our past encounters, I realized they¡¯d always been unproblematic. I knew how to evade attention and


    converse with Spi k e. Besides, Lancel merely stood by during our discussions anyway¡­


    Moreover, the notion of visiting the strange imposter without the older guard¡¯s presence enticed me. I


    could potentially inquire further about my past or Emmett¡¯s without raising Lancel¡¯s suspicions.


    It wasn¡¯t that I mistrusted the steadfast guard, but rather that I believed he didn¡¯t need to be privy to


    matters concerning Emmett or the potential of him being a sorcerer. And of course, I couldn¡¯t quite ask


    Spi ke about myself either, not when I was still keeping my old identity a secret.


    I couldn¡¯t risk this entire thing falling apart, but I needed to know more.


    So, I decided to visit Spi ke..


    OBelongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 172

    Chapter 172


    Chapter 172 High-level Magic


    CAS SANDRA


    Though I wanted to immediately go straight to the dungeon, I suddenly remembered Spi ke¡¯s request


    for an alcoholic beverage and the approval I¡¯d given to Lancel in Asher¡¯s absence.


    Thest time I¡¯d spoken to Lancel, he¡¯d told me what kind of liquor the imposter. preferred, so I decided


    there was no time like the present. Spi ke would likely be more willing to speak with me if I sweetened


    the deal.


    So, I left the pce and went to Anemond¡¯s market in an attempt to hunt it down.


    The market was far more bustling than I¡¯d expected at such an early hour. As an array of smells and


    conversations filled the air around me, I wove through the crowds of people and peered around at the


    shops.


    Spi ke¡¯s request was a strange one- it was an orange and cin namon liquor that. apparently had exotic


    spices and herbs in it that weren¡¯t present in many other drinks.


    I had to travel to three separate shops in the market before I managed to locate it on a shelf in the


    back. The bottle was tall and skinny, with a gold, engravedbel. The ss was a strange dark green,


    and when I held it up to the light I was.


    I surprised to see the liquid practically glowed.


    When I brought it to the front to pay, the shopkeeper seemed surprised by the purchase.


    ¡°Only one other guest besides you, miss, has sought out this particr liquor,¡± he noted as he handed


    me the bottle. ¡°The other guest deemed the vor too strange and decided not to purchase it. I


    suppose we all have our preferences though, don¡¯t we?¡±


    <


    1/4


    Though the shop owner was kind, he was more chatty than I preferred, and I wasn¡¯t quite in the mood


    for conversation. So, I offered him a polite smile, and after I tucked the bottle into my messenger bag, I


    left the shop. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    I walked back to the pce, and once I arrived, I made my way down the corridor that led to the


    dungeon. Much to my surprise, I encountered no resistance from the guards. They recognized me at


    once and stood aside to allow me entry. I was a little taken aback that they didn¡¯t interrogate me, but I


    wasn¡¯t going to question my bit of good luck.


    Spi ke appeared surprised to see me. His dark eyes nced at the empty space behind me, and his


    eyebrow raised. After a moment of hesitation, he let out a small


    chuckle


    ¡°I see you¡¯re unapanied today, Healer Cas sandra,¡± he noted with an arrogant smirk on his face.


    ¡°How unusual. Does your guard know that you¡¯re here on your own?¡±


    I considered telling the truth but stood my ground in Lancel¡¯s absence. I needed to prove I could hold


    my own without the older guard being here to watch me.


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business,¡± I answered calmly, though not rudely, and then I reached into my


    messenger bag and retrieved the bottle of liquor from within. I gently held it out toward the bars of the


    imposter¡¯s cell. ¡°I brought you this, as you requested.¡±


    Spi ke was clearly taken aback. He stared at the dark green bottle with a look of confusion and then


    eyed me carefully.


    ¡°Really?¡± he noted. ¡°How interesting. I didn¡¯t think you would amodate the request.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to offer you something in reward for your cooperation,¡± I replied.


    Spi k e nodded slowly and then tilted his head to the side.


    ¡°I must say, Healer, Cas sandra, I¡¯m very much surprised,¡± he said in a curious tone. ¡°Both by your solo


    visit and this gift you¡¯ve bestowed upon me. How ever did


    O


    2/4


    you manage to evade the guard? He¡¯s not exactly known for his-¡±


    ¡°I have questions,¡± I interrupted him before he could finish his sentence. ¡°Ones that only you can


    provide. I entrust that you¡¯ll be willing to answer them, given I¡¯ve done what you asked?¡±


    Spi ke stared at me for a moment and then smiled, only this time, it was almost. genuine. He epted


    the bottle from my hands and then walked over to his desk and retrieved his coffee mug. He filled it to


    the brim with the liquor and then turned to face me. ¡°You¡¯ve been withholding information in the guard¡¯s


    presence. I can tell. Now that we¡¯re finally alone, I¡¯d be willing to answer whatever queries you have. I


    suppose I owe you that much. Besides, I¡¯m taking a small break from working on the cure to the


    poisons. The least I could do is speak with you.¡±


    I swallowed hard. I hadn¡¯t expected this to go over so swimmingly. Usually, Sp i ke was arrogant and at


    least a little standoffish, but he seemed genuinely grateful to get the beverage of his desire, and his


    spirits seemed brighter than usual. Though I wasn¡¯t sure exactly what to say, I knew this was the


    perfect opportunity to get some rity about my nightmare.


    I gathered myself and then spoke.


    ¡°Spi e, do you know anything about ¡®mind control¡­ or something simr to that?¡± I wondered. ¡°Had you


    ever heard about it during your time with Dark Abyss?¡±


    ¡°Mind control?¡± he repeated back and I nodded.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°I know that sounds strange¡­ but could sorcerers do something


    like that? Control minds?¡±


    As my words trailed off, Spi ke opened the bottle of liquor and sniffed at it. He then took a sip and then


    pondered the question for a moment. After a minute or so, he shook his head.


    ¡°I must admit, my knowledge on the matter is limited,¡± he said. ¡°That being said, I believe sorcery could


    aplish just about anything. It had a grim reputation in the past. It¡¯s possible elite sorcerers might


    have possessed the ability to control minds through spells.¡±


    3/4


    ¡°Could they have aplished that through poisons?¡± I rified. ¡°I know your mentioned that the


    poison affected the neuro system-¡±


    Spi ke¡¯s suddenughter cut me off and heat spread to my cheeks in


    embarrassment at once.


    ¡°Mind control poisons?¡± he chuckled, and then he wiped liquor from his lips. ¡°Okay, now that¡¯s


    preposterous, even by our standards. I must say, Healer Cas sandra, that you underestimate sorcery¡¯s<pplexity. It doesn¡¯t work like that, and even if it did, only the most elite of sorcerers could aplish


    such an impossible feat. I know we¡¯re dealing with some higher-level magic, but to pull off a mind-


    control poison¡­ that would require an immense amount of precision and sk


    I immediately felt foolish for asking such a question. My theory had been so underbaked and half-


    developed that I probably should have waited before barging into the dungeon and demanding answers


    from Spi ke.


    The imposter had a point, one that I had to concede to. If a poison could wield such power, chaos


    would reign.


    Just as I was about to turn on my heels and leave, Spi ke¡¯sughter ceased


    abruptly.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he mused quietly, and his eyebrows knit together. ¡°There is one possibility. It¡¯s far-


    fetched¡­¡±


    He set his mug down on the table and then approached the bars of the cell to


    stand in front of me.


    ¡°If an exceptionally powerful sorcerer crafted something that could embed a spell into wolves¡¯ bodies, it


    would require a strong catalyst,¡± Spi ke dered, but then he shook his head. ¡°But that would be


    impossible.¡±

 Chapter 173

    Chapter 173


    Chapter 173 Deprived of Wolf Soul


    CAS SANDRA


    ¡°A strong catalyst?¡± I wondered, and as my brow furrowed, I took a step closer toward Spi ke¡¯s cell.


    What do you mean by that?¡±


    Sp i ke took a long deep breath and ran his hand through his dark brown hair. His equally dark eyes


    stared down at the ground for a moment and then he spoke.


    ¡°Look, it was nothing more than a mere story that was popr among the members of Dark Abyss,¡± he


    said dismissively, and then he waved his hand in the air as if to further his point. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really. I


    was just supposing.¡±


    When he didn¡¯t say more, frustration swelled within me, along with curiosity.


    What did he mean, and why was he being so vague with it?


    I began to wonder ifing here was a mistake and debated turning around and heading back to the


    clinic. I had gotten my answers and needed to get back to work before patients arrived for healing. We


    were understaffed anyway, so it would make sense for me to throw in the towel and leave Spi ke to


    keep working on the cure to the poison.


    But some part of me knew that there was something more he wasn¡¯t being forthright with. Any little


    detail could be important, no matter how far-fetched it seemed. I knew there was something here.


    So, I took a breath and pressed a little further.


    ¡°Spi k e, could you tell me more about it?¡± I asked gently, and I offered him a kind smile. ¡°I know it¡¯s just


    a story, but I¡¯d really like to know more.¡±


    The imposter exhaled and didn¡¯t seem as if he wanted to share, but he reluctantly nodded his head.


    1/4


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It was a time before the destruction of Ewonmiams and the extermination of the most eli e sorcerers,¡±


    he began, and he crossed his arms against his chest. ¡°Before their demise, some of the sorcerors


    foresaw their fate and crafted a legendary talisman of immense power.¡±


    ¡°A talisman?¡± I repeated back, and Spi ke nodded.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°The artifact, which was believed to enable any form of sorcery, was entrusted to the


    academy¡¯s leader for safekeeping.¡±


    He took a seat on the stool in front of his work desk. ¡°Tragically, the leader of the sorcerors was in


    during an escape and the talisman was supposedly destroyed. But as I said before, this is an


    unsubstantiated legend, Cas sandra. There¡¯s no proof that it actually happened.¡±


    My lips parted in surprise as I mulled over the story and nodded my head thoughtfully. A talisman that


    could be used for mind control? Could such a thing really have existed?


    Spi ke¡¯s eyes trailed over me and then he frowned. ¡°Surely, you wouldn¡¯t consider such a ludicrous tale


    to be true, healer? I mean, a talisman of immense power sounds good and interesting in theory, but


    such an artifact likely doesn¡¯t exist. I¡¯m sure it was nothing more than a story shared among my Pack to


    add to the intrigue of sorcerors.¡±


    He was right of course. I found sorcery and the stories around it to be equally incredulous. If you¡¯d


    asked me a year ago about what I thought about magic, I¡¯d likely have scoffed and dismissed the


    thought entirely.


    But now that I knew more about poisons and the Ewomnians, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if there was


    any merit to the idea of a talisman. Could such a thing have existed, and if so, could it be used for


    something like mind control?


    As I considered the possibilities, Spi ke nonchntly poured another drink and then consumed it with


    haste. There was an unusual eagerness gleaming in his dark eyes, as though he sought to finish the


    entire bottle quickly rather than savor it. As I watched him fill his mug again, I tried to make sense of his


    actions.


    2/4


    Why did he seem so off?


    If this alleged talisman were really nothing more than a story passed around the Dark Abyss Pack, why


    was Spi ke so nervous? What had him behaving in such a


    way?


    As I pondered his demeanor, Sp i ke turned his attention back to me and raised a


    dark eyebrow.


    ¡°You have more questions,¡± he noted curiously. ¡°I can see it on your face. When you arrived, you


    mentioned wanting to ask me questions. Was there something more you wanted to know?¡±


    He had read me like a book. I indeed had one more pressing question on my mind, one that I couldn¡¯t


    push away. I wouldn¡¯t have an opportunity like this again.


    So, I summoned up my courage and exhaled lightly.


    ¡°Spi ke, do you know of any sorcery that¡¯s capable of extinguishing a wolf¡¯s


    soul?¡± I wondered.


    He was taken aback by my question and frowned. ¡°A ¡®wolf soul¡±?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°A person¡¯s ability to shapeshift into their wolf form. Could sorcery take away that ability to


    change?¡±


    Once the words left my lips, I watched Spi ke¡¯s reaction intently. He seemed puzzled by the question


    and unaware of the underlying intent behind it.


    My gaze sharpened and my eyes began to sting. Had Sp i ke forgotten about his actions against Cora


    and how his part in delivering the poison had rendered me defenseless for years? For a moment, anger


    flickered through my mind.


    For five years, the inferno had lingered in my brain and gued my dreams with terrible images. It had


    affected me physically, me ntally, and emotionally. Since that terrible day, I¡¯d been fearing for my life


    and the future of Finnick¡¯s, and Spi ke¡­ he didn¡¯t even seem to realize what I was talking about.


    3/4


    Ever since I¡¯d lost the ability to shift into my wolf form, it felt as if part of me had been ripped away. My


    wolf had been such an important part of me. The color of my fur was the same as my mother¡¯s and the


    same as her mother¡¯s. All of the female wolves on her side of the family, in fact, shared the same white


    fur. Losing that connection to her had hurt me so badly.


    I struggled to maintain myposure and my hands shook at my sides, but I forced myself to remain


    steady.


    Finally, Spi ke spoke.


    ¡°Healer Cas sandra, you seem insistent on the fact that poison is omnipotent,¡± he remarked in a tone


    that was calm yet still somewhat mocking. ¡°What you suggest isn¡¯t possible. A single poison couldn¡¯t


    achieve such a feat. Tampering with a wolf¡¯s ¡®soul¡¯ as you put it would require far more than what you


    could imagine is possible. such a thing could truly be aplished, only the most elite sorcerors could


    achieve such a suppression of abilities. And as far as I know, no such sorcerer exists


    or ever has.¡±


    ¡°Do you possess such abilities?¡± I blurted out as the idea struck me.


    The imposter chuckled and shook his head back and forth.


    ¡°While I appreciate the usation, I¡¯m just an ordinary member of Dark Abyss,¡± he said. ¡°I might be


    skillful at poisons and such, but I¡¯m incapable of mastering the level of sorcery needed for such a feat.


    If it were possible, not that it is¡­ the sorcerer would have to be far more powerful than I ever could be.¡±


    4/4

 Chapter 174

    Chapter 174


    Chapter 174 Obscurity


    CAS SANDRA


    My head spun as I walked, and with every step I took toward Keller¡¯s, memories of my conversation


    with Spi ke faded into obscurity. How I exited the dungeon. eluded me and I felt as if someone else was


    controlling my movements. This strange sensation of possession wasn¡¯t something I was used to, but


    with how much turmoil gued my thoughts, it made sense that I was feeling out of sorts.


    I was restless and my mind was agitated from the pressure of it all.


    Mind control, talismans, Emmett¡­ there was so much to consider and I didn¡¯t know how to make


    sense of it. I wished that Asher was here to help me sort it all out, but with him being gone on some


    unknown errand, I was alone in the matter.


    Spi ke had no reason to deceive me, did he?


    Though he was an imposter and not necessarily a great man, what would he have to gain by lying to


    me?


    There was only one usible answer to the question that haunted me- Emmett had intervened to


    suppress my ability to shift.


    But why?


    Despite the warming weather around me, I remained chilled to the bone. When a gentle breeze danced


    through my hair, it induced an involuntary shiver that made me pause in ce. I stood there for a


    moment and thought hard about my past. It struggled to recall the moments after Emmett had rescued


    me from Anemond.


    Initially, my consciousness had slipped away after the soldiers had departed. from Rosepetal, just as


    the inferno had begun. When I¡¯d awakened in Wild Crawler, I¡¯d been consumed by searing pain. It had


    been unimaginable and rendered me unable to do much physical motion. Amidst my excruciating


    recovery, I¡¯d discovered the unsettling truth- I couldn¡¯t shift into my white-furred wolf form


    1/4


    Every werewolf, even the lowest ranking ones in the most obscure Packs in Wega, could easily slip


    into their animal form without a second thought. But no matter how much I tried, no matter how much I


    strained and attempted¡­ I couldn¡¯t


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    do it.


    It was unsettling and sent me into a deep depressive state.


    Emmett had reassured me that my ability might soon return once I fully recovered from my injuries, but


    much to my surprise, it never did. I was devastated beyond belief. The power to transform into the form


    the Moon Goddess blessed me with was gone, and I attributed it to the potion.


    Yet, Emmett neither confirmed nor refuted my assumptions, which always left room for doubt.


    As I approached Kellers, I spied Erika and Becky on the porch. They were chatting and wearing bright


    smiles, and I knew at once that I needed to suppress my turmoil. I didn¡¯t want to burden them with my


    turbulent mindset. Asher would be returning tomorrow, and I could confide in him then.


    For now, I needed to fake a positive attitude and act like everything was okay.


    So, as I crossed the street, I forced a wide smile onto my face and shoved my concerns aside. Erika


    and Becky spotted me at once and waved happily. Once I reached the porch, my assistant greeted me


    with a hug.


    ¡°Hi Becky,¡± I said once we parted, and my eyes trailed over her. Becky¡¯s appearance was brighter than


    it had been in a while and she seemed quite well-rested for once. ¡°You look great! Your dark circles


    have vanishedpletely.¡±


    Becky smirked and thenughed lightly. ¡°Yeah, I slept in prettyte. I definitely needed it after


    everything that¡¯s been going ontely.¡±


    ¡°I understandpletely,¡± I said, and then I gestured to the door. ¡°Well, now that you¡¯ve gotten some


    sleep, let¡¯s go talk in the meeting room.¡±


    She nodded, and then we headed inside I asked Erika to prepare us some tea, and after the maid


    happily agreed, Becky and I made our way to the meeting room.


    2/4


    We sat down in the plush leather chairs, and a few minutester, Erika returned with the tea and a tray


    with sweet, delicious pastries on them.


    ¡°That smells great,¡± I noted as I inhaled deeply, and then I smiled at Erika. ¡°Is that a new kind?¡±


    The maid nodded and then offered me a smile of her own. ¡°It¡¯s a new blend I found at the market. It¡¯s a


    vani spice tea. I know you¡¯re fond of jasmine, but this smelled so lovely that I had to purchase it.¡±


    ¡°Nothing wrong with something new,¡± I replied. ¡°Thank you, Erika.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± she said. She poured a cup for Becky and me and then left the


    room.


    My assistant and I sipped at our drinks and we were both pleasantly surprised by the new tea. It was


    warm and delicious, almost like a sugar cookie, and it was very pleasant. It helped soothe my nerves a


    bit, and I managed to roll my shoulders back and rx.


    Once I was in a calmer state, I cleared my throat.


    ¡°So, Spi ke and I had an interesting discussion,¡± I began. I told Becky every detail of my visit with Spi


    ke, and when I mentioned the bit about ¡°mind control¡±, Becky¡¯s reddish brown eyes widened.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to think about all of this,¡± my assistant admitted, and she crossed her legs as she


    pondered the information. ¡°I can¡¯t help but doubt the existence of a sorcerer powerful enough to


    orchestrate such events.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I admitted. ¡°It¡¯s definitely a lot to think about.¡±


    Becky nodded and then frowned slightly. ¡°We can¡¯t discount anything, of course. It¡¯s something we


    should keep in the back of our minds for right now. I¡¯m not sure what to think about a talisman or even


    magic in general. But there¡¯s a chance sorcerors could have a hand in all of this.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I replied, and then I took a small breath before I tucked my hair behind


    ???


    3/4


    my ear. I¡¯d worn it down today and it hung a little heavily down my back. I swept the locks away from


    my neck and tried to rx. I could feel my doubts and concerns starting to arise, but I forced myself to


    remain calm in front of my assistant.


    Luckily, Becky didn¡¯t seem to notice anything amiss.


    ¡°Now, when ites to the source of the disease¡­ I think we need to inform Wild Cawler that their


    water source is contaminated,¡± she mused thoughtfully.


    I nodded in agreement. ¡°Absolutely. But I think we need to wait until the Alphal King returns tomorrow


    before making any public announcements. Handling the situation delicately is important to prevent any


    unnecessary panic.¡±


    Becky nodded and then a strange look crossed her features. ¡°Cas sandra¡­ could I have your


    permission to inform the clinic¡¯s healer in Wild Crawler first? I promise the news will remain confidential,


    but I think they need to know first.¡±


    ¡°The healer of the clinic?¡± I asked, and my eyebrows knitted together in confusion. ¡°Are you referring to


    Marley?¡±


    My assistant hesitated for a moment and I could see a look of unease on her pretty face.


    Her cheeks flushed scarlet and she pushed her round sses up the bridge of


    her freckled nose.


    ¡°Right,¡± she muttered. ¡°Yes, Marley. You¡¯re right, Cas sy. Marley definitely needs.


    to know.¡±

 Chapter 175

    Chapter 175


    Chapter 175 Lighten the mood CAS S ANDRA


    Despite Becky¡¯s best efforts to prove otherwise, worry and concern painted her features, and her


    reddish-brown eyes were slightly zed over as she stared at the floor. Though she¡¯d mentioned the


    importance of sharing the news of the


    contaminated water with Marley, I had the distinct feeling that there was something more happening,


    something she wasn¡¯t sharing. It wasn¡¯t like my assistant to lie, but I knew her well enough to know


    something was amiss.


    As she began to fidget nervously and mess with the sleeve of her soft blue sweater, I gently ced my


    hand on her shoulder and offered her an empathetic expression.


    ¡°Becky, what¡¯s going on?¡± I asked her quietly. ¡°You look distressed.¡±


    My assistant raised her eyes and the moment she met my gaze, her porcin skin flushed scarlet and


    she pushed her sses up.


    ¡°Just ignore what I said,¡± she urged me, and she shook her head and forced a smile. ¡°You¡¯re right Cas


    sandra. We should just wait for the Alpha King to return before we spread the word to Wild Crawler.


    The news shoulde from him, or we should at least wait to make any decisions until he¡¯s back.¡±


    Her words and tone were somewhat frantic, as if she were trying to cover her tracks and hide her


    statement. As I observed her closely, it was all the more clear


    that there was more to her worry than what met the eye.


    I didn¡¯t breathe a word. Instead, I opted to allow the moment to happen more organically. We sat there


    in silence for a moment and then Becky¡¯s shoulders.


    slumped.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she apologized, her voice wavering as her lower lip trembled. ¡°Earlier, when I mentioned the


    healer in Wild Crawler¡­ I was thinking of Dic kson, not Marley. In the wake of this discovery, I¡¯m a little


    concerned for him.¡±


    1/4


    Things suddenly made a lot more sense.


    I vaguely remembered Marley mentioning another healer at the clinic, a young, reserved man she


    found aloof and somewhat irritating. She¡¯d griped about him for a while one morning and then admitted


    that despite their differences, she could acknowledge hismitment. She¡¯d chalked up his stoic


    nature to be the price of his dedication.


    While normally, I wasn¡¯t one to pry, I could tell Becky cared about this fellow healer greatly.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°I see,¡± I replied. ¡°That¡¯s understandable, Becky. How was his condition when you left? Do you think he


    has contracted the disease?¡±


    Becky seemed taken aback by the question and shook her head again as her cheeks darkened yet


    again.


    ¡°No, no, I don¡¯t think so,¡± she said, and then she tucked her short dark red hair behind her ears. ¡°He


    was fine when I left. Just forget I said anything, I¡¯m probably just being foolish, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Worrying about people isn¡¯t foolish,¡± I assured her calmly. ¡°You care, that¡¯s all. There¡¯s nothing wrong


    with that, Becky. You have a kind heart.¡±


    locky gave me a


    more, I spoke again.


    small but fleeting smile and when she didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°You know you can share anything with me, right?¡± I asked. ¡°No pressure at all, whatsoever, of course.


    But I think of you as more than just my assistant and colleague, Becky. You¡¯re like a sister to me. I¡¯m


    here for you, I promise.¡±


    Her eyes welled over with tears that streamed down her cheeks momentster.


    ¡°I think of you like a sister too, Cas sy,¡± she said, and then she wiped away her tears and took a deep


    breath. ¡°Okay¡­ so I guess I should tell you that something happened between Dic kson and me in


    Wild Crawler. At first, we started out kind of estranged, but then he really started opening up to me. We


    suddenly started bing friends, and then the night before I left¡­¡±


    III


    2/4


    My gasp only seemed to further Becky¡¯s self-consciousness, and she quickly pulled away from me.


    ¡°Oh, Ca ssy, this is awful,¡± she groaned and she hid her face in her hands.


    ¡°It¡¯s so romantic, though,¡± I said in an attempt to lighten the mood. Becky remained still and then


    removed her hands from her face a minuteter. ¡°Look, I must admit that I¡¯m not the most experienced


    in such matters, but I¡¯m here to support you and lend you a listening ear with no judgment.¡±


    My lightheartedness and calm tone of voice seemed to put her at least a little at ease because Becky


    gave me a small smile.


    ¡°Inexperienced?¡± She wondered. ¡°Surely you had more admirers than just Finnick¡¯s father? There¡¯s no


    way you didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate thepliment,¡± I said and then I shook my head. ¡°But no. Back then, even if there were


    any others, I wouldn¡¯t have noticed them. I only had my eyes and heart set on one man.¡±


    Becky smiled dreamily. ¡°That¡¯s so romantic.¡±


    There was so much more that I wanted to say. I wanted to tell her the great tale of how Asher and I had


    fallen madly in love, but I couldn¡¯t. Apart from Asher and Erika, no one knew of my past identity, and it


    wasn¡¯t yet safe to reveal myself to


    anyone.


    Perhaps one day, I could share my story with Marley and Becky and finally let go of the lie I¡¯d been


    living all of these years. As I¡¯d told her just a little bit ago, I saw her as one of my sisters rather than an


    assistant. I knew they both would


    understand.


    But for now, all I could do was smile without speaking another word.


    ???


    4/4


    ASHER


    Chapter 176 idental injury


    Much to our shock and concert¡¯s contin worsened upon reaching


    und Ector had been start


    ansport hemi


    Upon a nal and can


    necdotaly, and the Baia and


    carefully se


    that the Agong and dught they was of the perks of


    gong


    Though he was somewhere between conscious and adong, 19 man sharing


    of the female hears tucked n


    Kictor¡¯s Dewath was sabored and fax (head rose and fall with what a vemed to be quite


    a be of effort


    Hawkery so often though his green eyes were gazed car and a sheen


    began to panic a few times over the course of


    around in fear but the moment he noticed me


    seemed to rx. I was grateful my presen?a ma


    was cont eshed by the royal family.


    ¡°oundings, but he

 Chapter 176

    Chapter 176


    Chapter 176 idental injury


    ASHER


    Much to our shock and concern, Ector Felix¡¯s condition worsened upon reaching the military base.


    It had been a difficult journey back to thepound. Ector had been reluctant to leave his home, so a


    mild sedative had to be administered to transport him.


    Upon arrival, Ss and I carried him inside, where a host of military personnel were awaiting our return.


    A gurney was procured immediately, and the Beta and I carefully set him on the cart.


    I was grateful that no one seemed to question the identity of the poor, frail man that the Alpha King and


    Beta had brought into the facility. It was one of the perks of being the ruler of Wega- discretion was


    the name of the game. I couldn¡¯t be questioned by anyone, no matter their rank, for fear of punishment.


    Of course, I wasn¡¯t that type of ruler by any means, but when it came to Ector Felix, I wasn¡¯t going to


    risk his safety by someone asking questions.


    The gurney was wheeled into a private room, and once the doors were closed behind us to grant some


    privacy, we eased him into the bed provided.


    Though he was somewhere between conscious and asleep, he was shivering like crazy, so one of the


    female healers tucked him into a swath of thick nkets. Ector¡¯s breath wasbored and his chest rose


    and fell with what seemed to be quite


    a bit of effort.


    He awoke every so often, though his green eyes were zed over and a sheen. of sweat covered his


    brow. He didn¡¯t seem all that aware of his surroundings, but he began to panic a few times over the


    course of an hour. Each time, he would look around in fear, but the moment he noticed me, his


    temperament shifted and he seemed to rx. I was grateful my presence wasforting, considering


    that he had been banished by the royal family.


    0


    1/4


    However, when Ector was alone with the base¡¯s resident healer, he would panic again and attempt toExclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    flee. After a while, the healer was forced to administer another round of sedatives.


    After a brief and hasty examination, the healer, a woman named Marya, emerged from the infirmary


    and joined us out in the waiting room.


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡± the curly-haired woman prompted me, and when I rose from my stiff chair and


    approached her, she offered me a polite bow of respect. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry to keep you waiting.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all,¡± I assured her and then I took a short breath. ¡°How is he?¡±


    ¡°Not as well as we wish he was,¡± Marya sighed, and she pushed her sses her nose. ¡°Your Majesty,


    the patient needs urgent medical attention and a thoroug diagnosis. The root cause of his fever is


    unknown and given his fragile m ental state, there¡¯s a high risk of self-harm, or worse, if he doesn¡¯t get


    some real help. His condition is weak and we¡¯re worried about what he might do without further


    intervention. We have great facilities here, but he needs the kind of care that only the capital can


    provide.¡±


    As her words entered my mind, I realized we had only one option.


    We had to bring Ector back to Anemond immediately.


    Leaving him here at the military base was too dangerous. Without my presence, he could hurt himself,


    and if we didn¡¯t get him the type of medical intervention that only the capital was capable of, he could


    die.


    I nodded at Marya. ¡°Thank you for assessing him. I¡¯ll make the arrangements at


    once.¡±


    The healer nodded at me and then offered me a small bow. ¡°Of course, Your


    Majesty.¡±


    As I exited Ector¡¯s room and stepped out into the hall, my head swam with a million thoughts. I had to


    arrange discreet transportation at once. I couldn¡¯t risk anyone recognizing Ector, at least not yet.


    2/4


    Just as I considered Lancel as a possible driver, I caught sight of Ss. The Beta¡¯s already serious face


    appeared even more grave than usual, and there was a strangeck of light in his golden eyes.


    I was about to open my mouth to ask my brother-inw what was wrong when suddenly, a familiar cry


    pierced through the air. The terrible sound made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and when I


    turned around quickly to determine the source of the noise, I caught sight of Lancel, who held a


    sobbing Marco in his


    arms.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± my son cried out, and he reached his small arms out toward me. He tugged and pulled at


    Lancel, but my most trusted guard held him steady.


    ¡°Marco?¡± I asked in surprise. ¡°What are you-¡±


    My voice suddenly caught in my throat as my eyes trailed down to the young prince¡¯s left leg. It was


    heavily bandaged but still, dark red blood seeped through the dressing.


    I could feel myself grow pale as my own blood chilled in shock. Concern bloomed within me and I


    began to shake with worry as I approached him.


    But before I could reach my injured son, Adalyn appeared and I stopped in my


    tracks.


    ¡°This is my fault!¡± the sobbing woman wailed, her gold eyes full of anger and tears. ¡°Oh, Asher, it¡¯s all


    my fault!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked as a lump formed in my throat. I nced over at Ss, who looked equally


    rmed, and then turned back to Lancel. My guard¡¯s face was solemn, but his eyes were weary with


    despair.


    ¡°The fault is mine, Alpha,¡± he blurted out as he continued to restrain the poor boy. ¡°The mishap is my


    doing.¡±


    I noticed that just beyond us, a small group of people had formed just down the hall. A handful of


    military personnel studied the strange scene, and I could hear a few of them whispering about the royal


    family.


    III


    O


    3/4


    I wasn¡¯t a fan of scenes, and this disy was definitely terrible.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go somewhere else to discuss this,¡± I suggested gently in ant attempt to diffuse the


    situation. ¡°Somewhere more private.¡±


    Marco continued to cry, but Ss, Lancel, and Adalyn simultaneously nodded in agreement. Without


    another moment of hesitation, I guided them down another corridor and down the stairs. I led us into


    the nearest meeting room and then locked


    the door behind us.


    Everyone sat down in the chairs, with the exception of Marco, who remained in Adalyn¡¯sp. Adalyn


    stroked his dark curls in an attempt to soothe the boy, and it somewhat worked.


    Once everyone was situated, I turned to Lancel.


    ¡°Lancel, speak first,¡± I demanded. ¡°What happened? What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    ¡°Alpha, I was apanying Prince Marco on a forest run,¡± he exined. ¡°He tried crossing over a


    branch, but it was toorge and it snagged on his leg and caused an injury.¡±


    ¡°Why was Marco even allowed in the forest in the first ce?¡± I asked sternly. ¡°He¡¯s far too young to go


    out there.¡±


    ¡°He insisted on ying out in the woods after missing out on the Hunting Festival,¡± Adalyn spoke up.


    ¡°He¡¯d received that viper bite, remember? So he wanted to go out there and see the forest.¡±


    I felt my gaze turn icy as I focused it on my wife. I stared at her for a moment and then practically


    growled.


    ¡°Why are you even here at the military base, Adalyn?¡±


    4/4

 Chapter 177

    Chapter 177


    Chapter 177 Innocent and naive


    ASHER


    Silence hung like a heavy veil in the room as I awaited an answer from the group. Lancel¡¯s expression


    remained stoic andposed, meanwhile, Adalyn¡¯s normally richly tanned skin had paled


    considerably. She bit her lower lip and slightly smeared the red lipstick that covered it.


    Agitation rose within me and with each passing second, my patience thinned.


    I was the Alpha King of Wega.


    Why was no one respecting my demand?


    Finally, Adalyn cleared her throat and her piercing golden eyes met mine.


    ¡°It was my doing,¡± she admitted, and her voice wavered slightly as she spoke. ¡°After he was injured by


    the fallen tree in the woods, Marco cried out for you. He begged and demanded to see his father and


    refused medical attention unless you were there. Don¡¯t me Lancel. I all but forced him to bring us


    here. I know it¡¯s improper to interrupt the Alpha King when he¡¯s on official business, but I didn¡¯t know


    what else to do-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯spletely improper,¡± I interrupted her sternly.


    ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t me Mommy,¡± Marco pleaded as tears streamed down his. cheeks, and he began to


    hup from the effort. ¡°It was my fault. I just missed you


    so much!¡±


    As he dissolved into so bs and his little body heaved with sadness, exhaustion


    washed over me.


    This situation felt like a mess.


    Though I couldn¡¯t fault Marco, as he was simply an injured child seeking


    1/5


    comfort from his father, I was irritated with Adalyn. Perhaps I had been too lenient with her or not stern


    enough in my warnings. I had given her too much freedom and Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    power.


    Again, I was the Alpha King.


    Why were others going against my orders?


    My gazended on Lancel, who immediately averted his eyes. I hadn¡¯t expected this sort of behavior


    from my most trusted guard. He had always been my most loyal man, and I was surprised that he had


    disobeyed my orders to leave me to my confidential business.


    For a moment, I considered tearing into them both with the intensity that I saved for my most disloyal


    knights and se rvants.


    But as I studied Lancel, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to get angry with him, at least not in front of the people


    in this room. Marco was in a state of disarray and I didn¡¯t want to upset him further. He was just a


    scared child and me yelling at the guard would only make things worse.


    So, I decided not to delve deeper and instead exhaled slowly.


    ¡°Lancel, please return Lady Adalyn and Prince Marco to Merliscire immediately,¡±


    I ordered.


    Lancel nodded and rose from his seat with no hesitation. Adalyn attempted to do the same, but Marco


    refused to move.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back!¡± he practically yelled, and he began to kick as Adalyn tried to wrangle him.


    ¡°Daddy, I don¡¯t want to go back! I want to stay with you!¡±


    ¡°Marco, your father said we have to go,¡± Adalyn insisted, and her eyes shed with irritation. Finally,


    she managed to get him up off of the seat, but just as she got him to his feet, Marco tried to dart over to


    me. Luckily, Lancel was close enough to step in, and as the child was halted in his tracks, he began to


    cry further.


    I felt entirely overwhelmed by the situation. Normally, I would have given in and


    2/5


    consoled the young prince. But deep down, I knew that my son was prone to these types of tantrums,


    and no matter what I did, he would pull this kind of behavior


    again.


    ¡°I need some fresh air,¡± I announced quietly, and just as I was about to leave the room, Adalyn reached


    out and touched my arm.


    ¡°Asher, could I please have a private conversation with you?¡± she requested. ¡°I know you have


    business to attend to, but it¡¯s urgent. Once we¡¯re done, I¡¯ll leave with


    Marco.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to-¡± Marco began to whine, but when Adalyn shot him a stern nce, he fell silent


    immediately.


    I wanted to spurn her requestpletely after this stunt she¡¯d pulled, but I knew that if I appeased her


    at least a little bit, she was more likely to back off. As much as I felt apathy toward her, she was still


    legally my wife.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I said, and then I nced at Ss at Lancel. ¡°Leave us. Take Prince Marco with you.¡±


    Ss and Lancel nodded in sync with one another and then escorted the boy out of the room. Once the


    door was closed behind them, I released a heavy sigh.


    I crossed the room and stood over by arge window. Dusk had started to set in and the sky was


    darkening with each passing moment. Time was of the essence and I needed to get back to my


    business with Ector. He was too ill to be wasting my time with trivial matters like Adalyn.


    ¡°I have important business to attend to, Adalyn,¡± I remarked as I crossed my arms. ¡°So, out with it.¡±


    Adalyn approached me but lingered a few feet away.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for our unexpected visit, Asher,¡± she apologized in a tone that was almost genuine. ¡°I know


    it¡¯s rude and insolent to interrupt your affairs. But when Marco cried¡­ I didn¡¯t know what to do. He


    misses you so much. You¡¯ve been so


    distant since Cas sandra Keller¡¯s arrival-¡±


    3/5


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak of Cas sandra,¡± I interrupted her and my eyes narrowed at her.


    ¡°Asher, why are you being so cold to us?¡± she questioned with a doe-like gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why


    you hate us so much.¡±


    ¡°Adalyn, I don¡¯t have time for all of this drama,¡± I sighed, and I pinched the bridge of my nose between


    my fingers as a sudden headache crept in. ¡°Please, cut to the chase. What is it that you really want?¡±


    Adalyn¡¯s innocent gaze suddenly shifted and fell away as if she had been wearing a mask. Her red-


    painted lips curled into a smile and she studied me in al calcting way.


    ¡°You¡¯ve always hated me because of Cora,¡± she used me as she took a step. closer. ¡°It wasn¡¯t my


    doing that led to our marriage, you know. It was all orchestrated in a way to save her, you know that,


    right? Our marriage was meant clear her of her family¡¯s crimes.¡±


    Silence filled the air again. I waspletely uninterested in her defense, so I remained quiet. There


    was nothing she could say that could repair the distance


    between us.


    Still, she persisted.


    ¡°Asher, I was innocent and naive,¡± she continued on, and she reached her hand out to me. ¡°Please,


    you have to believe me-


    I immediately recoiled at her touch, and as a slight rush of air passed between us, I noticed a strange,


    pungent smell emanating from her palm.


    The scent traveled up my nostrils and immediately, my stomach began to turn.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I murmured as I suddenly grew disoriented, and then Adalyn brought her hand even


    closer. This time, the strange smell flooded my senses, and my knees began to buckle.


    The room began to spin and my vision started to blur.


    III


    O


    4/5


    O


    Just before I lost consciousness, Adalyn spoke again.


    ¡°This time, I won¡¯t be as innocent or naive.¡±


    5/5

 Chapter 178

    Chapter 178


    Chapter 178 Death and threat


    CAS SANDRA


    The morning after my conversation with Spi ke, I was too excited to sleep in, and awoke far before the


    sun had even breached the h or izon. I sat straight up in bed and stretched my arms high above me,


    relishing in the sweet release as my muscles eased. I let out a soft sigh and a smile crawled on my lips.


    Asher was set to return in the afternoon. Though it had only been a few days, it had felt like an eternity


    since I¡¯d seen the Alpha King. I yearned for the scent of his cologne as well as the feeling of his lips


    against mine. I longed for the warmth of his skin and the way his gray eyes softened when they met


    mine.


    It was crazy to think back to when we¡¯d first met in Wild Crawler. That Asher had a steely gaze that


    made me ufortable and cold, but this new Asher, the Asher I knew in the past¡­ he was someone


    else entirely.


    I quietly padded over to the bathroom and gently closed the door behind me to keep from waking up


    Finnick. I approached the sink and sshed my face with water. My emerald eyes were bright for the


    first time in a while and I was relieved that the Alpha King would see a well-rested version of me for


    once..


    As I brushed the tangles out of my long copper hair, I remembered that today was also the day that


    Kaleb was leaving Anemond and returning to Yurene. I had heard that the farewell party would be


    arranged in the banquet hall in the afternoon. The king from the North had invited me to attend, but I


    wasn¡¯t sure if I


    would or not.


    I didn¡¯t know if Asher was set to return before Kaleb left, but I supposed that he wouldn¡¯t be back very


    early. The pce guards had been vague with the details of his royal business, but from what I¡¯d


    gathered from our conversations, he was likely


    a ways away.


    Considering that we might spend a long time together after his return, I decided to visit Spi ke early this


    morning to check if he made any progress.


    1/5


    I quickly got dressed and took care to wear a cute but warm sweater. I¡¯d purchased it in the market of


    Anemond and hadn¡¯t had a chance to wear it yet. It was made of a nice plum-colored fabric that I


    hoped Asher would like.


    Once I was dressed, I went downstairs and asked Erika if she could keep an eye on Finnick. The maid


    was up early as well, and she had no problem with spending


    time with my son.


    I headed straight to Merliscire and once I arrived, I was surprised to see that there was only one guard


    posted at the entrance of the dungeon. The rest of the corridor was empty and an eerie silence


    surrounded us. I thought it was a little odd that there were so few people around, particrly guards,


    but I didn¡¯t give it much attention. I simply chalked it up to the fact that it was quite early and most of the


    pce upants were likely asleep.


    The guard greeted me kindly and then stepped aside to allow me into the dungeon. I gave him a warm


    smile and then descended the stairs.


    I knew I was likely appearing far too early for Spi ke¡¯s liking, but I was eager to know how the cure was


    going.


    As I made my way down the corridor, a strange feeling began in my stomach. It was somewhere


    between nausea and unease, but it was enough to make me stop in my tracks for a moment.


    How strange, I thought. I had no idea what was causing it, but I had a notion that something was amiss.


    But I forced the feeling down and continued toward Spi ke¡¯s cell.


    Once I reached the cold silver bars at the end of the hall, I was surprised to find the imposter lying on


    the ground. His dark hair concealed his face slightly, and her was incredibly still.


    ¡°Spi ke?¡± I called his name in an attempt to rouse him. I observed the bottle of liquor on his desk and


    noticed that it was empty. For a moment, I wondered if he was too drunk to move, but as I studied him


    for a minute, I quickly realized he didn¡¯t seem to be breathing at all.


    2/5


    ¡°Spi ke?¡± I repeated myself as my heart began to pound. I crouched down and reached through the


    bars. I prodded him and then tried to shake him awake, but when his arm flopped lifelessly, a lump


    formed in my throat and I couldn¡¯t breathe.


    Spi ke was dead.


    I tried to stand up but my knees buckled beneath me.


    How was this possible?


    My mind began to drown as I tried to understand what had happened. Spi ke had looked perfectly fine


    yesterday, and now¡­he was dead.


    ¡°Help!¡± I called out to the guard stationed at the top of the stairs, and when no one answered, I yelled


    again. ¡°Help! Please! I need help down here!¡±


    No one came to my aid, so I decided to go get someone myself.


    Spi ke couldn¡¯t be dead. He was my biggest hope and my only chance to get a cure to this dreadful


    illness.


    When I turned to head down the corridor, I suddenly mmed right into someone. The force of it


    coupled with the surprise almost made me scream.


    me.


    But before the sound could escape me, the man grabbed my wrist and shushed


    ¡°Don¡¯t make a sound,¡± he urged me as he held me in ce. ¡°We need to get out of here immediately.¡±


    The moment I heard his voice, my eyebrows knitted together.


    ¡°Kane?¡± I asked in surprise. Sure enough, Kane Collins was there in front of me, wearing a guard¡¯s


    uniform. His handsome face had a suspicious expression and his violet eyes were frantic. ¡°Why are


    you here? And why are you dressed like this? Sp i ke is-¡±


    ¡°Shh,¡± he urged me again. ¡°We need to leave now, Cas sandra. I¡¯ll exin


    Ãó


    3/5


    everythingter.¡± Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    I yanked my arm away and red at him.


    ¡°Did you kill Spi ke?¡± I demanded and Kane frowned and shook his head.


    ¡°No,¡± he insisted, and then he looked around. ¡°Now,e on, let¡¯s go-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± I interrupted him as I took a step back.


    Just as Kane was about to say something more, the clear sound of a chuckle came from the other side


    of the corridor. Kane¡¯s face paled suddenly, and when we turned around, I quickly spotted who made


    the sound.


    Kaleb walked down the ward with a smirk on his face. ¡°What a pity. It seems like it¡¯s the end of your


    little game of pretend, Kane. Your chance to be a knight is


    over.¡±


    My eyebrows knitted together and I nced between the two men. The foreign king¡¯s expression was


    unfamiliar and mocking. It was so cold that I felt a chill run down my spine.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Healer Cas sandra, there will be plenty of time to exin all of this to you,¡± he remarked in


    his heavily ented voice, and before I could utter a word, he snapped his fingers.


    Two of Kaleb¡¯s guards appeared and approached us swiftly. The impossibly tall men caught Asher¡¯s


    brother¡¯s arms on both sides with an iron grip. Kane snarled as Kaleb walked toward me.


    ¡°Stay away from her!¡± he demanded, but the guards held him in ce. He snarled again. ¡°Kaleb, stay


    away from her.¡±


    Kaleb ignored his cries and simply raised an eyebrow. His navy blue eyes nced over at his guards


    and then he inclined his head to the side.


    I watched in horror as the guards extended their ws and shed Kane¡¯s arm. As tears welled out of


    my eyes, blood burst out of his arm and poured onto the cold


    O


    4/5


    stone floor in front of me.


    5/5

 Chapter 179

    Chapter 179


    Chapter 179 How sad


    CASSANDRA


    My eyes widened in shock at the gruesome sight, and for a moment, I thought I was going to vomit.


    Nausea sent waves of difort through me, and I shivered in fright.


    As a healer, I¡¯d seen plenty of blood and wounds over the years, but it was far different when the


    wound belonged to someone I knew.


    ¡°Stop!¡± I begged Kaleb and rushed over to where the guards had started, dragging Kane away. I nearly


    skidded on the wet floor but managed to find my footing just in time. The guards snarled at me and


    were about to stop me, but Kaleb raised his hand.


    ¡°Let her pass,¡± he remarked in an amused tone, and the incredibly tall men released their hold on


    Asher¡¯s brother. Kane slumped over and then fell to the ground. Blood began to pool on the ground,


    and as the metallic smell hit the air, the nausea returned, but I forced myself to be brave.


    I crouched down and carefully looked at his wound. The cut on his arm was deep, nearly to the bone.


    He was losing blood rapidly, and I wished I could find something to stop the flow.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, Cassandra,¡± Kane tried to assure me, but his voice was weakened. His body trembled and


    his violet eyes grew more distant with every passing moment. His substantial blood loss had rendered


    him on the verge of losing consciousness.


    From his ce beyond us, Kaleb began to p, and when I nced behind me, the king of Yurene¡¯s


    cruel


    smile had widened.


    ¡°Lord Kane must be over the moon now,¡± he mused, and then he chuckled. His words made no sense


    and neither did his motivations. Though he had always been a strange man, he¡¯d nevere across


    as cruel or evil. But as I studied him, it was as if he were a different person entirely, someone I didn¡¯t


    know as well as I thought |


    did.


    ¡°Kaleb, what¡¯s going on?¡± I asked as I red at him in confusion. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±


    ¡°Why am I doing this?¡± he repeated back mockingly, and then he shook his head as if it were obvious.


    ¡°Oh, Cassandra, you already know the answer to this. What I want is simple enough. I want you to


    come with me to Yurene.¡±


    I stared at him in disbelief.


    What?


    This didn¡¯t make any sense. I had already told the foreign king that I wouldn¡¯t be able to apany


    him to the Northern country. So, why was he going to such an insane length to bring me with him? And


    how had Kane gotten in the middle of it all?


    |||


    -1/3


    K377%


    Chapter 179 How sad.


    ¡°Did you kill Spike?¡± I asked as the realization crossed my mind.


    Kaleb shook his head and thenughed.


    ¡°Actually, Healer Cassandra, I did not,¡± he said with a tilt of his head. ¡°In fact, you did. Remember that-


    bottle of alcohol you procured for our dear low¨Crank sorcerer? It was poisoned.¡±


    My jaw dropped inplete disbelief and my lower lip began to tremble as another chill ran down my


    spine.


    ¡°What?¡± I uttered in shock and I began to shake my head. ¡°No no, that¡¯s not possible¡­ how?¡±


    Kaleb winked at me. ¡°It¡¯s a secret, my dear.¡±


    My eyes darted over to Spike. While the imposter had been a viin who¡¯d yed a part in the inferno


    that had destroyed my former life, he hadn¡¯t deserved to die like that. He was troubled, arrogant, and


    not a good person, but he had been trying to turn things around. His work was going to help save the


    people of Wega.


    And the man I loved.


    Tears spilled down my cheeks.


    ¡°Why would you do this?¡± I whimpered.


    Much to my fury, the king of Yurene simply smirked and shrugged. It was just a little bit of fun for my


    enjoyment. I could very well have just killed Spike, but I thought it would be more interesting and


    amusing if it was carried out by you, Cassandra.¡±


    As he stared down at me, all traces of the kind man I¡¯d met had vanished. He looked more like a


    demon than a friend, and as I studied his cruel features, I wondered how I hadn¡¯t been able to see


    through him.


    Yet another realization crossed my mind.


    ¡°Did you arrange the attempted kidnapping in the market too?¡± I demanded.


    ¡°Bingo,¡± Kaleb confirmed with a nod. ¡°I have to hand it to you, dear, you¡¯re very sharp.¡±


    ¡°Was the story of your father made up as well?¡± I asked with a snarl.


    The foreign king¡¯s eyebrow lifted and he made a strange face but didn¡¯t answer me directly. ¡°You¡¯ll have


    to see for yourself in Yurene.¡±


    ¡°Over my dead body,¡± I hissed as I red at him. ¡°I¡¯m not going with you, Kaleb. The Alpha King is


    returning today and your conspiracy will be exposed-¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, your dear king won¡¯t be returning today,¡± Kalebughed. ¡°Perhaps not even tomorrow.


    In fact, his return doesn¡¯t matter at all because you¡¯re leaving with me today.¡±


    ¡°What did you do to Asher?¡± I growled.


    Chapter 179 How sad


    Despite my tone, he didn¡¯t waver.


    ¡°Rx yourself, healer,¡± he said in a calm tone. ¡°I won¡¯t do anything bad to the King of Wega. I¡¯ve


    only carried out a small trick to make sure he stayed longer for his business.¡±


    As another snarl rose from my chest. I wanted to attack Kaleb for what he¡¯d done, and before I could


    stop myself, I lunged toward him. But the king of Yurene grabbed me easily and avoided my attack. His


    dark blue eyes darted over to his guard, who immediately reached over and shed Kane again.


    Kane groaned as his new wound began to bleed.


    ¡°Now, I have no intentions of hurting you, Cassandra,¡± Kaleh remarked. ¡°But I believe Lord Kane here


    would be more than happy to act as your knight and take the punishment for


    you.


    ¡°Release her,¡± Kane cursed at him. ¡°Let her go, Kaleb!¡±


    The guards raised their ws again, and a scream escaped me.


    ¡°Stop!¡± I begged, and then I whipped around to face Kaleb and I fell to my knees. ¡°Please, Kaleb, stop.


    I¡¯ll consider your request.¡±


    ¡°Cassandra, don¡¯t,¡± Kane pleaded. ¡°You don¡¯t need to do this. I¡¯ll be fine-¡±


    I nced back at him and shook my head. ¡°Kane, please. Don¡¯t risk your life to protect me. I can¡¯t see


    you like this. You need medical attention right away or you¡¯ll die here¡±


    Kaleb blurted out a sound simr to retching


    ¡°Ugh,¡± he groaned and he rolled his eyes. ¡°This pathetic disy of romance is making me sick.¡±


    I red at the foreign king. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. Kane stepped in to save me because he¡¯s a decent


    person, unlike you, who¡¯spletely evil and cruel-¡±


    ¡°Evil?¡± Kaleb snickered, and then he dissolved into a fit ofughter. He clutched his sides and the


    sound of his cruel utterance echoed through the dungeon. His guards joined in and the symphony of


    their awful noises flooded my senses.


    After a while, the king of Yurene stopped and fixed his dark blue eyes on Asher¡¯s bleeding brother.


    ¡°Healer Cassandra seems to be blind to your affection, Lord Kane,¡± he remarked, and then he gave


    Kane a sympathetic nce. ¡°How sad.¡±


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    Chapter 180 He already knows it


    KALEB


    The pathetic expression on Kane Collin¡¯s otherwise attractive face was sickeningly pitiful. His long¨C


    lashed violet eyes were pathetic as they remained fixed on the beautiful healer, and I fought the urge to


    sigh.


    I wasn¡¯t unfamiliar with this look. I¡¯d seen plenty of it on my mother¡¯s face before she died. She would


    lean her emaciated body against the door frame and stare at the empty hall with longing in her ice¨Cblue


    eyes. Yet, despite all of her yearning and wistful dreaming my father never visited her.


    So, my mother brought that look all the way to her tomb. It was silly and shameful for her to believe that


    my father ever loved her, not to mention pathetic and naive. The whole idea of love in general was


    foolish.


    I averted my eyes from Kane¡¯s face and nced over at Healer Cassandra, who looked both baffled


    and vexed. I had to admit that I found it interesting to see this young, lovely woman lose her temper,


    given the fact that she always seemed to be so calm and subdued. I was somehow delighted by her


    fierce and lively expression and desired to see more.


    She was an intriguing woman who perplexed me in so many ways. In all of my travels, I¡¯d never known


    a girl like her.


    I smiled at her. ¡°I would love to allow Lord Kane to confess to what he¡¯s done.¡±


    As she stared at me in confusion, I nced at the Alpha King¡¯s wounded brother. ¡°Go ahead, Lord


    Kane. What have you been doing daily during this, your longest stay in Anemond? Please, do tell us.¡±


    Kane¡¯s re hardened as if he wanted to give me a warning, but I couldn¡¯t care less. ¡°What I do with


    my days isn¡¯t any of your business. It has nothing to do with you.¡±


    I I


    Oh, but it does,¡± I replied, and I shot him aunting smile as I took a step closer to him. ¡°My guards


    have made countless reports of your presence while they were keeping an eye on Healer Cassandra.¡±


    Cassandra¡¯s deep green eyes narrowed and shot daggers in my direction at the mention of her name.


    ¡°How long have you been letting your guards stalk me?¡± she demanded.


    Augh rose up from my belly. ¡°I just wanted to make sure you were intact before you apanied me


    to the North. You do have a way of getting into trouble, dear. Besides when ites to stalking¡­.


    Perhaps you should save that moniker for Lord Kane here. It suits him much better.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Cassandra uttered as her eyebrows crinkled in confusion, and then she turned to


    Kane. ¡°What is he talking about, Kane?¡±


    I smiled at her and then answered for him.


    ¡°At first, my guards thought Lord Kane was nning something devious against you, Cassandra,¡°I


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    Chapter 180 He already knows it


    exined as I crossed my arms against my chest and studied the pair. ¡°So they reported every single


    detail of his actions to me. They told me about his every expression, the way he moved, and the way


    he stared at you through ss doors.¡±


    As I paused, I caught a sh of awkwardness on the healer¡¯s pretty face.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°But they quickly figured out there was nothing devious about it,¡± I sighed, and then I shed her


    another smile. ¡°In fact, I found that Lord Kane was doing all of that out of something else.¡±


    While I didn¡¯t say the word ¡°love¡± as I hated even uttering the term, Cassandra was clever enough to


    understand what I meant. She would have had to be stupid to not get it. But the healer wasn¡¯t


    unintelligent at all. From the moment I¡¯d mentioned that Kane had been watching her, I¡¯d watched her


    put it together in her mind. That sh of awkwardness spoke all.


    Meanwhile, Kane looked mortified by my utterance. His violet eyes held fire and his lips were curled


    back. into a snarl. Despite the paleness of his face, his cheeks were scarlet.


    I chuckled ¡°Don¡¯t look so upset. Lord Kane. There isn¡¯t anything to be ashamed of. I¡¯m simply doing you


    a favor by putting it all out in the open. If there¡¯s something you don¡¯t agree with, you could always


    deny it and share the truth with us.¡±


    Kane didn¡¯t speak and instead, averted his eyes. For a moment, I thought he was going to look at


    Cassandra, but the poor, pathetic, lovesick fool, dropped his stare to the ground.


    Yet another unpleasant memory danced through my mind at the sight of his upsetness. I remembered


    that when the darkness filled up the hall and the room my mother resided in, she would drop her head


    like a lifeless doll. She wouldn¡¯t move or say anything, even after being prompted to do so. She would


    simply remain still, frozen in ce as if she were a hollow¨Cboned statue.


    I would walk forward through the dimly lit corridor to check on her, and sometimes, when she was


    caught off guard, she would turn frantic, and grab me by the shoulders.


    During those times of despair and crazed emotions, all the warmth she¡¯d once held in her eyes


    vanished entirely until she was someone I didn¡¯t recognize. Her nails would sharpen into fierce ws


    that would rip into my skin as she shook me frantically.


    As blood pooled down my arms and stained my shirt, she would repeat the same sentences.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t hee?¡± or ¡°I love him¡°.


    Sometimes, I would stand there and endure the abuse. I knew that she didn¡¯t mean it, that she was


    simply haunted and mentally ill, but other times, I took the pain she inflicted on me personally. I would


    sob and beg for her to release her grip on me. I would plead for her to remember that I was her son


    and that I didn¡¯t have anything to do with the way my father treated her. I would beg for her to


    remember that I wasn¡¯t him, that hadn¡¯t abandoned her in the same way he had.


    But no matter how much I tried, it didn¡¯t matter.


    Mother had never apologized for the way she¡¯d treated me, nor had she even acknowledged the impact


    the abuse had on me.


    Chapter 180 He already knows it


    I forced myself to shove the memories from my mind. I couldn¡¯t think of all of that, not now.


    Nothing could change the past, and even if it could¡­ I¡¯d learned enough about this so-called love. In


    my mind, I knew it didn¡¯t exist,


    As I stared at Cassandra and Kane, I felt sick of this little game I¡¯d initiated. It had dragged out long


    enough and I was ready to move on from it.


    But just as I was about to speak, the healer¡¯s voice interrupted the silence first. She wasn¡¯t speaking to


    me but to Kane. Her beautiful face was paler than usual, and she still appeared shocked, but not in the


    way I¡¯d expected. All of the awkwardness in her expression was gone, and instead, was reced by


    something | couldn¡¯t quite ce.


    Her gaze remained locked on Kane, and when she spoke, her words were strange but gentle.


    ¡°You already know it, Kane, don¡¯t you?¡±


    30-

 Chapter 181

    Chapter 181


    Chapter 181 Run Now


    CASSANDRA


    I had never considered myself a fool.


    But then again, in light of everything, perhaps I was.


    At the very least, I was naive, foolish, and blind. I should have put the clues together long before this


    moment. It should have beenpletely obvious from when Asher had mentioned the jasmine tea


    wasn¡¯t a gift from him but from his brother.


    Back then, I had thought that Kane Collins was just considerate. I thought maybe he had just checked


    with Erika or some other servants who knew I adored jasmine tea and then made an excuse saying it


    was a gift from Asher just because he didn¡¯t want to pressure me.


    Or maybe he just wanted topensate for what his mother had done to Erika and me. Either way, I


    hadn¡¯t given it a single thought


    But if I¡¯d been more careful and sharper about it all, I wouldn¡¯t have neglected the possibility that Kane


    might find a clue to my real identity.


    The moment that the question left my lips, Kane¡¯s gaze remained elsewhere. He avoided eye contact


    with me as if he was too ashamed to look at me, but his silence gave me all the answers I needed.


    Kane knew who I truly was, or at least the woman I had been.


    When and how had he figured it out?


    I¡¯d been able to conceal my identity from Asher for so long because my appearance had been altered


    from that terrible inferno. Whatever Emmett had used to heal my wounds and burns had drastically


    changed my features enough to conceal my former identity. The only indications of my old self were the


    green of my irises, though they¡¯d been much lighter back then, and then the sear on my leg. Without


    that scar, Asher would have taken longer to realize it was me.


    So what had Kane noticed that his brother hadn¡¯t?


    Was it as Keleb suggested, that Kane had been following me for a while to gather intel? Or had he


    simply caught on by the mention of jasmine tea? It wasn¡¯t the mostmon of tea vors, and


    everyone who had known Cora well knew that it was her drink of choice.


    There were so many questions I wanted to ask Asher¡¯s stepbrother, but I couldn¡¯t. This wasn¡¯t the time


    or ce, especially considering how injured he was. The sheer amount of blood loss alone was


    threatening his life. We needed to find a way out of this terrible scenario and get far away from the king


    of Yurene.


    But before I could act, Kane spoke. He didn¡¯t look at me and his voice was coarsely low.


    Chapter 181 Run Now


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cassandra,¡± he apologized, and then he closed his eyes and his brows furrowed in pain. ¡°I¡¯m


    so, so sorry.¡±


    A lump formed in my throat as I tried to make sense of it all.


    Sorry?


    Sorry for what?


    I didn¡¯t understand what was going on. There was nothing he needed to apologize for. Was he sorry for


    this situation? Or was he sorry for not letting me know that he had long uncovered the truth? Or maybe,


    he was sorry that we were involved in this sick game Kaleb appeared to be enjoying.


    Regardless, there was nothing for him to apologize for. I knew he had his reasons for remaining quiet


    on


    the matter.


    I didn¡¯t think what Kaleb had said about Kane was true. I didn¡¯t think he had some kind of sick, twisted


    obsession with me. He probably just wanted to make sure I was okay out of kindness or something.


    Though we weren¡¯t the closest of friends in our youth, he had always been kind to me and treated me


    with respect. He was Asher¡¯s brother, of course, so I had no reason to believe that he was acting out of


    some strange ce or obsession.


    Kalebughed when Kane uttered his apology to me.


    ¡°Oh, now I definitely feel sick of this pathetic love story,¡± he mocked him and then he sneered. ¡°You¡¯re a


    coward, Lord Kane, as well as a fool. I¡¯ve heard the stories they tell about you in this terrible pce.


    You¡¯re nothing more than a second¨Crate version of that pitiful excuse of a king that rules Wega¡±


    At the mention of Asher, anger swelled within me and my hands balled into fists at my side. To throw


    insults and snide remarks at a wounded man on the ground was nothing short of cowardly in its own


    right.


    How dare this cruel foreign king disrespect the royal family of Wega?


    ¡°Stop this,¡± I demanded. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to continue down here. It¡¯s a waste of time.¡±


    Kaleb lifted a brow and then shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re right, Healer Cassandra. Why pretend otherwise? Let¡¯s


    get on with the show, shall we? You seem ready to ept the reality of your situation.¡±


    When I continued to eye him coldly, he spoke again.


    ¡°If you agree to go to the North with me, everything will be just fine,¡± he remarked. ¡°Lord Kane can get


    the help and m¨¦dical attention he needs, and no one else will get hurt. The decision is yours. Of


    course, I¡¯m not a very patient person, so you need to make your choice now. Will youe with me


    and save him?¡±


    My hands curled into fists at my sides. I knew I didn¡¯t have a choice in the matter, and I hated the loss


    of agency in my own life. After five years, after all that had happened, I was still incapable of controlling


    my own fote, wasn¡¯t I?


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Kaleb looked at our surroundings and grimaced. ¡°This small ward is suffocating, isn¡¯t it? And the smell


    of


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    BK 5.77%


    Chapter 181 Run Now


    blood is too heavy. If it¡¯s impacting your judgment, perhaps I could take you somewhere else and you


    could make your choice there¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Kane spoke up, and then he nced at me finally. ¡°Cassandra, don¡¯t do this. You don¡¯t have to go


    with him.¡±


    I dug my fingernails into my palm and took a deep breath, I approached Kane and then crouched down


    beside him.


    I had an idea but admittedly, it was crazy. It would require swiftness if I was going to pull it off, as well


    as cooperation on Kane¡¯s part.


    ¡°Tightly hold your breath,¡± I said to him in an almost whisper,


    Kane¡¯s eyebrows came together in confusion. ¡°What-¡±


    ¡°Do it,¡± I insisted with a firm look.


    Once he nodded, I put my hand in my pocket and retrieved a small bottle. I then lifted it in one swift


    motion and held my breath as I flung it against the stone wall.


    The ss shattered upon impact and as the shards flew in every direction, plumes of shimmering


    smoke rose around us.


    The bottle had contained an inhtion anesthesia. I always carried it with me when I went to visit


    Spike. just in case anything went awry. I¡¯d never needed to use it, but now was the perfect opportunity.


    The anesthesia wasn¡¯t enough to make the guards lose consciousness, but it was enough for them to


    loosen their iron grip on Kane. The tall pair of men let go and began to cough, and as they dissolved


    into a fit, covered my mouth and nose with my sleeve. Kane copied my gesture and then I inclined my


    head forward, toward the dungeon stairs.


    We needed to run

 Chapter 182

    Chapter 182


    Chapter 182 Power game never end


    KALEB


    A werewolf¡¯s olfaction was sharp and our reactions were incredibly fast.


    But anesthesia and its effects were even faster.


    As the plumes of the chemical¡¯s smoke filled the air, I muffled my mouth swiftly with the sleeve of my


    thick jacket. I thanked the Moon that I¡¯d selected that blend of fabrics this morning, otherwise, I might


    have sumbed to the smoke.


    Thanks to the barrier of my jacket sleeve and the distance I kept from Lord Kane and Healer


    Cassandra, I didn¡¯t inhale much of the awful chemicals.


    However, my guards weren¡¯t as lucky.


    They appeared drunk as they stumbled around aimlessly. Their eyes had a zed and distant quality,


    and their every movement was simultaneously dyed and erratic.


    In a few more seconds, they would be lying on the ground like the dead corpse of Spike.


    As I fought to gather myself and regain control over the situation, Cassandra and Kane rose up from


    their ces on the stone ground of the dungeon and prepared to make their escape. Though they


    didn¡¯t utter a word, I caught a gleam in Cassandra¡¯s beautiful dark green eyes.


    I was surprised to see it. I had thought the healer was defeated, yet she still had quite a bit of fight in


    her.


    I hadn¡¯t been prepared for any of this. Inhtion anesthesia¡­what a marvelous idea!


    I was so impressed by her willful spirit that I almost wanted to apud. She was truly more than just a


    meek little healer.


    Unluckily for them, I was standing at the only entrance and exit of the dungeon¡¯s corridor.


    My lips curled into a satisfied smirk at the realization and then Cassandra let out a small growl. She


    appeared as if she were ready to attack me. Augh escaped me at the sight of her fierce expression.


    But as I did so, my sleeve slipped away, and I had to quickly recover so I didn¡¯t inhale anything further.


    Sleeve against my mouth and nose, I studied the healer for a moment. I had a few options. I could give


    them a host of trouble and continue with the petty torture, or I could stand aside.


    I went with thetter and stepped aside, just far enough to give them room. Cassandra¡¯s pretty eyes


    lingered on me and her face wore an expression of confusion, but she didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment.


    She gripped onto Lord Kane¡¯s hand and then guided him past me and down the corridor.


    Their footsteps rang out through the dungeon and I watched them walk until they became specks at the


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    16:30


    25 Dec


    Chapter 182 Power game never end


    end of the hallway.


    I followed suit but maintained a calm and steady air. My walk wasn¡¯t slow but it certainly wasn¡¯t fast. I


    was in pursuit but only so much.


    I ascended the staircase and once I reached the top, there was a sudden rush of fresh air. I took a


    moment to inhale deeply. The anesthesia had been so foul and left me feeling a little numb, so the


    slight moment of relief was wonderful.


    The guard posted in the pce corridor rushed over to me with a concerned look on his serious face.


    ¡°Your Majesty, what¡¯s going on?¡± he wondered once he reached my side, and he nced behind me as


    if he were waiting for someone else to follow suit.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± I said simply, and I shook my head and then nced back at the door to the dark dungeon.


    Cassandra and Kane hadn¡¯te this way, otherwise, the guard might have mentioned it. They would


    have been caught if they went through this exit.


    Obviously, the pce dungeon had another exit, one that Oliver Moses had failed to disclose. That, or


    he didn¡¯t know.


    Either way, it was a shoring on the old Beta¡¯s behalf.


    ¡°Are you sure, Your Majesty?¡± the guard asked again.


    ¡®There¡¯s only one winner in this game, I mused absently under my breath. ¡°And that¡¯s me.¡±


    I then turned to the guard and offered him a raised chin. ¡°That will be all. Thank you.¡±


    The guard obediently stamped his chest and offered me a small bow.


    That was called power.


    One simple sentence and the guard was putty in my hands.


    Power was al I needed to get the world down at my feet.


    As I walked away, I nced out the window and noticed the sunny day beyond us. The sky was a nice,


    cool blue, and beams of sunlight streamed onto the marble floors.


    I could still remember what my father said before he was too weak to speak a word. He asked me


    ¡°when I would stop the game¡°. Back then, I¡¯dughed at him and told him that I would only stop when


    I¡¯d won.


    Father had tried to argue that I¡¯d already won, but I¡¯d smiled and shook my head. That response was


    enough for him to sh me an angry look. There was something in his eyes that made me think he


    wanted to kill me on the spot.


    Of course, he would have needed strength, and that had loft him long ago. In truth, he had never had


    the strength or the power again, nor did my siblings.


    20


    Chapter 182 Power game never end.


    After our exchange, Father had slumped back into bed. A long silence lingered between us until he


    uttered a pair of sentences that twisted my stomach into knots.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he¡¯d said. ¡°About you and your mother. I loved you both so much.¡±


    Father had gotten a disgusting look on his face then. He began to shed some tears as if he was


    mourning. my mother, who had passed away more than a decade ago.


    I doubted if Father would even remember her face, since he had never visited her, at least not that I


    could remember, and he hadn¡¯t even attended her funeral.


    As hey there, eyes pitiful and wide with feigned emotion, I stared down at him with a look of disgust


    and irritation.


    ¡°You can die with that love, my dear father,¡± I said with narrowed eyes, and then I raised my chin


    slightly. ¡°But the game will never end.¡±


    Once the words left my mouth, I turned on my heels and left my father¡¯s room. As I walked out into the


    cold corridor of the pce, the stale odor of his dying body filtered out and made my nose crinkle.


    That was thest sentence I ever said to him.


    The game will never end.


    I took a long, deep inhale, of the lightly¨Cscented air of Merliscire Pce. As I drew in the sweet scent of


    e rose¨Cfilled vases beyond the corridor, I rolled back i shoulders.


    I began to walk until I reached the marble entryway. I stared out the windows once more and a smile


    formed on my lips.


    A guard, the one who was normally posted in front of the pce doors, was just returning to his station,


    but once he eyed me, he frowned and approached me.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± he bowed politely, and then he stamped his chest. ¡°Is there anything I can do for you?¡±


    I studied him for a moment and then smiled.


    ¡°No thank you,¡± I said, and then I chuckled to myself as I walked away. ¡°Healer Cassandra wille


    back.¡±


    -9/3


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    Mon, 25

 Chapter 183

    Chapter 183


    Chapter 183 Raid


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    BECKY


    When I arrived at the clinic, Erika appeared to be a bit exhausted. Her eyes were slightly vacant and


    were underlined with deep circles. Her skin¨Cnormally a nice, creamy shade of tan, was pale, and her


    hair was in a slight bit of disarray.


    ¡°Erika,¡± I greeted her, my toneced with concern. ¡°What¡¯s happened? Are you okay?¡±


    The maid released a heavy sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose before responding. ¡°I¡¯m alright,


    Becky. It¡¯s just been a busy morning and Cassandra hasn¡¯t returned. She left at dawn to take care of


    some business, but she hasn¡¯te back. Normally, she isn¡¯t gone this long.¡±


    I frowned as her words set in. ¡°That is strange. Do you know where she went?¡±


    Erika shook her head. ¡°She didn¡¯t say. She just asked me if I could keep an eye on Finnick and get him


    ready for the day. And then she mentioned that she wanted to get everything done early today because


    the Alpha King is going to return to Anemond this afternoon.


    I knew at once that Cassandra was likely visiting the dungeon and checking with Spike, the sorcerer


    working on the cure to the mysterious illness.


    ¡°Maybe there was something important they discovered and she¡¯s been dyed,¡± I suggested.


    Erika nodded thoughtfully and then gave me a small, meek smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re right. You know me,


    Becky. I¡¯m just prone to worry, especially when Cassandra is involved.¡±


    Just as I opened my mouth to respond, the clinic door flew open, and a group of heavily armed guards


    rushed into the lobby. They were not guards from the pce, as I could tell from their uniforms and the


    badges on their shoulders. The symbol was foreign to me, and their expressions were far too fearsome


    for normal guards.


    ¡°Where is the son of Healer Cassandra?¡± one of them demanded in a deep voice. His tone was


    extremely impolite and his lips were curled into a snarl. ¡°She wishes to see him, so we must take him


    with us.¡±


    I quickly exchanged a nce with Erika, who seemed equally concerned by the guard¡¯s strange tone


    and request. Something wasn¡¯t right here.


    ¡°And where is Healer Cassandra?¡± Erika spoke up boldly, and she raised her chin slightly to show she


    wasn¡¯t scared or intimidated by the guard¡¯s demand.


    Unfortunately, the guard didn¡¯t seem phased by her reply, and he didn¡¯t offer one in response. Instead,


    his pitch¨Cck eyes searched around the room, and then at the stairway.


    My heart nearly stopped in my chest as I spotted Finnick on thending. The boy¡¯s gray eyes stared


    down at us curiously, and his head tilted to the side slightly


    Chapter 183 Raid


    As he opened his mouth to speak, I shook my head in his direction and then inclined my head upward.


    I tried to mouth the words ¡°Go upstairs silent¡°, but the guard followed my gaze and spotted the boy


    before! could finish.


    The guard sprang into action, and when we tried to step in front of him, he shoved us aside. I managed


    to steady Erika before she slipped on the cold marble floor


    Above us, on the stairs, Finnick widened his round eyes and called out to us.


    ¡°Erika!¡± he cried as he rushed down, and once he was in the lobby, he ran right in front of Erika and


    faced the guard with a fearsome re. ¡°Don¡¯t push Aunt Erika or Becky!¡±


    Erika squatted down and swept Finnick into a hug. She held him tightly and gave the guard a simr


    look of anger as she protected him.


    ¡°Healer Cassandra asked us to bring her son to her¡± the guard repeated as if his words held stronger


    weight the second time.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie,¡± I blurted out, and I narrowed my eyes in the guards¡® direction. ¡°Cassandra would never do


    that. She woulde here herself to grab Finnick. So, what do you really want with him.¡±


    The guard didn¡¯t reply to my question and instead made a deration of his own.


    ¡°I mustply with my duty,¡± he stated. ¡°Do not interfere.¡±


    He suddenly nced behind him at one of the other guards, who nodded back at him. Before I could


    understand the meaning of the exchange, the guard shut the blinder of the ss doors in warning.


    My stomach twisted into knots and I felt a shiver travel down my spine


    The lead guard turned his attention back to me. ¡°I don¡¯t want to make a further fuss about this.¡±


    As he leaned in closer, I saw his badge clearly and I suddenly remembered the pattern.


    The symbol belonged to the Beta family.


    I had seen it at Ss¡® terrible weing party.


    I stared back and the guard with fury in my mind. ¡°Does Ss know you¡¯re here threatening two women


    and a child?¡±


    The lead guard frowned and didn¡¯t bother to answer my question either, Instead, he turned to the other


    guards behind him and waved his hand. ¡°Take the child away!¡±


    I prepared to step in to fight them off, but Erika took a step forward.


    ¡°If you want to take this child, you¡¯ll have to take me too,¡± she announced bravely.


    The guards stood frozen for a moment and then nced at one another. Finally after a second of


    hesitation, the lead guard gave her a nod


    Chapter 183 Raid


    I wanted to stop her but before I could protest, the maid turned to face me.


    ¡°Stay here and wait for Cassandra,¡± she requested softly but firmly.


    Her steady gaze bore through me and I knew that I couldn¡¯t refuse her. Someone needed to remain


    here in case Cassandra returned to the clinic.


    After I nodded, the guards led Erika and Finnick to the door, and I watched them leave with a heavy


    heart.


    I wished I could do something, but I couldn¡¯t. My mind was like a storm, and for a moment, I got lost in


    the torrent of my anger. Finally, I forced myself to take a long, deep breath. Erika¡¯s implication was


    right. They probably wouldn¡¯t do anything to Finnick with her around, but why did they need him in the


    first ce?


    I also couldn¡¯t fathom why the guards belonged to the Beta family. Why were they so intense and what


    was their purpose?


    Did they know Cassandra was preupied with something important? Were they aware of the secret


    business that was being conducted in the dungeon by the imposter?


    I sighed and tried to consider the answer to all of my questions. I began to pace the lobby, and I wasn¡¯t


    sure how long I was there, but it was long enough to make my legs ache.


    I let out a soft sound of frustration and then stared out the window, I needed to get some fresh air and


    try to steady my nerves. If I wanted to make it through this stressful time, I needed to try to calm myself.


    So, I decided to step out of the clinic, but before I could take a step toward the door, I heard a sound


    just behind it. I frowned and my heart began to pound.


    Who was on the other side?


    Before I could investigate, the door opened, and in walked Cassandra and a tall man.


    ¡°Cassandra?¡± I asked in shock as my eyes trailed over the pair.


    They were both covered in blood.

 Chapter 184

    Chapter 184


    Chapter 184 We formte a n


    BECKY


    My jaw dropped in shock as I took in the gruesome sight, and for a moment, I was frozen in ce in


    pure panic, but then, I managed to snap out of my haze and rushed over to the pair.


    ¡°Becky,¡± Cassandra greeted me as she struggled to support the man. Her emerald eyes were


    enormous with concern and her expression was panicked.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked as I studied the man in her arms. His shirt sleeves were soaked with blood,


    and his face was pale, likely as a result of the blood loss. His captivating violet eyes were distant and


    his breathing wasborious as he tried to maintain consciousness. It took me a moment to realize who


    he was, and then it hit me


    He was Lord Kane, the Alpha King¡¯s brother.


    ¡°I¡¯ll exinter,¡± Cassandra remarked as she tried to steady Kane. ¡°But I need you to bring me one of


    the medical kits at once. Lord Kane needs immediate medical intervention.¡±


    I nodded and then swiftly rose to my feet and practically sprinted to the supply room. I rooted around


    until I found one of the kits, and after I double¨Cchecked the supplies and grabbed some extra towels


    and wipes, I ran back out to the lobby.


    ¡°We should get him to an exam room,¡± I suggested, and when Cassandra nodded, I stepped over to


    the other side of Lord Kane and helped her steady him.


    We guided him out of the lobby and into the nearest room. Luckily, he was lucid enough to get onto the


    exam table, but once he was there, heid down and closed his eyes.


    ¡°Kane?¡± Cassandra asked worriedly. She reached out to take his pulse, but he opened his eyes again


    before we could freak out too much further.


    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± he assured her with a small groan. ¡°Just needed to close them for a second.¡±


    I passed the medical kit over to Cassandra and then remembered what had just happened.


    ¡°Cassandra, I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on,¡± I uttered, and my stomach twisted in knots. ¡°But


    things have been crazy over here.¡±


    ¡°Crazy?¡± she repeated back in surprise.


    ¡°Cassy, they took Finnick,¡± I blurted out, and the healer stopped in her tracks. Her lips parted in shock


    and her already fairplexion paled further.


    ¡°They¡­ they what?¡± she uttered and she began to tremble.


    HAL


    Chapter 184 We formte a n


    ¡°A group of guards came to the clinic a little while ago and imed they needed to bring Finnick to


    you,¡± I exined. ¡°They said they were delivering him to you at once. Erika when with them. They


    weren¡¯t going to leave without Finnick, so Erika convinced them to take her too so she could keep him


    safe.¡±


    Cassandra stood there, expressionless. She remained silent for a moment and then let out a wavering


    breath.


    ¡°Who were the guards?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen them before. But I noticed that the leader¡¯s jacket had a


    badge with a symbol on it. it looked like the royal family¡¯s crest.¡±


    Cassandra nodded and for a moment, I was taken aback by her calmness. She didn¡¯t appear to be


    shocked by any of this at all.


    ¡°So, the Betas are involved,¡± she murmured. ¡°No wonder Kaleb was so confident.¡±


    I didn¡¯t understand what she was talking about and wanted to ask for further information, but before the


    words could escape my lips, Cassandra stood up straighter and rolled her shoulders back.


    ¡°I think it would actually be best to escort Lord Kane to one of the guest rooms,¡± she announced. ¡°We¡¯ll


    have a lot more privacy there and there will be no chance for anyone to overhear us.¡±


    I nodded, and Kane released a heavy sigh.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he uttered through a soft groan. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. We need to find Finnick. I¡¯ll


    apany


    you-


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to do that,¡± Cassandra interrupted with a shake of her head. ¡°Finnick and Erika will be


    fine. Kaleb wants me. He won¡¯t harm them if he wants me to cooperate. He¡¯s probably just using them


    for insurance. Right now, we need to get your wound treated before you lose any more blood.¡±


    She then turned back to me. ¡°Becky, can you help me get him to the back room?¡±


    I nodded without hesitation, and without further ado, we helped ease Kane from the examination table.


    Luckily for us, the guest room wasn¡¯t far, and once the Alpha King¡¯s brother was seated on the bed,


    Cassandra got to work and began to stitch up his wound.


    We remained silent and she concentrated fiercely on the task at hand. Lord Kane¡¯s wound was a long


    and deep slit, so it took a great deal of time to handle. But Cassandra was an expert healer. She was


    highly talented at her craft, and when she finished, she let out a soft sigh and told Kane he would be


    just fine.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cassandra,¡± he apologized to her quietly. If only I could be more helpful.¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Shhh,¡± she hushed, and she shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    He closed his eyes for a moment, took a breath, and then studied her. ¡°I hope what Kaleb said to you


    isn¡¯t bothering you. I need you to know his words were nonsense, I only wanted to¡­¡±


    His words trailed off as if he wasn¡¯t sure what to say next. I sat there in anticipation. Their conversation


    233


    1011, 25


    Chapter 184 We formte a n.


    made no sense to me, but I was captivated and intrigued by what was happening.


    F


    Cassandra rested her hand on his arm gently. ¡°I understand. I know you just wanted to help and


    appreciate that.¡±


    Silence fell again, and in the midst of this tense moment, I decided to make myself useful and pack up


    the medical kit. After a minute, Cassandra left the room and then returned with a cup of warm water.


    She carefully handed it to Kane, who epted it gratefully.


    ¡°You need to get some rest,¡± Cassandra said kindly but firmly. Kane took a drink of the water and then


    let out a small sigh.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine in just a few minutes,¡± he insisted, and though he appeared weak, he managed to speak


    with a steady voice. Please don¡¯t go see Kaleb alone, it¡¯s too dangerous.¡±


    He sipped from the cup again, and Cassandra gave him a reassuring smile.


    ¡°I know what to do,¡± she assured him.


    She turned to walk away, but before we left the room, Kane called out to Cassandra.


    ¡°Are we friends?¡± he asked her, and my eyebrows knitted together in surprise. It was a strange


    question. and I decided to step out of the room to give them a little privacy. I wasn¡¯t sure if Lord Kane


    was going to do anything else and I felt a little lost.


    But then, I heard Cassandra simply reply: ¡°We were always friends.¡±


    She joined me out in the hallway and then closed the door behind her. Then, she turned to me and


    gestured toward the stairs. We walked down in silence, and once we reached the lobby, I tucked my


    hair behind my ears and adjusted my sses.


    ¡°So, what do we do now, Cassy?¡± I wondered as I tried to make sense of things.


    Cassandra reached out and gently took my hand in hers.


    ¡°We formte a n,¡± she stated.


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    Chapter 185 It¡¯s going to be a fight

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    Chapter 185


    Chapter 185 It¡¯s going to be a fight


    CASSANDRA


    As Becky stared at me in confusion, I gestured down the hall.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± I said. ¡°First, I need to wipe some of this blood off of me. It smells so awful I can hardly


    think straight.¡±


    My assistant nodded. ¡°Of course. Let¡¯s get you cleaned up.¡±


    We walked from the lobby down the hall to a private bathroom. It wasn¡¯t essible to patients and


    existed solely for our benefit. I¡¯d stashed a few changes of clothes in the closet, and once my arms and


    face were free from the blood from Kane¡¯s wound, Becky helped me get dressed in fresh clothes. She


    even braided my long copper hair back into an intricate style that kept the tresses away from my face.


    talk.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said gratefully, and she smiled at me.


    ¡°Of course,¡± she replied. ¡°It¡¯s the least I could do. Now,e on. Let¡¯s get you some tea and then we


    can


    I followed her into the meeting room and she immediately threw the kettle on. I sat down on one of the


    leather chairs and after a few minutes. Becky handed me a cup of my favorite tea. The sweet scent of


    jasmineforted me greatly, as did the warmth of the cup.


    ¡°Cassy, what happened to you?¡± Becky spoke up after she settled into the chair opposite me. She


    leaned forward in anticipation, and her russet eyes bore into me intensely.


    I took a moment topose myself and thenunched into everything that had happened. When I


    mentioned that Spike had died in the dungeon, she let out a gasp and nearly dropped her cup of tea,


    ¡°No,¡± she uttered, and her already big eyes grewrger.


    We both knew how serious the situation had be. Spike¡¯s untimely death meant the invention of


    the cure to the mysterious disease had been brought to a sudden halt.


    ¡°The good thing is that I kept records of every detail Spike had written down,¡± I reassured her.


    ¡°Perhaps. they could still be helpful and you could find some intriguing points in there-¡±


    ¡°I


    ¡®t know if that¡¯s something I could do alone¡­¡± she said, and she bit down on her lower lip. ¡°With us


    working together, maybe, but alone¡­¡±


    I shook my head fiercely. ¡°I might not be able to be here to help you. But I believe in you Becky and


    think you¡¯re more than capable of making it happen.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± she said with a puzzled look on her face. ¡°What do you moan?¡±


    |||


    16:31 Mon, 25 Dec


    Chapter 185 It¡¯s going to be a fight.


    I took a deep breath and then told her about Kaleb¡¯s request, or rather, his order toe North with


    him to Yurene.


    ¡°No!¡± she uttered, and she shook her head. ¡°No, no, no! You can¡¯t go with him. How could that evil


    foreigner do this?¡±


    ¡°All I know is that this must have been well¨Cnned from the beginning.¡± Imented. ¡°My only regret is


    that I didn¡¯t see through him from the start. Maybe if I had. I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°What about the Alpha King?¡± Becky wondered. ¡°The Alpha King wouldn¡¯t allow this to happen,


    especially not to you. The foreign king might be able to pull this off under the protection of old Beta, but


    once the Alpha King returns, he¡¯d have nowhere to go. He¡¯d never allow that viin to take you away to


    Yurene.¡±


    I shook my head again. ¡°That¡¯s my second request of you, Becky. Kaleb must have done something to


    stop the Alpha King from returning, so there¡¯s no one able to stop him at present. As I said, this all must


    have been nned for a while.¡±


    I set my cup down on the table and then leaned forward. ¡°Becky, I want you to reach out to Wild


    Crawler. I think something terrible is going to happen to this country. I¡¯m not sure how many people


    would keep their loyalty to the Alpha King, but I¡¯m certain that at least Wild Cralwer and my old friends


    there would be reliable. I want you to tell them everything I¡¯ve told you about what¡¯s happened here and


    ask Alpha Rayden to send a group of trusted guards to Anemond. I know this all sounds drastic, but we


    need to make sure that you can carry out your study of the cure without any threat. His guards will be


    able to protect you.¡±


    Becky¡¯s expression was weary and she hesitated for a moment.


    ¡°If there are any difficulties, I¡¯m sure Lord Kane would be of some help as well,¡± I assured her. It¡¯s safe


    to say he¡¯s on our side in all of this.¡±


    She nodded seriously and her expression softened. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a fight, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I confirmed. ¡°Unfortunately, it is.¡±


    Silence hung in the air again and then Becky cleared her throat,


    ¡°Do you think Ss is involved in this mess?¡± she wondered quietly. ¡°And if he was, do you think he was


    the one who detained the Alpha King deliberately? As far as we know, he was on a mission with the


    Alpha King and he¡¯s a member of the Beta family¡­¡±


    I


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Jadmitted. ¡°I don¡¯t know Ss as much as I want to. I have no idea if he¡¯s an upstanding


    man or if he¡¯s devious like his father. I know that¡¯s not of muchfort¡­¡±


    ¡°Forget it,¡± Becky said as she shook her head. ¡°I know it¡¯s a stupid question. I shouldn¡¯t even be


    thinking of Ss at this point.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a stupid question at all,¡± I assured her gently. ¡°I know you¡¯re concerned and I don¡¯t me you


    at all. I wish I could offer you some kind offort. All I can do is hope that Ss isn¡¯t coborating with


    his father. With his military influence, things could grow even moreplicated.¡±


    Becky appeared as if she were going to cry for a moment but then she nodded.


    ???


    Chapter 185 It¡¯s going to be a fight


    ¡°All we can do is hope,¡± she whispered, and she reached under the neck of her blouse and pulled a


    small ne out. It was white gold with a moon and star pendant. She kissed it gently and then


    nced out the window. Though I couldn¡¯t hear the words she whispered, I had a feeling it was a


    prayer to the Moon Goddess.


    I was jealous of her. I wished I could use prayer as a tool to soothe myself, but my rtionship with the


    Goddess was tooplicated for that.


    Of course, now was as perfect a time as any to try.


    So, I whispered a small prayer for strength of my own and then rose from my seat. As much as I didn¡¯t


    want to go, it was time to see Kaleb now. Though I knew Finnick and Erika wouldn¡¯t be mistreated, I


    was still worried about them. My poor sweet Finnick was probably so scared and confused. I needed to


    be strong for his sake and do what was right.


    ¡°Get in touch with Wild Crawler,¡± I told Becky. ¡°Tell them everything I told you and make arrangements


    with Rayden. Meanwhile, hide out in the back room. Lock the clinic door while you work, I put sedatives


    in Kane¡¯s ss so hopefully he won¡¯t wake up untilte tonight.¡±


    Becky nodded and then got up and came over to me. She drew me into a hug and nestled her head


    into me. We held each other for a moment and the warm gesture was almost enough to make me cry.


    She was more than just my assistant. She was my sister, and I was grateful to have her in my life.


    ¡°Be safe, Cassy,¡± she whispered. ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± I assured her. ¡°Please, do the same, Becky¡±


    We pulled apart and she nodded. ¡°I will.¡±


    I gave her a small smile and then left the room. As I walked to the door, my heart pounded in my chest.


    but I forced myself to stay strong


    This was going to be a battle I had to fight alone, both for the ones I loved and for myself.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


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    Chapter 186 You may be clever, but¡­.

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    Chapter 186


    Chapter 186 You may be clever, but¡­


    CASSANDRA


    It wasn¡¯t difficult at all to find Kaleb.


    Not long after I left the clinic, a tall, muscr guard approached me with long, confident strides, and


    asked me if I was looking for my son. When I nodded, the guard¡¯s expression grew serious and his


    eyes bore down into mine with intensity, and asked me to follow him


    ¡°Someone wants to speak with you before you can see your son,¡± he stated firmly. His tone was so


    bold that I was almost scared for a moment but I managed to stay calm.


    As I studied the unfamiliar man, I noticed the badge of the Beta family that Becky had mentioned


    seeing on his shoulder. Anger swelled through me at the thought of the Moses family being involved in


    this terrible uprising. I had long hated Oliver and Adalyn, but knowing that they had worked with the


    king of Yurene to bring all of this to fruition¡­ it only made my hatred grow worse.


    Despite my rage, I didn¡¯t say anything and followed the guard quietly.


    The streets of Anemond were as bustling as usual. The guard led me through the winding streets and


    my eyes darted around as I tried to remain aware of my surroundings. Luckily, no one seemed to be


    waiting around the corner, and we werepletely unnoticed by crowds.


    The guard brought us to the entrance of thene leading through an open park and then came to a


    sudden stop.


    ¡°Enter,¡± he stated as he gestured forward. ¡°He¡¯s waiting for you inside.¡±


    I gulped as I stared ahead. From what I could remember, this park had been built in memory of thete


    queen, Asher¡¯s mother and former Luna of the Crescent Pack. I didn¡¯t have strong memories of it from


    my youth, since I hadn¡¯t had many chances to visit this ce. Asher had never liked it, so we avoided it


    at all costs.


    I took a short breath and then walked forward.


    In the distance, I could see Kaleb standing on the wooden bridge that crossed over the man¨Cmadeke


    below. Selena¡¯s Tear, it was called.


    As I continued forward, I prayed Queen Selena would send me some of her strength.


    Kaleb saw me approach and twitched his lips with amusement. He had taken the time toe out his


    long golden¨Cbrown hair and it red around him dramatically. His otherwise handsome face held an


    arrogant expression and his navy eyes studied me cruelly.


    ¡°Cassandra,¡± he called out to me. ¡°Come enjoy the beautiful scenery with me.¡±


    Behind him, I noticed a single guard standing steadfast and tall. Usually, he was nked by a trio, so


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    143


    Chapter 186 You may be clever, but¡­


    perhaps the other two still hadn¡¯t recovered from the anesthesia. I clenched the small bottle I tucked


    away in my pocket. I knew it would be a stupid idea to use it again, as I didn¡¯t think Kaleb would fall for


    the same trick, but just having it there gave me courage. I could protect myself if needed.


    As I stepped onto the bridge, Kaleb pointed out a goose swimming freely not far from where we stood.


    ¡°I must say this is the most enjoyable spot in Anemond,¡± he noted. ¡°It¡¯s nice to observe the nature,¡±


    Though he was a viin, he was right. The scenery was indeed enjoyable and was exactly why the


    ce. had been built in the first ce. But I wasn¡¯t in the mood to enjoy any of this at all.


    ¡°Where are Finnick and Erika?¡± I asked him directly.


    ¡°They¡¯re perfectly fine,¡± he mused. ¡°Safe and sound.¡±


    y son to threaten me,¡± I shot back.


    ¡°It¡¯s low to use my


    1 don¡¯t disagree,¡± the king of Yurene replied, and then he raised an eyebrow. ¡°But I don¡¯t mind being


    low if it means I get what I want. People in power have all done something low to maintain their power.


    It¡¯s the way of the world, Cassandra.¡±


    I red at him. ¡°And what if I don¡¯t want toply with your request? The Alpha King may be detained


    now, but he won¡¯t be gone forever.¡±


    ¡°You have a lot of faith in Asher Collins,¡± Kaleb chuckled, and he shook his head slowly before turning


    out to face theke. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. He¡¯s a formidable power, but at the end of the day¡­ he¡¯s


    weak. Hecks the true discipline required of a king. He¡¯s soft, with no ambition or drive toe to his


    true potential. It¡¯s sad, really. I pity him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s more of a man than you¡¯ll ever be.¡± I hissed, and my hands balled into fists at my side. ¡°Here you


    are threatening a woman and her child to get your way. I¡¯d say you¡¯re the more pathetic one.¡±


    ¡°Mind yourself, Cassandra,¡± the foreign king warned with narrowed eyes. ¡°While I need you and your


    healing expertise, I won¡¯t take your insults lying down. You amuse me, but don¡¯t get toofortable.¡±


    I¡¯m not scared of you,¡± I said, and I raised my chin defiantly. ¡°You talk a big game, but I know you aren¡¯t


    going to hurt me. You said it yourself¡­ you need me.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± he remarked, and then he crossed his arms against his chest, and took a step forward. My


    heart. thrummed in my chest, and though I¡¯d said I wasn¡¯t afraid, I suddenly had the feeling of a prey


    being cornered by a predator. It took all of my strength to remain in control of my emotions. ¡°I do need


    you. But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll let you walk all over me. Don¡¯t forget, I have your son after all.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t hurt him,¡± I said boldly. ¡°Not if you want me to cooperate. I¡¯m just trying to understand the


    point of all of this. What was your end game? Once Asher returns, everything is just going to go back to


    normal. You can¡¯t defeat him.¡±


    Kaleb let out a short, cruelugh. ¡°You may be clever, but you fail to see the truth. How could


    everything go back to normal when one of your Packs is suffering from that curious disease?¡±


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    Chapter 186 You may be clever, but


    He took a step closer. ¡°Since the only sorcerer who could possibly invent a cure is dead, how ever will


    you be able to save those poor people in that Pack?¡±


    My blood turned to ice in my veins as I stared at him in disbelief. The king of Yurene continued to


    speak.


    ¡°You and your assistant are quite good,¡± he remarked. ¡°I had never expected you to find the source of


    the disease so quickly. But sadly, you weren¡¯t clever enough.¡±


    Once he finished speaking, his smile widened and he stepped over to the railing of the bridge. He


    leaned against it and stared out at the water.


    I hadn¡¯t noticed it when I had first walked on the bridge, but now, I could see that the foreign king¡¯s


    entire figure was covered in shadows cast from a tall tree not far away.


    While I looked at him from where I stood, I felt as if I was staring at a devil who had just ascended from


    the abyss. He wasn¡¯t the man I thought he was. He was a viin, through and through.


    34. 34.


    Mon, 29


    Chapter 187 Make the right decision

 Chapter 187

    Chapter 187


    Chapter 187 Make the right decision


    ADALYN


    I couldn¡¯t remember thest time I¡¯d stared at Asher¡¯s sleeping face so closely. As my eyes trailed over


    him and took in the handsomeness of his high cheekbones, his chiseled jaw, and his long dark


    eyshes, I wondered if perhaps I¡¯d never done it at all.


    I had never had an opportunity to get so close to him in such a private space where it was only the two


    of us. Though I was his wife, officially and legally, we never had the opportunity to consummate our


    marriage. Asher had made it perfectly clear since the beginning that this marriage was solely for the


    sake of Marco.


    But how could he let me wither like a dried flower?


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    And how dare he ignore mepletely when that healer turned up?


    I didn¡¯t understand. While some thought me vain, I simply saw it as having confidence in myself. I was


    at catch, after all. I took great time and care to meticulously groom myself for his benefit. Daily, I


    brushed and oiled my long dark hair, I bathed myself in artisanal products crafted from one of the most


    expensive stores in Anemond, and my perfume was one of a kind. I was an expert at applying my


    makeup and spent many long hours perfecting my seductive nces.


    So, why didn¡¯t any of that work on Asher?


    A divorce was forting. I could sense it. Despite all of my efforts, he wanted to be with that in.


    healer. As much as I didn¡¯t want to admit it, Father was night. There was nothing I could do about that.


    Asher would get anything he wanted, as he was the Alpha King. And even if I wanted to, I couldn¡¯t


    bring harm to that vile healer. Margaret had only detained her maid, and that had ended poorly.


    Since I couldn¡¯t bring harm to Cassandra Keller, I had to take matters into my own hands and go in al


    different direction.


    Asher Collins wasn¡¯t behaving properly as an Alpha King, and this needed to be corrected.


    I watched his face closely and found myself craving his kiss. It was all I wanted, really, but I couldn¡¯t do


    that. What would be the point of kissing him if he was unconscious? I no longer wished to be a pathetic


    woman who loved him secretly. I wanted him to know how deeply I was in love with him and that I


    would do anything to prove it.


    Anything.


    Thankfully, it wouldn¡¯t be long if Father¡¯s n worked out smoothly. Of course, his ns always worked


    out, so there was a high likelihood of things going in my favor


    So, I carefully and quietly stood up from the seat beside the bed. I paused for a moment to make sure


    that Asher hadn¡¯t heard me, and once I was in the clear, I smiled down at the sleeping Alpha King and


    blew a kiss in


    Chapter 187 Make the right decision


    his direction.


    We would be together soon enough.


    I treaded softly across the wood floors until I reached the door. I lingered for a moment and then shut¨C


    the door behind me as I exited.


    As I stepped into the corridor, I noticed Ss was leaning against the wall opposite me. His golden


    eyes, the same shade as mine, were distant, and his mouth was drawn into a thin line. He ran a hand


    through his hair, as he often did when he was deep in thought, and then sighed.


    Poor, tortured Ss. Ever the wounded soul.


    I rolled my eyes and resisted the urge tough. He was so pathetic, honestly, always thinking that he


    was above us all. My father¡¯s care and adoration had made him arrogant and aloof. He¡¯d ced


    distance between us as we¡¯d grown older, and the further he¡¯d pulled away, the more resentment had


    formed between us.


    I had no intention of speaking with him, but as I began to walk, he turned to look at me.


    ¡°Adalyn?¡± he asked, and I stopped in ce when he tried to follow me.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t want anyone to bother him right now,¡± I practically groaned in annoyance. ¡°The Alpha King


    needs rest and time to think alone.¡°¡±


    Despite my words, Sis didn¡¯t seem to believe me. He ignored mepletely and turned around to


    head toward the door. I swiftly moved and stood between him and the door.


    ¡°You should really listen to me, Ss,¡± I said as I red at him. ¡°Bes des, this is what Father wants.¡±


    My brother frowned in confusion. ¡°What does any of this have to do with Father?¡±


    I smiled back at him. ¡°Why else would I be here?¡±


    Ss¡® face hardened and his lean body stiffened as the realization came crashing over him. He looked


    shocked, more shocked than I was when Father had told me about the n.


    My brother was so pathetic.


    No wonder Father trusted me over him now.


    I was almost giddy at the thought. This felt good.


    ¡°You must be out of your mind,¡± Ss practically growled. ¡°What have you gotten yourself into, Adalyn?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been clearer than I am now¡± I said with a smallugh. ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing and that it¡¯s


    going to be the best thing for Asher.¡±


    I


    Ss shook his head slowly and then straightened up to his full height. I was quite tall, but my brother


    was much taller. That being said, I couldn¡¯t be intimidated by him anymore. He didn¡¯t scare me like he


    thought he could, and I wasn¡¯t about to roll over and show him my belly like a weakling.


    |||


    24


    16:31 Mon, 25 Dec


    Chapter 157 Make the right decision


    ¡°Get out of my way,¡± he snarled, ¡°Or else I¡¯ll force you to do so.¡±


    Iughed and shook my head. ¡°Even if you got inside, Ss, nothing can be changed. The Alpha King


    was tired and needed rest. He wouldn¡¯t be able to listen to your nonsense even if he wanted to.¡±


    Ss¡® eyes narrowed in anger and I watched him put two and two together. Though he was thoroughly


    Irritating, he wasn¡¯t stupid, and he seemed to understand what had happened right away.


    ¡°You drugged the Alpha King.¡± he uttered.


    I shrugged and smirked at him. ¡°I had hoped Asher would take care of himself. He needed rest. Hadn¡¯t


    you noticed how haggard he looked? He needed rest, and as his wife, it¡¯s my responsibility to make the


    right decisions for him.¡±


    Augh rose up from my throat as satisfaction coursed through me. I didn¡¯t have opportunities like this


    often. Ss had always been the golden boy. He had always been smarter, stronger, and more loved


    than I was But now¡­ the tables had turned, and I was the apple of Father¡¯s eye. He had trusted me


    with this, not him.


    I wouldn¡¯t let Ss ruin this moment for me.


    ¡°I would suggest you don¡¯t make a fuss about this,¡°I noted as my lips curled into a mocking smile. ¡°You


    wouldn¡¯t want anyone to find out what happened to the King of Wega. Even if you tried to im you


    had nothing to do with it¡­ well, there are ways of getting around that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sick,¡± Ss uttered in disgust. ¡°Evil.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you say.¡± I remarked, unphased. ¡°Now move along and spread the word if you please. The


    Alpha King won¡¯t be able to answer any requests for the next few days. He needs his rest.¡±


    16:31 Mon,


    Chapter 188 Beta¡¯s loyalty

 Chapter 188

    Chapter 188


    Chapter 188 Beta¡¯s loyalty


    P


    ADALYN


    As my words set in, a familiar expression appeared on Ss¡® face. I hadn¡¯t seen it in years, and it sent a


    wave of satisfaction through me.


    My brother was at a loss again.


    No matter how tall and strong he now looked, he was still that poor little boy who didn¡¯t even dare to cry


    for his stupid dead bird.


    He clenched his fist at his side and stared at me as if he wanted to smash it directly into my face, but I


    knew he wouldn¡¯t do that. He was a pathetic wimp, a fool with a wavering heart.


    It would be his downfall.


    I was sure of it.


    After a long, steady silence, Ss seemed defeated. When he finally spoke, his voice sounded meek.


    ¡°Father can¡¯t do this,¡± he muttered, but it was clear by his expression that he didn¡¯t believe his own


    words. We both knew what Father was capable of. He appeared helpless, though he tried his best to


    hide that. ¡°1 thought Father wouldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    His words trailed off and I kept waiting for him to finish his sentence, but he never did.


    An ufortable pause resumed once again and I tried to imagine what he was thinking about. His


    gold eyes were distant and his every feature was timid, as if he were a child rather than a grown man.


    I never understood my little brother. To be more exact, I never tried to understand him. Why would I


    want to do so? Ss had always been the one to receive endless amounts of attention and doting from


    the family ever since his birth. Ever since his arrival, he had taken everything away from me. No matter


    how much I achieved, no matter how well I excelled, it was never enough. Ss was the one who


    mattered most.


    So, why would I ever want to understand him?


    As petty as it sounded, it made me feel good to see him in this state of stupid agony. This feeling had


    been the exact reason I¡¯d told Father all those years ago about that little bird of his. Sure, I could have


    remained silent and allowed my brother to continue taking care of the creature, but I¡¯d seen an


    opportunity to mess with him and took it just as he¡¯d taken everything from me.


    I¡¯d carried around this heavy resentment for Ss for so long that I could hardly remember the pleasant


    days before he¡¯d ever been born. Maybe back then, I had been more like Cora, a girl who led a happy


    life with love from everyone around her, a girl who¡¯d dreamt about being one of the leading warriors for


    this country.


    Hazily, I could remember that back then, I had a dream like Cora, and my ambition had been no


    smaller. I


    A


    Chapter 188 Beta¡¯s loyalty


    might have even believed that I would be the future Beta, the first one in Wega¡¯s history.


    But as I tried to think back on those dreams, I couldn¡¯t determine if I¡¯d truly had them or if it¡¯d been a


    figment of my imagination.


    Of course, none of that mattered now. Even if I¡¯d dreamed of bing the Beta of the Crescent Pack


    and warrior of Wega, Ss had arrived and taken Father¡¯s former position. He was a male, after all,


    so he was the favored choice.


    Ss finally spoke and interrupted my thoughts with a clearing of his throat.


    ¡°You and Father made a wrong move,¡± he warned. ¡°A very wrong one. You both have made the hugest


    mistake, sister, and the whole family will be ashamed when they find out.¡±


    I was taken aback by his deration for a moment.


    Ss had called me ¡°sister¡°, perhaps for the first time in years.


    I had to admit that I was surprised by this appetion. As far as I knew, Ss hadn¡¯t called me that


    since the death of his bird, and I wasn¡¯t sure why he was iming me as family all of a sudden. Maybe


    he was trying to provoke a sense of closeness, or he was trying to show some softness in an attempt to


    coax me into doing what he wanted.


    Either way, I wouldn¡¯t be manipted, not anymore.


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t spoil our responsibility and loyalty as Betas,¡± he said, and I blurted out augh.


    ¡°Betas,¡± I repeated back ironically. ¡°No one has ever called me a Beta. They always say ¡®Beta Ss¡±


    and ¡°Beta Oliver¡®, but never ¡®Beta Adalyn¡®. I¡¯ve only ever been called ady. You can¡¯t imagine what


    that¡¯s like, can you? To be reduced to nothing more than just ady, when Ie from one of the most


    prestigious families in Wega?¡±


    I supposed Ss would never understand me either, because he then blurted out ¡°Regardless of what


    people of the court say, you shouldn¡¯t do this to the Alpha King. Adalyn. There could be no way backN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    from this. Imagine what¡¯s going to happen when Asher wakes up. Things might seem exciting and


    grand now, but you can¡¯t see from your excitement that actions have consequences.¡±


    His expression softened. ¡°Please, Adalyn. You don¡¯t have to be Father¡¯s pawn, Let me go in there and


    we can pretend this never happened.¡±


    I supposed if he wasn¡¯t speaking total nonsense, I might have been moved by his kind tone. He spoke


    in a way that suggested that he was really concerned about me as my brother.


    But what he said was nothing more thanplete and utter shit.


    Had he ever imagined what my life would be if I just stood aside and watched that vile healer,


    Cassandra Keller, step into our world? If Asher were to divorce me and marry such a in, backwoods


    girl, I would be theughingstock of the entire Pack, if not the entire country. Who would want me after


    Asher cast me aside, and what would be of Prince Marco? Would we be expelled from the


    pce, from the only life we¡¯d ever known?


    Chapter 188 Beta¡¯s loyalty


    Had he ever thought about any of that?


    No. No, he only cared about himself. Even if Asher and I divorced, he would maintain his ce in the


    Pack. He would remain revered and then pass on his title and position to whatever children he


    spawned with his lowly mate, that horridly poor girl who worked with Cassandra.


    His life would go uninterrupted.


    But I would be in ruin.


    I let out a shortugh again and then stared at Ss coldly.


    ¡°You can stop talking to me like I¡¯m some pathetic, malleable child,¡± I snarled, and I shook my head


    back and forth. ¡°You don¡¯t get to tell me what to do. I¡¯m in charge now, so here¡¯s how it¡¯s gonna go,


    Ss. You have two choices. You could either run downstairs and tell them I¡¯ve drugged the Alpha King,


    or you could remain silent and act ording to Father¡¯s n.¡±


    He started to speak, but I raised my hand and stopped him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, dear brother, that you have a new bird back in Anemond now,¡± I reminded him quietly,


    and then I gave him the cruelest, most mocking smile I could manage. ¡°So I would suggest you make a


    wise decision if you don¡¯t want her to die.¡±


    943

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    Chapter 189


    Chapter 189 What a devil want


    76%


    CASSANDRA


    When my brother Ector and I were children, we would often get ourselves into a great deal of mischief.


    At the end of the day, it was mostly just us having fun and messing about, but sometimes, when we


    were particrly naughty kids, Erika would sit us down and tell us stories. Once I reached adulthood, I


    realized these stories were meant to get us to settle down and listen to her, but at the time, I took every


    word as a warning.


    Erika told us tales about ghosts and devils alike. While the ghosts were there to frighten us, the devils


    had different intentions in mind. As the fire in the firece zed behind her, the maid would gesture


    for us to sit closer, and she¡¯d tell us all about the devils.


    The devils, she said, would drag naughty children down the ground. They were horribly ruthless,


    terrible creatures, and if a kid was snatched and taken by a devil, they would never be able to return to


    their homes and families.


    The solemnity of Erika¡¯s tone coupled with the chilling tales would scare me to the core. I would swear


    repeatedly that I would behave myself and be a good girl out of fear that a devil would seize me and


    take me away to some unknown abyss.


    But Ector was another story. My golden¨Chaired, brave brother would argue with the maid and insist that


    since Father could protect us, how would the devils even get to us?


    Erika always found a way to exin it away. Devils were good at disguising themselves, she told us.


    They would appear to be kind and gentle, but deep down, they were extremely evil, vile monsters, with


    hearts made of pitch¨Cck onyx.


    While my brother would insist that he didn¡¯t believe in such stories, he would always discipline himself


    for a couple of days after they were told.


    If Ector were here now, I could prove to him that what Erika had told us so long ago was virtually the


    truth. A devil could be smiling and well¨Cmannered. He could be a literal wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing, but


    that didn¡¯t change the rotten, inner core within.


    But I also recalled that I had once gone to my father because I¡¯d been so frightened of the devil¡¯s story.


    I¡¯d asked him what to do if I was captivated by a well¨Cdisguised devil, and I remembered him saying


    with lightugh that I should remain calm and simply ask what he wanted.


    Back then, I didn¡¯t think Father was serious about my question, but as I thought about it more and


    more, standing on this bridge with Kaleb, I realized he was right.


    What did the devil want?


    I studied the king of Yurene for a moment and then asked the question that had been lingering in the


    back of my mind.


    14-


    Chapter 189 What a devil want


    ¡°Was Emmett a sorcerer?¡± I asked him.


    76%


    Though he didn¡¯t answer at once, his expression seemed to prove my spection to be true. His


    forehead. crinkled slightly and he gave a small frown, but recovered quickly and resumed his usual,


    mocking smile.


    ¡°Is that why you want me to go to the North with you?¡± I spoke again. ¡°Because you think I might have


    gotten something from Emmett? I can assure you that I know nothing about any of that. I didn¡¯t even


    know Emmett was involved in sorcery until very recently¡±


    The foreign king tilted his head slightly and when he still didn¡¯t speak, I continued on.


    ¡°Whatever the problem between you and Emmett was, I had nothing to do with it, and there¡¯s nothing I


    can do,¡± I stated in an attempt to emphasize myck of involvement. ¡°Even if I wanted to, I couldn¡¯t


    apply any of the sorceries to save your father¡­ that is, if your father is even truly ill. Spike might have


    been able to contribute, but now that¡¯s no longer an option.


    Kaleb¡¯s brow arched at the mention of his father, and then his mouth twitched ever so slightly.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a lie,¡± he murmured. ¡°My father¡¯s illness. But unfortunately, even if that fool, Spike, was alive,


    he wouldn¡¯t be able to help. My father already passed away.¡±


    He looked away


    for a moment and when he turned back to me, his face was deste. His gaze lingered, and then he


    took a step away and leaned against the other side of the railing. He stared out at theke and then


    shook his head.


    ¡°I now understand why you resisted so badly against the idea of youing with me North to Yurene,¡±


    he mused. ¡°You seem to consider me a viin. But I don¡¯t think I am, not truly. Once you see the other


    side of the story, once you get the bigger picture, you might find that what I¡¯m doing is justified,


    Cassandra.¡±


    ¡°Really,¡± I uttered, and I clenched my jaw in frustration. ¡°And what kind of story will it be exactly?¡±


    Kaleb turned around and lifted his chin to look at the sun. Despite the shadows cast by the trees


    beyond us, the sun zed golden in the sky and shimmered off of theke¡¯s water. The king studied it


    for a moment and then smiled.


    ¡°It would be a story that you will definitely take an interest in,¡± he remarked vaguely. ¡°A story about


    Wega, the country you¡¯re so devoted to. Since we still have some time before our departure, I see no


    reason not to borate more. Perhaps, you might change your mind after hearing it.¡±


    Tm failing to see any reason why I should believe any story you tell me,¡± I fired back, and this time, I


    narrowed my eyes at him. ¡°Everything about yourself¡­ your nature, your kindness, your motivations¡­


    all have been lies. You¡¯re not the person you led me to believe you were back when we first met in the


    market. So, why should I believe you now?¡±


    The king of Yurene smirked and then shrugged his broad shoulders. ¡°You don¡¯t have to, Cassandra.


    You could choose to believe whatever you wanted because that¡¯s what most people in your position


    would do.¡±


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    He stood up straighter and used his long¨Cfingered hand to shield his eyes. ¡°The sun is starting to grow


    piercing. So, why don¡¯t you and I return to the pce and find a cozy room to have some tea? Then, I


    can tell you my story.¡±


    Chapter 189 What a devil want


    I stared back at him momentarily and didn¡¯t know how to react. Part of me wanted to rebuff this entire


    Idea and run away. Perhaps I could find one of Asher¡¯s more trusted guards and exin the situation,


    grant myself some protection along with Erika, Becky, and Finnick.


    But deep down, I knew what I had to do. It was clear that this viinous, foreign king, wasn¡¯t going to


    stop until he got what he wanted. I could be putting everyone, myself included, in even more danger if I


    didn¡¯t cooperate and do as he asked.


    So, I took a long, deep breath, thought again about my father and his advice on how to deal with devils,


    and simply nodded at Kaleb. Whatever he had to tell me, I knew it was going to be interesting.


    94


    Chapter 190 History

 Chapter 190

    Chapter 190


    Chapter 190 History


    176%Ãæ


    CASSANDRA


    I wasn¡¯t sure what kind of game Kaleb was ying, but from the moment I agreed to hear his story, his


    mocking and arrogant demeanor shifted to that of a much kinder gentleman. It was as if he slipped his


    old mask back on and was the strange yet charming foreign king I¡¯d first encountered in the market of


    Anemond.


    As we walked back to Merliscire, he walked alongside me, and his guards lingered about ten feet back


    to give us some privacy. While my guard was still up around the trio from Yurene, I had a strong feeling


    that Kaleb was behaving somewhat genuinely.


    When we finally reached the pce, my heart began to race in anticipation, but then the king turned to


    me and cleared his throat.


    ¡°Before we get on with this, I will take you to see Erika and Finnick,¡± he announced, and he gestured to


    the corridor before us. ¡°So you know that I am being true to my word.¡±


    My lips parted in surprise and my voice caught in my throat, so I simply nodded in response.


    He then led me to a door at the end of the corridor, which was nked by a few tall, muscr guards.


    They bowed to Kaleb in respect and after he flicked his hand, they parted and allowed us to enter the


    room.


    I steeled myself for a terrible sight, but much to my surprise, Erika and Finnick were seated on arge,


    plush couch. The curtains were drawn open and sunlight flooded the room.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Finnick eximed happily and he rushed over to me and threw his arms around me.


    ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re okay!¡±


    I intercepted him dly and drew him close. ¡°Hi, baby. Yes, I¡¯m okay. Are you alright?¡±


    We stood there for a moment and then Finnick pulled away.


    ¡°We¡¯re okay,¡± he said with a nod, and his gray eyes were serious as they stared into mine. ¡°Auntie


    Erika and I have been sitting on this nice couch. She¡¯s been telling me stories.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful,¡± I replied, and I shot a grateful expression toward Erika. The maid sent me one of


    her own and then I turned back to Finnick. ¡°Finnick, I have some things I have to do, but I¡¯ll see you


    really soon, alright? Be good for Auntie Erika. Everything is going to be fine.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± my son swore. He hugged me again, and after I gave Erika onest nce, Kaleb held the door


    open for me and we stepped back out into the corridor.


    ¡°I told you,¡± he replied once the door was closed and the guards stepped back into ce. ¡°Safe and


    sound.¡±


    I remained silent as the Northern king led me to another room. Though I¡¯d told them that everything


    would


    |||


    Chapter 190 History


    be fine, I wasn¡¯t so certain I believed it myself.


    We took a seat in a pair of plush chairs by a window, and after a set of Northern guards served us


    some tea, they stood aside and turned their attention to the door. I held the cup in my hands but didn¡¯t


    sip. I wasn¡¯t sure what was going to happen and didn¡¯t want to risk Kaleb poisoning me or something.


    ¡°So, Cassandra, if you¡¯re ready, I¡¯ll begin,¡± Kaleb remarked, and after I nodded, he crossed his legs and


    fixed his steady gaze upon me.


    I had believed that Kaleb was going to avoid the key point and just tell me some banal story he made


    up in an attempt to get on my nerves, but I was quickly proven wrong. In fact, he began to speak about


    something that I had been wondering about for a long time and seemed to clear up some of my


    confusion.


    It was a story about the establishment of Wega and the demise of Ewonmiams. ording to Kaleb¡¯s


    version of the story, the very first king of Weg was a bastard who stole the fruit from the leader of the


    Ewonmiams. He abandoned them after he came into power and despite what they had done for him,


    he decided to hunt all of the sorcerors down and destroy them.


    That was why the Ewonmiams were an unspoken secret in Wega.


    The king had covered up their existence and wiped them from history.


    As he spoke, I wished I had paid more attention to the history sses I¡¯d taken in my youth, or at least


    had taken more time to read through that dusted book I¡¯d found in the secret room of the royal library


    so I knew enough to refute Kaleb¡¯s story.


    Was it a coincidence that the founding of Wega and the demise of Ewonmiams happened nearly at


    the same time in history? Or was he telling the truth?


    Kaleb continued speaking, mentioning that the surviving sorcerors ran and lived in shadows. They¡¯d


    remained hidden away until decades ago when they formed a new Pack and named themselves Dark


    Abyss. Their motivation was revenge on the people who had forsaken them and cast them into the


    darkness, but they were not as powerful as they had been in the old days, so they started to look for


    coborators who could help aid their mission.


    ¡°My father,¡± he said with a strange expression on his face. ¡°The former king of Yurene was at the top of


    their list.¡±


    A frown formed on my lips. ¡°I¡¯m confused. I thought there was a battle between Yurene and Dark


    Abyss.¡±


    Kaleb nodded. ¡°There was a battle indeed. Not between Yurene and Dark Abyss, but between a secret


    troop of Wega and Dark Abyss. As soon as Dark Abyss made their move and revealed themselves


    from their hiding ce in the shadows, Wega acknowledged their existence. It all became¡­


    complicated.*


    ¡°How so?¡± I wondered.


    ¡°The king of Wega wanted them to die,¡± he replied. ¡°But soon, it became a greater dispute due to the


    magic Dark Abyss possessed. Wega and Yurene both wanted their power, you seo.¡±


    I shook my head in confusion. ¡°But that would be nonsense. Why would Wega want the power of


    ck


    Chapter 190 History


    magic when it was strictly prohibited in the country?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of wanting or not,¡± Kaleb said thoughtfully. ¡°It was a matter of need, a matter of


    possession. It might be true that Wega could choose to own but not utilize the power and just kill all


    the sorcerors, as was its initial n, but with Yurene involved¡­ the stakes were different. It was


    competition, a race to see who could seize the power of Dark Abyss.¡±


    He sighed. ¡°Ultimately, there was no winner, of course. Both kings ended up getting the disease and


    had to let go of the sorcerer they were chasing.


    My eyes widened in shock as I stared at him in surprise. Had Kaleb just said that Asher¡¯s father had


    gotten infected with the disease? Was that why his physical condition deteriorated with no specific


    reason?


    But Kaleb didn¡¯t give me time to ponder these questions as he continued.


    ¡°The sorcerer they wanted to capture was Emmett Keller¡¯s father,¡± he revealed suddenly, ¡°Of


    course¡­.his surname wasn¡¯t Keller. Keller was the name of the poor family who offered them shelter,


    until the sorcerer¡¯s wife gave birth to their son.¡±


    My lips parted as I tried to make sense of what he was telling me.


    The Kellers weren¡¯t truly the Kellers?


    They were imposters?


    ¡°After their son was born, the sorcerer family left Wild Cralwer, but before they did, the sorcerer gave


    the Kellers a magical amulet they could use to alert the sorcerer if they were ever in danger. The


    amulet, unfortunately, brought them bad luck. Everyone believed that the Kellers were murdered by a


    bunch of robbers, but that wasn¡¯t the truth.¡±


    ¡°Then what was?¡± I blurted out boldly.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°They were all brutally executed by the king,¡± Kaleb replied matter¨Cof¨Cfactly. ¡°Even their youngest. All


    because they couldn¡¯t tell him where the sorcerer family had gone. After all, they had no idea where


    they¡¯d gone in the first ce. But the king didn¡¯t care about that. When the sorcere got the news it was


    toote.¡±


    I shook my head as I processed this information.


    ¡°Was Emmett the name of the innocent child who was killed?¡± I wondered slowly as the realization:


    crossed my mind.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the king of Yurene confirmed. ¡°Very good. Andter, it became the name of the sorcerer¡¯s son


    who, after all of those years, decided to return to Wild Crawler and live his life as a healer.¡±


    §ï§Ü

 Chapter 191

    Chapter 191


    As I studied the strange Northern King, I tried to ascertain if he was telling me the truth. His deep blue


    eyes remained fixed on me and maintained their gaze too steadily to be overtly suspicious, but how


    could I trust the man I¡¯d found out was a viin?


    But even though I wasn¡¯t sure if what he said was credible, I remembered what Asher had once told me


    a while ago that Emmett Keller had been ¡°abducted¡± after the death of his parents and then returned to


    Wild Crawler after many years.


    But why would Emmett do that?


    Since he was dead now, how could I confirm his story?


    1 can see the doubt on your face,¡± Kaleb spoke up, and he leaned forward and folded his hands in his


    lap. ¡°Both Yurene and Wega had lost track of the sorcerer¡¯s family until ¡®Emmett¡® visited Yurene one


    day. Upon arriving in my country, he revealed his identity as a sorcerer, though back then, he didn¡¯t


    give us his name. Back then, my father was deeply ill with the mysterious illness. Emmett promised that


    he could cure him, but in return, he wanted my father to offer him some help.¡±


    ¡°What did he want?¡± I wondered as my eyebrows knitted together.


    ¡°He said he wanted revenge on Wega,¡± Kaleb replied in a solemn voice. ¡°Revenge against the king


    who had killed the saviors of his family. The one who had forced all of the sorcerers to be chased or go


    into hiding just to survive.¡±


    I frowned at this response. I didn¡¯t believe that Emmett would be someone who had been nning on


    revenge. He had always been kind and warm¨Chearted, especially when it came to his patients.


    But then again, I felt like despite all of our years together in Wild Crawler, I never understood him. I had


    never known who he was, what he had been through, or what he had wanted out of life: ThoseExclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    conversations had never happened and Emmett had never offered me any information about his past.


    Our marriage was one of convenience, a way for me to survive after all I¡¯d endured in Anemond.


    ¡°So, what happened?¡± I asked after a moment of pause.


    ¡°Well, my father rejected his idea of revenge,¡± he answered as he shook his head slowly. ¡°He didn¡¯t


    want to dere war against Wega, Yurene had already suffered a lot from the seemingly ever¨C


    lasting disputes. A war against the most powerful wolf empire would be devastating for our people. So,


    Emmett left and said he would give my father some time to reconsider.¡±


    Kaleb took a moment to gather his thoughts before he continued on. ¡°A few yearster, after my father


    had died, I received a letter from Emmett. In the letter, Emmett said he had discovered something and


    wanted


    an immediate word with me.¡±


    -14


    16:32 Mon, 25 De


    Chapter 191 The first story


    My eyebrow shot up. A letter?


    ¡°Of course, he never made it to the meeting because he was brutally killed in the forest,¡± the king of


    Yurenemented with a soft sigh. ¡°When I found his body, I took it back to Yurene and buried it there.¡±


    My breath suddenly caught in my throat and my eyes instantly welled up with tears. So, that was why


    Wild Crawler had never uncovered Emmett¡¯s corpse? Because the king of Yurene had been the one to


    find him?


    We had all believed that a mob of rogue wolves had killed the innocent healer, but none of us


    suspected where his body was.


    And all along, he was in the Northern country, buried far away where no one could see him.


    I turned away so Kaleb couldn¡¯t see my reaction. Just as I did, the tears streamed down my cheeks and


    my lips trembled as I began to quietly cry. Though Emmett had kept me at a distance, he¡¯d been the


    one to save me from that dreadful inferno and heal me from my many injuries. Had it not been for his


    intervention, I would have died there in Rosepetal, and Finnick never would have been born.


    I owed my life to Emmett.


    He¡¯d helped me assume a new identity and taught me all I knew about being a healer. Had it not been


    for him, I wouldn¡¯t have learned how to heal people as he did for me.


    As I wiped my face, I wanted to ask how Emmett was killed and why Kaleb had described his death as


    brutal, but I wasn¡¯t sure if I was ready to hear the answer.


    ¡°Was it an ident?¡± I asked quietly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kaleb admitted, and when I turned around to face him, his expression was serious.


    ¡°Whether it was an ident or a deliberate murder, the oue was the same, Cassandra. Emmett


    Keller¡¯s life was shrouded in shadows. He was hiding something, the letter suggested as much. Surely,


    he had to leave some clues about what he wanted to meet about.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°If he did. I know nothing about it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better not to draw a conclusion so hastily.¡± Kaleb insisted. ¡°Because if there¡¯s a clue, it must be


    something that couldn¡¯t easily be found. Emmett was from a family of sorcerers. He couldn¡¯t risk


    someone finding out his heritage. But his work, his intentions when it came to the illness, and whatever


    he had to tell me, I¡¯m sure he left something behind.¡±


    His eyebrows knitted together. ¡°As I had always said, Cassandra, going to the North seemed to be the


    better choice for you in the long run. Not only would you thrive somewhere that isn¡¯t as barbaric as


    Anemond, but if the secret was exposed, you would be the target for anyone who chased after the


    sorcerer¡¯s power. Including the king of Wega.¡±


    I frowned instantly.


    my mind?


    Was Kaleb trying to drive a wedge between me and Asher? Was he trying to sneak doubt into


    Even if his usation had a drop of truth, I knew the Alpha King all too well. He didn¡¯t covet power as


    his


    2A


    16:32 Mon, 25 Dec G 0¡¤


    Chapter 191 The first story.


    76%


    father had. In fact, he¡¯d mentioned wanting to leave the throne behind to build a life with me if that was


    what we wished. He didn¡¯t care about magical powers or dark gifts.


    He cared about Finnick and me more than anything.


    I knew that for certain.


    ¡°You¡¯re out of your mind if you think I would trust you better than my Alpha King.¡± I fired back at him.


    ¡°That¡¯s arrogant, even for you.¡±


    Kaleb let out a cruel, mockingugh and then a wicked smile formed across his full lips. ¡°Is that so?


    This is only the first story, Cassandra.¡±


    He picked his teacup up from the table and took a long sip before speaking again. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve


    completed that one, I wish to tell you the second one. I¡¯m not sure if you would find this one as


    interesting, but personally, I find it to be quite entertaining.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I asked, and I rolled my eyes at him. ¡°You can certainly try, but I¡¯m still not convinced that I


    believe you. Whatever other story you have, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll be further convinced.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Kaleb remarked, and then his eyebrow raised. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just get on with it. Do you know


    anything about the Felix family?¡±

 Chapter 192

    Chapter 192


    Chapter 192 The second story


    CASSANDRA


    At the mention of my family name, I clenched my palms around the arms of my chair until it hurt.


    Felix.


    My heart sank when I heard my true surname. My mind immediately flew to my father and brother, and


    as their images shed through my memory, sorrow bloomed within me. I missed them more and more


    with each passing day, and the heartache haunted me in my dreams.


    But despite the fear that gued me in anticipation, I managed to stay calm. Luckily for me, Kaleb


    didn¡¯t seem to notice my stiffness and the king of Yurene carried on in a disgustingly light tone.


    ¡°Well, in case you didn¡¯t know much about the so¨Ccalled loyal warrior family, I¡¯ll tell you a little bit about


    them,¡± he began, and then he let out a small sigh. ¡°The Felixes were rather famous for their loyalty to


    the King of Wega as well as their capability. It was said that the leader of the Felix n was


    considered a ¡®god of war¡± and the watchdog of Wega¡¯s royal power. From what I¡¯ve heard about


    Darrin and Ector Felix, they were quite strong.¡±


    I remained silent when Kaleb was introducing this backstory I wanted to stop him but I couldn¡¯t because


    I was afraid that if I opened my mouth, screaming and shrieking wou d tumble out. I


    I wasn¡¯t certain if the arrogant Northern king knew my true identity, but I assumed by his expression


    that he didn¡¯t. The identities of my father and brother were spoken about too lightly to suggest he knew


    the truth, On the one hand, I hated it, but on the other, I realized it was the first time I¡¯d heard my father


    and brother¡¯s names after all of these years.


    Asher and Erika did their best to avoid talking about anything rting to my past.


    The way Kaleb described them was like he was talking about some heroic models, which was


    surprising. given their shift in reputation post¨Cusation.


    But then, a momentter, Kalebmented on the usation, and I fought to not release a sigh.


    ¡°Do you believe that the Felixes wanted to kill the Betas?¡± he asked, and I was a little confused. Why


    would he ask a in healer from a small Pack on the border what I thought when I was so far from the


    core of this incident?


    Or at least Cassandra Keller was, of course.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about it,¡± I replied, and I shrugged for good measure.


    The king raised an eyebrow in surprise. ¡°I figured it would have been breaking news back then. Even


    the residents of Yurene were discussing it at length.¡±


    |||


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    16


    Chapter 192 The second story.


    mean, I¡¯d heard about it vaguely, but I didn¡¯t know much of the details,¡± I tried to exin, and I made


    sure to keep my expression even.


    Kaleb seemed satisfied by that answer and nodded his head thoughtfully. He ran a hand through his


    long golden¨Cbrown hair and then returned his attention to me.


    *1 could understand that,¡± he remarked. ¡°Wega seems to have buried this and prevented their


    citizens from speaking about it ever since the conviction was settled. But do you truly believe that


    Darrin Felix, the loyal man that he was, betrayed his country and the ruler he pledged his loyalty to?¡±


    My voice caught in my throat as I fought to find an answer he would ept.


    Why indeed would anyone doubt my father, who had devoted his entire life to the crown?


    Finally, I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Kaleb¡¯s eyes narrowed and he released a sigh.


    ¡°But you did know,¡± he used. ¡°Everyone in Wega would have known, even Wild Crawler. It was a


    political game, obviously, but no one dared to question it. They all epted what they had been told. I


    feel. deeply sorry for the Felixes. They were wrongfully used and punished for no reason.


    I didn¡¯t want to continue this topic. It was too hard to hear about my family members, even if the


    Northern king seemed to regard them highly. I didn¡¯t understand Kaleb¡¯s angle and what he was trying


    to get at..


    So, I remained silent and let him continue.


    ¡°It will always be like this,¡± he remarked thoughtfully, his tone underscored with a little irritation. ¡°At the


    height of one¡¯s power, they seem to get all of the good things, but when the power disappears¡­


    nothing is left and nobody is on their side.¡±


    As much as I didn¡¯t want to admit it, Kaleb¡¯s words were hurtfully true. I remembered back in those


    days, after the usation that tore my family apart, everyone shifted their opinions. My family had once


    been so revered, but the moment they were used, it was as if we were nothing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re telling me this,¡± I said with a slight sigh of my own: ¡°I¡¯m not interested in


    politics.¡±


    Kaleb smiled. ¡°Everyone is involved in politics, Cassandra, either consciously or subconsciously. Don¡¯t


    you wonder about the truth behind the incident?¡±


    ¡°Do you?¡± I questioned, even though my breath wavered. ¡°Or do you already know the truth?¡±


    ¡°Not the whole picture, but I know some interesting parts,¡± he remarked. ¡°Interesting enough for you to


    decide if the great Alpha King of Wega is worth being so loyal to. The game, which everyone


    believed to be between the Beta and the Felixes was actually directed by the former Alpha King. He


    was the master of the puppets, and of course, it was his will to wipe out the warrior family. The Beta,


    fully submitting to his Alpha, was used as a pawn.¡±


    I frowned, but when I heard what Kaleb said, I wasn¡¯t as shocked as I thought I would be. It could very


    well


    2.3


    Chapter 192 The second story


    be a lie, as Asher had mentioned that Kaleb had been visiting Oliver Moses for a couple of days


    recently.


    But I had my doubts about the matter.


    Kaleb might not believe what Oliver most likely told him during their visits to clear himself of guilt, but


    he surely thought it was a good enough story to coax an innocent healer like me.


    It could be real. After all, my family had been convicted by the blind emperor. But I couldn¡¯t think about


    that, not now. This story was a distraction that was meant to shift me to Kaleb¡¯s side of this dispute.


    ¡°I don¡¯t find this interesting at all,¡± I remarked with a bored inflection.


    ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± Kaleb questioned, and he seemed rather amused. His deep blue eyes narrowed, and then


    he grinned. ¡°Well, Cassandra, what if I told you the Alpha King of Wega wanted Darrin Felix to die


    because he found out that he was obsessed with sorcery? Or more precisely, that the Alpha King


    wanted to use sorcery to be immortal?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I blurted out before I could stop myself and my eyes widened. Quickly, I felt dazed. My vision


    was blurred and the image of Kaleb started to twist. I felt woozy and off¨Ckilter, and I tried to push aside


    the feeling. but it was no use.


    A wicked smile appeared on the Northern king¡¯s face, and before I lost consciousness and fell into


    oblivion, I heard him utter something, but I couldn¡¯t make sense of it.


    Chapter 193 Far toote

 Chapter 193

    Chapter 193


    Chapter 193 Far toote


    KALEB


    I leaned over to hold Cassandra¡¯s shoulder as she lost consciousness and nearly fell from her chair. As


    I steadied the beautiful healer and swept her long, copper curls away from her lovely face, the smile


    disappeared from my face.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    I had regarded this tale with amusement and thought Cassandra would do the same. I hadn¡¯t expected


    her to pass out. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was the stress of the matter or what, but her skin was pale and she


    sat limply


    in my arms.


    She remained breathing, though, so I wasn¡¯t too terribly worried about her.


    A few secondster, Anubis stepped into the room without knocking. His lips twitched at the sight of me


    and the healer, and then his dark eyes shed with amusement.


    ¡°Who knew you were so gentlemanly?¡± he stated with a cruel smirk, and then he walked across the


    room and took a seat in the chair opposite us.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I uttered as I held her steady. Her chest rose and fell lightly as she breathed, and


    for a moment, my mind was fixated on making sure she was alright, though I knew logically, that she


    was just fine.


    ¡°I came to tell you that everyone will be ready to depart in an hour, Your Highness,¡± Anubis answered.


    I nodded in response but said nothing.


    ¡°You¡¯ve changed,¡± he continued as I pulled Cassandra closer to me. She had begun slipping and I


    didn¡¯t want her to hurt herself in the process. ¡°Though you¡¯ve denied it, it¡¯s clear as day. Of course, that


    isn¡¯t a bad thing. Being soft is a good quality in a powerful king.¡±


    I red at him sharply as irritation swelled through me. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯ve done all of this,¡± he remarked, and he pinched the bridge of his nose


    between his fingers. ¡°Telling her a story, trying to appear as a good man to her, all of these things.


    What¡¯s the point? You could have reached your goals much earlier if you hadn¡¯t tried to y ¡°soft¡°. And


    now, you see, the result is the same. You still have to force her toe with you.¡±


    A huff rose up from my chest as irritation shed through me. ¡°I don¡¯t see the point of what you¡¯re


    saying. Anubis. Who cares how I handled things? I don¡¯t recall asking you for your input.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an important issue, Kaleb,¡± he pressed. ¡°When I decided to serve you all those years ago, you


    were a soft man. If that¡¯s what you¡¯ve decided to be¡­. I might have to reconsider my affiliations.¡±


    I stared at him coldly and debated reaching across the table and smacking him. ¡°Are you speaking of


    treason?¡±


    Chapter 193 Far toote


    Anubis gulped. ¡°I was only trying to make a point. But I¡¯m wondering why you¡¯re treating this healer so


    differently from the others. Why do you want her to understand you so badly? Are you trying to earn her


    empathy?¡±


    I shook my head instantly. ¡°No. I¡¯m not working some angle. I couldn¡¯t care less. This was just a whim,


    Anubis. I only wanted to intimidate her.¡±


    He didn¡¯t seem convinced by my words and leaned forward.


    ¡°A whim?¡± he asked, and one of his dark eyebrows arched. ¡°The Kaleb I know is not someone who


    would do anything on a whim. You¡¯re calcted, prepared, and always ready for the next step forward.


    And if you wanted to intimate her, why didn¡¯t you tell her that it was you who killed your father?¡±


    I froze at his words and nced down at Cassandra. Thankfully, she was still fast asleep, but had she


    been stirring even just a little, I would have ripped Anubis¡® throat out.


    Despite my anger, he simply smirked. ¡°You could also mention that it wasn¡¯t just your father, but also


    your two brothers and sister-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± I hissed, and I could feel my face darken and my nostrils re in anger. ¡°You¡¯ve


    spoken. enough. Leave us. Make sure that everything Cassandra had taken from Wild Crawler is


    packed and ready to be transported up to Yurene.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already been arranged,¡± Anubis replied in a bored voice. ¡°Discreetly, of course, so that no attention


    was called to it.¡±


    ˆF


    ¡°I¡¯d suggest you check again,¡± I said impatiently, and my eyes narrowed at him. ¡°I don¡¯t want any


    potential clues to be left behind after our departure.¡±


    My tone seemed to be firm enough to get a reaction from the dark¨Chaired man, and he rose from his


    seat and gave me a curt nod. ¡°Right.¡±


    He began to head over to the door, but he stopped just short of it and turned back to look at me.¡±


    ¡°Remember what I¡¯ve said to you,¡± he said with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Consider it carefully. If you¡¯ve


    started developing feelings toward the healer, you¡¯d better smother them now. They could threaten all,


    we¡¯ve worked


    toward.¡±


    He didn¡¯t wait for me to answer and left the room. The moment that the door closed behind him, I


    nced down at Cassandra.


    Was Anubis right? Was I behaving out of turn?


    I could have easily been crueler and more decisive in my execution when it came to speaking with her.


    I was a king, of course. I didn¡¯t need her empathy.


    I remembered the day when I¡¯d killed my father. I¡¯d slit the old man¡¯s throat with my sharp ws when


    he was lying in his bed, too weak to fight. As the blood burst from his neck, I heard him shriek and then


    he began tough.


    -2/3


    Chapter 193 Far toote


    ¡°Now, you deserve to be a king.¡± he¡¯d uttered just before he took his final breath.


    Though the act sounded horrific, it was the tradition of Yurene, our twisted ideology. Only the strong


    deserve to live and be rewarded. That¡¯s why father had to kill his brothers to be the king. And that was


    why I had to kill all of my siblings to take the crown.


    But I hated it.


    I hated my father with every fiber of my being, and that feeling grew stronger and stronger with every


    passing day. I also hated endless battles, violence, and war. But to enact change, real change, I had to


    climb to the top.


    I knew I¡¯d made the right choice. I hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. As Anubis sald, I was never afraid of


    admitting my brutality, nor was I reluctant to practice it.


    But why was I afraid of letting Cassandra know what kind of person I had been? Why was I ashamed of


    telling her if I truly believed what I¡¯d done was justified?


    As I pondered the question, I wasn¡¯t sure of the answer.


    I gently touched Cassandra¡¯s hair and stared down at her.


    Maybe Anubis was right. These days in Wega had somehow changed me.


    I carefully set Cassandra down on the chair, and once I was certain she wouldn¡¯t move, I rose from my


    chair and walked over to the window. In the time since we¡¯de back to Merliscire, it had started


    raining.


    I stared at the gray skies and the clouds that covered the sun. As the rain fell to the ground, I realized


    there was no turning back now. It was toote for that.


    Far toote.

 Chapter 194

    Chapter 194


    Chapter 194 What has your family done?


    BECKY


    I held the handset tightly but nearly dropped it on the ground as my fingers twitched. I was shaking like.


    mad with nervousness, and I forced myself to take a deep breath to grow steady.


    I wasn¡¯t happy to make this call, but I knew I had to do as Cassandra wished. Her instructions were


    clear and I wasn¡¯t going to risk things falling apart because I was too scared to function.


    When I¡¯d ced the phone call, I¡¯d been put on hold and then finally, after what felt like an eternity of


    waiting. I heard a voice on the other end.


    ¡°This is Alpha Rayden,¡± he announced himself in a kind but firm tone. ¡°With whom am I speaking?¡±


    I took a second to clear my throat and then spoke. ¡°Alpha Rayden, this is Becky, the healer¡¯s assistant


    from Anemond.¡±


    ¡°Becky,¡± Rayden greeted me in surprise, and his tone grew more casual. ¡°How good to hear from you. I


    hope you¡¯re well. Is everything alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m well for the most part, but things are¡­ amiss, to say the least,¡± I began. ¡°There¡¯s some trouble


    here in Anemond and I need your help. Cassandra asked me to call you.¡±


    ¡°Trouble,¡± he repeated back. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    I managed to stay calm and be sinct as I exined the situation to the Alpha of Wild Crawler. He


    remained silent the entire time and only spoke after I asked if he woulde to Merliscire.


    ¡°I will leave for Anemond at once,¡± he said in a voice that was underscored with anger. ¡°Becky, was it


    the King of Yurene that took Cassandra?¡±


    His fury made it sound as if he wanted to go right to Kaleb and kill him, and while I felt the same way, I


    knew this wasn¡¯t the way to go about this.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said cautiously. ¡°But she was insistent that we remain calm about this. I know you want to help,


    but I think you should stay in Wild Crawler right now. You need to let your Pack members know that the


    water in the river has been contaminated.¡±


    Rayden fell silent again, and before I could say something more, I heard a heavy bump on the other


    end of the line.


    ¡°What about Cassandra?¡± the Alpha spoke again.


    ¡°She¡¯s tough,¡± I assured him gently. ¡°And not to mention, quite gant. You know her. She¡¯s more.


    intelligent than most. I think she can figure out a resolution.¡±


    14..


    Chapter 194 What has your family done?


    As the thought escaped me, I finally found some truth in my statement. Cassandra had insisted that


    she could handle herself and emphasized that our scientific research was of the utmost importance.


    We needed to continue developing the cure for the mysterious illness. It was crucial for the ailing


    citizens of Wega for us to


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    do so.


    I wouldn¡¯t let Cassandra down.


    ¡°I know she¡¯s smart, but I¡¯m worried,¡± Rayden countered, and he released a small sigh. ¡°Knowing that


    she¡¯s in the clutches of that¡­ viin-¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I cut him off before the conversation could escte. ¡°But we can¡¯t interfere, Rayden. Any


    reckless move on our part could endanger her further. The king of Yurene is sly and vicious. We need


    to focus on the cure to the disease.¡±


    The Alpha let out another heavy exhale. ¡°Okay. You¡¯re right, Becky. I¡¯ll arrange a troop of well¨Ctrained


    guards at once and send them to Anemond.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Alpha Rayden,¡± I said gratefully. ¡°I¡¯m going to do my best to create a cure for the disease


    as quickly as possible.¡±


    Another thought crossed my mind, and I paused for a moment before I spoke it aloud.


    ¡°Could I make another request?¡± I wondered. ¡°Would it be possible to send Healer Dickson with the


    troops?¡±


    ¡°Dickson?¡± Rayden repeated back in surprise.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I confirmed, and I fought the lump that had formed in my throat from anxiety. ¡°He¡¯s a well¨C


    trained. healer with a solid foundation in the medical field. Since Cassandra is gone, I could use some


    help, and the process would go much smoother with him here. I know it¡¯s a tough ask and I wouldn¡¯t


    want to leave Marley alone in the clinic, but¡­ I¡¯m in desperate need of assistance.¡±


    I knew the Alpha would likely deny my request and there was a chance that Dickson¡¯s presence would


    be awkward after ourst conversation, but I knew it was the right decision. All I cared about now was


    to invent the cure for the disease. I couldn¡¯t watch any more patients die.


    ¡°I will arrange it at once,¡± Rayden replied without missing a beat. ¡°Is there anything else, Becky.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°Thank you for doing this.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± he said, and then he hung up the phone.


    I did the same, and after I let out a soft sigh of relief, I ran a hand through my short hair. I took a


    moment to collect myself and then got back to work. First, I checked on our current patients, and then I


    went to check on Lord Kane. The Alpha King¡¯s stepbrother was still fast asleep, much to my relief, so I


    made sure to remain quiet so I wouldn¡¯t wake him.


    When I returned to the lobby, I ran into Hannah and asked the girl to keep an eye on the clinic while I


    went to theb. She appearedpletely terrified, and when I asked what was wrong, her pretty eyes


    watered.


    214


    Chapter 194 What has your family done?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Becky¡± she apologized. ¡°I¡¯m being a coward. I hid in one of the rooms upstairs when I


    heard all of the noise. I should havee downstairs to help you and Edka and Finnick, but I was too


    scared to


    move.¡±


    I reached out and touched her arm. I didn¡¯t me her for her actions. It was perfectly reasonable for


    her to react that way. Anyone else would have done the same.


    It¡¯s alright, Hannah,¡± I assured her. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. Take a deep breath and collect yourself. Then


    head into the clinic, okay?¡±


    Hannah nodded immediately and wiped her tears. Once I was sure she was okay, I left the lobby and


    headed straight to theb.


    It was grueling work to reorganize Spike¡¯s research and reports.


    It took a great amount of concentration and effort, and I waspletely absorbed in the work when I


    heard a knock on the door.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± I called out.


    ¡°Hannah,¡± the maid¡¯s meek volce replied, and then the door opened and she stepped into the room.


    ¡°Someone is here, Miss Becky.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± I asked cautiously.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she replied, and then she forced down a gulp. ¡°He¡¯s very tall and muscr, and his eyes


    are strange.¡±


    My eyebrows knitted together and my heart skipped a beat. I immediately wondered if it was another


    one of the guards, and braced for trouble.


    I set down my research and followed the maid out into the hallway. When I came out of theb, I was


    surprised to see Ss.


    I was stunned for a moment.


    What was he doing here?


    As I approached, I got a good look at him. The Beta appeared exhausted, and his expression was


    painted with impatience.


    ¡°Becky,¡± he said before I could say a word. ¡°You need toe with me now.¡±


    He took a step toward me and held out his hand, but I stared down at it cautiously.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Something is going to happen in Anemond,¡± he said vaguely, his tone solemn. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous here.


    I¡¯m


    34


    Chapter 194 What has your family done?


    going to find you a safe ce to hide out before everything gets bad-¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going to happen?¡± I cut him off before he could finish his statement. I was vexed by his


    ambiguous attitude and his strange, protective air.


    ¡°There¡¯s no time to exin,¡± Ss insisted.


    I held my ground. ¡°Then don¡¯t exin, Ss. I¡¯m not going anywhere. I have to stay here and finish my


    job. I can¡¯t leave theb.¡±


    The Beta frowned and released a heavy sigh. His golden eyes bore into me with intensity and his


    shoulders slumped in defeat.


    about?


    ¡°Becky, something has happened to the Alpha King,¡± he said quietly.


    My eyes widened in surprise. ¡°What¡­ what happened to the Alpha King?¡±


    I


    ¡°It¡¯s too difficult of a story to exin now,¡± Ss said, and this time, I exhaled loudly.


    ¡°Is it difficult to exin or do you just not want to?¡± I huffed. ¡°What¡¯s with the vagueness, Ss?¡±


    He pursed his lips and simply stared at me. I began to worry. What was going on? What was he talking


    Then, it dawned on me. The guards that had burst in wore the Beta family¡¯s crest on their uniforms.


    ¡°It was your family, wasn¡¯t it?¡± I questioned him coldly. ¡°Did they do something to the Alpha King?¡±

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    Chapter 195


    Chapter 195 A better Beta


    I froze in ce and my mind fought to find a reasonable response. Her lovely russet eyes shot daggers


    in my direction, and the coldness of her tone was almost enough to send me to my knees in shame.


    I didn¡¯t know what to say. Becky was right, of course. It wasn¡¯t hard to exin. The whole story was


    straightforward and could be told simply in one sentence- my father had decided to betray the Alpha


    King and my sister had drugged Asher to postpone his return to Anemond.


    But I couldn¡¯t tell her any of this¡­ could I?


    ¡°Fine, I don¡¯t need you to exin,¡± Becky interrupted my thoughts in an even


    colder voice than before. ¡°I couldn¡¯t care less about this. I don¡¯t care what side


    you¡¯re on, Ss, I just want you to stay the hell out of my way.¡±


    Her sudden intensity surprised me, and I took a step back in shock. I¡¯d never heard her react so angrily,


    but I also couldn¡¯t fault her. This was a dangerous and confusing situation for everyone.


    All I wanted to do was protect her, but she didn¡¯t want my help.


    She turned around and started to head back into theb, but before she could cross the threshold and


    close the door behind her, I uttered a quiet plea. ¡°I couldn¡¯t imagine if you died.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t meant to speak the words aloud, but after the talk I had with Adalyn, the reaction was purely on


    instinct. All I could think about was Becky and her safety. I was afraid of what could happen if Father or


    my sister got their hands on her. Whether she knew it or not, she was in danger, and I couldn¡¯t let her


    get hurt.


    Becky turned around to face me, and she pushed her round sses up the bridge of her nose.


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    ¡°I¡¯m not weak, Ss,¡± she stated firmly. ¡°And I don¡¯t think anyone ising after me of all people. I¡¯m


    just a healer¡¯s assistant, a poormoner. I¡¯m nobody.¡±


    The moment her sentence reached my ears I wanted to cry out in response.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    How could she be nobody?


    She was my fated mate!


    I clenched my fists at my side and fought the urge to remind her of her importance. I knew it would fall


    on deaf ears anyway.


    ¡°Becky,¡± I uttered instead and I shook my head slowly. ¡°You aren¡¯t just nobody.¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°Look, if you¡¯re worried about the mate bond, you might as well stop. I don¡¯t think it


    would affect your power even if I died. I¡¯ve done plenty of research on the topic. The mate bond is only


    effective after two wolves mate-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m worried about,¡± I cut her off. ¡°Becky, I love you.¡±


    Silence fell, and we were both stunned that I¡¯d blurted out such an intense


    confession. But momentster, relief washed over me. I finally understood my feelings for her, and I¡¯d


    managed to say them aloud.


    I loved her.


    It was why I¡¯d gone all the way out to Wild Crawler to see her and why I¡¯d returned to Anemond after


    Adalyn¡¯s evil threat. I loved the gorgeous healer. She was the kindest, most intelligent, and feisty


    woman I¡¯d ever known. I¡¯d spent my entire life being quiet and observant. I¡¯d receded to the shadows


    and forced myself away from my family in an attempt to stay out of their wicked affairs, and as a result,


    I was


    detached and numb.


    Becky had brought me back to life. She made me want to be a better man, a better wolf, a better Beta.


    Her reddish brown eyes widened at my deration and her freckled cheeks flushed scarlet. She tucked


    her dark red hair behind her ear, and the moment she


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    did, I got a whiff of her scent. My mouth watered and I resisted the urge to kiss her full lips.


    To my surprise, those lips that drove me mad with desire curled into a smile.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said sweetly, and then she let out a soft exhale. ¡°I appreciate the sentiment, Ss¡­


    but that doesn¡¯t change my mind. I¡¯m not your little pet.¡±


    When I frowned, she continued.


    ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t need you to shelter me away as if I¡¯m a small kitten,¡± she rified, and a look of


    determination shed across her delicate features. ¡°I know I¡¯m not strong like you, but I still have


    something to fight for, and I want to follow through. No one is going to change my mind. Please don¡¯t


    look down at me-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I was trying to say,¡± I insisted after I swallowed the lump in my throat. ¡°Becky, I know


    you¡¯re not weak. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m just worried about you.¡±


    She took a long, deep breath, and then nced up at me with a small, almost


    sad smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m grateful for that,¡± she said in a softened voice. ¡°But there are more important things that you need


    to do now. Wega needs you, Ss. Everyone is in danger.¡±


    She was right.


    I knew it.


    But I didn¡¯t know what to do.


    ¡°What do I do?¡± Imented quietly. I couldn¡¯t betray my loyalty to the Alpha King, but I also didn¡¯t


    believe that I could point my ws against the neck of my father either. Everything was all so


    precarious and I wasn¡¯t sure how to move


    forward.


    Becky sighed and slowly walked over to me. When she reached out and gently touched my arm, a


    shiver ran down my spine, and my lips parted in surprise.


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    ff


    ¡°I can¡¯t decide for you,¡± she said softly. ¡°But I believe you know deep down what you have to do, Ss.¡±


    She offered me a kind smile and after a moment, she dropped her hand and studied me. We gazed at


    one another in silence for a minute, and then she gave me a small nod and walked back to theb. I


    lingered there and watched the door close, and the moment it did, I released a heavy sigh.


    She was right. I knew what to do.


    After I thanked the maid, I walked out of the clinic and was surprised to find that it was raining. I


    nced up at the gloomy gray sky. The color of the clouds was fitting, as the general atmosphere was


    so distressing.


    As I walked down the stone path, I noticed a few Beta guards were hanging around near the clinic.


    Though they were shielded by darkness, I could sense them easily. They were monitoring the ce.


    Thankfully, they were not armed. Their presence was intimidating, but I knew that Becky wasn¡¯t in


    imminent danger.


    I nced beyond the clinic at the street that would lead me to the House of Moses.


    Perhaps I should have a talk with my father. If I tried hard enough and reminded him of how things


    could be if we simply stopped the madness, I could convince him to stop.


    But when I turned to look at the road in the opposite direction, the hope I¡¯d felt in my belly faded away.


    I knew Father all too well.


    Try as I might¡­maybe it was toote to talk to him.

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    Chapter 196


    Chapter 196 His dreams


    Darkness.


    Advanced, crushing, unrelenting darkness.


    It was the kind that felt so unbearably heavy that it was almost enough to destroy me.


    The space was filled with it, and I couldn¡¯t see anything except a dim light seeping through the door c


    rack. It took a moment for things to make sense.


    A door?


    A door to where?


    I didn¡¯t know the answer but I was tempted to walk toward the door and open. it. I resisted the urge for


    a moment and then decided to proceed forward.


    When I entered, I stepped into somewhere warm. The air enveloped me like a kind, weing


    embrace, and a pleasant floral fragrance danced around me. Though I couldn¡¯t ce the exact flower,


    the lovely smell reminded me of my


    mother.


    I didn¡¯t have many memories of her left, as she had died when I was incredibly young, but I still


    remembered the soothing fragrance of her perfume and the way it filled my nose when she held me in


    her arms.


    My eyes struggled to focus, as the light was extremely bright in contrast to the darkness just moments


    ago, but when my surroundings finally appeared before me, I recognized at once where I was.


    For some reason, I was in the memorial park my father had built for myte mother. Though I¡¯d hardly


    visited the ce, I recognized the river Immediately.


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    Chapter 196 His dreams


    Father had named it Selene¡¯s Tear, as a way to honor my mother and show his


    endless love for her.


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    It was ironic, of course, seeing as he had so quickly moved on and married another woman, my


    mother¡¯s former maid, and seemingly forgot about her entirely.


    I stared out at the water. It shimmered in the light like it was made of diamonds and my lips curled into


    a smile at the sight.


    As I walked along the path, I heard a voice.


    ¡°Asher.¡±


    At first, I did my best to ignore it, but after a bit, I realized there was no way to shut it out. Once it


    became impossible to ignore, I began to nce around but could


    see no one.


    ¡°Hello?¡± I called out, and again I heard my name.


    ¡°Asher.¡±


    ¡°Hello?¡± I repeated again as my stomach twisted into knots. I wasn¡¯t sure what they wanted, but the


    moment they spoke my name once more, I recognized the


    voice.


    ¡°Asher.¡±


    It was my father.


    He suddenly appeared in the distance, and though I dreaded it, I followed the path until I grew close.


    The former Alpha King of Wega appeared young much younger than he was in my memory. His gray


    eyes wererge and glistening, his dark hair full and pulled out of his face. I recognized his features but


    they appeared much softer on him now than they¡¯d been when I¡¯dst seen him.


    He was d in a simple shirt and pants, and he was kneeling in front of a tall,


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    Chapter 196 His dreams


    gray statue. A statue of my mother, Selene. The monument was sorge that it rendered my father


    small, meek almost.


    ¡°Forgive me,¡± I heard him utter to the statue as I approached, and when he repeated himself, I realized


    he was crying. ¡°Please, Selene, forgive me.¡±


    34%


    His tone was insistent and a little broken. I wasn¡¯t used to seeing Father in this sort of state. He was


    always so firm and unyielding, but here, he was anything but.


    ¡°Please,¡± he begged, and I stepped even closer to make sure I was hearing him correctly. ¡°Please,


    forgive me, Selene, for what I did to Asher. Please forgive me. I only did it because it was best for


    Asher.¡±


    My eyebrows creased together as I stared at my father in surprise.


    What was that?


    What was he talking about? What had he done?


    I tried to ask, but no words could escape my mouth. I had been rendered mute in this dreamscape, but


    even if I could speak, I wasn¡¯t certain Father could have heard me. He seemed so entranced by


    Mother¡¯s statue that it wasn¡¯t as if I was


    there.


    Suddenly, he lifted from the ground and kissed the statue¡¯s smiling face, and the moment that he did,


    the whole space distorted.


    Father disappeared. The park disappeared, and the soft, floral scent of my mother¡¯s perfume vanished


    along with it. I fell back into the terrible darkness.


    As I felt around and tried to get my bearings, I suddenly had the overwhelming feeling that I wasn¡¯t


    along. I concentrated with all of my might and suddenly, a figure appeared not too far away.


    Though I couldn¡¯t see her face, I knew who it was at once.


    Cora.


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    I knew her at once, even though she was facing away from me. I was so excited to see her that I


    wanted to rush over and sweep her into my arms. I wanted to stroke her golden hair, to kiss her full,


    beautiful lips, and draw her close.


    But again, I couldn¡¯t speak, and this time, I couldn¡¯t move. Cora didn¡¯t seem to notice my presence as


    she remained still. I forced myself to shout her name, and after much effort, I managed to make a


    sound.


    At the mention of her name, Cora turned around, and when she did, I got a look


    at her face.


    My blood ran cold.


    She was covered in burns. Terrible, awful burns.


    The scent of smoke filled the air, and she began to cry.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cora,¡± I apologized as my eyes welled with tears. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, please forgive me.¡±


    Cora shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s never toote,¡± I insisted as she continued to shake her head. ¡°I¡¯ll keep apologizing over and over


    again for the rest of my life. I¡¯ll spend the rest of my days trying to seek redemption for what happened


    to you.¡±


    Silence hung between us and then a whisper. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault.¡±


    ¡°Please,e hug me,¡± I asked quietly. ¡°Why won¡¯t youe over here? I miss


    you so much.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Cora whispered.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I wondered, and as the words left me, Cora¡¯s expression changed and she


    stopped crying. Her features altered until she looked like Cas sandra.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to forgive you, Asher,¡± she said in a cold tone. ¡°In fact, I want to


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    Chapter 196 His dreams


    leave you. Cora is dead. I have to leave now.¡±


    As her cruel voice reached my ears, I wanted to stop her. I cried out for her, but Cas sandra turned her


    back to me and walked away until her figure faded. As I was left crying and lonely, I struggled to move.


    I was all alone.


    And then I woke up.


    When I opened my eyes, my head swam with dizziness. I couldn¡¯t make sense of where I was and


    what had happened to me before this. I sensed someone was


    walking toward me and called out. ¡°Cas sandra?¡±


    But I knew at once that it wasn¡¯t her, nor was it Cora.


    My vision came into focus, and when it did, I realized it was Adalyn. She was holding a cup in her hand.


    ¡°How do you feel, Asher?¡± she asked. Her tone was sweet but her lovely features were cold. Before I


    could answer, she ced the cup on the table beside me and then touched my forehead. ¡°A bit earlier


    than I expected.¡±


    She studied me for a moment and then smirked. ¡°I thought you would be asleep for much longer.¡±

 Chapter 197

    Chapter 197


    Chapter 197 I don¡¯t believe you


    ADALYN


    Asher was ring at me, and the coldness of his expression made my heart ache. Even though he was


    still clearly exhausted, his features were just as handsome as ever, and all I wanted to do was lean


    over the bed and press my lips against his. I knew his lips would feel soft and sweet, and if he would


    just give me


    the chance, our embrace could be wonderful.


    But we both knew he wouldn¡¯t give me that chance, not when he had such an irritated look in his


    beautiful gray eyes.


    How could he call the name of that wretched, vile healer when it was me who had taken care of him for


    a whole day? That backwoodsmoner wasn¡¯t here at his bedside, I was, and knowing that Asher


    still wasn¡¯t grateful made me frown.


    Father had told me that the drug I¡¯d administered would be effective for two days, so I wasn¡¯t totally


    surprised when I realized Asher couldn¡¯t move. Though he was conscious and awake, his limbs were


    still numbed, making his efforts useless.


    ¡°What have you done, Adalyn?¡± he hissed at me as his eyes darted around.


    Despite his wrath, a smile formed on my lips. I wished he could smile at me as well, but it seemed


    impossible at the moment. The Alpha King was so indignant that he appeared as if he wanted to


    devour me alive.


    Thankfully, that was a passion in itself, so I couldn¡¯tin too much.


    ¡°Nothing serious,¡± I replied, and then a lightugh rose from my chest and I reached out and ran my


    hand down his arm. ¡°I just wanted you to have some rest since you¡¯ve been so busy these days. You


    must be worn out, Asher.¡±


    But despite my words, he didn¡¯t seem too convinced or pleased. ¡°Why did you drug me, Adalyn? What


    do you want?¡±


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    Chapter 197 I don¡¯t believe you


    I ignored his questions and picked the cup back up from its ce on the nightstand beside him. ¡°Are


    you thirsty?¡±


    52%


    Part of me got some satisfaction from dancing around his demands, and I had to fight from smiling


    further. I didn¡¯t want to mock Asher, but I was certainly enjoying having some power for once.


    He continued to re at me. ¡°Adalyn. What¡¯s going on? What do you want?¡±


    I took a deep breath and then tilted my head slightly. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Asher didn¡¯t answer, but after a moment of pause, I was sure he had already figured out the answer.


    He must have figured it out once he retreated into his consciousness. He¡¯d had plenty of time to sleep


    and his dreams had been vivid.


    Even though I hadn¡¯t given away any information, it was probably obvious enough.


    What else could be done when the king was detained?


    Asher¡¯s angry expression disappeared and shifted to one of coldness.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance to correct what you¡¯ve done,¡± he said quietly and calmly. ¡°But only after you¡¯ve


    given me the antidote to whatever you¡¯ve given me, Adalyn.¡±


    I considered his demand for a moment and then shook my head. ¡°I can¡¯t, Asher.¡±


    At least, not now.


    That healer that I hated with all of my being was cun ning and she might still be in Anemond. Asher


    needed to remain here until it was certain that she was gone.


    Asher studied me in silence and then he froze. He looked at me deeply without saying anything. If his


    stare wasn¡¯t so cold, I would have thought it sweet. He hadn¡¯t watched me like this in so long. I usually


    felt so invisible in his presence.


    ¡°Why would you do this?¡± he asked me, and then his nostrils red. ¡°This is treason, Adalyn. You¡¯re


    betraying your Alpha King-¡±


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    Chapter 197 I don¡¯t believe you


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± I cut him off sharply as anger swelled within me. ¡°Why would I betray you? I¡¯m your wife


    and I did what was best for you. All I¡¯ve ever wanted was the best for both of us! So don¡¯t speak to me


    about treason, when it¡¯s you who¡¯s been betraying our marriage!¡±


    ¡°Our marriage is the most regrettable mistake I¡¯ve ever made in my life,¡± he said coldly, and my heart


    dropped in my chest. ¡°I should never have listened to you. If it hadn¡¯t been for this ridiculous and st upid


    engagement, Cora would not have died feeling abandoned.¡±


    My lips parted in shock and I turned away as tears sprang out of my eyes and spilled down my face.


    ¡°I never expected you to be like this,¡± he continued. ¡°You¡¯re nothing like I thought you were.¡±


    Though hisst statement was harsh, I couldn¡¯t let go of what he¡¯d said before.


    Mistake.


    How could he call us a mistake?


    Was he ming me for Cora¡¯s death?


    I couldn¡¯t believe it. It was unfair to say all of that because I hadn¡¯t expected the death of Cora either.


    Yes, I was jealous of her, and I¡¯d practically tricked him into marrying me by iming this could protect


    her. But it wasn¡¯t my fault that she had


    died alone!


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t my fault,¡± I whispered without thinking about it. ¡°Cora would have died anyway because-¡±


    ¡°Because what?¡± Asher/snapped, and suddenly, I realized I¡¯d spoken the words aloud. I remained


    silent, and then Asher shouted. ¡°Speak, Adalyn!¡± Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s your father who wanted her to die!¡± I blurted out.


    Then, the room fell intoplete silence. My heart raced in my chest and for a


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    Chapter 197 I don¡¯t believe you


    moment I wanted to throw up. I hadn¡¯t meant to reveal any of this, but Asher had


    forced it out of me.


    I turned back to face him and his skin was pale.


    ¡°What?¡± he asked in disbelief. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    52%


    He didn¡¯t seem to believe me, so I repeated myself. ¡°It was your father who wanted Cora to die. It was


    your father that wanted the whole Felix family to die, so hemanded my father to arrange it.¡±


    Asher¡¯s eyes widened and then his cheeks turned red. I began to panic. I shouldn¡¯t have told him


    that¡­ I knew I shouldn¡¯t have. But why not? He ought to


    know that Cora¡¯s death was inevitable.


    He looked as if he were suffocating. The veins on his temples seemed to tense and he started to


    spasm.


    I began to panic further.


    No. No.


    It had to be a side effect of the drug.


    Could Asher die from this?


    I couldn¡¯t let this happen.


    I couldn¡¯t.


    So, I hastily withdrew the antidote from my pocket and uncapped the vial. I poured the contents into the


    cup of water and then forced the cup against Asher¡¯s


    mouth.


    The Alpha King didn¡¯t move for a second, and then, after a moment of hesitation, he took a few sips of


    the water, and after a minute, the color returned to him. His chest continued to heave, but then his


    breath managed to steady.


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    Chapter 197 I don¡¯t believe you


    ¡°Are you okay, Asher?¡± I asked, and when I reached out to touch him, suddenly, he shifted his position,


    lunged forward, and then suddenly felt a sharp pain on my


    nape.


    I stag gered backward in surprise and then my vision started to grow cloudy.


    How st upid could I be?


    He had tricked me and administered some kind of toxin of his own.


    As the world started to spin, Asher spoke to me coldly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you, Adalyn,¡± he used. He managed to pull himself out of bed and as I crashed to


    the floor, he rushed out of the room.


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    Chapter 198 Imminent misfortune


    &


    ASHER


    As I rushed out of the room, my head ached and my equilibrium was thrown off. was still immensely


    dizzy from whatever Adalyn had given me, despite the intidote she had administered.


    The hall was empty, and I was certain that she had made some kind of an excuse to keep any


    onlookers or curious military officials from checking in on me.


    I released a heavy breath in annoyance. I felt so st upid to think the Betas were under control, but this


    was far beyond my expectations.


    What had made Oliver do this?


    Was he nning on a war?


    As far as I knew, even though Oliver had support from the councilors, he had no absolute power as a


    usurper. Unless, of course, he had an aplice.


    I shook my head in frustration.


    I couldn¡¯t believe it hade to this.


    I knew the Beta was untrustworthy, but I hadn¡¯t expected something like this to happen, not now.


    Without another moment of hesitation, I fought my dizziness and went straight to the lieutenant¡¯s office.


    I knocked on the door, and the moment I heard him call out ¡°Come in!¡±, I opened it and walked into the


    room.


    The lieutenant seemed surprised to see me. His blue eyes were wide with shock and he rushed to his


    feet quickly.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± he greeted me, and then he offered me a bow of respect. ¡°How


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    Chapter 198 Imminent misfortune


    are you feeling? Lady Adalyn told me you fainted. We brought you to a quiet room to recover. Did you


    manage to get some rest?¡±


    Though his words and tone were kind and ttering, I wasn¡¯t interested in making small talk on my


    wife¡¯s behalf. I was annoyed that she¡¯d spun such an untrue story, but unsurprised in the least. Adalyn


    was a snake and would do anything to get her way.


    ¡°Where is Ss?¡± I demanded, my tone icy.


    The lieutenant appeared nervous and his lower lip quivered once before he cleared his throat. ¡°I-I don¡¯t


    know where the Lord Beta is, Your Majesty.¡±


    As much as I was dissatisfied with his answer, I couldn¡¯t me him, because he had no right to


    interfere in the Beta¡¯s business or his whereabouts.


    I didn¡¯t respond. It was suspicious that Ss wasn¡¯t around, but there was a chance that he had been


    drugged by Adalyn as well. He could very well be hidden away somewhere in thepound. But I had


    my doubts and was concerned that he was involved in all of this too. If so, things would be much more


    complicated. I had


    trusted him, but at the end of the day, he was a Moses. There was always a possibility that he was


    wrapped up in the family business.


    As my mind swam with the possibilities, the lieutenant cautiously studied me and cleared his throat


    again.


    ¡°Is something wrong, Your Majesty?¡± he wondered.


    I turned to him and then shook my head. ¡°No. Nothing¡¯s wrong, lieutenant. I was simply curious.¡±


    There was no need for him to know what happened, as it would likely cause unwanted problems. I


    couldn¡¯t risk anyone on the military base interfering with whatever the Beta family was up to. I needed


    to conduct myself carefully to ensure things didn¡¯t escte further, if they hadn¡¯t already.


    I gave the lieutenant a polite nod and then left the office without another word. When my head


    continued to spin, I took a moment to lean against the wall, and


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    Chapter 198 Imminent misfortune


    once I was steady, I continued my walk.


    Now that I was at least mostly alright and vertical, I decided my next course of action was to check on


    Ector. While I was worried about Ss¡¯ disappearance, Ca ssandra¡¯s brother was one of my main


    priorities. With Adalyn being here, there was a chance that they had discovered Ector, and I needed to


    make sure that he


    was safe.


    As I walked, I prayed to the Moon Goddess that Ecotr was fine.


    But when I entered the room at the end of the corridor, I was surprised to find that it waspletely


    empty.


    The bed, which Ss and I had Ector tucked into after we¡¯d arrived at the


    military facility, was unupied. The sheets were perfectly adjusted, almost as if no one had been


    there in the first ce.


    I noticed something on the bedside table, and when I crossed the room over to it, I spied two syringes


    of sedatives were empty. They had been left by the base¡¯s healer to be used in an emergency.


    I heard footsteps behind me, and when I turned around, I was surprised to see the lieutenant. His blue


    eyes widened when they met mine.


    ¡°Where is the man who was sleeping here?¡± I demanded. ¡°Has anyone else been here?¡±


    Panic painted the lieutenant¡¯s features, and he began to stutter. ¡°I-I, h-h-have no idea, Your M-Majesty.


    No healer has been here and no one else has been able to


    enter the room without a check-¡±


    ¡°Except Ss,¡± I cut him off, and he nodded. His forehead broke out with perspiration, and he


    gulped/heavily.


    ¡°Lord Beta doesn¡¯t need to report or be checked by anyone here,¡± he uttered.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    I fought the urge to sigh. Of course, being the Beta of the Pack, Ss didn¡¯t need permission to move


    around in a military facility.


    |||


    O


    3/4


    13:19 Fri, 29 Dec


    Chapter 198 Imminent misfortune


    ¡°Come with me,¡± I announced quickly.


    &


    The lieutenant didn¡¯t look thrilled but followed me anyway, and together, we walked to the sentry posts.


    Through talking with some of the guards there, I learned that Ss had left ande back to the


    military base earlier, but he had left hours ago with a man who ¡°appeared to be limping¡±. And he had


    borrowed a car from the garage.


    So, my assumption had been correct. Ss was up to something and was likely involved in this. But I


    didn¡¯t understand why. If he wanted to kill Ector, he could have gone ahead and done it in the room.


    Was he trying to get Ector back to Anemond and hold him hostage?


    Of course, that theory had holes in it as well. It would be too dangerous, as Ector could have died on


    the road anyway. His condition was fragile, after all.


    As confusion and frustration swelled in my belly, the lieutenant gulped and looked greatly panicked. He


    began to stutter again and exin himself, but his words weren¡¯t cohesive. He seemed afraid of being


    punished for cking on his duties. I felt for him and knew that he wasn¡¯t involved in this, but I couldn¡¯t


    waste time trying to console him.


    ¡°Breathe,¡± I said simply. ¡°Do you have any usable cars in the garage? I need to return to Anemond


    immediately.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. But I feel I must warn you. I got a call from our suppliers that traffic is a


    mess with the torrential rain around Anemond. It would be extremely hard and dangerous to drive in the


    forest.¡±


    I nced up at the sky. Sure enough, it was a deep, hazy shade of gray, and thick clouds nketed the


    sun. The lieutenant was likely speaking the truth, but I couldn¡¯t wait until the rain stopped.


    I needed to get back to Anemond.


    If driving wasn¡¯t an option¡­ I would run.

 Chatper 199

    Chatper 199


    Chapter 199 In the forest


    9%


    ASHER


    It wasn¡¯t raining hard at first, but as I left the borders and entered the forest, I could understand what


    the lieutenant had been getting at. It was pouring quite heavily. Mud covered the narrow path, making it


    very slippery and extremely difficult for cars to drive through.


    Though my ck-furred wolf form was agile and gave me the ability to cut corners and run more freely


    in the forest, I felt it hard to continuously move at a fast speed. Especially when I was still feeling the


    effects of Adalyn¡¯s drug.


    After a while, my fur was drenched and I had to stop every so often to shake off the water. My lungs


    began to ache after so much physical effort and my vision was narrow because of the growing mist in


    the forest.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    I stopped under a tall tree with a thick and broad trunk to catch my breath and take a short rest. The


    scent of pine filled my nose and brought me a moment of pleasure though the rest of my physical form


    was tired.


    I sat down and looked around at my surroundings. I noticed to my left, not very far in the distance, there


    seemed to be a small, wooden house. It wasn¡¯t that unusual a sight. Those houses were s cattered


    throughout the forest for patrolling soldiers to take a rest if they needed to during their night duties.


    Their hours were long and it was the least we could do ease their struggle.


    As I stared out at the wooden house, I thought I saw movement. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was delusion, or


    perhaps some lingering side effects from the drug still in my system, but I thought I saw someone


    entering the wooden house,


    I frowned. It was far too early for someone to be taking a break on their shift, as it was still fairly early in


    the afternoon.


    As I tried to spy on the moving figures, my mind raced. It could be rogues. We were close to the


    bordends and sometimes there would be ruffians from


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    1/4


    Chapter 199 In the forest


    unknown Packs who broke in and lingered around until they were caught by patrolling soldiers.


    But then again, why would rogues be here under such a heavy rain?


    1


    I shook my head. It was likely my imagination running wild. I was tired and physically exhausted, not to


    mention nervous about Ector Felix.


    I shifted back into my human form and then closed my eyes and rubbed my temples. After a while, I felt


    a small sense of relief as the dizziness began to subside. In a few more minutes, I decided I would shift


    back and resume my journey back to Anemond.


    Anemond.


    There was a nervous feeling in my belly, as well as an anxious ache in my bones. Maybe the capital


    was a mess now. Maybe the Beta family¡¯s n had been even more evil than I¡¯d expected, and Oliver


    Moses had meant to eliminate me entirely. Adalyn had said her drug was only meant to slow me down


    and give me some ¡°rest¡± but what were her intentions from there? Would she have continued to


    administer the minor poison and keep me unmoving and helpless forever?


    She was vindictive enough that I¡¯d believe it.


    Despite my fears about the state of the city, I didn¡¯t allow myself to grow too worried. There was only


    one person in my mind.


    Cas sandra.


    I desperately needed to see the healer. I missed her so much, and I felt that I¡¯d made a st upid


    decision. I shouldn¡¯t have kept the discovery of Ector from Ca ssandra. In fact, I should have mentioned


    that her brother was possibly.alive and that I needed to go to the border to rescue him. I could have


    invited her with me and we could have done this together.


    I¡¯d been so worried about her m ental state, but I knew now that Cas sandra would have been strong


    enough to handle the truth. Even if the man hadn¡¯t been Ector after all, she would have been just fine.


    She was tough and brave.


    |||


    2/4


    Chapter 199 In the forest.


    It was my fault at the end of the day. I didn¡¯t want to admit the very fact that C a ss andra might not


    need me. She didn¡¯t need anyone to have a good, happy life. She was independent and powerful. Cora


    had always needed my hugs and protection.


    I knew very well that Ca ssandra wasn¡¯t like Cora. Though the two shared the same soul and mind,


    they were so very different from one another. And as much as I hated to admit it, I had known from the


    bottom of my heart, that Cas sandra would never be like Cora again.


    But no matter who she was, Cora or Ca ssandra, my feelings would remain the same. I loved her. No


    matter how many times she changed, I was sure I would fall in love with her over and over again. We


    were soul mates and nothing could make my feelings subside.


    Panic began to enter my mind as I thought of the bad dream I¡¯d had just the other night, the dream


    where Cas sandra had left me.


    I couldn¡¯t imagine what it would be like if she left again.


    ***


    The sentry post at Anemond remained the same. They didn¡¯t seem to have noticed anything different,


    and as I peered around, I didn¡¯t see anything amiss. The rain had be less heavy now, and no one


    interfered with my passing.


    I moved silently and took the back roads to avoid anyone seeing me. I remained in my wolf form for a


    while until I got into a more residential area, and then I shifted back into my human shape. While I was


    easily recognizable, it would likely cause more rm to see arge wolf roaming around a


    neighborhood.


    Thankfully, things didn¡¯t seem off.


    Perhaps Oliver hadn¡¯t done anything here at all.


    But when I approached.the clinic, I did find something peculiar. It was dim. inside the ss door and


    the guards I had designated to station around were gone.


    3/4


    16:47 Sat, 30 De


    Chapter 199 In the forest


    I had a terrible feeling as I stood on the other side of the street and stared out at Keller¡¯s. As I was


    about to walk across the street to investigate, I felt someone was approaching me from behind. My


    ws began to extend instinctively and I prepared to fight one of Oliver¡¯s men off.


    Their strides told me that they were tall, not to mention strong.


    But I was stronger.


    I swiftly whipped around and extended my ws against my opponent¡¯s neck. A snarl rose up from my


    chest and anger flooded through me.


    Much to my surprise, it was Ss standing behind me. He seemed taken aback when he sensed my


    threatening ws at his neck, but he didn¡¯t retreat. His golden. eyes remained fixed on me and his


    posture remained as straight and normal as


    usual.


    We stood across from one another for a moment and I prepared myself to fight the Beta, but Ss


    never gave any indication that he was going to harm me. I studied him closely, and when I decided he


    was less of a threat than I¡¯d perceived, I pulled my ws back.


    When I did, Ss bowed and knelt down obediently.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± he addressed me simply.ab

 Chatper 200

    Chatper 200


    Chapter 200 On the road


    When I woke up, I was in a car.


    I waited for my vision to focus, and when it did, I realized I was lying in the back seat. In the front, I


    heard the driver of the vehicle talking with Kaleb, who was sitting in the passenger¡¯s seat.


    ¡°The rain is too heavy, Your Majesty,¡± the driver said in a heavily ented


    voice. ¡°It would be too risky to drive forward. The conditions are simply too poor. I rmend that we


    find somewhere to take a pause and wait out the weather.¡±


    The king of Yurene didn¡¯t seem to be convinced by what the driver said. He


    remained silent and stared ahead.


    Silence lingered in the air for a moment, and then the driver cleared his throat and started the vehicle


    again.


    It began to move forward, but quickly, the tire seemed to hit a pretty severe pothole and the car


    lurched. As it bumped, my head bonked against the door, and before I could stop myself, I released a


    heavy groan.


    Kaleb whipped around at the sudden sound, and when our eyes met, a chill traveled through me. A


    smile formed on his full lips, and I wanted nothing more than to escape this situation. I was prey being


    cornered by a predator. I felt it now more


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    than ever.


    tone.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re finally awake, Miss Ca ss andra,¡± he noted with a somewhat mocking


    Though I wanted to ignore the Northern king entirely, I nodded my head meekly. I knew my cooperation


    would only ensure my survival, so I needed to y along and do whatever, I could to stay alive..


    Chapter 200 On the road


    As I tried to make sense of it all, I realized I¡¯d been drugged. I hadn¡¯t expected that, though I knew it


    wasn¡¯t all that surprising, given Kaleb¡¯s sketchiness and overall dark vibes.


    I was angry at the situation, but I couldn¡¯t remain in a bad mood for long. Being angry at this point was


    useless. It wouldn¡¯t save me, and it wouldn¡¯t save Asher, Erika, or Finnick from meeting a terrible fate.


    I nced out the window and noted that we were deep in the forest. The heavy, swirling mist around us


    eclipsed my vision, but I could tell from the tall pines and dense greenery that we were far into the


    woods, which meant we were surely already very far from Anemond.


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± Kaleb interrupted my thoughts, and when I turned back to face him, he raised a


    golden-brown eyebrow. ¡°The drug I administered was mild. My apologies for the situation, but I needed


    to do something, you see. At the very least, I tried to be merciful when it came to the administration of


    such a chemical.¡±


    ¡°I feel alright,¡± I noted, though I didn¡¯t want to answer, and I rubbed the aching spot on my head where


    I¡¯d mmed against the inside of the car. ¡°But I would like some more rest if that can be granted. I¡¯m


    still quite tired.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Kaleb replied with a nod, and without another moment of


    hesitation, he turned back around and faced forward.


    Once I no longer had his attention, I nced back out the windows.


    Through the mist, I noticed there were several cars following behind us, and one car ahead leading the


    way. Our car came to a light stop, and when it did, the others stopped as well.


    A few fig¨²res emerged from the car ahead and approached our vehicle. I recognized them at once to


    be guards, and although one held an umbre, he quickly became drenched by the heavy rainfall.


    Kaleb rolled down the window and addressed the guard.


    ¡°We need a ce to rest and reorganize,¡± he ordered in a firm but still kind


    J


    2/5


    10.47 Sat,


    Chapter 200 On the road


    voice. The guard nodded immediately and offered a salute. He and the two other guards took off and


    disappeared into the rain.


    After several minutes, the guard who¡¯d spoken to the Northern King returned


    and cleared his throat.


    ¡°There¡¯s a wooden house not too far from here,¡± he reported back confidently.


    Kaleb nodded and then gestured ahead. The guard then turned to the driver and told him to follow their


    car.


    As we resumed our travel, a knot formed in my stomach. I had no idea what was about to y out and


    prayed things wouldn¡¯t be too awful.


    There were two rooms and a parlor in the small wooden house.


    Kaleb had a few words with the guards after we walked in, and I shivered after being in the cold.


    ¡°I suppose you would like to see Finnick and Erika now,¡± the foreign king noted when he turned back to


    me and his navy eyes shed. ¡°You can use one of the rooms to change your clothes and get some


    rest. We will depart when the rain lets


    up.¡±


    ¡°What about the people in the other cars?¡± I wondered as I nced out the window. I supposed the


    others were diplomats or other people in Kaleb¡¯s staff, though I didn¡¯t know for certain. The car¡¯s


    windows were too tinted to make sense of things.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about them,¡± he replied, and then his deep blue eyes trailed over me. My pants were


    soaked and covered in mud because I had fallen when I¡¯d been let out of the car, My knees had been


    weak, probably due to the drug, and I¡¯d taken. quite a tumble.


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    1


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    9%D


    Chapter 200 On the road


    ¡°You¡¯re shivering,¡± Kaleb continued, and then he frowned. ¡°You better change your clothes before you


    get a cold.¡±


    He turned to the guards who¡¯d followed us in. ¡°Please prepare a fire to make the house warmer.¡±


    As the guards got to work, I wanted to ask about my belongings, because I hadn¡¯t brought any clothes.


    But before the words could escape me, another guard arrived with a backpack in tow, and much to my


    surprise, Erika and Finnick walked in behind him.


    Finnick ran to me immediately, and the moment he mmed into me and wrapped his arms around my


    legs, he began to cry hard.


    ¡°Mommy,¡± he wailed, and I squeezed him tightly and tried to soothe him. I patted his shoulders and


    kissed his head.


    As I tried to get Finnick rxed, I nced at Erika. The maid looked like she was on the verge of tears,


    but she remained collected. When Finnick let up, embraced Erika as well. We held each other close


    while Kaleb studied us from


    across the room.


    Perhaps the Northern king was trying to be nice now. Or maybe he was sure there was no way I could


    run away, but either way, he didn¡¯t interrupt our reunion. After a while, he walked into one of the rooms.


    Erika, Finnick, and I went into the other, and I quickly reached into the backpack and changed into


    another set of clothes. Once I was dressed, someone


    knocked on the door.


    I opened it to see a guard holding a bottle of hot water and three cups. Erika epted them on my


    behalf, and then the guard left. Once we were alone again, Erika filled the cups and then handed them


    out to us.


    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s okay that I hadn¡¯t said thank you to the guard,¡± she remarked. ¡°Given the


    circumstances.¡±


    I offered a small, bitter smile as I wrapped my hands around the hot mug. Erika


    Chapter 200 On the road


    smiled back, and we sipped at our drinks.


    I was grateful for the warmth and to be reunited with my family, but I knew things weren¡¯t going to be


    simple. We were in for a rough time.

 Chatper 201

    Chatper 201


    Chapter 201 A note


    We sat there in silence, and as I held Finnick tightly in myp, Erika and I gazed at each other sadly. It


    seemed as if no one knew what to say. My mind was in a million different ces and I wasn¡¯t sure what


    thought to act on.


    I was so grateful to have Finnick and Erika with me, but I was sad that we were all in this position. Guilt


    flooded through me as I ran my fingers through Finnick¡¯s soft dark hair and I fought the urge to cry.


    Erika released a soft sigh and wilted a little.


    ¡°Is this it?¡± she wondered quietly. ¡°We are leaving our homnd for an unknown


    country?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m afraid so. I¡¯m so sorry that I got you involved in my mess again,


    Erika. This is all my fault.¡±


    But the maid shook her head and reached out to touch my arm. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, honey. That¡¯s not what I


    meant. I¡¯m more worried about you. As far as I¡¯m concerned, I¡¯m bored with Anemond anyway. If we


    have to leave, let¡¯s make the best of it.¡±


    I knew she was just trying to cheer me up, and I appreciated her kindness in such a terrible situation.


    Finnick suddenly shook his head and gazed up at me. His lovely gray eyes were wide but his


    expression was serious. ¡°I agree with Aunt Erika, Mommy. I don¡¯t like Anemond and I don¡¯t like Prince


    Marco. As long as I¡¯m with you, I don¡¯t mind where we go. I¡¯ll keep you safe.¡±


    He smiled up at me and I leaned down and kissed his forehead.


    We snuggled up for a moment and I gazed beyond us at the window on the far side of the room.


    Looking through it, I could see the downpour and the misty


    surroundings, and I thought of Asher. My heart began to ache as I imagined his beautiful face and for a


    moment, I was about to cry.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what had happened to him and I hadn¡¯t had time to worry about him before. With all of the


    commotion, my mind had been in a thousand spots, but now that things were quiet, the Alpha King was


    at the forefront of my thoughts.


    I couldn¡¯t imagine if something terrible happened to him.


    If he had been hurt by Kaleb¡­ I didn¡¯t know what I would do.


    Just as I began to panic, I tried to force myself to not think about it. But then¡­ if Asher was fine, where


    was he now? Had he known that I had left Anemond? Was


    he looking for me now?


    I nced over at Erika. ¡°Do you have a pen or something I can use to write


    something?¡±


    The maid¡¯s eyebrows crinkled as she thought about it and then she perked up. ¡°There are some


    crayons I brought in a bag for Finnick to color with. And some paper as well. Would that work?¡±


    ¡°Perfectly,¡± I replied, and I offered her a smile. She smiled back and then got up from her chair and


    walked over to where she¡¯d ced her backpack. She rooted around in the pack for a moment and


    then retrieved the materials.


    I epted them gratefully and Finnick climbed out of myp without another word. He patiently sat


    beside Erika and studied me quietly.


    ¡°What are you going to write?¡± Erika wondered.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to leave a note for Asher,¡± I replied.


    She frowned again in confusion. ¡°A note?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I know this house is for the patrolling soldiers to rest at night. If I leave a note here, one of


    them is likely to find it.¡±


    ¡°Is it a letter of help, then?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Sort of,¡± I said, and then sadness ran through me. ¡°But it¡¯s more of a letter of farewell.¡±


    Erika nodded solemnly and didn¡¯t ask more.


    ***


    Not long after I finished the letter, someone knocked on the door.


    ¡°The rain is letting up, Healer Cas sandra,¡± a guard called out from the other side. ¡°We need to leave.¡±


    ¡°Just a minute!¡± I called out quickly and then I nced at Erika.


    ¡°Where will you hide the letter?¡± she asked me in a low voice, and she peered


    around the room.


    There was only a cot, a table, and several chairs, so there was no good ce to


    hide my note.


    Even though I didn¡¯t have a n, I ced my finger on my lips and then folded the letter and put it in


    my pocket. Once it was there, I walked over to open the door. I knew better than to keep these


    viinous guards waiting, not when Finnick¡¯s


    safety was at sake.


    The guard on the other side red at me as I stepped out and his dark eyes darted around the room.


    He studied us with an intense gaze and then nodded once.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± he ordered, and then he walked down the hall.


    Erika, Finnick, and I obeyed his harshmand. I let them get ahead of me, once they were upied,


    ¡®quickly slid the folded letter back into the room from under the door.


    Sweat broke out across my forehead. I had no idea if the letter would find Asher, but I hoped and


    prayed that he would get ahold of it.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    We met Kaleb out in the parlor and the Northern King eyed me with a raised


    eyebrow.


    tone.


    ¡°Did you have a good rest, Healer Cas s andra?¡± he asked me in a lofty sort of


    5%D


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied quickly and then I offered him a fake smile of gratitude. ¡°Thank you for allowing me a


    moment to breathe. I¡¯m feeling much better now.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± he remarked, and then he turned to the guard, who offered him a nod. When he turned back to


    us, his expression was much more serious. ¡°It¡¯s time to get


    back to our journey. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Finnick grabbed my hand, and I looked down at him and squeezed it. He nodded at me and then rolled


    his shoulders back.


    My brave little boy.


    We walked out of the house and as we stepped out into the misty forest, I nced back at the closed


    door wistfully. I hoped with all of my might that Asher would get the letter.


    We were escorted back to the same car, and to my surprise, Kaleb got into the car with us. I wasn¡¯t


    surprised that the king of Yurene was keeping us close, but I wished we could have had more privacy.


    Once we were settled in, the car started up and continued to drive into the woods. I stared out the


    window and watched the trees go by. My eyes began to ze over a little and I started to lose track of


    time.


    We passed the final sentry post in Wega, and as we went by, I looked back and saw the light of the


    post gradually vanish as the car twisted onto another path.


    It was my very first time leaving this country. Going from Anemond to Wild Crawler had been a big


    change of scenery, but this would be on a whole other level.


    I didn¡¯t know what was waiting for me.


    But I could only hope for the best.

 Chatper 202

    Chatper 202


    Chapter 202 Love forever and always


    I continued running in the forest. My lungs cried out in pain with every stride, but I didn¡¯t want to stop,


    not now. Ss raced alongside me, but I barely acknowledged his presence.


    I wished this was a dream. I wished I could wake up and say that none of this was real, that I wasn¡¯t in


    this position, and that everything was alright. But this wasn¡¯t a dream. It was a living nightmare.


    Ca ssandra was leaving.


    I couldn¡¯t allow that to happen.


    When Ss told me what was happening, I couldn¡¯t believe him. I had frowned and stared at the Beta in


    complete and total shock as his words set in. His golden. eyes had stared into mine with intensity and


    solemnity as he shared the truth, and though I knew he was being honest, part of me wished he was


    just being duplicitous.


    But he wasn¡¯t. Ca ssandra had been taken by the king of Yurene hours ago. He¡¯d stolen her away while


    I¡¯d been sedated by Adalyn at the military base.


    Despite the heavy rain that likely dyed their departure, she had probably passed the borders of


    Wega and left the country entirely.


    Rationally, I knew it was unlikely that I would catch up to her. But I was still running anyway. I would go


    to the ends of the earth for Ca ssandra.


    As I dashed through the thick line of trees, I continued to ruminate on the situation. Despite his


    surname, I couldn¡¯t me Ss. He had proven his loyalty to me by saving Ector.


    Before the Beta had told me that Ca ssandra had been taken by Kaleb, he


    <


    1/5


    Chapter 202 Love forever and always


    informed me that Ector was in stable condition. He had borrowed a car from the military base and had


    driven Ector to Anemond. Once he arrived at the capital, he checked Cas sandra¡¯s brother into Keller¡¯s


    under a fake name and arranged for a royal healer to look after him.


    I was relieved that Ector was alright. His absence had been a major cause of concern and I was


    grateful that the Beta had made sure he was safe and far away from Oliver Moses¡¯ clutches.


    But when he told me about Kaleb and his dastardly intentions, I¡¯d lost all sense of calm and grabbed


    him by the cor.


    While I couldn¡¯t me the Beta for not being able to stop the Northern king, I was still angered.


    At the end of the day, I couldn¡¯t me anyone but myself. It was my st upidity that made me lose her


    again. If I had imed her and made her my Luna¡­


    But there was no point in considering the possibilities. She was leaving me, and


    I was losing her. That was the only thing that remained in my mind. It was an imminent nightmare, and I


    knew that my life was going to fall into darkness yet again.


    So, I kept running.


    I knew well that this was all possibly in vain. Ca sandra was probably well past the borders. But I


    couldn¡¯t stop. Following after her was the only thing that gave me hope.


    After a while, I could taste blood in my mouth. I knew that my eyes were probably bloodshot and my


    muscles were crying out in anguish. Even my ws ached, and I was certain they were bleeding as


    well.


    Suddenly, in the distance, I saw a wooden house. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was the same one I had seen when


    I was running back to Anemond from the military base, but they looked very simr.


    I remembered the figures I had seen and stopped in ce. What if they hadn¡¯t


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    2/5


    Chapter 202 Love forever and always


    been rogues as I¡¯d suspected and were the diplomatic corps of Yurene? What if one of them had been


    Ca ssandra?


    I couldn¡¯t get the idea out of my mind and immediately dashed to the wooden house.


    Ss followed suit and we shifted out of our wolf forms and into our human


    ones.


    As we entered the house, Ss flipped a switch and lit up the entry, and we quickly spotted ash and dry


    wooden branches in the firece. The Beta squatted down and touched the brickden structure, and


    his eyebrows crinkled with


    concern.


    ¡°Someone lit a fire here,¡± he noted. ¡°But they must have left a while ago. The ground is cold now.¡±


    I nodded but didn¡¯t speak.


    Since it was only meant to be a ce to stop and rest, there were only two rooms in the wooden


    house. I approached the first door on the left, and when I stepped inside and flipped the light switch, I


    found a folded piece of paper lying on the floor as if it were waiting to be picked up.


    I grabbed it and my heart ski pped a beat when I saw my name written on the


    front.


    To Asher Collins.


    A lump formed in my throat and my hands began to shake.


    It was written in Cas sandra¡¯s handwriting.


    I held my breath for a moment and my head began to ache. I steeled the worst and my ws dug deep


    into my hands as I opened the letter.


    myself for


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    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


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    Chapter 202 Love forever and always.


    My Dearest Asher,


    25%D


    By the time you read this, I¡¯ll have left the country already.


    I want you to know that I didn¡¯t leave you willingly, and if I had another choice, I wouldn¡¯t have gone.


    But the fact of the matter is, I didn¡¯t see another way to get out


    of this.


    I know you¡¯re likely worried about me, but I want you to know that I¡¯m fine, and Finnick is fine as well.


    Our safety has pretty much been guaranteed, so please don¡¯t fret.


    The reason I¡¯m writing this letter to you is this- I don¡¯t want you to look for me or try to save me from


    Yurene. I wouldn¡¯t be so pompous to think that you wouldunch a war against the North for me, but I


    want you to know that it isn¡¯t the right time for me to make my escape. I will do it in time, of course, but


    not now.


    I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ll be mistreated in Yurene since Kaleb needs me to cooperate. This is all to do with


    Emmett Keller. He had some involvement in Yurene, and the king needs a piece of information that he


    believes Emmett left behind. I intend to find the truth behind Emmett and Yurene. Asher, I think there¡¯s


    a big conspiracy here that is rted to Wega as well. Kaleb told me that Yurene¡¯s true target is


    Wega.


    You need to be careful about this. Oliver Moses is working with the Northern king and is plotting against


    your crown and the country.


    While I sort through this mess of a situation in Yurene, I want you to fight your battle in Anemond and


    be the great Alpha King I know you can be. I know it¡¯s going to be hard, so much so that you might


    want to give up, but I need you to win. I believe in you more than anything else and know you have the


    power to triumph, but I want you to be cautious, Asher. Don¡¯t get yourself hurt on my behalf. I¡¯d never


    forgive myself if you were injured fighting my battles. I¡¯ve involved too many people in this mess. I can¡¯t


    risk you getting hurt.


    Know that we aren¡¯t fighting alone. Though we¡¯re in different battlefields, we¡¯re


    Chapter 202 Love forever and always


    fighting together, and working toward a future where we won¡¯t be separated again.


    I love you, Asher.


    I¡¯ll love you forever and always.


    ¨C Ca ssandra

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    Chapter 203 Left you something


    C


    25%


    CA SSANDRA


    As the car drove past the borders of Wega and into those of Yurene, it was veryte into the night.


    Finnick was fast asleep on myp, and I ran my hands through his soft, dark brown hair. It was a ritual


    of ours, one that put the child at ease almost immediately. He¡¯d been so nervous as the ride had


    continued, so I¡¯d pulled him close and tried to get him to rx.


    Beside me, Erika had her elbow propped up against the window, and her eyes were closed. I didn¡¯t


    know if she was asleep or simply resting, as we hadn¡¯t spoken since we¡¯d first gotten into the car, but I


    couldn¡¯t me her if she weren¡¯t asleep. How could we dream so easily when we were leaving the


    ce of our birth, not knowing if we would ever return?


    The car kept driving in the deep, dense forest before we reached the other side of the trees and came


    up on a town. The light was spar se and dim, but I could make out a sign that read ¡°Gliolis¡± in the


    distance.


    What a strange name, I thought as the car drove down the winding road slowly. I supposed that


    everything in this foreignnd would seem strange, and a knot formed in my stomach. I knew I¡¯d made


    the right decision, the only decision to be made at the time, but it didn¡¯t mean that I was feeling


    particrly brave about it. I was putting on a face for Finnick, but inside¡­ inside, I was terrified.


    Kaleb turned around from the passenger side and cleared his throat.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to rest in this town tonight,¡± the king of Yurene announced in a considerately quiet voice.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll depart in the morning and continue on our way.¡±


    I didn¡¯t say anything in response because I knew the foreign monarch wasn¡¯t asking me but telling me.


    But his tone was surprisingly soft and gentle. I was surprised by the calmness, though I still didn¡¯t trust


    him.


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    Chapter 203 Left you something


    The driver stopped the car just outside of an inn. I nced up at it through the window and was


    surprised by the sight. It was nothing much, just two stories, but I¡¯d been prepared for something


    worse. I knew Kaleb wasn¡¯t going to put us in shackles or anything, but we were prisoners of a sort, so


    I hadn¡¯t expected us to go


    somewhere nice.


    As Kaleb exited the car, I took a moment to steady myself and then roused Finnick. He sat up slowly


    and then blinked hisrge gray eyes at me.


    ¡°Mommy?¡± he asked as he nced around. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re stopping for the night, honey,¡± I exined, and then I offered him a small smile. ¡°Come on,


    follow me. We¡¯ll get you into a bed, okay?¡±


    Finnick nodded and then turned to Erika. The maid opened her eyes and then let out a soft sigh. She


    nced at me for a moment and offered me a small smile of her own. After I exchanged the gesture,


    we stepped out of the vehicle.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Kaleb led us inside but didn¡¯t say a word. His guards and diplomats followed along, and we were stuck


    in the middle of the group.


    The receptionist was an old woman. She lolled against the counter, book in hand, but her dark eyes


    were half-closed. As our group approached the counter, she yawned and lifted her head in surprise.


    When she scanned the room, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. She seemed taken aback by


    the number of potential guests and shed us a warm smile as we filtered into the lobby.


    ¡°Good evening,¡± she greeted us. ¡°Wee to my inn.¡±


    Kaleb and his diplomats looked utterly exhausted and didn¡¯t speak. Instead, the guards did most of the


    talking and arranged rooms with the old woman. I half-expected the woman to recognize the king of the


    country, but she didn¡¯t seem to notice him. Perhaps there were simply too many people present.


    We were ushered into a room on the second floor, and I was grateful that Kaleb allowed Erika, Finnick,


    and me to stay together. I¡¯d been worried about us being split up, but the king of Yurene assured us


    that we would be in the same room tonight.


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    Chapter 203 Left you something


    ¡°Would you like a hot bath?¡± the old woman asked kindly once we stepped into the room. ¡°If you need


    one, I will prepare it immediately, but you will have to wait an hour. I rarely have guests this season,


    and the boiler room isn¡¯t functioning at the moment.¡±


    The North was much colder than Wega, and a hot shower would be nice, but when she led us to the


    bathroom and I saw the stained bathtub, I declined her offer.


    The room was far below Anemond¡¯s standards, but than kfully, the sheets were clean. The room had


    two beds, a small bedside table, and a clock. Kaleb informed us that we only had a few hours to sleep


    and advised us to get into bed right away.


    After the olddy brought us some hot water and clean towels, we thanked her and then closed the


    door of the room. Erika and I didn¡¯t speak much; just wished each other a good night¡¯s sleep, and then


    we turned off the light and crawled into bed.


    Silence hung in the room, but there was nothing to say. We had yet to learn what awaited us tomorrow


    or what Yurene would be like. It seemed we were both too nervous to talk about it, so I snuggled


    Finnick close and soon drifted off.


    My dreams that night were strange.


    Emmett appeared to me, d in a ck robe. It was apparent that he was a sorcerer now, not the


    healer I¡¯d grown to know. He was facing me, but his face was


    blurred.


    Had I already forgotten how he looked?


    Or maybe I had never seen his true face. Perhaps his actual appearance was different, just like his


    identity.


    He apologized at once./¡±I¡¯m sorry for involving you in this, Ca ssandra.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, and then a question appeared in my mind. ¡°Was it you who took my wolf


    spirit, Emmett?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°I had to do it.¡±


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    Chapter 203 Left you something


    As anger swelled within me, I leaped forward and tried to grab him, but he moved backward at thest


    second. I tried drawing closer, but it was no use. I couldn¡¯t touch him or kick him. Tears welled up in my


    eyes.


    ¡°Why did you do this?¡± I asked as I cried. ¡°Why did you take it from me?¡±


    ¡°I had to,¡± he replied. ¡°I hope you understand-¡±


    ¡°Understand?¡± I repeated back, and then Iughed. How could I understand him when he¡¯d taken away


    something so important? Not being able to shift into my animal form left me with only half of an identity.


    I wasn¡¯t myself without my wolf.


    Was it also part of his n that he saved me from the burning house and sheltered me in Wild


    Crawler? Was it because he wanted to use me one day for his


    own hidden purposes?


    But I didn¡¯t ask. I was too afraid to. After all, what was the point of asking in a


    dream? There was no way the answers could be real.


    But Emmett spoke again anyway. ¡°You need to stop Kaleb, Ca ssandra. He¡¯s a liar. He¡¯s horrible and


    ruthless.¡±


    He took a step closer to me. ¡°I left something for you, Ca ssandra, and you¡¯re the only one who could


    use it. And the thing¡­¡±


    His voice suddenly trailed off, and another voice appeared in the distance. It was m uffled at first and


    then became clear.


    I woke up to find Erika crouching down beside me. The voice had belonged to her. The maid¡¯s hand


    was on my forehead, and her kind eyes were wide with


    concern.


    ¡°Ca ssandra?¡± she asked quietly. ¡°Are you alright?¡±

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    Chapter 204 Mysterious woman


    ¡ñ 25%


    &


    CA SSANDRA


    I blinked in confusion and tried to gather myself, but my heart raced, and my head felt as if it were


    drowning in a sea of thoughts.


    Beams of sunlight filtered in through the window, which told me it was already morning. That dream


    had felt so short, but hours had passed by like minutes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to wake you,¡± Erika apologized when I met her eyes again. ¡°I found you shaking and grew


    worried. Your teeth were clenched, and you were whimpering. Did you have a nightmare, honey?¡±


    I shook my head, but only a little. It wasn¡¯t exactly a nightmare, though it had been unpleasant. I


    wondered if ¡°Emmett¡± would have told me something useful if my dream hadn¡¯t been interrupted. I


    didn¡¯t believe the dream would have been prophetic, but I wondered if myte husband had indeed left


    me something like he¡¯d said.


    He must have because otherwise, why was Kaleb so determined to bring me to the North? But what


    could it be? Emmett hadn¡¯t left me anything besides thick medical tomes and some of his notebooks.


    Nothing in those books seemed suspicious¡­ but had I missed something?


    Part of me wanted to scream in frustration. This was all such a tangled mess. All I wanted was to go


    back to my life at Kellers and divide my time between patients, Finnick, and Asher. I dreamed of a


    world that didn¡¯t involve warring Packs, military coups, mysterious illnesses, and hidden identities. I just


    yearned for a


    normal life.


    But I knew that wasn¡¯t possible. I was too deep in it now to go back to living a normal, carefree life.


    I managed to gather myself and convince Erika that I was fine, and though the maid didn¡¯t seem all that


    convinced, she let the subject go. We woke Finnick up a bit


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    leave.


    25%L


    We tidied the room quickly, left the inn, and filed back into the car. Just likest. night, we remained


    silent, and once Kaleb was seated in the passenger seat, the driver started the car, and we resumed


    our journey.


    I stared out the window the entire time and admired the snow on the ground. It wasn¡¯t a thickyer, but


    it was enough to make me stare in wonder. Though Yurene thus far was different than Wega, it


    reminded me a lot of Wild Crawler in the winter. It was full of forests and wildlife, something that was


    wholly absent in the bustling city of Anemond.


    It was already noon when we finally arrived to a ce Kaleb informed me was called Vlokwell. It was a


    large city, resembling Anemond, but with much fewer people. The streets weren¡¯t even remotely


    bustling, and there were half as many tall buildings. I was taken aback by the architecture. Everything


    was all white and gray brick, giving it a sort of gloomy, wintery feeling.


    Eventually, the car stopped at a pce, or rather, arge structure more like a castle or fortress. The


    white brick walls were very high, with towers rising into the sky and arge, s piked gate surrounding it.


    The many windows of the pce were covered by thin ck bars, and I noted that the structure¡¯s stone


    sparkled in the sunlight. It was beautiful but strange to see.


    The gate was patrolled by several guards outfitted in heavy silver armor, and as they let us through and


    into the pce grounds, I wondered if Yurene was at war. I wasn¡¯t sure if they had any conflicts with


    any of the surrounding countries or Pack s at the present, but the security here was obviously strict. We


    had passed quite a few sentries after entering Vlokwell, and I had the feeling that once we entered the


    pce, there would be many more security checks.


    When the car stopped, Kaleb turned around to face us.


    ¡°Wee to my pce,¡± he said, and though he still appeared tired, there was a glint in his dark blue


    eyes.


    We got out of the car, and as we followed the king into the castle, he spoke


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    again.


    25%B


    ¡°I have a meeting with all of the diplomats, so I¡¯ll be indisposed for a while,¡± he announced, and he ran


    his hand over his golden brown hair to smooth it. ¡°I trust you can handle yourselves in my absence.¡±


    He introduced us to the head ser ant, a woman named Ms. Benn. She was a serious woman with pale


    blue eyes, a slightly pinched mouth, and blonde hair that was pulled back into a neat bun. She greeted


    us simply, and then Kaleb turned to


    me.


    ¡°Ms. Benn will take you to your room,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll visit you when I have the


    time.¡±


    I nodded and shoved down the lump in my throat. When the king left us, Ms. Benn escorted us to our


    room, which was located in the side building. She didn¡¯t speak much, but I was alright with that.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    The room was clean andrge, though somewhat sterile and in. Like the rest of the pce, the walls


    and floors were white, and while there was a little color from the pale blue bedspreads, it wasn¡¯t


    enough to feelfortable. Though it had many amenities, like the enormous beds, a desk, a small


    dining area, and a sitting room, this ce was akin to an ice pce. Cold and uninviting.


    ¡°If you need anything else,e visit me in my parlor,¡± Ms. Benn announced after she finished the tour


    of the room. ¡°It¡¯s located at the left corner of the first


    floor.¡±


    us.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied, and after she gave me a slight nod, the head se rvant left


    Once we were alone, Erika and I exchanged a nce, and then she offered me


    a bitter smile.


    ¡°It feels like a prison,¡± shemented, and I nodded. She was right. The whole castle felt like a well-


    guarded prison. There weren¡¯t any guards inside because there was no need for them. The walls


    surrounding the ce were thick and high. Looking through the window, I could see nothing but the


    gate.


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    Chapter 204 Mysterious woman.


    Strange.


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    As we began to unpack, I realized Finnick had been quiet since our arrival. While normally, that wasn¡¯t


    too unusual, I noticed that his face and lips were pale. Since our departure from the inn this morning,


    he had been sleeping in Erika¡¯s arms, but I hadn¡¯t thought much about it.


    When I ced my hand on his forehead, I realized he had a fever.


    Erikaid him on the bed, and I checked his temperature to confirm my suspicions. I supposed it could


    be a cold due to the quick weather change.


    I tried to keep him warm and wrapped a thick nket around him. I held his hand and rubbed his back


    with the other gently.


    He didn¡¯t say anything; just closed his eyes and shivered


    After a couple of hours, I began to wonder if it was more than just a cold. Despite the heavy nket,


    Finnick wasn¡¯t sweating at all, and his fever persisted. His lips were not only pale but had started to


    turn purple.


    I knew I needed to seek help at once.


    ¡°Can you keep an eye on him?¡± I asked Erika, and once she nodded, I swiftly left the room and hurried


    down the winding staircase to the first floor. I followed Ms. Benn¡¯s instructions and found the parlor, but


    it was locked. I nced at the clock. It was 3:00 PM, yet the space seemed rather empty, with no se


    rvants in the long, white marble hallway.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what to do. I needed help, but no one was around. I wondered if I should yell and call out


    for someone. But I heard a woman¡¯s voice behind me before I could do so.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    I turned around to find a young woman standing there. She was beautiful, with high cheekbones,rge,


    curious greenish-blue eyes, tanned skin, and shoulder-length wavy ck hair. She was quite tall and


    had a thin but subtly


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    Chapter 204 Mysterious woman


    muscr build. She wasn¡¯t wearing armor or a se rvant¡¯s attire, so I wasn¡¯t sure what her station was,


    nor her identity.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for Ms. Benn,¡± I exined.


    ¡°Ms. Benn is usually busy at this time and is probably in the kitchen overseeing dinner preparations,¡±


    the young woman exined, her voice heavily ented like Kaleb¡¯s. ¡°What do you need?¡±


    Her tone was polite and hospitable enough, so I quickly exined Finnick¡¯s


    current condition and asked if there was a healer in the castle.


    The woman nodded thoughtfully. ¡°There isn¡¯t a healer here, but I know what you¡¯re talking about. It


    sounds like a poison, but don¡¯t be worried. I can help.

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    Chapter 205 A sorceress


    CA SSANDRA


    Poison.


    My heart nearly ski p ped a beat upon hearing it, and panic rose up from my chest. I felt my lower lip


    tremble, but before I could get too upset, I studied the woman¡¯s expression. Though this was a dire


    situation, she didn¡¯t seem too rmed. In fact, she seemed rather confident.


    If she said she could handle it, I needed to at least halfway trust her.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said reluctantly, and then we headed back up to my room. As we ascended the stairs, I


    introduced myself. ¡°My name is Ca ssandra Keller.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure how much to tell about myself in case Kaleb didn¡¯t want me to. I wasn¡¯t sure if anyone


    knew about me here, but I didn¡¯t want to put myself in hot water just in case.


    ¡°My name is Raven,¡± the woman said, but she didn¡¯t reveal her upation. ¡°And just for future


    reference, there aren¡¯t many servants in the side building, so if you need to find one, you¡¯ll need to go


    into the main building.¡±


    ¡°Is that permitted?¡± I wondered, my tone expressing my uncertainty.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Raven replied. ¡°Why would anyone need permission to ask for help?¡±


    She seemed a little confused by my question and continued speaking. ¡°How long have you been here,


    Ca ssandra? I haven¡¯t seen you before.¡±


    ¡°I just arrived a few hours ago,¡± I exined, and then the young woman nodded.


    ¡°I see,¡± she remarked.


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    Upon reaching our room, Raven approached Finnick and immediately checked his condition. Erika


    stared at me in confusion at the sight of the beautiful girl, but I simply shrugged and mouthed that I


    would exinter.


    Meanwhile, Raven touched my son¡¯s forehead and examined him closely, and after a few minutes, she


    turned back to face me.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry,¡± she stated, retrieving a small bottle from her pocket and handing it over to


    me. ¡°He will be fine once he takes the antidote.¡±


    Naturally, I found this whole situation suspicious.


    ¡°Why would Finnick be poisoned if he hadn¡¯t consumed anything special?¡± | wondered as my eyes


    narrowed in her direction. ¡°We haven¡¯t eaten at all today.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the forest mist,¡± Raven exined, and my eyes widened in confusion. ¡°It¡¯s poisonous and acts as a


    barrier.¡±


    A poisonous barrier?


    Erika and I stared at each other in shock as her words set in. Who would invent


    such a thing?


    ¡°Then why were we unharmed?¡± I wondered.


    ¡°You were likely given antidotes beforehand,¡± she said with a shrug. ¡°Perhaps in your water. It¡¯s


    common when neers arrive in Vlokwell. Antidotes are given without notice. However, some


    individuals, like children and the elderly, might still fall ill due to their rtive weakness.¡±


    I remembered that Finnick had been sleeping the whole trip, meanwhile, Erika


    and I had been handed bottles of water during the car ride. I hadn¡¯t forced Finnick


    to drink since he was asleep.


    Raven seemed to notice my hesitation and simply smiled. ¡°I understand your concern, Ca ssandra. But


    if your son doesn¡¯t take the antidote promptly, the poison could permanently impair his body.¡±


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    Chapter 205 A sorceress


    I stared at my son, and my stomach twisted at the thought of all of this. While I wasn¡¯t happy or


    comfortable with giving my child an unknown vial of liquid, I could see that his condition was worsening,


    and there was no time to waste.


    So, I decided to trust Raven. I reasoned that I had no other choice, and besides, I couldn¡¯t see a


    reason why she would harm a child. It seemed cruel, even by Yurene¡¯s standards.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± I said, and with no hesitation, Raven administered the antidote. She gently opened


    Finnick¡¯s mouth and poured the contents of the vial into it. He made a face at the taste, but it only


    lasted a moment. Heid back down, and she tucked


    the nket around him.


    A few minutester, color returned to his cheeks lips, and relief flooded through me. A few minutes


    more, and he appeared to be back to normal.


    him.


    ¡°Mommy?¡± he prompted me, and I rushed over and wrapped my arms around


    ¡°I¡¯m here, baby,¡± I assured him, and then I nced at Raven. She simply shrugged and smiled at me,


    and then I expressed my gratitude. ¡°Thank you, Raven. I appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°It was nothing,¡± she replied humbly, and then she sat down in a chair nearby. The gesture indicated


    that she wasn¡¯t going to leave immediately, so I decided to show her some hospitality.


    ¡°Erika, can you prepare some tea?¡± I requested.


    ¡°Tea?¡± Raven repeated back, and when I nodded at her slowly in confusion, she tilted her head to the


    side. ¡°That sounds like a Southern thing.¡±


    I¡¯d seen Kaleb do that exact gesture many times, which led me to believe it was very Yurenian.


    I smiled. ¡°Yes, it is, I suppose. We¡¯re from the South. Wega, specifically.¡±


    Raven¡¯s big blue-green eyes widened further in surprise, and then she


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    Chapter 205 A sorceress


    murmured. ¡°You seem more¡­ civil¡­ than I¡¯d expect.¡±


    ¡°Civil,¡± I repeated back. I wasn¡¯t sure how else to respond, and then she spoke again.


    ¡°It¡¯s your manner of speech and behavior,¡± she exined. ¡°I noticed it downstairs when you were


    looking for Ms. Benn. Compared to everyone else here, you seem overly polite¡­ worried about what


    others would say. No one here would be concerned about that. You can do anything you like here.¡±


    She paused and then shed me a white-toothed grin. ¡°Except killing, of


    course.¡±


    I was immediately taken aback and nced at Erika in fear. The maid¡¯s eyes were equally frightened,


    and I was d that Finnick had fallen back asleep after taking the antidote. Raven was a little


    unnerving, and I didn¡¯t know how to handle


    her words.


    Raven then chuckled at me. ¡°It was a joke, Ca ssandra.¡±


    I managed to smile, though it was quite a savage ¡°joke.¡± ¡°Of course.¡±


    The young woman¡¯s eyes narrowed mischievously. ¡°Were you brought here by our king?¡±


    I nodded, though I wasn¡¯t sure why she seemed so strange about it. ¡°Yes, we


    were.¡±


    ¡°Are you the king¡¯s mistress?¡± she blurted out, and heat spread to my cheeks instantly.


    ¡°No!¡± I eximed. ¡°No, I¡¯m not a mistress! I¡¯m a healer. The king invited me to the North because of my


    skills in medicine-¡±


    ¡°A healer?¡± Raven cut me off, and she frowned deeply. ¡°Why would he need a healer? Of course, I


    don¡¯t mean to belittle you, but a healer is useless here.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked in confusion. A healer was always useful. There


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    Chapter 205 A sorceress


    were always burns, scrapes, illnesses, and wounds to attend to. I was constantly busy treating people.


    Surely, a healer would be needed in a castle as big as this.


    Raven suddenly snapped her fingers, and Erika let out a yelp.


    ¡°The kettle¡¯s button turned on without me touching it!¡± she eximed.


    I nced between her and Raven, and then I gulped heavily as I understood. The woman raised a


    thick, dark eyebrow.


    ¡°Do you understand now?¡± she asked me, her head tilting yet again.


    I did, though I was inplete shock. Of course, this ce wouldn¡¯t need a healer. They had sorcerers


    and sorceresses.


    And Raven was one of them.


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 Chapter 206

    KALEB


    Wega was a tough nut to cr ack.


    This diplomatic visit hadn''t yielded any beneficial results, and as sat at the head of the table in the formal meeting room of


    Vlokwell¡¯s pce, | wanted to m my head into the pale white wood furniture


    The voices of the diplomats in the room melded together, and the grating sound of theirints and agitations was almost


    enough to make me want to leave this meeting entirely. For the most part. | didn¡¯t mind being the king of Yurene. but at times like


    this, | loathed it entirely. The monarchy was full of trivial matters like these, and | hated any instance that pointed out my


    shorings.


    As | sat there with my head pounding in agony from the sheer exhaustion of the trip, the diplomatsined about the shrewd


    councilors in Wega. Their nces often veered toward me while making their reports and justifying their failure to secure an


    agreement advantageous to our country.


    As much as | regarded Asher Collins as weak, | had to admit that the Alpha King of Wega possessed talents fiir superior to


    these foolish diplomats. He was smart, cunning, and utterly brave when it came to the functions of his country. While he had not


    been trusting of me, | couldn¡¯t me himpletely.


    These diplomats, though | wanted to snap and remind them of their inadequacy, but instead. | considered that sometimes fools


    had their uses. Fools required nothing more than a little maniption. They were easily manipted, and if | wanted to be


    strategic and smart about my next steps. | needed to sway their minds


    So, | smiled and cleared my throat, and in the process, Finterrupted the young man who was speaking. When | made the


    disruptive noise, the poor guy sat back in his chair and forced down a gulp. | knew he had more to say, but even someone as


    young as he knew better than to speak over their king.


    ¡°Thank you for your presentations,¡± | said loftily to the entire room, making eye contact with each diplomat. | agree with your


    comints about the obstinacy of Wega¡¯s councilors and would like to thank you for your efforts during our visit to Anemond


    Considering our long hours of travel. | think it would be best for this meeting to adjourn so everyone can some rest. A weing


    party will be arranged for the following night, as per the traditions of Yurene.


    Though the meeting had been rendered inconclusive by my statement, the councilors and diplomats knew their ce and


    seemed relieved to be dismissed. They rose from their seats, and each offered me a fist over their chest in respect. | epted


    the gestures from the group, and as they departed from the meeting room, the forced smile left my face


    I sat back in my tall, white leather chair and nced out the tall window beyond me. The sky was brighter here than it had been


    in Wega, and while I¡¯d admired much of theirnd, there was a strange feeling about being home.


    If only | hadn¡¯t spent the first hours of my return locked in such a boring meeting.


    Suddenly, augh interrupted the newfound silence, and | nced over to see that Anubis hadn¡¯t left the room. His ck eyes


    bure into mine with an agitating intensity, and | fought the urge to groan


    ¡°What | demanded as | rolled my eyes at him. He¡¯d remained silent for the suration of the meeting so | had no idea what he


    intended to bother me with now.


    ¡°Nothing¡± he said with a mocking gran ¡°I just find interesting, that¡¯s all Thank you for your presentations You couldn''t


    out their presentations | could feel your insincerity all the way over there Are you ying the role of a kind


    Trused a broavat tum ¡°What are you talking about. Anubis??


    just artam


    ¡°I''m jou wondering why you will wish to ta thene diplomats he said with an annoyed sigh. You and | both know that


    11:44 Fri, Feb 23


    they''re utterly useless and have been since your father was king¡±


    He then lowered his already low voice. ¡°It might be better to have them. taken care of.¡±


    ¡°Taken care of,¡± | repeated back slowly, and my eyebrow shot up higher. ¡°I don¡¯t think execution is the right course of action.


    Anubis.¡±


    ¡°All I¡¯m saying is that treason isn¡¯t beneath these fools,¡± Anubis replied, and hisrge mouth drew into a thin line of disgust. ¡°They


    could have allegiance to the Southerners-¡±


    ¡°We both know that the men that were in this roomck the intelligence and ambition for treason, | dismissed him with another


    eye roll. ¡°That would require them to be forward-thinking, after all.¡±


    ¡°It''s just a precaution,¡± Anubis countered. ¡°Especially considering the insecurity of your position¡±


    | raised my hand to halt the conversation. ¡°That''s enough. The choice is mine alone, as is my judgment on the matter. | won¡¯t


    have you telling me what to do.¡±


    ¡°If you intend to be a kind ruler, it¡¯s toote,¡± Anubis continued anyway, ¡°Besides, | didn¡¯t align myself with you because of your


    friendly disposition. If you''re somehow going soft on us, I¡¯m not sure if you''ll continue to have my loyalty-


    ¡°Oh please, | chuckled, and | shook my head. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t wayer, Anubis. Who else is there for you to align yourself with?


    You''re free to leave if that¡¯s your desire, but you''d be a fool to think there¡¯s better for you elsewhere.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    He frowned, and his entire cruel demeanor shifted. He knew | was right, and | could see that fact confirmed in the expression on


    his angr face. His ck eyes darted elsewhere, and then | continued.


    Our cooperation was never based on consensus or loyalty but mutual benefit,¡± | continued, leaning forward in my seat. ¡°If you


    can find a better king to serve, you''re free to leave.


    Anubis turned back to me and stared for a moment. We carried on in silence for a moment, and then he nodded simply in


    acknowledgment.


    Without another word, | stood up and headed for the door. | was exhausted from all of this and didn¡¯t desire to continue on any


    further. Between Anubis and the diplomats, my brain felt full of thoughts, and my disposition was poorer than usual


    ¡°Are you nning on visiting the healer?¡± Anubis called out sarcastically, and when | turned back around, there was a sneer on


    his face. ¡°She¡¯s a liability, you know, as well as a risk. You should really confine her to the prison tower.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± | stated firmly. ¡°I won''t do that.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s making you weak,¡± Anubis continued, and anger surged within me.


    ¡°Enough, | hissed, and after | took a moment topose myself, | released a sigh. ¡°Now, where¡¯s Roxy?¡±


    The dark-haired man frowned at the sudden shift in conversation and then shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. At this hour, she¡¯s probably


    conducting her training course


    ¡°Call her over,¡± | demanded. ¡°I¡¯m tired of dealing with all of this nonsense. It¡¯s time to visit our g uinea pigs and check on their


    progress¡±


    Find CRM For Small Bujtinai

 Chapter 207

    Chapter 206 KALEB Wega was a tough nut to cr ack. This diplomatic visit hadn¡¯t yielded any beneficial results, and as sat at


    the head of the table in the formal meeting room of Viokwell¡¯s pce, | wanted to m my head into the pale white wood


    furniture The voices of the diplomats in the room melded together, and the grating sound of theirints and agitations was


    almost enough to make me want to leave this meeting entirely. For the most part. | didn¡¯t mind being the king of Yurene. but at


    times like this, | loathed it entirely. The monarchy was full of trivial matters like these, and | hated any instance that pointed out


    my shorings. As | sat there with my head pounding in agony from the sheer exhaustion of the trip, the diplomatsined


    about the shrewd councilors in Wega. Their nces often veered toward me while making their reports and justifying their


    failure to secure an agreement advantageous to our country. As much as | regarded Asher Collins as weak, | had to admit that


    the Alpha King of Wega possessed talents fiir superior to these foolish diplomats. He was smart, cunning, and utterly brave


    when it came to the functions of his country. While he had not been trusting of me, | couldn¡¯t me himpletely. These


    diplomats, though | wanted to snap and remind them of their inadequacy, but instead. | considered that sometimes fools had


    their uses. Fools required nothing more than a little maniption. They were easily manipted, and if | wanted to be strategic


    and smart about my next steps. | needed to sway their minds So, | smiled and cleared my throat, and in the process,


    Finterrupted the young man who was speaking. When | made the disruptive noise, the poor guy sat back in his chair and forced


    down a gulp. | knew he had more to say, but even someone as young as he knew better than to speak over their king. ¡°Thank


    you for your presentations,¡± | said loftily to the entire room, making eye contact with each diplomat. | agree with yourints


    about the obstinacy of Wega¡¯s councilors and would like to thank you for your efforts during our visit to Anemond Considering


    our long hours of travel. | think it would be best for this meeting to adjourn so everyone can some rest. A weing party will be


    arranged for the following night, as per the traditions of Yurene. Though the meeting had been rendered inconclusive by my


    statement, the councilors and diplomats knew their ce and seemed relieved to be dismissed. They rose from their seats, and


    each offered me a fist over their chest in respect. | epted the gestures from the group, and as they departed from the meeting


    room, the forced smile left my face | sat back in my tall, white leather chair and nced out the tall window beyond me. The sky


    was brighter here than it had been in Wega, and while I''d admired much of theirnd, there was a strange feeling about being


    home. If only | hadn¡¯t spent the first hours of my return locked in such a boring meeting. Suddenly, augh interrupted the


    newfound silence, and | nced over to see that Anubis hadn''t left the room. His ck eyes bure into mine with an agitating


    intensity, and | fought the urge to groan ¡°What | demanded as | rolled my eyes at him. He¡¯d remained silent for the suration of the


    meeting so | had no idea what he intended to bother me with now. ¡°Nothing¡± he said with a mocking gran ¡°I just find interesting,


    that¡¯s all Thank you for your presentations You couldn''t out their presentations | could feel your insincerity all the way over there


    Are you ying the role of a kind Trused a broavat tum ¡°What are you talking about. Anubis?? just artam ¡°I''m jou wondering why


    you will wish to ta thene diplomats he said with an annoyed sigh. You and | both know that 11:44 Fri, Feb 23 Chapter 206 they''re


    utterly useless and have been since your father was king¡± He then lowered his already low voice. ¡°It might be better to have


    them. taken care of.¡± ¡°Taken care of,¡± | repeated back slowly, and my eyebrow shot up higher. ¡°I don¡¯t think execution is the right


    course of action. Anubis.¡± ¡°All I¡¯m saying is that treason isn¡¯t beneath these fools,¡± Anubis replied, and hisrge mouth drew into


    a thin line of disgust. ¡°They could have allegiance to the Southerners-¡± ¡°We both know that the men that were in this roomck


    the intelligence and ambition for treason, | dismissed him with another eye roll. ¡°That would require them to be forward-thinking,


    after all.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a precaution,¡± Anubis countered. ¡°Especially considering the insecurity of your position¡± | raised my hand to


    halt the conversation. ¡°That¡¯s enough. The choice is mine alone, as is my judgment on the matter. | won''t have you telling me


    what to do.¡± ¡°If you intend to be a kind ruler, it¡¯s toote,¡± Anubis continued anyway, ¡°Besides, | didn¡¯t align myself with you


    because of your friendly disposition. If you¡¯re somehow going soft on us, I¡¯m not sure if you''ll continue to have my loyalty- ¡°Oh


    please, | chuckled, and | shook my head. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t wayer, Anubis. Who else is there for you to align yourself with? You''re


    free to leave if that¡¯s your desire, but you¡¯d be a fool to think there¡¯s better for you elsewhere. He frowned, and his entire cruel


    demeanor shifted. He knew | was right, and | could see that fact confirmed in the expression on his angr face. His ck eyes


    darted elsewhere, and then | continued. Our cooperation was never based on consensus or loyalty but mutual benefit,¡± |


    continued, leaning forward in my seat. ¡°If you can find a better king to serve, you''re free to leave. Anubis turned back to me and


    stared for a moment. We carried on in silence for a moment, and then he nodded simply in acknowledgment. Without another


    word, | stood up and headed for the door. | was exhausted from all of this and didn¡¯t desire to continue on any further. Between


    Anubis and the diplomats, my brain felt full of thoughts, and my disposition was poorer than usual ¡°Are you nning on visiting


    the healer?¡± Anubis called out sarcastically, and when | turned back around, there was a sneer on his face. ¡°She¡¯s a liability, you


    know, as well as a risk. You should really confine her to the prison tower.¡± ¡°No,¡± | stated firmly. ¡°I won¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°She¡¯s making


    you weak,¡± Anubis continued, and anger surged within me. ¡°Enough, | hissed, and after | took a moment topose myself, |


    released a sigh. ¡°Now, where¡¯s Roxy?¡± The dark-haired man frowned at the sudden shift in conversation and then shrugged. ¡°I


    don¡¯t know. At this hour, she¡¯s probably conducting her training course ¡°Call her over,¡± | demanded. ¡°I¡¯m tired of dealing with all of


    this nonsense. It¡¯s time to visit our g uinea pigs and check on their progress¡± Find CRM For Small Bujtinai


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.

 Chapter 208

    CASSANDRA


    Much to my surprise,


    Kaleb didn¡¯te searching for me until the next day, and even then, he didn¡¯t meet with me in person. Instead, he sent Ms.


    Benn, who arrived at the door of nly room with a garment bag in tow. The heal servant''s icy eyes were nk as they met mine,


    and she handed me the bag without a word.


    ¡°What''s going on?¡± | wondered as | epted it hesitantly. ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°The king sent me to invite you to a party tonight, she exined in her low, heavily ented yoice. ¡°To celebrate the return of the


    diplomatic corps. You wille alone while your maid and your son remain in the room.¡±


    | wanted to shove the garment bag back at her and tell her to leave me alone, bt | knew that | didn¡¯t have the right to turn down


    an invitation from the king. Though we had our own chamber, we were still prisoners of a sort, so | needed to do as instructed.


    So. | nodded.


    ¡°The king wants you to wear this tonight.¡± Ms. Benn continued, and after her strange eyes trailed over me, she gave onest


    instruction. ¡°And he wishes for you to wear your hair up.


    The head servant turned on her heels and left, and once she was gone, | closed the door and then brought the garment bag over


    to Erika. The maidid it down on the bed and carefully unzipped it, revealing a silk dress. The color was so dark it was nearly


    ck, but when she held it up. | could see it was actually sapphire.


    ¡°Oh my,¡± Erika noted as she spun the dress around, and when she did. my lips parted in surprise. The dress was gorgeous and


    much like the one I''d worn during the banquet back in Merliscire Pce, but it was much more revealing. It was sleeveless, with


    a high neck, and the skirt was long, but it had an incredibly high slit, and the entire back was exposed. It was much more daring


    than anything I''d ever worn before, though | wasn¡¯t all that surprised.


    Along with the dress came a pair of high heels, and | winced at the sight of them. | was quite petite, so | wasn¡¯t a stranger to


    heels like that, but | rarely wore things like that nowadays.


    ¡°This is a deliberate humiliation,¡± Erika said through pursed lips as she studied the garment. | wanted to agree. | didn¡¯t know what


    Kaleb intended to do. Though | was a prisoner with no hope of escape, | knew | needed to protect myself.


    So, two hourster, after Erika helped me twist my long copper hair into an borate updo and applied some makeup to my tired


    features, | put on the dress and hid two syringes of anesthetic and a long needle | could use as a weapon into my handbag.


    Better safe than sorry.


    Though the dress was revealing, it was quite beautiful. It hugged me tightly, but the color was a perfect contrast against my fair


    skin and fiery hair


    Ms. Benn came to collect me once the sun went down and she escorted me down the stairs and out of the side building of the


    castle: | walked very slowly, as it was difficult to keep my bnce on a stone-pavedne, especially with it being so dark. The


    night was so cold that | shivered and held my arms. This dress provided no warmth at all, and | felt chilled to my bones.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    The lights were sparse outside, and | couldn¡¯t help but wonder if that was also a deliberate arrangement to avoid being found by


    their war opponents. Things here were so strange and guarded that it seemed to make sense


    Ma. He led me into the main building, and | was surprised to see that Kalebs was waiting for me outside of what 1 paruumed to


    be the banquet hall. He straightened up at once when he saw me


    11 wore a finely tailored suit, pa back, and lus shiny goldenrownu had been tied back with a ck velvet ribbon. His avy eyes


    were bright, and when they trailed over a shiver traveled down my spine. The tall foreign king was incredibly mention but | felt


    likeerof prey in his gaze


    Find CMM For Small Buisinesses


    91


    11:45 Fri, Feb 23.


    Ms. Benn bowed her head and retreated as Kaleb walked over and gestured for me to take his arm. | didn¡¯t speak a word but


    complied and followed him into the room


    The banquet hall was veryrge, maybe asrge as the one of Merliscire, but the decoration of it was much simpler. The walls


    and floors were white, but the stone glittered in the candlelight. It was like we were in a castle of ice, though the room. was


    heated.


    There were many people in the hall. Women were


    sel just as sparsely as | was, their dresses exposing their lovely


    frames. Heat spread to my checks at the sight. | wasn¡¯t a prudde, just wasn¡¯t used to things like this.


    Some of the people in the room were tangled with their partners, their bodies and lips kissing and touching. It was almost more


    like a mating party than a weing one. Was it mating season now?


    Raven was right.


    Things were more civil in the North.


    | avoided eye contact with those lust-filled wolves and instead paid attention to the more polite ones. Kaleb was greeted by a few


    people when we entered the hall and introduced me at once as an ¡°excellent healer.


    Though they all made weird faces, just as Raven had when they heard the word ¡°healer,¡± they all showed their respect for me. It


    was probably just for Kaleb¡¯s sake, but | didn¡¯t mind it anyway.


    Suddenly. | heard a cheerful voice call to me, and | turned to see it was Raven. Her hair was shiny and fell in perfect waves to


    her shoulders, while her tall, elegant frame was highlighted by a tight, burgundy silk dress. It was low cut, but her chest was.


    modest enough not to show too much. Her full lips had been painted dark red, and at once, | thought of Adalyn, though Raven


    somehow looked much more lovely.


    ¡°Hi Cas sandra,¡± Raven gushed as she reached me, and she gave me a big hug. ¡°I knew he would bring you here.¡±


    Her smile was bright and she gave me a mischievous wink. It was clear she believed he had a crush on me, but this was a huge


    misunderstanding. But what else could | say? | couldn''t tell Raven that | was a pawn or a hostage. It would sound too pathetic,


    and besides. | didn¡¯t know if she could be trusted, even though she''d saved Finnick. Sure, she was hospitable and kind, but |


    couldn¡¯t let my guard down.


    Before | could say something, an icy voice called out to Raven, and when a figure appeared behind her, | thought I''d lost my


    mind. The woman had the same face, eyes, and hair as Raven¡¯s, though there was a more serious expression on her features.


    She was also slightly taller, and her muscles were more defined. | knew from her powerful, confident gair that she had to be a


    trained warrior.


    Raven¡¯s twin bowed her head at Kaleh before turning to face me. Her stare was sharp, and | fought the urge to shiver as her


    blue-


    e-green eyes trailed over me. She was like a jungle cat, poised and ready to pounce


    ¡°Cas sandra, this is Roxy Carter, the king of Yurene introduced us, and then he nced at Raven. ¡°And | see you¡¯ve met her twin


    Raven though I¡¯m not sure how that¡¯s possible.¡±


    Just as | was about to exm, Raven spoke up first.


    ¡°Her son had been poisoned by the mist, she exmed ¡°I brought her a cure and then showed her sorceries. She seemed quite


    shocked


    file continued to rande on until Roxy cut her off


    That¡¯s enough her tat sand harshly ¡°We don¡¯t need every detal


    Sony Bases sald quietly and then she offered an apologetis jassion was just


    27/10


    14 say so thing audire sur m


    11:45 Fri, Feb 23.


    ¡°Wee back, Kaleb


    B


    [e)

 Chapter 209

    ?Chapter 209 Sorcerer?


    CASSANDRA


    Ronald Adams was Kaleb''s cousin. He was two years younger than the king of Yurene and was the son of Kaleb''s father''s brother. When Ronald''s father passed away, Kaleh''s father adopted the boy and raised him alongside his son, making the two like brothers. Raven told me all of this information in a hushed tone as the two spoke in the distance. It seemed no one in the banquet hall dared to interrupt their talk. People around them maintained a certain distance and ensured they had the space and privacy for their conversation.


    I studied them from across the room. I wished I could read lips so I could gather useful information, but I couldn''t. The only thing I could surmise was that Kaleb disliked Ronald. His bodynguage, which was usually rxed and arrogant, was cold and off-put. His dark blue eyes had turned icy, and his expression was bored.


    still, the king didn''t protest when Ronald hugged him. He epted the embrace, though he appeared nonchnt about it all.


    The Northern king''s cousin was nearly as tall as him and had simrly long, brown hair, though his was darker and had less gold than Kaleb''s. Ronald''s cool blue eyes were far more eager as well, and though his smile was kind, I could sense a bit of desperation about it. It was evident he liked Kaleb more than Kaleb liked him.


    "Does the king have other brothers?" I wondered, and Raven''s expression shifted immediately. Gone was the amused look of passing gossip. She now seemed panicked and nervous.


    "Well, that''s a bit hard to exin-" she began to say, but before she could finish her sentence, Roxy cut her off.


    "Raven!" she uttered in annoyance, and her nostrils red in irritation. "That''s enough. Stop talking"


    Raven, as if knowing something was wrong, pursed her full lips immediately and quit speaking. Meanwhile, Roxy stared at me with her cold eyes. Though she was nearly identical to Raven, I was unnerved by the differences between the two. Raven was so kind and bubbly, but her sister was mean and calcted. Even her dress, a slinky swath of ck velvet, was much more severe and revealing. I turned away from the sisters and looked around the hall. Strange, exotic music had started to y, and some of the werewolves had begun to dance. Their bodies moved and swayed against one another in such an indulgent, sensual way that it could almost be argued that it wasn''t dancing at all.


    A few of the tall, male wolves started to approach us with eerily lustful smiles on their faces, but before they could get too close to us, Roxy shot them a death stare and Raven''s scarlet lips curled into a snarl. I was taken aback by the suddenly feral behavior, but when they backed down, I couldn''t protest much.


    "Those ugly dogs never learned their lessons," Ravenined.


    "They''re neers who haven''t learned any lessons," Roxy countered, her voice full of contempt. Her sister simply shrugged at the remark and then turned to me as if she''d remembered something


    "Can you tell that Roxy has a crush on Kaleb?" Raven whispered in my ear.


    "What?" I blurted out, and when I nced over at her sister, I watched Roxy frown. It was clear that Raven wasn''t used to whispering and had asked her questions a little too loudly. Roxy had heard what she said and looked vexed by the question.


    Her cheeks reddened, and for the first time, her expression wasn''t cruel but timid.


    "Stop," she hissed at Raven. "That was back when I was a child. Why do you keep bringing it up?"


    Raven grimaced. "Why do you always need to pretend? We''re identical twins, sister, and I know what you''re thinking about. Your stupid loyalty to the king could only be exined as a crush"


    "That''s nonsense," Roxy hissed, and Raven chuckled.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    "You''re a wimp," she teased, and Roxy''s hands curled into fists at her sides.


    "At least I know what to do with my life," she countered. "Unlike you, who''s utterly ipetent but too afraid to admit it." Raven seemed hurt by the remark, and her lower lip trembled. "It isn''t my fault that the research hasn''t made any progress. I don''t know why you need to be so harsh, Roxy, since you know how difficult it all is. Besitles, it''s a waste of time to stay cooped up in theb."


    Research?


    Lab?


    What were they talking about?


    What kind of research made Raven so desperate? It was clear that whatever the sisters were talking about, Raven was passionate about it. I tried to study her face and waited for her to speak more on the subject, but the conversation concluded before I could learn more.


    Just as the talking ceased, Ronald and Kaleb approached. The king of Yurene''s cousin appeared much softer than he was, and when he smiled at me, the gesture seemed genuinely warm.


    "Ronald, this is Cassandra Keller," Kaleb introduced us, and then, much to my surprise, Ronald lifted my hand and ced a gentle kiss on it.


    "A pleasure to meet you," he said in a smooth, silky voice. "It''s an honor to have a marvelousdy here in Yurene. Would you do me the pleasure of dancing with me?"


    Before I could answer, Kaleb spoke up again.


    "I think it would be more proper if I danced with Miss Keller first," he insisted, and before another word could be said, he took my hand and led me to the dance floor.


    My heart pounded in my chest in anticipation, but before I could panic too much, we began to dance. Thankfully, our dance was more Southern than Northern, so there wasn''t anything unsavory about it. Kaleb remained silent, and I couldn''t tell what he was thinking, but he was conducting himself like a gentleman.


    Once the dance concluded, there was apuse, and Ronald was one of the ppers. He seemedpletely enthusiastic about our dance, and when we returned to where we''d left him, he gushed about us.


    "That was the most beautiful dance I''ve ever seen," he remarked, and then he procured a soft pink rose from behind him and held it out to me. "I would be grateful if you would honor me with a dance next, Miss Keller."


    I nced at Kaleb, who made noments and had an expressionless face. I''d half-expected him to deny his cousin the request outright, but to my surprise, he didn''t speak a word about it. Though I didn''t want to do any of this and wished I could go back to Erika and Finnick, I couldn''t find any reason to decline, so I nodded and took the rose from his hand.


    The moment I touched the beautiful, pale pink flower, its petals fully bloomed. I widened my eyes inplete and utter surprise and stared at Ronald in disbelief.


    Magic!


    The rose had been magic?


    "How did that happen?" Tasked in shock.


    Ronald shed me a warm, pearly white smile. "It was your beauty that made the rose bloom."


    While the line was smooth and kind, I knew it was total nonsense.


    Was it an act of sorcery?


    Was Ronald, the king of Yurene''s kind and handsome cousin, a sorcerer?

 Chapter 210

    CASSANDRA.


    | stood there in shock for a moment.pletely taken aback by Ronald¡¯s sudden disy of sorcery. The rose was incredibly


    beautiful and its petals were the most perfect shade of pink I¡¯d ever seen, but | was so surprised by its sudden blooming that |


    didn¡¯t know how to react.


    The crowd around us suddenly erupted intoughter and apuse. Heat spread to my cheeks as | jumped, startled by the


    sudden raucous, and as | nced around the banquet hall. | realized that every set of eyes was on me.


    My hands began to shake as the court members of Yurene began toment on the show of magic. | heard a few utter


    compliments while others mentioned the gesture was romantic


    | held the rose in my hand tentatively and tried to examine it closely. It looked so real, and yet. | had doubts in my mind.


    How could Ronald use sorcery: Raven had mentioned that he was Kaleb¡¯s younger cousin. So, how could he be a sorcerer?


    Amidst the murmurs and chatter around me, | heard Raven grumbling behind me.


    ¡°He¡¯s so pretentious, the dark-haired beauty remarked, her deep red lips a thin, pursed line as her bluish-green eyes remained


    locked on Ronald. ¡°Can you believe this?¡±


    | wanted to talk to her about this, ask questions, and demand an exnation. However, as | prepared to turn around to face her,


    Ronald spoke up.


    ¡°If you do not wish to dance, Miss Cassandra, perhaps you would apany me on a walk outside!¡± he suggested in an


    effortlessly charming voice. ¡°I have something else yo show you.


    The moment the idea left his lips, he turned to look at Kaleb, as if he sought approval for spending time with me.


    | nced at the king of Yurene, and when | did, | met his gaze, but his navy blue eyes were difficult to read. He said nothing. but |


    assumed by his expression that he had granted me some sort of silent permission. | hated the feeling that | could do nothing


    without the Northern king¡¯s approval, but | knew very well that | was a hostage, not a guest.


    | turned back to Ronald and gave him a polite nod. His lips curled into a contented smile, and then he held out his arm to me. |


    epted it and after | took a short breath, the tall man escorted me out of the crowded ballroom.


    | had no idea what he was about to show me, but at the very least, | was relieved to be away from the Yurenian dancers and


    their lustful gazes.


    Ronald led me outside, and much to my surprise, he led me down a different route than I¡¯d taken when I''d arrived earlier at the


    banquet hall. | shivered a little as the night breeze danced around me and silently cursed at Kaleb for sending me such a


    revealing dress.


    Soon, we found ourselves in front of a greenhouse. It wasn¡¯t arge space by any means, but it was still a nier one nheless.


    | had never expected a greenhouse in this bleak fortress


    Pale blue moonlight glinted off of the thick ss walls, but it wasn¡¯t bright enough to illuminate the space. Darkness cloaked the


    interior until suddenly, Ronald flicked his wrist, and somehow conjured light.


    The moment the greenhouse was lit, | noticed the expanse of lush, fragrant flowers around us. | nced around, impressed by at


    all | supposed no one would dislike flowers. Personally, | found them lovely and soothing, though to be honest, | didn¡¯t fam y


    them partu rly.


    | had heard from my father that my toother used to love flowers, which was why we had a rtivelyrge garden in the hour of


    Fein. Roses of all colors and varienes, violets, lilies, we had them all. ording to Father, Mother had been good at


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    11:45 Fri, Feb 23.


    nurturing them.


    1, however, had no talent for keeping nts alive, though Ector was rather gifted. He loved being in the dirt. tending to the


    flowers, carefully preening them with an expert Touch While 1 had desired to be a warrior. Ector had always carried a dream to


    be a gardener


    But it was an impossible dream for a high-rank werewolf. Our social standing wouldn''t allow for Ector to pursue his wants. so he


    never told our father.


    As | thought of my dear, kind brother, my heart ached a bit. If only he could see these beautiful, exotic blooms now.


    ¡°| love flowers, Ronald remarked, interrupting the heavy silence. His soft blue eyes twinkled in the light in his hands and he


    smiled at me warmly ¡°I love nting. It¡¯s the only honest thing in the world, you know?¡±


    | followed him wordlessly through the greenhouse as he spoke. Many of the flowers around us were only half-blossomed. but


    they were still beautiful.


    ¡°Flowers never lie, Ronald remarked strangely. They will only blossom under proper care, die if not treated wisely.¡±


    Before | could speak, the king¡¯s cousin turned to face me.


    ¡°| heard from Kaleb that you¡¯re from Wega,¡± he remarked in his heavily ented voice. ¡°It must be quite warm in the South


    now.¡±


    | nodded. ¡°Yes,¡±


    As the thought of my homnd reached me, | felt a wave of sadness run through me. Wega. What was happening there now?


    Was Becky okay? Marley? How was the cureing along?


    And Asher.. my sweet Asher.


    How was he?


    Had he received my note? Was he looking for me?


    My brain began to spin out as | considered these possibilities. As much as | was epting of my circumstances, all | wanted was


    to be back home with my beloved. Instead, | was in this foreignnd, cornered by a man | didn¡¯t know who clearly had something


    on his mind.


    | fought the urge to sigh and forced the lump in my throat down


    Ronald didn¡¯t seem to notice my mncholic disposition and smiled again. ¡°Why did Kaleb bring you here, Cass andra?¡±


    So, that was the reason he wanted to walk with me.


    He sought intel about the new guest in the castle.


    | began to stroll through the greenhouse and observed some of the flowers. | took a moment to use over what to say and then


    spoke.


    ¡°| would think your cousin would have told you why I¡¯m here. | remarked vaguely as | stared at a pale purple flower.


    The king¡¯s cousin chuckled. ¡°Yes, Kaleb did say something, but my cousin¡¯s exnation was vague. As your answers are, Ma


    Cas sandra So, | gured | would just ask you myself


    He took a stepertoser to me, and the moment he did, the scent of its cologne reached my nose. Just like the flowers, there


    acarthuness to his sent,n there was something, elevated about it something unique that | couldn¡¯t ce.


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    The Northern royal¡¯s handsome but strange face studied me with an amused expression. His soft blue eyes trailed over me with


    an eagerness that sent a chill through me, and as he awaited my answer. | knew there was something more here. something he


    wasn¡¯t saying. | knew he wanted to know more about me.


    | just didn¡¯t know if | could trust him with the truth.


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 Chapter 211

    CASSANDRA


    As Ronald continued to study me. | knew | had toe up with an answer to his question quickly, so without skipping a beat, |


    shed him a kind smile and then offered a polite exnation.


    ¡°The king simply told me that he was in need of a healer, | said. ¡°So he invited me toe back with him to Yurene¡±


    Ronald raised a dark eyebrow in surprise and tilted his head slightly, a typical gesture in this pce, from what I¡¯d gathered


    ¡°And you agreed, just like that?¡± he wondered.


    | nodded right away to keep any suspicions at bay. My answers were lies, but what else could | say? | figured that Ronald was


    probably a well-respected figure here in Viokwell, but | knew there was likely something tricky between him and Kaleb. As much


    as | wanted to get some useful information from Ronald needed to ensure | was safe before going any further.


    So, until | could figure out this strange but polite man¡¯s intentions, | needed to remain vague and guarded.


    Ronald didn¡¯t seem to believe me and studied me for a little while longer before releasing a light sigh. Before | could offer


    something more, he walked over to a bench nearby and rooted through a metal toolbox that sat in the middle. He retrieved a pair


    of secateurs and turned back to me


    ¡°Which color do you like the most?¡± he asked me, and when | frowned at him in confusion, he gestured at the nts. ¡°The


    flowers. Which color do you like the best?¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± | remarked, and then | nced around at the variety of blooms around us. | noticed a small section of ivory roses. Their


    petals were a perfect shade, cream with a faint hint of pink, and they were very beautiful. | pointed to them. ¡°I like


    those ones there.¡±


    Ronald nodded and then approached the bush. He used the pruning shears to cut off a few of the flowers and then carefully


    trimmed the thorns from their stems before handing them to me:


    ¡°Thank you,¡± | said as | epted the flowers, and | held them up to my nose and inhaled deeply. Though this was all very


    strange and at least a little awkward, the roses smelled wonderful, and it was a kind thing for him to do.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he remarked, and his soft blue eyes stared into mine intensely. ¡°I can see why Kaleb is interested in you. You''re


    very kind¡±


    Heat spread to my cheeks as embarrassment swept over me. | understood that people would easily assume that Kaleb would


    have a crush or infatuation with me and that those feelings would be a reasonable cause for him to bring me here. But it couldn¡¯t


    be further from the truth


    ¡°Dit ista¡¯t ike that, | muttered before | could stop myself. ¡°Between us, | mean.¡±C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Is that sor Ronald asked, and his lips curled into a smile. ¡°Interesting | had thought Kaleb changed He¡¯s never brought a female


    back to Viok well with him | supposed that he felt something for you.¡±


    ¡°| understant, but you¡¯re mistaken, | replied shonly, and then forced myself to smile The king has no feelings for me Between us. |


    think he probably overestimated my medal abilities, but i couldn¡¯t deny his offer | was tired of living in Wega and the fluought of


    traveling somewhere new sounded lovely | was ready to move on and try something new. So, |


    watty faithu back here to Yurene, and here | am


    It was get le had one wided to leave Wega and had anotherte hadice |


    moment wed starved but now that | was gone, all


    wame was toman Bengage in a torvigund wat al and couldnt stop dunking of Aster


    1-2


    11:45 Fri, Feb 23 E


    912


    Ronaldughed lightly and then smirked. ¡°I know what you mean. Change can always be refreshing Besides. | know m cousin


    well. He has always been a domineering person, and I¡¯m sure it was difficult to decline his offer. But now that he¡¯s returned. I''ve


    noticed something different about him. | suspected that he liked you.¡±


    ¡°Something different?¡± | wondered, and | frowned in confusion


    Ronald nodded and then nced at the roses


    ¡°Did you know that roses are the symbol of love and passion?¡± he asked, and then he continued before | could answer. These


    are two things that Viokwell iscking. My cousin as well. But when you two were dancing in the banquet hall. swore | saw a


    trace of love and passion in his eyes¡±


    My heart skipped a beat.


    ¡°It''s probably just another misunderstanding | tried to assure him. ¡°He was just being a decent gentleman-


    ¡°A decent gentleman!¡± Ronald repeated back, amused and then he shook his head. Now that is something my dear cousin is not.


    It''s not in his nature to be decent. In fact, he¡¯s quite the opposite, though I''ll admit that he¡¯s made some efforts to be a nicer


    person in the past few years.¡±


    He approached me slowly, and then reached out and touched the flowers in my hands. Moments after he did, the roses fully


    blossomed My lips parted in surprise at this second disy of magic and Ronald smiled at me.


    ¡°You must be wondering why | possess this ability?¡± he guessed, and when | nodded, he smiled. ¡°My mother was a sorceress


    Since | have half of her blood. | inherited her magical skills. They¡¯re the reason | survived


    What do you mean!¡± | asked, baffled by the hidden meaning behind his words. Was he referring to the war? The one between


    Dark Abyss and Yurene?


    Ronald seemed to read my mind and shook his head. ¡°It wasn¡¯t about the war, if that¡¯s what you''re wondering. It was something


    worse than that awful war, if you can believe that, and not to mention, far more brutal. It¡¯s a tradition of Yurene. one | don¡¯t


    particrly care for.


    My frown deepened.


    | was tired of these vague statements. | wasn¡¯t sure if Ronald was being obtuse on purpose or not, but given that | was speaking


    to a total stranger, | was feeling a touch frustrated. | was tired of being left in the dark and having to guess what every statement


    meant.


    But then again, since | knew so little about Yurene and its royal traditions, | needed to y along and probe further. | needed to


    know what I was dealing with here.


    So | let out a soft breath and then spoke.¡±And what tradition is that?¡±


    you


    know


    Ronald smiled at me and ran a hand through his long brown hair. ¡°I''ll make you a deal, Cass andra. | can see that very little


    about Yurene. | suppose that without my cousin¡¯s permission, no one would dare to tell you much about this ce. Except for


    me. | would love to tell you more about Yurene and its king. But in return, | want you to tell me the real reason why Kaleb brought


    you here.¡±


    0

 Chapter 212

    KALEB


    | stood in front of the window in my study and stared out at the wall that surrounded the castle. The afternoon sky was cloudy, but


    the brightness of the snow on the surrounding mountains illuminated everything. I''d missed the sight of snow during my stay in


    Anemond, but now that | was back in Yurene. | found myself missing the greenness of Wega.


    Behind me, Roxy and Anubis were seated in white leather chairs, waiting patiently for me to speak. Anubis had juste back


    from his investigative journey with disheartening news- there was no connection between the ne and the Felix family. Even


    if there had been, there was no proof, since all of them were now gone. Since the Felixes were a warrior n, the family didn¡¯t


    usually purchase omaments or essories. Such a delicate piece of jewelry didn¡¯t seem like it would belong to such a family.


    It was terrible news, but it wasn¡¯t what concerned me the most. | had other things on my mind that circled within me like a


    storm.


    ¡°So, can anyone give me a reason why Ronald is here?¡± | wondered, irritation seeping into my tone. My cousin had no reason to


    be back in Yurene. He was supposed to be in another small country not too far from ours, negotiating some kind of cooperation


    between ournds. Truth be told, | couldn¡¯t remember the name of thend, nor was the negotiation


    necessary.


    But Ronald needed to be away on some sort of endeavor. It was important for him to be out of the way.


    He wasn¡¯t meant to return for another month.


    So, why was he back?


    ¡°| hadn¡¯t heard any reports of his returning, so it must have been a sudden decision,¡± Roxy offered, her dark eyebrows knitted


    together.


    ¡°He must have gotten information from someone,¡± Anubis chimed in. ¡°He must have known that you had brought someone from


    Wega back to Yurene="Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°But how?¡± Roxy questioned,


    ¡°It must have been one of the diplomats,¡± he replied to her quickly, and then his serious gaze fell upon me. ¡°I told you they were


    not trustworthy. They should be executed for their insolence.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s absurd!¡± Roxy blurted out, and her nostrils red in irritation as she shook her head. ¡°Just imagine how much scrutiny


    Kaleb would face if he made such a decision. Yurene can¡¯t operate with such ruthlessness anymore. We cannot just kill on a


    whim-¡±


    ¡°And what would a young girl like you know about politics?¡± Anubis snorted, and he rolled his eyes. ¡°Brutality is necessary if you


    want to seed. Yurene wouldn''t be the country it is today without it-¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± | interrupted their argument, and my head began to pound. ¡°Have the guards we stationed around him reported


    anything? Are things operating ording to n?¡±


    ¡°They haven''t reported anything, but they¡¯re in position,¡± Anubis confirmed.


    | nodded. Ronald had been making obvious moves over the past few years. Aside from the pointless endeavors he made in


    trying to look for alliances with tiny counties, he had built his farne among the civilians through his faux gentleness. Though he


    was kind and polite, | knew he had ulterior motives.


    But | had never expected him to be a great threat.


    11:45 Fri, Feb 23


    Since when had my cousin be an obstacle?


    91%


    Perhaps it had all begun on that first day that my father decided to show mercy to Ronald after he brutally killed his brother. Of


    course, it wasn¡¯t truly mercy... the only reason my father had Jet Ronald live was because he had that sorceress¡¯ blood. His


    precious ability to use sorcery was something that couldn¡¯t be wasted.


    But now, my cousin had be a ticking time bomb, one that could explode the entire country if left unchecked.


    1 exhaled heavily and nced back at Anubis and Roxy, ¡°You may leave now.¡±


    Anubis rose from his seat immediately, but Roxy hesitated.


    ¡°| have something | need to ask,¡± she stated. ¡°Why did you bring that woman back from Wega? She appears to be quite


    useless, but she could be a threat if she¡¯s on the same side as Ronald.¡±


    ¡°Ca ssandra isn¡¯t useless,¡± | assured her, and | crossed my arms against my chest. ¡°In fact, she¡¯s quite the opposite.¡±


    ¡°How Roxy countered, and her bluish-green eyes narrowed.


    1 can¡¯t exin it now.¡± | said, and | nced at the door. The fewer people who know, the better.¡±


    ¡°So, why can Anubis know?¡± she wondered, and she offered him a venomous re. ¡°Do you not trust me?¡±


    As a frown painted my expression. Anubis chuckled at her.


    IMCIS


    ¡°| smell a touch of jealousy.¡± he remarked, and then he patted Roxy¡¯s shoulder condescendingly and smirked at her. ¡°Are you


    jealous of the healer?¡±


    Roxy smacked his hand away from her and practically snarled at him. The intensity of her gaze was enough to make Anubis


    back off, but his cruel smile remained.


    ¡°| just don¡¯t understand why someone so weak and incapable is here, she remarked.


    ¡°It''s not for you to understand,¡± | stated coldly. ¡°Might | remind you of your responsibilities, Roxy? Those should be your concern


    and nothing more.¡±


    Roxy pursed her lips and clenched her fists at her side. She red at Anubis but didn¡¯t say anything more.


    Anubis, however, continued to taunt her.


    ¡°Now, now, Roxy, let me assure you that there¡¯s nothing between Kaleb and the healer,¡± he said, and then he shrugged. ¡°At least


    not yet. So there¡¯s nothing for you to worry your pretty little head about.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what | meant,¡± Roxy muttered as her cheeks flushed scarlet. Her lovely eyes fell to the ground, and she turned away


    from him.


    Anubisughed shortly. He seemed to be taking amusement from toying with her so much. | was about to put an end to it when


    suddenly, he turned to face me.


    ¡°Speaking of that, though, are you sure that you won¡¯t consider marrying someone and producing an heir,¡± he asked as he


    crossed his arms. ¡°Ronald''s wedding is scheduled for next month, and if he were to have an heir, he would surely garner more


    support from the people. But if you were to marry Cas sandra, you could have an heir even faster. The girl is certainly capable of


    the task, seeing as she¡¯s already had a child of her own. I¡¯m sure the whole thing would be elfortless.¡±


    | gave him a sharp re and narrowed my eyes fiercely as a snarl formed in my chest.


    ¡°Remember your ce,¡± | uttered, and Anubis¡¯ smile left his pointed face. He held his hands up as if in surrender.

 Chapter 213

    CASSANDRA


    Given my experience with Kaleb and his intensity, I¡¯d half-expected Ronald to force me into an answer before letting me leave


    the greenhouse.


    But much to my surprise, after he¡¯d made his statement, he offered me a smile and a small, polite bow.


    ¡°You have plenty of time to consider my offer,¡± he said, his kind blue eyes earnest as they stared into mine.


    | was relieved that | wasn¡¯t being forced right away, but in the back of my mind, | knew | would have to face this againter. He


    didn¡¯t say when he¡¯d ask again for my answer, and instead, asked me some questions about Wega. They were small


    questions about Southern culture and how itpared to the cold North of Yurene. Had it not been for the deal he¡¯d proposed, it


    would have been afortable chat between new acquaintances.


    When we finally left the greenhouse, the party had nearlye to an end. | searched the expansive banquet hall, but | couldn¡¯t


    find Roxy, Raven, or Kaleb, Guests were leaving all around us, and | was honestly relieved that it was over. | wasn¡¯t looking


    forward to rejoining the party and potentially being made a spectacle again. The dance with Kaleb had been more than enough.


    Anything else and | may have died from embarrassment.


    Despite my relief. Ronald seemed disappointed by the emptying room.


    ¡°I''m sorry for taking you away for so long.¡± he apologized to me sincerely. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to rob you of your.evening.


    It''s alright. | assured him. ¡°I enjoyed speaking with you.¡±


    He seemed relieved by this answer and nced at the door.


    ¡°May | escort you to your room?¡± he asked politely. ¡°It¡¯s the least | could do.¡±C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    With Kaleb gone, | had no one else to lead me back, and though some alone time sounded nice, | had no reason to decline. So, |


    nodded in agreement, and the king¡¯s cousin offered me his arm. | didn¡¯t want to ept, but the shoes Kaleb had forced me into


    wearing had impossibly high heels, so | could use all of the assistance 1 could get.


    He helped me keep steady as we left the banquet hall and covered my bare shoulders with his suit jacket once we got outside. |


    was appreciative of the gesture since Yurene was so much colder than Wega. Kaleb certainly hadn¡¯t been considerate when


    he¡¯d chosen such a revealing and ridiculous dress for me. | couldn¡¯t wait to slip intofier clothing and take my hair down.


    Though my updo had been pretty, my scalp had started to ache from the weight of my heavy hair.


    Finnick and Erika were waiting for me at the door, and once Finnick caught sight of me, he ran into my arms.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± he eximed, and when | felt Ronald¡¯s gaze upon me, | turned to face him. The king¡¯s cousin had a confused look on


    his face.


    ¡°Ronald, this is my son, Finnick,¡± | exined, and his expression softened but remained surprised.


    ¡°| didn¡¯t know you were married,¡± he remarked.


    ¡°| was,¡± | said as Finnick loosened his grip around me. ¡°It¡¯s a long story though. | would prefer not to talk about it.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Ronald said with a smile. ¡°| understandpletely. | know there are plenty ofplicated marriages, but | still


    believe that they bring something wonderful into one¡¯s life regardless of their oues.¡±


    He then waved at Finnick ¡°Hello there, Finnick My name is Ronald. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Hello!¡± Finnick spoke up kindly, his gray eyes regarding Ronald with curiosity. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you as well¡±


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    ¡°If there¡¯s an opportunity for it, | would love to have you meet my fiancee, Helene,¡± Ronald addressed me, and his blue eyes


    glinted. ¡°She loves children and would surely be a great friend to Finnick.¡±


    Fiancee


    | was surprised by this. | didn¡¯t expect Ronald to be engaged, as he had appeared to be rather flirtatious at the party, but then


    again, that was normal for most werewolves. Especially those from prestigious families. Oftentimes, marriages were


    consummated for mutual benefits rather than love.


    ¡°That would be lovely,¡± | said. ¡°I would love to meet her.¡±


    Ronald said goodnight to us soon after, and once he left, | closed the door, and Erika let out a sigh. She¡¯d been silent for the


    duration of Ronald''s visit, but now that we were alone, she rushed to my side.


    ¡°Oh Ca ssandra,¡± she uttered, and she swept me into a hug. ¡°I was so worried about you. Who was that man?¡±


    ¡°Kaleb¡¯s cousin,¡± | exined, and then | gave her a brief recount of the night. Once | was finished, the maid seemed cautious.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem to be a simple man,¡± she said. ¡°I think you need to proceed carefully and watch out for him.¡±


    | nodded in agreement. Ronald obviously wanted to use me to know more about Kaleb and | didn¡¯t know if it was wise to


    coborate with him. If Ronald could rein in Kaleb¡¯s power, he could be a useful ally, but it was too early to know how things.


    would work out.


    Ronald had been right in his assessment. Without Kaleb¡¯s permission, | was quite literally grounded. No one was able to tell me


    anything more than a few pieces of unimportant anecdotes about Yurene.


    For the next few days, Kaleb seemed to forget about my existence. | thought he would inquire about what Ronald had said to me


    in the greenhouse, but his absence told me he didn¡¯t seem too worried about our conversations.


    | spent most of my time in the room with Finnick and Erika. Food was sent directly to our room by Ms. Benn. Small walks


    very limited. were permitted only with the apaniment of guards, and the space | could walk in the castle was Unsurprisingly,


    | wasn¡¯t allowed to go to the greenhouse again, as the guards informed me that the space belonged to Lord Ronald.


    Surprisingly, Ronald didn¡¯t pay me another visit after his proposal, and | began to wonder if he had forgotten about it or decided it


    wasn¡¯t worth it.


    | started to think everyone had forgotten about me.


    But that wasn''t the case.


    The day after the party, our belongings had been collected and sent out somewhere for an ¡°inspection. ording to the guards,


    my clothes, books, and everything else I¡¯d brought from Anemond needed to be checked. | wasn¡¯t told what they were looking for


    exactly, and although they told me everything would be sent back after their investigation, it was a great insult to us.


    Erika had protested against it, but it was no use. The guards didn¡¯t give her a second nce when she tried to stop them. They


    were well-trained and had impressive poker faces. It was as if we didn¡¯t matter or exist to them. They didn¡¯t care about us. They


    were just there to carry out their duties.


    As strange as it was, | didn¡¯t fight them and simply allowed it to happen.


    My belongings would be returned to me on what would be my fifth day in Viokwell.


    | wasn¡¯t sure what would happen when they came back.


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 Chapter 214

    KALEB


    ¡°So, you''re saying that she had been the wife of the king of Wega and the wife of Emmett Keller?¡± Raven uttered with a look of


    shock on her face after Anubis briefly told her the story. And then she just went back to the king after Emmett died, only she had


    assumed a new identity? That sounds... unrealistic!¡±


    | rolled my eyes but then forced myself to conduct myself with more decorum. Raven hadn¡¯t met Emmett Keller in person. When


    Emmett was alive and visiting Yurene, Raven and Roxy had been too young. But the twins, along with everyone else in Yurene,


    knew all about the great sorcerer who was capable of impressive magic and then disappeared like a ghost,


    Before | could offer ament, Raven spoke again.


    ¡°Do you believe that Cas sandra is the key to Emmett¡¯s great sorcery?¡± she wondered, and when | offered the smallest of nods,


    she nodded too. ¡°That¡¯s possibly true, but there¡¯s also a chance that Emmett just ruined all of his inventions before his death and


    hadn''t kept any trace of his research or information.


    ¡°| don¡¯t think that¡¯s true,¡± | remarked. ¡°Just before Emmett died, he didn¡¯t have time to deal with anything back in Wild Crawler.


    So, the talisman must have been back there.


    Raven nodded thoughifully.


    ¡°Is there a possibility that Emmett used a certain spell to keep the talisman from being found?¡± | ask moment to think about it and


    then shook her head firmly.


    her. Raven took a


    ¡°No¡± she said. ¡°If something contained magical power, it would be sensed, as it would surely emanate a certain amount of


    energy. But none of Ca ssandra¡¯s things emit any power. We would have been able to discover it immediately¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you haven¡¯t just missed it?¡± Anubis demanded.


    Raven seemed irked by his angry tone and red at him with ferocity. Her nostrils red and her posture shifted from rxed to


    defensive. ¡°How dare you challenge me? You''re nothing more than a low-rank sorcerer-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± | said, and before the two could get into a quarrel, | stepped between them. My head began to ache and | found


    myself glowering at Anubis. Though she was so young, Raven was the best sorceress in the whole of Yurene. If she said that the


    ne and the rest of Ca ssandra¡¯s belongings didn¡¯t have any traces of magic, | didn¡¯t doubt her. She would be able to sense


    the energy an object like that would emit.


    ¡°Do you have any other ideas?¡± | asked Raven. She considered the question for a moment and then seemed to have a


    realization.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she answered softly. ¡°An idea urred to me just now but I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s possible.¡±


    ¡°Tell me.¡± | insisted calmly, though | was eager to hear her theories. She tended to ramble, but she was incredibly smart. Her


    theories weren''t anything to brush off, and if she could find an answer when | couldn''t, | would be ted..


    ¡°Normally, a sorcerer needs a talisman to perform powerful magic,¡± she exined. ¡°But the talisman isn¡¯t necessarily a.... thing.¡±


    | frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Raven tucked a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. ¡°What | mean is that it could also be a person.¡±


    1 froze in ce for a moment as | tried to make sense of what she was suggesting. Did she mean Cas sandra? Was the


    beautiful, mysterious healer from Wega more than just that?


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    Did Emmett Keller use Cas s andra as his talisman?


    When | asked Raven just that, she lifted an eyebrow and nced at the ground. ¡°It¡¯s possible. Using a person to be a talisman


    would give a sorcerer more power than say gold or silver. But | highly doubt it because it sounds far too brutal. You see, a


    talisman can be permanently damaged by powerful magic. Sorcery usually takes a terrible toll. So if a sorcerer used a person as


    a talisman.¡±


    Her voice trailed off and she inhaled deeply. Her statement hung in the air and | didn¡¯t quite know how to react.


    Would Emmett do that to Cas sandra?


    | wasn¡¯t sure. | didn¡¯t know theplexities of their rtionship. Would he use her in that kind of way? He didn¡¯t seem like a


    cruel, maniptive man, but then again, surely there were things | didn¡¯t know about him.


    ¡°You''ve been in close proximity to her, Raven,¡± | noted in confusion.¡± | saw you hug her in the banquet hall the night of the party.


    If the talisman is indeed Cas sandra herself, they why couldn¡¯t you sense the energy emanating from her?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s another problem, the young sorceress remarked, and she crossed her arms against her chest. ¡°There¡¯s no telling where it


    could be. The magic power can be sealed inside a person¡¯s body. It could be a leg, an arm, or even half of the body. But there¡¯s a


    cost in being a talisman. It would require a major sacrifice in return..¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°A sacrifice? | repeated back. ¡°What kind of sacrifice?¡±


    ¡°The greater the power, the greater the sacrifice would be,¡± Raven continued without looking at him. ¡°That''s why | said it would


    be brutal. Anyway this is all just an assumption, and likely a false one, since Cas sandra seemsplete. If she were a talisman,


    something would be amiss. The magic would take its toll in some kind of way¡±


    Anubis suddenly cleared his throat, and when | nced over at him, he had a strange look on his face.


    ¡°Maybe she isn¡¯t asplete as we think,¡± he suggested, and then he tilted his head to the side slightly. ¡°When | was


    investigating the Wild Crawler Pack, | had heard something about Cas sandra. It was mentioned that she seemed unable to shift.


    People believed she was born with the inability. But if she had been Cora Felix, it¡¯s impossible that she was born that way. It


    would be aplete anomaly for a member of such a high-ranking family, and she wouldn¡¯t have been matched with Asher


    Collins.¡±


    ¡°So what are you suggesting?¡± | wondered, and | felt the res of my headache sp ik e again. This was a lot to make sense of


    and | was irritated that | hadn¡¯t known enough about talismans to have this idea sooner.


    ¡°Ifa sacrifice is indeed necessary to be a living talisman, then | think that Cas sandra sacrificed her wolf,¡± Anubis stated


    clearly. ¡°Or Emmett Keller made her sacrifice it


    The idea was a powerful one. | had no idea that Ca sandra was unable to shift into her wolf form. Though I''d done a great deal of


    investigating the healer, it had never been brought to my attention that she was unable to make the change.


    This changed everything.


    If Cas sandra was indeed the talisman we''d been searching for...


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, things would be difficult,¡± Raven interrupted my thoughts, and when | turned to face her, | detected a solemn


    expression on her pretty face. ¡°For talismans who lost their limbs, their magic power would be reactivated by cutting their


    wounds. But if its the wolf spirit... They would need to provoke it properly.¡±


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    Fl, FED 29

 Chapter 215

    Chapter 214 KALEB ¡°So, you''re saying that she had been the wife of the king of Wega and the wife of Emmett Keller?¡± Raven


    uttered with a look of shock on her face after Anubis briefly told her the story. And then she just went back to the king after


    Emmett died, only she had assumed a new identity? That sounds... unrealistic!¡± | rolled my eyes but then forced myself to


    conduct myself with more decorum. Raven hadn¡¯t met Emmett Keller in person. When Emmett was alive and visiting Yurene,


    Raven and Roxy had been too young. But the twins, along with everyone else in Yurene, knew all about the great sorcerer who


    was capable of impressive magic and then disappeared like a ghost, Before | could offer ament, Raven spoke again. ¡°Do


    you believe that Cas sandra is the key to Emmett¡¯s great sorcery?¡± she wondered, and when | offered the smallest of nods, she


    nodded too. ¡°That¡¯s possibly true, but there¡¯s also a chance that Emmett just ruined all of his inventions before his death and


    hadn''t kept any trace of his research or information. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s true,¡± | remarked. ¡°Just before Emmett died, he didn¡¯t


    have time to deal with anything back in Wild Crawler. So, the talisman must have been back there. Raven nodded thoughtfully.


    ¡°Is there a possibility that Emmett used a certain spell to keep the talisman from being found?¡± | ask moment to think about it and


    then shook her head firmly. her. Raven took a ¡°No¡± she said. ¡°If something contained magical power, it would be sensed, as it


    would surely emanate a certain amount of energy. But none of Ca ssandra¡¯s things emit any power. We would have been able to


    discover it immediately¡± ¡°Are you sure you haven''t just missed it?¡± Anubis demanded. Raven seemed irked by his angry tone and


    red at him with ferocity. Her nostrils red and her posture shifted from rxed to defensive. ¡°How dare you challenge me?


    You''re nothing more than a low-rank sorcerer-¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± | said, and before the two could get into a quarrel, | stepped


    between them. My head began to ache and | found myself glowering at Anubis. Though she was so young, Raven was the best


    sorceress in the whole of Yurene. If she said that the ne and the rest of Ca ssandra¡¯s belongings didn¡¯t have any traces of


    magic, | didn¡¯t doubt her. She would be able to sense the energy an object like that would emit. ¡°Do you have any other ideas?¡± |


    asked Raven. She considered the question for a moment and then seemed to have a realization. ¡°Yes,¡± she answered softly. ¡°An


    idea urred to me just now but I¡¯m not sure if it''s possible.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± | insisted calmly, though | was eager to hear her theories.


    She tended to ramble, but she was incredibly smart. Her theories weren¡¯t anything to brush off, and if she could find an answer


    when | couldn''t, | would be ted.. ¡°Normally, a sorcerer needs a talisman to perform powerful magic,¡± she exined. ¡°But the


    talisman isn¡¯t necessarily a.... thing.¡± | frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Raven tucked a strand of her dark hair behind her ear.


    ¡°What | mean is that it could also be a person.¡± 1 froze in ce for a moment as | tried to make sense of what she was


    suggesting. Did she mean Cas sandra? Was the beautiful, mysterious healer from Wega more than just that? 1/3 Find CRM


    For St Small Businesses 11:45 FM, FED Chapter 214 Did Emmett Keller use Cas s andra as his talisman? When | asked Raven


    just that, she lifted an eyebrow and nced at the ground. ¡°It¡¯s possible. Using a person to be a talisman would give a sorcerer


    more power than say gold or silver. But | highly doubt it because it sounds far too brutal. You see, a talisman can be permanently


    damaged by powerful magic. Sorcery usually takes a terrible toll. So if a sorcerer used a person as a talisman.¡± Her voice trailed


    off and she inhaled deeply. Her statement hung in the air and | didn¡¯t quite know how to react. Would Emmett do that to Cas


    sandra? | wasn¡¯t sure. | didn¡¯t know theplexities of their rtionship. Would he use her in that kind of way? He didn¡¯t seem


    like a cruel, maniptive man, but then again, surely there were things | didn¡¯t know about him. ¡°You''ve been in close proximity


    to her, Raven,¡± | noted in confusion.¡± | saw you hug her in the banquet hall the night of the party. If the talisman is indeed Cas


    sandra herself, they why couldn¡¯t you sense the energy emanating from her?¡± ¡°That¡¯s another problem, the young sorceress


    remarked, and she crossed her arms against her chest. ¡°There¡¯s no telling where it could be. The magic power can be sealed


    inside a person¡¯s body. It could be a leg, an arm, or even half of the body. But there¡¯s a cost in being a talisman. It would require


    a major sacrifice in return..¡± ¡°A sacrifice? | repeated back. ¡°What kind of sacrifice?¡± ¡°The greater the power, the greater the


    sacrifice would be,¡± Raven continued without looking at him. ¡°That¡¯s why | said it would be brutal. Anyway this is all just an


    assumption, and likely a false one, since Cas sandra seemsplete. If she were a talisman, something would be amiss. The


    magic would take its toll in some kind of way¡± Anubis suddenly cleared his throat, and when | nced over at him, he had a


    strange look on his face. ¡°Maybe she isn¡¯t asplete as we think,¡± he suggested, and then he tilted his head to the side slightly.


    ¡°When | was investigating the Wild Crawler Pack, | had heard something about Cas sandra. It was mentioned that she seemed


    unable to shift. People believed she was born with the inability. But if she had been Cora Felix, it''s impossible that she was born


    that way. It would be aplete anomaly for a member of such a high-ranking family, and she wouldn''t have been matched with


    Asher Collins.¡± ¡°So what are you suggesting?¡± | wondered, and | felt the res of my headache sp ik e again. This was a lot to


    make sense of and | was irritated that | hadn¡¯t known enough about talismans to have this idea sooner. ¡°If a sacrifice is indeed


    necessary to be a living talisman, then | think that Cas sandra sacrificed her wolf,¡± Anubis stated clearly. ¡°Or Emmett Keller


    made her sacrifice it The idea was a powerful one. | had no idea that Ca sandra was unable to shift into her wolf form. Though I''d


    done a great deal of investigating the healer, it had never been brought to my attention that she was unable to make the change.


    This changed everything. If Cas sandra was indeed the talisman we¡¯d been searching for... ¡°If that¡¯s the case, things would be


    difficult,¡± Raven interrupted my thoughts, and when | turned to face her, | detected a solemn expression on her pretty face. ¡°For


    talismans who lost their limbs, their magic power would be reactivated by cutting their wounds. But if its the wolf spirit... They


    would need to provoke it properly.¡± Find CRM For Small Businesses Fl, FED 29


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.

 Chapter 216

    CASSANDRA


    When Ms. Benn arrived at our room to tell me that the king of Yurene wished to see me tonight, it fel


    been seized by a sudden panic. It had been days since I''d been visited by Kaleb, and | wasn¡¯t sure what he w all of this time of


    silence.


    Ms. Benn had brought another dress, along with a pair of shoes, and a few pieces of beautiful jewelry. As | epted the garment


    bags and the jewelry boxes from the head servant, | forced down the lump in my throat.


    ¡°Is there another party?¡± | asked and she shook her head.


    ¡°No.¡± she replied curtly, her steely blue eyes impossible to read. The king wishes to meet you in private. You will be escorted to


    his chambers in a couple of hours.


    ¡°Oh.¡± | remarked, and | nodded my head politely. ¡°Did the king say anything else?¡±


    Ms. Benn, like usual, gave me a cold re and then shook her head. ¡°Be ready in a couple of hours, Miss Ca ssandra


    Without another word, she turned on her heels and left. As she disappeared down the winding hallway, my stomach twisted into


    knots, and | stared down at the garment bag in my hands. All of this finery, only for me to meet with Kaleb in his private


    chamber?


    Not only was it inappropriate, but it was strange and confusing. But seeing as | was a hostage of Yurene, | wasn¡¯t in any position


    to question the king¡¯smands.


    So, | brought the things into the room and set them carefully onto the bed. Erika walked over and gave me a soft expression.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± she asked, and her calm, warm voice made me want to burst into tears. | wasn¡¯t fine, but | had no choice other


    than to pretend otherwise.


    So, | nodded my head and gestured at the bags. ¡°Kaleb wishes to speak with me. Will you help me get ready?¡±


    My maid nodded and gently squeezed my arm. ¡°Of course | will honey.¡±


    As Finnick took a nap, Erika brushed my hair until it shone like silk. She twisted it into a soft updo, and once it was done. she


    applied my makeup and then helped me into my dress. Much to my relief, the dress was far less revealing than thest one. The


    material was a pale silver, and while it fit me like a glove, my back was covered, and the sleeves were long.


    As | stared at myself in the mirror, a torrent of questions ran through my mind. | wondered if Kaleb had found anything of interest


    in my belongings. | knew he most likely hadn¡¯t because he probably would havee straight to my room to interrogate me


    otherwise. But then again, the king of Yurene was difficult to predict and had a ir for the dramatic.


    So, what was this meeting for?


    Would he be frank and tell me what he had been looking for in the first ce?


    Had he finally realized that he had made a mistake? And if so, would he just let me go back to Anemond?


    As | thought about Asher. | wondered if Kaleb would tell me about what was happening in Wega, though | already knew the


    answer. | wouldn¡¯t be that lucky. No, tonight would likely consist of some more toying and prodding.


    Just as | finished putting on the dangling sapphire carrings, there was a knock on the door. | took a deep breath and then turned


    around.


    Much to my surprise, it wasn¡¯t Ms. Benn who came to escort me to Kaleb¡¯s chambers. It was another servant, a girl who


    18


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    11:46 Fri, Feb 23


    21% mM


    appeared to be quite young. Her red hair was nearly the same shide as Becky''s, and my heart ached a little at the thoug


    my assistant.


    ¡°Hello, Miss Cas sandra,¡± the girl announced in a thickly-ented voice. ¡°You wille with me to His Majesty¡¯s chambers.¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡± | greeted her. | was surprised at the warmth in her tone and the friendliness in her smile. ¡°What happened to Ms.


    Benn?¡±


    ¡°Her daughter is sick,¡± the girl exined. ¡°She needed to look after her this evening.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± | remarked. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize she was married?


    ¡°She isn¡¯t the servant confirmed. ¡°But she has a daughter.¡±


    The moment the words left her lips, her pale cheeks darkened and her big blue eyes fell to the ground. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. | shouldn¡¯t


    speak about Ms. Benn. Please don¡¯t tell her | told you any of that.¡±


    ¡°I won''t,¡± | assured her.


    After | said goodbye to Erika, | followed the servant into the hallway and then down the stairs. The girl led me into the main


    building and after a few turns, we walked through a dark corridon


    ¡°Is this where the king resides?¡± | asked the servant. The girl nced over at me and held a finger up to her lips.


    ¡°Please do not speak anymore, she instructed me, and then we came to a sudden stop in front of arge door. The servant


    knocked twice and then quickly disappeared back down the hallway.


    ¡°Come in!¡± Kaleb¡¯s voice called out from the other side, and after | took a quick breath, | walked into the room.


    When | walked in, | got a strong feeling that this wasn¡¯t the king¡¯s chamber at all. Though | wasn¡¯t sure how extravagantly he


    lived, the room was far too small and narrow to be Kaleb¡¯s. Apart from a twin-sized bed and dressing table near the window.


    there was only a coffee table and two chairs


    Kaleb was seated in one of the chairs, and when | entered the room, he raised his head from the book he was reading and


    beamed at me.


    ¡°Hello,¡± he greeted me. ¡°You look lovely this evening.¡±


    | was admittefly stunned for a few seconds because | hadn¡¯t seen the Northern king smile once since we''d left Wega. | had the


    sinking feeling his strangely pleasant expression wasn¡¯t a good sign. It was as if he¡¯d put on his fake mask again.


    But for what? | didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°Hello,¡± | replied politely.


    ¡°Take a seat,¡± he instructed, and he gestured at the chair on the other side of the coffee table. He seemed to notice my confusion


    right away as | sat down. ¡°This was my mother¡¯s room. After she died, | starteding here when | wanted tranquility. It¡¯s very


    quiet and peaceful here.¡±


    | nodded my head as | nced around at the white stone walls and floors. ¡°It¡¯s lovely in here¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± he remarked, and then he continued. ¡°I didn¡¯t get along well with my mother when she was alive, but | miss her greatly


    now that she¡¯s gone Tell me, how did you get along with your mother??


    ¡°I''m an orphan | stated as | tugged at one of my sleeves ¡°I don¡¯t really remember my mother or my father.¡±


    Kaleb studied me for a moment and then nodded his head thoughtfully. ¡°My apologies | didn¡¯t mean to bring up any bad.


    memories.


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    11:46 Fri, Feb 23


    Before | could respond, he leaned forward and ced his book on the table. Then, his expression shifted.


    ¡°| just want you to be frank with me,¡± he said in a chillingly calm voice. ¡°Lying will do you no good.¡±


    | frowned, taken aback by his statement. ¡°What do you mean? | was being honest.¡±


    91%


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Kaleb replied, and then he reached into his pocket and set something else on the coffee table. | nced down at it,


    and when | did, my blood froze immediately.


    It was the ne | had lost so long ago, The moonstone pendant that my mother had given to me.


    Tears instantly welled up in my eyes, and just as they spilled onto my cheeks from pure shock, Kaleb leaned forward.


    ¡°Think wisely, Cassandra,¡± he said, and then his lips curled into a cruel sneer. ¡°Or should | call you Cora?¡±


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    COMMENT

 Chapter 217

    BECKY


    It had been days since Ca ssandra had left the clinic and in the short time of her absence, the city of Anemond ha greatly.


    From where | stood in theb, | could only see the beautiful trees and flowers that grew outside the building, but | knew all too


    well that the street was empty. The entire capital was like this in the daylight now.


    The old Beta, Oliver Moses, had dered himself the King¡¯s Regent in the absence of the Alpha King. There was no word of


    Asher Collins or his whereabouts, so the ruling of the kingdom fell on his self-appointed shoulders.


    He''d imposed a curfew on the whole city, iming that some imposters were hiding within its walls. Those imposters were


    allegedly responsible for the disappearance of the king. Every single day, people were rounded up and brought to Merliscire


    Pce for questioning. Some left without issue, but some of them faced absolute punishment for their alleged crimes. They were


    questioned and used of foregoing the ¡°truth¡±, and then were hung without remorse for their alleged crimes.


    But despite these hangings, there weren¡¯t any imposters.


    | had no idea how long this purge was going tost, and as the days went by, | began to wonder if | would soon be dragged


    along the street toward the dungeon and then hung for my connection to Ca ssandra,


    My dearest friend had been convicted and condemned as a traitor. ording to the Regent, she had fled to the North to avoid


    punishment for her crimes against Wega. Though Oliver Moses usations were lies, no one dared to step forward and


    question his decision. There was too much gray area, and no one knew where the Alpha King had gone.


    Had he truly been captured by so-called imposters from the North?


    Or was he killed by the Regent himself, as | expected?


    Just as | began to drown in the violent sea of my thoughts, | heard footsteps behind me and turned around to see Di ckson


    standing in the doorway, holding a tray in his hands.


    ¡°You need to take a break,¡± he advised gently, and he gestured toward me with the tter. ¡°I brought you some hot milk and


    some sandwiches. Why don¡¯t you get some rest and eat something?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t know.¡± | started to say but Di ckson interrupted me at once.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t get something in your stomach, you''re going to copse,¡± he insisted, his eyes simultaneously warm and concerned.


    ¡°You''ll crash before you can make any progress.¡±? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    | wanted to fight against his words, but | knew there was some merit to them. | took a deep breath and then gratefully epted a


    cup of milk from the tray. Dickson tried to get me to take a sandwich, but | didn¡¯t have much of an appetite.


    ¡°I''m resting,¡± | insisted after | took a sip of the milk, and then | nodded at the window in front of me. ¡°I¡¯m enjoying the scenery of


    spring¡±


    Di ckson released a sigh and then set the tray on an empty table. That isn¡¯t resting. Becky. You need to get some real sleep.


    You''ve been awake for days.¡±


    | wish | could sleep,¡± | said quietly. ¡°But | can¡¯t.¡±


    | took another drink of the milk to satisfy Di ckson and then set it down and turned


    dback to my work.


    ¡°Can you thank Hannah on my behalf?¡± | asked him, but just as | was about to step over to my desk. Dic kson blocked my way


    and stood in front of me.


    1/3


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    ¡°Becky.¡± he uttered, and he gently touched my arm. ¡°You can¡¯t push yourself like this.¡±


    | stared into his blue eyes for a moment and then Dic kson took a step forward and pulled me into a hug


    ¡°| understand how you feel, he soothed me as he held me tight, | didn¡¯t protest his touch at all. In fact, it Warmth radiated from his


    skin and the rich smell of his woody cologne filled my nose. It was almost enough but | still couldn¡¯t rx. | was desperate to


    continue my work.


    When Dic kson came to the clinic, he brought me news from the Wild Crawler Pack. Ang, the sick mother we''d treated. had


    passed away. Many of the patients in the overcrowded clinic had died.


    This news, coupled with theck of progress in my research had rendered me frustrated and defeated.


    | had made a promise to save Ang and Marina¡¯s lives and I''d failed them.


    As the memory of their kind eyes and smiles appeared in my mind, my eyes filled with tears, and suddenly, sobs rose up from


    my chest. | began to cry so hard that Di ckson¡¯s back stiffened for a minute. He hesitated for a second before he patted me


    gently.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t your fault,¡± he assured me. ¡°None of this is. | know you''ve been ming yourself for what happened in Wild Crawler,


    but this isn¡¯t your fault. No one had expected Ang¡¯s condition to deteriorate so quickly and besides... you can¡¯t conjure a cure


    in such a short amount of time. The more you try to rush it, the harder it¡¯s going to be.¡±


    | knew what he said was true. | had tried to assure myself of the same thing, but still, every time | closed my eyes, | saw Ang


    and Marina. I''d likely never forget the helpless looks in their tired eyes


    ¡°What if | can¡¯t do it?¡± | whispered. ¡°What if | can¡¯t make the cure? I¡¯m not a sorceress, and | might never aplish what Spike


    did.¡±


    ¡°Becky, you''re incredibly intelligent, not to mention talented, Dic kson assured me, and when he pulled away, he removed his


    dark sses. ¡°You have all of the makings of an incredible healer. You can do this. It¡¯s just going to take time.¡±


    | shook my head and tucked a lock of my dark red hair behind my ear. What | needed wasn¡¯t just time. Spike¡¯s research report


    had been very informative and I''d studied it carefully... but something seemed to be wrong.


    See, for some


    reason, my analysis of the coroner¡¯s report on Ang was inconsistent and


    showed major differences from Spike¡¯s research. There were some discrepancies, and | wasn¡¯t sure what to make of them. | had


    started to wonder if something was amiss.


    For so long, | had believed Spike was right and his findings were indisputable. How could he be wrong? He was a sorcerer. after


    all, and he had been killed in cold blood because he had found the cure to the mysterious illness that was guing the country.


    Yet | couldn¡¯t help but wonder... what if Spike¡¯s report was somehow incorrect? What if he¡¯d made a mistake after all, and what


    we''d believed to be the cure wasn''t the cure at all?


    Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind, and | straightened up and looked at Di ckson. His blue eyes crinkled at the sudden


    movement, and his eyebrows creased together.


    ¡°What''s going on?¡± he asked, his tone drenched with concern. ¡°You have this strange look on your face. Are you feeling okay?¡±


    ¡°| feel fine,¡± | assured him. ¡°But | have an idea.¡±


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 Chapter 218

    ASHER


    As Ss reported on what his father had been doing in Anemond, | pursed my lips in irritation but listened without making any


    sort ofment.


    In my absence. Oliver Moses had taken the Beta¡¯s guards into the royal pce and imprisoned the Head of the King¡¯s Guard.


    The councilors who had been loyal to me, their Alpha King, had either been imprisoned or killed. Everything had been. done in


    the name of his so-called ¡°justice¡± to expose the ¡°imposters who caused the king¡¯s disappearance¡±.


    And of course, my father-inw was recruiting soldiers, using the excuse that he needed an elite army to fight for the Alpha King


    when | returned to Anemond. He was doing all in his power to make it seem as if someone else had taken me hostage to dispel


    me from himself and his family.


    When Ss finished his report, silence hung in the room, and for a long moment, neither of us spoke. | wasn¡¯t sure how to word


    what | needed to say, and my brain felt frazzled by this influx of information. | was angry. Impossibly angry. At this situation, the


    Moses family, the king of Yurene, and all of those who had orchestrated this awful takeover.


    ¡°How many soldiers does Oliver have?¡± | asked finally.


    Two thousand, perhaps.¡± Ss replied, his golden eyes somber as they stared into mine. ¡°All from different Packs. And since he


    had control over most of the councilors, he assumed control of their guards as well. But... the actual number is unsure. There


    are a few Packs that support him and others he¡¯s always been close with


    | nodded as | considered this information. It was unpredictable which side the different Packs would be on. Wega was such a


    large country that most of the Packs ruled themselves in their own way. Despite the pledges of allegiance they made to the Alpha


    King, | couldn¡¯t rely on that ancient oath when war approached.


    Many of them might not care who was the king so long as their lives continued like normal. Others might be power-hungry and


    wish to win more through the chaos. If | wanted to get their support, | would have to visit them one by one.


    But first, | needed an army, which was precisely why Ss and | were going to the Myriad tomorrow.


    ¡°Asher.¡± Ss spoke again, and after he took a breath, he sat down in the chair opposite me. ¡°Is it really better for you to remain


    here in the shadows? I¡¯ve heard rumors circting in the city that you¡¯re dead. If we let that rumor get too far, who knows what


    that could mean for your reign. You could lose your crown for good.¡±


    | gulped as a lump formed in my throat. His statements held a lot of weight, and for a moment, | was about to stagger under


    them, but | managed to steady myself.


    But before | could answer Ss, | heard footsteps, and when | turned my head, | was surprised to see my brother in the doorway.


    The light of the many candles made his golden hair gleam, and though he seemed tired, he appeared just as regal and poised as


    ever. Our current circumstances hadn''t managed to dim hisposed air.


    ¡°Staying in the shadows is the best choice for now,¡± Kane said. His violet eyes were somber but his expression was perfectly


    calm as he entered the room. ¡°Oliver is probably twelve steps ahead of you. He¡¯s likely anticipated your


    return and has nned ordingly. We don¡¯t know what he¡¯s arranged. If you suddenly appeared...you could be in even more


    danger than


    you are now


    As much as | didn¡¯t want to admit it, he had a good point. Oliver Moses had conducted this usurpation right under my nose. | had


    no idea how long he''d been nning this coup, nor did | know what else he had up his sleeve. This mess of a situation was


    unpredictable and | needed to think strategically if | wanted to make it out of this alive.


    Ss turned to Kane and was about to speak, but just as the Beta opened his mouth, my brother continued on.


    ¡°Ss, since you and Asher have such a long journey ahead of you


    tomorrow.


    morrow, you


    should


    try to get some rest,¡± he advised


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    11:46 Fri, Feb 23


    politely but firmly. ¡°This might be the best sleep you''ll be able to get in the next few days. Take advantage of having a nice bed.


    Besides, | need to have some private time with my brother. So if you don¡¯t mind...¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Ss replied dutifully, and he rose to his feet. ¡°Good night, Your Majesty.¡±


    He offered me a polite bow, and when | nodded back at him, he left the room without hesitation.


    Once he was gone, Kane sat down in Ss¡¯ seat and crossed his legs.


    ¡°What time are you leaving tomorrow, brother?¡± he wondered with a raise of a golden eyebrow,


    ¡°Around 5¡± | answered without pause, and then | rubbed my temples. A headache hard begun to stir within me, and | felt.


    exhaustion start to creep in. Ever since Cas sandra had left, | hadn¡¯t had a proper medical check, and | was feeling the effects of


    the illness much harder these days. ¡°It¡¯s the time that the guards change their shifts, It''ll give us a fighting chance.¡±


    Kane nodded thoughtfully. ¡°I''ll meet you at 5 then.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± | asked in surprise.


    I''ll be joining you.¡± he replied as if it were obvious.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    1 shook my head immediately. ¡°You don¡¯t need to, Kane. In fact, you shouldn¡¯t. You should remain here, away from the potential


    madness.¡±


    ¡°I''m not asking for your permission,¡± my brother countered. ¡°Let me remind you whose house you''re in now-¡±


    ¡°Is that a threat?¡± | cut him off, and | narrowed my eyes at him. ¡°Are you truly on my side, Kane? Because from what Ss has


    informed me, your mother, Margaret, has allied with Oliver Moses.¡±


    ¡°Are you questioning my loyalty?¡± Kane asked, and he shook his head in disbelief. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d doubt me after all of this


    time. If | wanted to betray you, Asher, | would have done it when | found you and Ss lingering around the pce after your


    return from the forest. | could have let Oliver Moses¡¯ guards know where you were. It would have been all too easy to give you


    up. But | didn¡¯t. And it would be good for you to remember that. I¡¯m not your enemy. I¡¯m your ally, and I¡¯m here to help


    Though his tone was genuine, a lingering feeling of doubt remained in the back of my mind. With how impossible and confusing


    things had beentely, it was hard to determine who was truly my ally and who was a traitor. | didn¡¯t know who trust in light of this


    awful coup


    But as Kane¡¯s violet eyes stared directly into mine, | found myself nearly convinced by his words. Yet... a thought gued me,


    one that | couldn''t cast aside.


    ¡°Are you doing this for her?¡± | wondered. ¡°Are you staying by my side because of Cas s andra?¡°


    ay


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 219

    Chapter 218 ASHER As Ss reported on what his father had been doing in Anemond, | pursed my lips in irritation but listened


    without making any sort ofment. In my absence. Oliver Moses had taken the Beta¡¯s guards into the royal pce and


    imprisoned the Head of the King¡¯s Guard. The councilors who had been loyal to me, their Alpha King, had either been imprisoned


    or killed. Everything had been. done in the name of his so-called ¡°justice¡± to expose the ¡°imposters who caused the king¡¯s


    disappearance¡±. And of course, my father-inw was recruiting soldiers, using the excuse that he needed an elite army to fight


    for the Alpha King when | returned to Anemond. He was doing all in his power to make it seem as if someone else had taken me


    hostage to dispel me from himself and his family. When Ss finished his report, silence hung in the room, and for a long


    moment, neither of us spoke. | wasn¡¯t sure how to word what | needed to say, and my brain felt frazzled by this influx of


    information. | was angry. Impossibly angry. At this situation, the Moses family, the king of Yurene, and all of those who had


    orchestrated this awful takeover. ¡°How many soldiers does Oliver have?¡± | asked finally. Two thousand, perhaps.¡± Ss replied,


    his golden eyes somber as they stared into mine. ¡°All from different Packs. And since he had control over most of the councilors,


    he assumed control of their guards as well. But... the actual number is unsure. There are a few Packs that support him and


    others he¡¯s always been close with | nodded as | considered this information. It was unpredictable which side the different Packs


    would be on. Wega was such arge country that most of the Packs ruled themselves in their own way. Despite the pledges of


    allegiance they made to the Alpha King, | couldn¡¯t rely on that ancient oath when war approached. Many of them might not care


    who was the king so long as their lives continued like normal. Others might be power-hungry and wish to win more through the


    chaos. If | wanted to get their support, | would have to visit them one by one. But first, | needed an army, which was precisely


    why Ss and | were going to the Myriad tomorrow. ¡°Asher.¡± Ss spoke again, and after he took a breath, he sat down in the


    chair opposite me. ¡°Is it really better for you to remain here in the shadows? I¡¯ve heard rumors circting in the city that you¡¯re


    dead. If we let that rumor get too far, who knows what that could mean for your reign. You could lose your crown for good.¡± |


    gulped as a lump formed in my throat. His statements held a lot of weight, and for a moment, | was about to stagger under them,


    but | managed to steady myself. But before | could answer Ss, | heard footsteps, and when | turned my head, | was surprised


    to see my brother in the doorway. The light of the many candles made his golden hair gleam, and though he seemed tired, he


    appeared just as regal and poised as ever. Our current circumstances hadn¡¯t managed to dim hisposed air. ¡°Staying in the


    shadows is the best choice for now,¡± Kane said. His violet eyes were somber but his expression was perfectly calm as he


    entered the room. ¡°Oliver is probably twelve steps ahead of you. He¡¯s likely anticipated your return and has nned ordingly.


    We don¡¯t know what he¡¯s arranged. If you suddenly appeared...you could be in even more danger than you are now As much as


    | didn¡¯t want to admit it, he had a good point. Oliver Moses had conducted this usurpation right under my nose. | had no idea how


    long he¡¯d been nning this coup, nor did | know what else he had up his sleeve. This mess of a situation was unpredictable and


    | needed to think strategically if | wanted to make it out of this alive. Ss turned to Kane and was about to speak, but just as the


    Beta opened his mouth, my brother continued on. ¡°Ss, since you and Asher have such a long journey ahead of you tomorrow.


    morrow, you should try to get some rest,¡± he advised 1/2 Find CRM FO For Small Businesses 11:46 Fri, Feb 23 Chapter 218


    politely but firmly. ¡°This might be the best sleep you''ll be able to get in the next few days. Take advantage of having a nice bed.


    Besides, | need to have some private time with my brother. So if you don¡¯t mind...¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Ss replied dutifully, and he


    rose to his feet. ¡°Good night, Your Majesty.¡± He offered me a polite bow, and when | nodded back at him, he left the room without


    hesitation. Once he was gone, Kane sat down in Ss¡¯ seat and crossed his legs. ¡°What time are you leaving tomorrow,


    brother?¡± he wondered with a raise of a golden eyebrow, ¡°Around 5¡± | answered without pause, and then | rubbed my temples. A


    headache hard begun to stir within me, and | felt. exhaustion start to creep in. Ever since Cas sandra had left, | hadn¡¯t had a


    proper medical check, and | was feeling the effects of the illness much harder these days. ¡°It¡¯s the time that the guards change


    their shifts, It''ll give us a fighting chance.¡± Kane nodded thoughtfully. ¡°I''ll meet you at 5 then.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± | asked in surprise.


    I''ll be joining you.¡± he replied as if it were obvious. 1 shook my head immediately. ¡°You don¡¯t need to, Kane. In fact, you shouldn''t.


    You should remain here, away from the potential madness.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking for your permission,¡± my brother countered. ¡°Let me


    remind you whose house you''re in now-¡± ¡°Is that a threat?¡± | cut him off, and | narrowed my eyes at him. ¡°Are you truly on my


    side, Kane? Because from what Ss has informed me, your mother, Margaret, has allied with Oliver Moses.¡± ¡°Are you


    questioning my loyalty?¡± Kane asked, and he shook his head in disbelief. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d doubt me after all of this time. If |


    wanted to betray you, Asher, | would have done it when | found you and Ss lingering around the pce after your return from


    the forest. | could have let Oliver Moses¡¯ guards know where you were. It would have been all too easy to give you up. But |


    didn¡¯t. And it would be good for you to remember that. I¡¯m not your enemy. I¡¯m your ally, and I¡¯m here to help Though his tone


    was genuine, a lingering feeling of doubt remained in the back of my mind. With how impossible and confusing things had been


    lately, it was hard to determine who was truly my ally and who was a traitor. | didn¡¯t know who trust in light of this awful coup But


    as Kane''s violet eyes stared directly into mine, | found myself nearly convinced by his words. Yet... a thought gued me, one


    that | couldn¡¯t cast aside. ¡°Are you doing this for her?¡± | wondered. ¡°Are you staying by my side because of Cas s andra?¡° A


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 Chapter 220

    CAS SANDRAExclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    | froze in ce, but my hand began to tremble as | stared at the amulet in shock. My mother¡¯s moonstone ne shone like a


    beacon and the sight of it made my stomach twist intoplicated and painful knots.


    | didn¡¯t dare speak a word.


    Kaleb¡¯s dark blue eyes glinted with satisfaction and his full lips curled into a cruel but contented smile. It was as if he were


    wearing his devil¡¯s mask once more, and a shiver traveled down my spine when | met his gaze.


    How had he found the ne?


    And how had he figured out my true identity?


    ¡°| knew that you must have been from one of the prestigious families, but | didn¡¯t expect you to be from such an important one,¡±


    he remarked after a while.¡±How interesting it was to figure it all out. You¡¯ve been such a mystery to me, Cas sandra, and I¡¯m so


    pleased to know that such a strange story is finally being solved¡±


    He plucked my mother¡¯s ne and held it up. The pendant swung and for a moment, | felt as if | were hypnotized. Even just


    the sight of it in his hands was enough to set me over the edge.


    This is quite lovely,¡± the king of Yurene noted. ¡°A very nice piece of jewelry indeed. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re happy to see it again.


    ¡°You''re mistaken,¡± | tried to say. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen that ne before-¡±


    But the king of Yurene held his hand up and cut me off at once. Once he set the ne back down, he sat back in his chair


    and stared deeply into my eyes.


    ¡°You''re a terrible liar,¡± he said. ¡°Did you know that ording to one of Yurene¡¯sws, you could be hanged for lying to the king?


    Hiding your true identity falls under the category of lying and falsehoods. We might bex when ites to some things in this


    country, but something so treacherous...


    | took a quick breath and then raised my chin slightly. A touch of bravery flooded through me and then | spoke up.


    ¡°| didn¡¯t know there werews in Yurene,¡± | countered in an attempt to deflect from our conversation. ¡°You seem to have the right


    to decide everything at your will.¡±


    Kalebughed. ¡°You''re right. A king can do whatever he wishes, but only if he can handle the price.¡±


    | frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean.¡±


    ¡°Some of the kings have paid terrible debts for their wrong decisions,¡± he noted, and then he rolled his deep sapphire eyes. ¡°Our


    former king was obviously one of them. | hadn¡¯t finished the story | began to tell youst time, and | would love to tell you more


    about the subject. You must be interested in the rest of the tale.¡±


    ¡°| didn¡¯t believe anything you said,¡± | snapped at him. ¡°I figured you were telling me what you needed to to get me here.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t believe me?¡± Kaleb repeated back and then he snorted and scoffed loftily. ¡°How interesting. | thought you did. There¡¯s


    no one else who could tell you the truth of things, so you would do well to trust me. We could be allies, Cas sandra. I¡¯m not your


    enemy.


    ¡°If you want to take over control of Wega, then you''re my eneiny for sure.¡± | replied shortly.


    ¡°Why do you even care about Wega after everything that happened to you?¡± he wondered, and he raised a golden-brown.


    eyebrow in surprise. ¡°Your father and brother were killed by the former Alpha King, and everyone else in the country


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    despises your family¡¯s name because of their supposed traitor status. No one dares to speak about them, not to mention say


    something fair for them. It¡¯s ridiculous to fight for a country that cast your blood aside.¡±


    My lips drew into a thin line. | couldn''t find any words to retort back.


    ¡°Of course, | suppose there¡¯s always your mate to consider,¡± Kaleb continued, and his eyes glinted cruelly. | can see you''re


    worried about that weak king.¡±


    | clenched my teeth and anger swelled within me. My body began to shake from the tension and it took all of my power to keep


    from snarling at the smug, foreign king.


    ¡°Asher isn¡¯t weak.¡± | fired back at him despite myself.


    ¡°Oh, but he is. Kaleb replied, and he crossed his arms against his chest. ¡°The king has never seen the cruelty of life. He didn¡¯t


    know how to protect his mate, and he didn¡¯t know how to protect his country either. Asher Collins doesn¡¯t deserve you. You


    deserve someone better than him.¡±


    I stared at Kaleb for a moment, my anger still flowing through me, and after a moment, | realized what he was talking about. My


    irritation shifted to disbelief as my lips parted in surprise, and then my brows knitted together.


    ¡°You must be kidding.¡± | asked tly.


    There was no way he was suggesting this


    ¡°| don¡¯t like making jokes in such circumstances,¡± he replied. ¡°A highborn queen from the South would cheer up the morale. of


    the North, especially if the queen was from a family that had been persecuted by the Southern king¡±


    Bile rose up my throat and | jumped from my chair at once. ¡°You''re out of your mind. | would never agree to something like this.


    ¡°Never say never.¡± Kaleb quipped. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say anything too definitive¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± | hissed. ¡°This wasn¡¯t what you¡¯d told me in Wega. You said you wanted me to help you figure out the great sorcery


    Emmett left behind before he passed. Was that all a deception to get me here? Was your n to pry me away from Anemond


    and marry you for your own political gain?¡±


    ¡°Oh, the sorcery?¡± Kaleb repeated back,pletely ignoring thetter half of my statement. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already found it?¡±


    My heart skipped a beat and | stared at him in confusion, ¡°What? Where?¡±


    The king of Yurene eyed me for a moment and then offered me a small, contented smile. The expression was devilish and smug,


    as if he believed himself to be the most cunning man in the world.


    ¡°It''s on you,¡± he remarked, and his deep blue eyes trailed over me.


    | felt lost at once.


    The Northern king was speaking in riddles and vague sentences that kept me interested but confused.


    Why the need for such dramatics?


    What was he talking about?


    When | asked him as much, he rose to his feet and began to pace around the small, windowless room. He nced around as be


    walked, and after a minute ofplete silence, he spoke again


    Do you really think it¡¯s a coincidence that Emmett saved you from that terrible inferno?¡± Kaleb asked me, his voice both


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    91%


    amused and annoyed. ¡°He didn¡¯t do it out of kindness, Cas sandra. Sorcerers aren¡¯t kind or warm-hearted. Emmett did it


    because he knew you were the young king¡¯s mate. There was no kindness about it. He just wanted to manipte you and use


    you to defeat the king. His n just didn¡¯t work out. | promise you, Emmett wasn¡¯t the man you believed him to be. You were a


    pawn and nothing more.¡±


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    CAS SANDRA


    Amaniption?


    My head began to ache as | tried to make sense of all that Kaleb had said. Had Emmett¡¯s interference in saving me from the


    inferno truly been more than just an act of kindness and heroism?


    As | thought of Emmett, | remembered the unfinished sentence Emmett had said to me in that dream.


    | left something for you, Cas sandra, and you''re the only one who could use it. And the thing


    | felt suffocated by all of this. Between the ne, my revealed identity, being taken to a foreignnd, the downyed marriage


    proposal, and now this business with Emmett and his sorcery, | felt as if | were about to break into a million pieces. There was


    simply too much going on at once, and | couldn¡¯t handle any of it.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    | wanted to tell Kaleb that everything he¡¯d uttered was wrong- deeply, horribly,pletely wrong, but | couldn¡¯t let out a word.


    The lump in my throat felt like a boulder and my heart kept skipping in my chest. As | swam with dizziness, | began to wonder if |


    was about to pass out, but | managed to steady myself before my knees could buckle.


    Kaleb studied me for a second and then took a step toward me. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to push you, but you needed to know that Emmett


    wasn¡¯t a great man. | couldn''t let you continue on with this idea of him. He used you. That¡¯s all he knew back then. Deception¡±


    He paused for a moment and then continued. ¡°Did you know how my father discovered that Asher¡¯s father was involved. with


    sorcery?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± | managed to say, but my voice was utterly quiet


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a coincidence,¡± he replied. ¡°The way it happened, | mean, | had mentioned it briefly before, when we spoke in


    Anemond...Years ago, Emmett visited Asher¡¯s father and told him that he knew of a way to be immortal. The former Alpha


    King, well fascinated by the idea, decided to listen to Emmett. Emmett was lying, of course, because there¡¯s no such sorcery that


    could bring one immortality. Eternal life is nothing more than a myth.¡±


    The Northern king paused, but | didn¡¯t utter a sound. | had little to say until | knew the full story. Just as he¡¯d said, he¡¯d mentioned


    something about Asher¡¯s father seeking out immortality, and though the details were fuzzy, | swore that he''d mentioned the Felix


    family in that story.


    ¡°The Alpha King asked Emmett why he hadn¡¯t used magic to make himself immortal,¡± Kaleb continued. ¡°If he knew the trick to it,


    why was he still mortal? He doubted Emmett¡¯s promations at once.¡±


    ¡°Does this have a point?¡± | wondered.


    ¡°Be patient,¡± he sighed, and irritation shed across his features. ¡°Emmett managed toe up with an exnation to satisfy


    the king¡¯s questions. He said that a sorcerer was not able to use the magic on themselves because the ability to cast spells


    shortened their life spans considerably. Most sorcerers and sorceresses weren''t able to live past 40 years old. And to be an


    immortal required sacrifice. Since Emmett had no family, he had no one to sacrifice.¡±


    | tried to make sense of it all. Was there any truth to that? If Emmett hadn''t died in the woods, would he have passed away by


    age forty?


    ¡°Was the king convinced?¡± | wondered.


    Kaleb shot me an impish frim. ¡°He did. He began to consider the idea greatly. Living eternally meant eternal power. If he were to


    continue on past his intended years, he could remain king forever. It was an enticing offer for a man such as that.¡±


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    | shook my head slowly


    ¡°When it came to the matter of sacrifice, there was little to consider,¡± Kaleb mused. ¡°There was no one the king reall about at that


    time except his only son, Asher Collins.¡±


    ¡°He would never do that,¡± | insisted. ¡°The king would never have sacrificed Asher. Their rtionship wasplex, but he would


    never agree to sacrifice Asher:¡±


    ¡°But he did,¡± Kaleb revealed. The king agreed to sacrifice his son for the greatness of his own soul¡±


    ¡°|_| don¡¯t understand,¡± | said as another touch of dizziness came over me. Asher was clearly alive and well. So, what did any


    of this mean?


    ¡°He decided of his own volition,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°At the end of the day, the king¡¯s power meant more to him than his own


    son. Emmett was surprised by this. It was all a test, of course, to prove what kind of man the king truly was. If he had shown any


    sign of remorse for killing sorcerers in the past things may have ended differently.¡±


    ¡°So, what did he do?¡± | asked.


    ¡°Emmett deliberately allowed Darrin Felix, the Beta, to find out about this plot,¡± Kaleb stated, and my heart plummeted in my


    chest. ¡°He wanted him to know what kind of man he was serving. Darrin Felix was a loyal and righteous man. He tried to


    persuade his king and convince him to make a different choice. He believed making a sacrifice like that would destroy Wega,


    But the king was determined. He didn¡¯t care who he had to destroy.¡±


    | fought to catch my breath and my lower lip trembled in shock.


    ¡°So, that¡¯s why my father had to die,¡± | surmised. ¡°Because he turned against the king?¡±


    ¡°He never truly betrayed the king,¡± Kaleb said gently. ¡°Even at thest minute, he didn¡¯t tell others what the king had nned to


    do. He simply epted his fate and allowed his family name to go up in mes, so to speak.¡±


    My eyes felt sore and tears welled up instantly. | bit my lip to control the urge to cry. But as | stared at Kaleb, a thought crossed


    my mind and a sarcasticugh escaped me.


    ¡°This all sounds well and good, but it¡¯s all a lie. | used through myughter. ¡°There''s no way you could know the details of all


    of this.¡±


    ¡°Don''t be so sure,¡± he replied evenly. ¡°You know what | said is true. | can see it in your eyes. You know your father isn¡¯t a


    traitor.¡±


    | turned away from him, but he continued anyway.


    ¡°Despite Darrin Felix¡¯s attempts at dissuasion, the king actually went through with the sacrifice,¡± Kaleb noted. ¡°Though tragically,


    he died before he could discover it was all a lie. He never achieved the immortality he so desperately sought.¡±


    ¡°But Asher didn¡¯t die,¡± | said, and | turned back to face Kaleb, ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Sacrifice didn¡¯t mean death,¡± the Northern King replied. ¡°That''s not what Emmett wanted from the king. It was control. A price


    was paid, Ca ssandra. Haven''t you noticed something isn¡¯t right with your Alpha King? With his body?¡±


    | was instantly stunned.


    Did he mean the ck marks?


    Was he talking about the disease? Had Emmett inflicted it as punishment for Asher¡¯s father¡¯s wrongdoings?


    Just as | began to panir, Kaleb reached out to me and gently touched my face. | stiffened at his touch, and when he pulled back


    his hand, 1 noticed wetness on the tips of his fingers.


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 Chapter 222

    CAS SANDRA


    Two days after my discussion with Kaleb, | found myself sitting outside with Ronald¡¯s fiancee, Helene, on arge terrace. We


    were seated at a tableden with tea and a tray of delicacies. Despite the nice spread and otherwise nice patio, there wasn¡¯t


    much scenery to observe.


    The terrace was on the third floor of Ronald¡¯s tower, and all we could see beneath us were the guards that patrolled the area.


    There was little else to do, and | found myself missing the trees in Wild Crawler. This ce was cold and sterile, and the


    enormous wall that surrounded the fortress did little to add to the atmosphere. The high, grim wall reminded me that | was a


    prisoner here and made me deeply ufortable. Luckily, the sun was bright and provided some much-needed warmth.


    When | came to visit Ronald, Helene received me and mentioned that Ronald had some business to attend to, | was about to


    leave, but she suggested that we enjoy some tea while we waited for him to return. While | wasn¡¯t sure that | wanted to spend


    time with a stranger. | decided to agree anyway, so here we wereN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    As | continued to nce out at that awful wall. | thought of Kaleb and his devil¡¯s face. It was nearly impossible to cast aside. my


    horror and shock about the situation, and the memory of his cruel smile was difficult to get out of my head.


    That night, after he¡¯d left the room, | remained seated in my chir, frozen in ce. | wasn¡¯t sure how long | was there. | cried for a


    while as his story settled into my brain, but even after the tears disappeared from my cheeks, | didn¡¯t want to go back to my


    chambers.


    If what Kaleb said was real, Emmett and Asher¡¯s father were the ones responsible for my father¡¯s death and the ruin of my family.


    | wanted to tell myself that the king of Yurene was lying. But as the days went by. | had already started to believe him. As a result,


    my heart ached for my father and brother.


    | had admired Emmett and taken him as the guide of my new life after that terrible inferno. He had taught me how to heal. both


    physically and mentally. He encouraged me and supported me in every aspect of my existence.


    But it was Emmett who had taken my wolf soul and caused my inability to shift..


    | feltplicated and didn¡¯t know what to do.


    | was panicked. | was freaked out. | felt helpless.


    When | finally managed to calm down, | considered my situation thoroughly and thought a visit to Ronald might enlighten me.


    Kaleb had practically proposed marriage to me in that small, dismal room. | needed to know if | had other options.


    ¡°Cas sandra?¡± Helene spoke up, and | was suddenly pulled back into reality. Her light brown eyes stared at me curiously and she


    offered me a smile. ¡°Would you like to try some tea?¡±


    She finished filling her tea cup and then gestured at me with the pot. | stared at it for a moment and then nodded.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± | said as she filled my cup.


    Helete wasn¡¯t very young. In fact, she was older than I''d expecteil perhaps in herte forties. She wasn¡¯t haggard by any means,


    but her caramel-colored eyes had light crow¡¯s feet in their uptilted corners


    Regardless of her age, Helene was undeniably beautiful She had shoulder-length hair of a simr color to her eyes, and it fell in


    soft waves. Her skin was extremely fair and her cheeks were rosy. She had a strong, aristocratic nose, and when she smiled, her


    teeth were white and perfect


    | forced myself to stop admiring her and took a sip of the tea it took all of my effort to keep from making a face. It was


    18


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    quite bitter, just as strong as those Ms. Benn had brought to my room. Unfortunately, Yurene didn¡¯t seem to with their tea either,


    so there was nothing to soften the taste.


    toet


    5.91% a


    Helene smiled at me. ¡°I take it you aren¡¯t fond of the tea?¡±


    ¡°I''m just not used to it.¡± | said politely.


    ¡°When | first came here. | couldn¡¯t get used to it as well,¡± she replied casually. ¡°But after a few years, | learned to enjoy it.¡±


    My lips parted in surprise. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you weren¡¯t from here


    Helene nodded. ¡°Of course not. Northerners would never enjoy something like afternoon tea. They believe it''s a waste of time.


    They appreciate savageness over elegance.¡±


    Herst sentence was just as bitter as the tea, but she recovered quickly. ¡°I¡¯m from the South. | grew up in a very small Pack. |


    heard from my husband that you¡¯re from Wega?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± | confirmed.


    ¡°| always wondered what Wega looked like, but | never had the opportunity to visit,¡± Helene remarked. ¡°Some have said it''s


    quite wealthy. Is it true?¡±


    ¡°In some ces,¡± | replied. ¡°Others are perfectly ordinary


    ¡°| bet that even the most ordinary parts of Wega are much richer than here,¡± she sighed, and then she raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Were your parents wealthy?¡±


    | shrugged, taken aback by the question.


    In Wega, Anemond particrly, questions about money and wealth were considered crass. We avoided the topics as often as


    possible or shifted the subject when they were brought up.


    Even though Helene was a Southerner from birth, | supposed that she had picked up some traits from the Northemers. namely


    their bluntness. | couldn¡¯t fault her for asking such an innocent question, even though it came across as a little socially unaware.


    ¡°| suppose they were fine,¡± | said simply. ¡°But they both passed away when | was young, so | can¡¯t be too sure. | don¡¯t remember


    much about them.


    It wasn¡¯t aplete lic, but | didn¡¯t know yet if | could trust Helene, so | needed to remain guarded.


    ¡°I''m so sorry,¡± she apologized. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to speak poorly or out of turn.¡±


    ¡°Don''t apologize,¡± | assured her. ¡°You didn¡¯t know. It¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°My parents have passed as well,¡± she said. ¡°Unfortunately, | remember it all too well. It was a terrible situation. | worry that I''ll


    never be able to forget the image so long as | live.¡±


    Silence hung in the air and | didn¡¯t know what to say, | studied Helene¡¯s face and fought to find something tofort her. It was


    clear from the haunted look in her eyes that she¡¯d witnessed something unthinkable, but | didn¡¯t want to pry. We''d just met and it


    wasn¡¯t my business to ask for more information.


    For a moment, | thought Helene was going to cry, but before her eyes could well over and tears could fall onto her pink cheeks,


    she rolled her shoulders back and smoothed her hair.


    She seemed to have a story to tell and | pondered whether | should ask her after all, but before | could, Helene¡¯s full lips curled


    into a broad smile. She nced behind me and waved.


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    ¡°Herees Lord Ronald,¡± she said, and all traces of her saddened demeanor disappearedpletely.


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 Chapter 223

    CASSANDRA


    | turned around and sure enough, Ronald was behind us. He stepped onto the terrace with an equally broad smile on his face,


    and as he approached, Helene rose from her seat. | did the same thing out of politeness and courtesy. Ronald was the king of


    Yurene¡¯s cousin after all, so he deserved at least a little respect.


    Helene met him halfway, and Ronald drew her into a kiss. He held her close and ran his hand through her soft hair affectionately.


    Once their embrace came to an end, Helene turned to face me.


    ¡°I''ll let you two talk,¡± she said in a warm, pleasant voice. ¡°It was nice to see you, Cas sandra, Let''s do this agains


    ¡°Thank you.¡± | replied with a smile. ¡°I would like that very much


    Soon..


    he Ronald kissed the top of her head and then Helene left the terrace. Ronald watched her leave, and once she was gone, his


    hand through his long brown hair and took her seat opposite me. ¡°Hello, Cas sandra. So good to see you. What brings you here


    on this line day?¡±


    THN


    ¡°| was wondering if we could speak,¡± | said vaguely, and then | nced around. ¡°Though | wonder if it would be best to talk in


    your study or somewhere more private.¡±


    Ronald gestured around us. ¡°Actually, this terrace is better than my study. No one else has ess to it, so there¡¯s no chance of


    eavesdropping¡±


    1 frowned. ¡°Who would be eavesdropping on our conversation?¡±


    The king¡¯s cousin simply shrugged at me and smiled. ¡°You never know. There are some nosy individuals around her. It¡¯s best to


    assume the worst and be pleasantly surprised.¡±


    He reached over, picked up the teapot, and poured himself a cup of tea. He then raised it to his lips and took a long drink.


    ¡°So, | hear you¡¯re going to marry my dear cousin,¡± he remarked, and heat spread to my cheeks instantly.


    ¡°| haven¡¯t agreed to his proposal yet, | stammered, Had word spread already of Kaleb¡¯s terrible question? Did all of Viokwell


    know of the king¡¯s intention to make me, the new foreign guest, his queen?


    Had they known it before he¡¯d even arrived?


    As the awful thought crept into my mind, Ronald nodded. ¡°No one¡¯s ever gone against my cousin''s will. At least no one living, of


    course. | suppose that¡¯s why you came to visit me today?¡±


    ¡°Is your offer still effective?¡± | wondered as | gulped back my anxiety.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Ronald replied, and then he raised an eyebrow and leaned forward in his seat. ¡°But Miss Cas sandra, this isn¡¯t an


    Offer, it''s an exchange, remember?¡±


    ¡°| remember,¡± | assured him


    The king¡¯s cousin tilted his head to the side and his soft blue eyes trailed over me. ¡°Are you ready to tell me why Kaleb brought


    you to Yurene?¡±


    ¡°Only if you tell me everything you know about your cousin.¡± | countered.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°A somewhat greedy request, Ronald said bluntly, and his expression grew somewhat unamused. ¡°Everything | know about


    Kaleb That kind of recounting would take days, and Kaleb would be suspicious if you came to see me daily. Especially now that


    he intends to make you his queen¡±


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    ¡°Then you''d better inake it short,¡± | replied boldly, and | raised my chin. We could go back and forth on th wanted, but there was


    no time for that. If we were to work together, we needed to do it quickly, before Kal thing.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Ronald agreed. ¡°My words are all yours. I''ll tell you whatever you want to know. But before we get to you to tell me the


    real reason for your visit to Viokwell. | know this arrangement goes beyond marriage. So tell me.


    | shook my head. | want you to tell me something about Kaleb first.¡±


    91%


    Ronald chuckled and then smirked. ¡°You''re a clever girl. | understand why my cousin is so utterly obsessed with you. What do


    you want to know first?¡±


    | tucked a lock of hair behind my ear and took a deep breath. | hadn¡¯t expected to get this far, but now that | was here, | needed


    to remain level-headed. There was much | wanted to know, but | had to prioritize my questions.


    ¡°Did Kaleb kill his father?¡± | blurted out before | could stop myself.


    Ronald blinked his eyes at me in surprise. ¡°That¡¯s a very sharp question, Cas sandra.¡±


    ¡°It''s one | need an answer to,¡± | replied. ¡°Did he do it?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he answered with no hesitation, and then he brought the teacup to his lips and took a long sip. | inhaled sharply and my


    eyes widened.


    | hadn''t expected my suspicions to be confirmed so quickly. | was surprised by this revtion, but | didn¡¯t have much time! and


    needed to continue getting answers.


    ¡°How?¡± | asked.


    Ronald took another drink and then delicately set the teacup back down. His eyes lingered on the table for a moment, and then


    they met mine.


    ¡°The former king was quite ill then.¡± he began, and after a deep breath, his expression grew solemn. ¡°Kaelb dismissed the


    servants and guards and left his father alone in the King¡¯s chamber. He knew it wouldn''t take many days for a weak old man


    such as him to perish and sumb to his illness.¡±


    ¡°What was he sick with?¡± | wondered. ¡°Why was he ill?¡±


    Ronald frowned at me. ¡°I believe the king was infected with some weird disease. | couldn¡¯t tell you the name of it. It was quite a


    strange ailment-¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a weird disease, | informed him quickly. ¡°It was a poison. A poison crafted by sorcerers.¡±


    Ronald raised an eyebrow in my direction. ¡°And how would you know this?¡±


    | didn¡¯t answer his question and simply delivered one of my own. ¡°Who created the poison?¡±


    The king¡¯s cousin studied me carefully, clearly surprised at how much | knew about the matter. ¡°It¡¯s rumored that the king got it


    during the fight against Dark Abyss, So, it was likely given to him by some unknown sorcerer-


    ¡°But it¡¯s not,¡± | stated clearly. ¡°Why would Dark Abyss use poison against their ally? It had to be from someone else. They got the


    poison from the sorcerers and used it on the king. So, now | need to know was the sorcerer who created the poison the greatest


    magic user in Dark Abyss? The one whose son was named was Emmen Keller?¡±


    Ronald''s face paled at once and his eyes darkened Though he didn¡¯t speak, his expression gave me the answer | needed.


    ¡°| can now tell you the real reason | me¡± | said calmly. ¡°Emmett Keller was my husband¡±


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    | watched Ronald carefully, and under my gaze, his hands wrapped around the arms of the chair and squeezed tightly until his


    knuckles were white. He stared at me as if he wanted to see through me.


    ¡°| have another proposal for you, | announced, and | leaned into the table and maintained eye contact with the king¡¯s cousin.


    ¡°And | want you to consider it thoroughly before you turn it down. | think we should ally¡±


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    CAS SANDRA


    | knew my statement was blint and honestly, quite bold to blurt out, but | couldn¡¯t stop myself. | still had no idea if Rona could be


    trusted, but | supposed | had no other choice. | needed someone on my side who could curb Kaleb¡¯s power, and Ronald


    appeared to be my only option. As a sorcerer, the king¡¯s cousin was immensely talented. He could be the key | needed to make it


    out of this intact.


    | opted not to tell Ronald what Kaleb had mentioned about the milisman. | didn¡¯t quite believe what the king of Yurene had said


    because it sounded far crazier than anything | could ept, but on the other hand, something in my gut told me not to bring it up.


    If Kaleb was correct and the talisman had something to do with me, being utterly frank with Ronald could be dangerous


    Ronald stared at me for a moment with an expression that was both full of awe and concern. He raised a dark eyebrow at me


    and remained silent for what felt like an eternity, but finally, he cleared his throat and raised his chin slightly.


    ¡°| suppose | should keep my promise and tell you the story you desire to hear,¡± he remarked, his tone airy and borderline lofty.


    ¡°But it will take quite a while for me to exin, so | will tell you over the course of a week.¡±


    While | wasn¡¯t thrilled by this, | agreed to the n. We would meet every so often over the next week, but only in short


    increments. | couldn''t stay too long in the tower, or else | would mass suspicion.


    We began the next day, and by the end of our first meeting. | realized | hadn¡¯t been as prepared as | thought to hear these


    stories.


    | had always known that Yurene was built on war and the bloodshed of smaller Packs, but | didn¡¯t know how it was ruled. Our


    history lessons in Wega were limited when it came to the Northern regions, and | feltpletely out of my element as |


    listened to Ronald¡¯s recounting. These were all things that the citizens of my country deserved to know. If | was lucky enough to


    make it back to Anemond, | would tell Asher that we needed to adjust curriculums to include this information about our Northern


    neighbors. It was crucial for us to be more knowledgeable.


    With each story Ronald told me, | kept being shocked by the savageness. He told me of cruel tortures that | thought only existed


    in ancient tomes: burning at the stake, tearing and severing limbs, waterboarding.


    | was even more horrified to learn that these methods of torture were still being actively utilized. Ronald told me that if 1 wanted


    to see it with my own eyes to confirm that he wasn¡¯t exaggerating the facts, he could take me to the grounds where the


    executions took ce. He mentioned that the amount of torture had been reduced these days, but in the past, they urred


    daily.


    | left every encounter with Ronald sick to my stomach, and on numerous asions, my insides were so upset that by the time |


    returned to my chambers, | sprinted to the bathroom and retched until | ached.


    Erika would wait outside the door with a ss of water, and after epted it gratefully, she would sit me down on the bed and


    rub my back. She would remain silent until Finnick was asleep, and once we were certain he couldn''t overhear us, | would share


    what Ronald had told me.


    My dear maid was even more shocked than I was, but she managed to hold her disgust inside and simply shook her head in


    disbelief once | finished.


    ¡°This country is so savage,¡± she would whisper. ¡°More than we could have known. You must be careful, Ca ss andra. Promise


    me you''ll be careful.¡±


    1 assured her daily that | would tread lightly to avoid these savage tortures myself, but with every passing interaction with


    Ronald, my fear grew more intense


    | hadn''t believed Kaleb to be so dangerous when | was in Anemond, but now that | was here in his homnd, | knew he


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    wasn¡¯t what he seemed-Under the cool exterior was a brutal, potentially violent man, whose savagery knew no b


    On what Ronald told me would be the final day of storytelling, he presented me with the most brutal tale yet. It w more sickening


    than the ones prior, and | hadn¡¯t been remotely prepared to handle it all.


    91%1


    You mentioned to me a bit ago that you only survived because you were a sorcerer,¡± | said once we sat down. ¡°What did you


    mean by that? Were there any disasters here in Vlokwell? What did you survive?¡±


    ¡°Disasters?¡± Ronald repeated back, and he seemed amused by the idea. ¡°Well, | guess you could say that what happened here


    was indeed a disaster. A tragedy, one that happens every few decades.¡±


    ¡°Go on."1 prompted him as my curiosity swelled.


    There was a brief pause, and then he continued.


    ¡°| suppose that in Wega, when the old king is about to die, his heir would be his eldest son or daughter?¡± Ronald remarked,


    and when | nodded, his expression grew somber. ¡°It doesn¡¯t quite work like that in Yurene. ording to the tradition here, the


    king¡¯s firstborn child doesn¡¯t necessarily be the rightful heir to the throne. If multiple offspring exist, they mustpete for


    the crown.¡±


    My lips parted in surprise. ¡°Compete?¡±


    Had | heard him correctly?Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Ronald continued. ¡°Yes. They must take part in a tournament. All eligible heirs are locked in the dungeon of the castle, and once


    the doors are closed, they must fight and ughter their opponents. The one who survives to the end of the tournament rings a


    bell. The ringing of the bell is the only way to get out of the dungeon. During the tournament, no food or drink is provided. It


    usually takes a couple of days for the bell to be rung


    His solemn look grew even more serious.


    ¡°If more than two are found on the other side of the door, the dungeon gets locked again and fighting continues until only one


    remains. Whoever lives takes the throne.¡±


    Achill ran down my spine and | shook my head slowly.


    Death or the crown.


    There was no third choice.


    Such savagery was iprehensible.


    ¡°My father diedpeting with Kaleb¡¯s father, Ronald revealed quietly. ¡°ording to our country¡¯s tradition, my mother and |


    were supposed to be executed. | was just a babe then, but my life was meant to be forfeit to avoid future vengeance. But Kaleb¡¯s


    father didn¡¯t carry our sentence out because my mother was a sorceress. She was too precious to waste.


    His soft blue eyes grew distant and welled up slightly.


    ¡°Kaleb¡¯s father locked her in the prison tower and made use of her when needed.¡± hemented. ¡°After | was born. | too became a


    pawn¡±


    I''m so sorry, Ronald,¡± | whispered.


    He simply nodded and then cleared his throat and rolled his shoulders back


    ¡°You asked about Kaleb, he stated, and then his eyes locked on mine with great intensity. ¡°You should know, Cas sandra, that


    the tournament of tradition didn¡¯t happen among Kaleb, his two brothers, and sister. He killed them all before the tournament


    could even be scheduled¡±


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    | gasped sharply and my eyes widened.


    91%


    ¡°They were all killed in their sleep by Anubis, a well-trained killer, and a nasty opportunist,¡± Ronald said with a slight snarl. ¡°I


    suspect that Anubis was meant to take my life as well, but he didn¡¯t go through with it because I''d alreadye into my magical


    powers and had gained alliances in Yurene. Kaleb probably realized he couldn''t kill everyone just on a whim, so he allowed me


    to stay alive.¡±


    Even though | wanted to, | didn¡¯t say a word. | could never imagine how it felt to kill a sibling. | didn¡¯t even want to imagine. Ector


    meant the world to me. | could never kill my own brother to gain power.


    ¡°| suppose this is the final part of the story,¡± Ronald mused, and then he folded his hands in hisp. ¡°I¡¯ve considered your


    proposal Ca ssandra, and | see the potential of our alliance. We share some of the same good values and wills. You want to stop


    Kaleb and return to your country, while | want to change Yurene and stop its traditions of savagery. But... | have one condition


    before | can agree to this.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± | asked cautiously with a raised eyebrow.


    Ronald leaned closer to me. ¡°You need to agree to marry Kaleb. It¡¯s the only way you can get close to him and find out what he¡¯s


    nning.¡±


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    CASSANDRA


    Bile rose up my throat and my eyes nearly fell out of my head at this suggestion.


    The idea of marrying Kaleb sounded crazy in so many ways, not to mention terrifying. My body stiffened involuntarily at Ronald¡¯s


    suggestion and | felt as if | were about to lose consciousness. Was this truly the only way he would coborate with


    me:


    Yet, Ronald made a good point when he said that Kalch wouldn''t let me know anything if | went against him. The more |


    cooperated, the more privy to information | would be.


    As it stood right now, Kaleb might not want to mistreat me, but he was unpredictable. The longer | dragged the situation out, the


    worse things could beter.


    And now that Kaleb knew my true identity... like it or not, he would make use of it and use my real name and social standing as a


    way to manipte me. There was only one option: to take the initiative and use my circumstances to get more information.


    But as | stared out at the fortress surrounding Viokwell, my mind drified to Asher.


    What would the Alpha King of Wega think if he knew | was to marry the cruel and conniving king of Yurene?


    Knowing Kaleb¡¯s ir for the dramatic, there was no way Asher wouldn''t find out about this. He might even get an invitation to the


    dreaded affair.


    The idea made my stomach twist even further still.


    As usual, my life was far moreplicated than | wished it could be. | needed to take some time and consider the pros and cons


    before | delivered a finite answer to Ronald.


    The next day, | was still pondering the idea of marrying Kaleb when | received an invitation from Helene.


    Aletter was hand-delivered to me by a young servant girl in the early afternoon, and when | read the contents of the paper. 1


    found myself quite confused.


    My prior meetings with Ronald had been held in the name of Helene to avoid extra attention. | didn¡¯t know if Kaleb was even


    aware of these meetings, but just in case, we had done everything in our power to make it seem as if were were just twodies


    meeting with one another.


    But as | stared down at Helene¡¯s letter, | found myself confused, Ronald had mentioned to me as we parted the day before that


    he would be away visiting friends. He said he would be gone for a few days and wanted me to use that time to consider


    his offer


    So why would his fiancee request my presence anyway?


    Despite my confusion, | asked Erika if she would watch Finnick in my absence, and after she happily agreed, | followed Helene¡¯s


    maid


    When we stepped outside of the building. | was surprised to see that someone else was waiting for me. The weather was quite


    cold, so the person was wearing arge ck coat with a white fur hood thar concealed their face. It wasn¡¯t until | walked closer


    and the person dropped the hood that | recognized it was Helene herself.


    Ronald''s fiancee greeted me with a warm smile


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    11:47 Fri, Feb 23


    ¡°Hello, Ca ssandra, she greeted me. ¡°Thank you for meeting with me¡±


    ¡°Hello,¡± | greeted her kindly but cautiously, and | nced around. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Helene simply smiled. ¡°Since it¡¯s such a lovely day, | would greatly love for you to apany me to the nearest town. | went to


    ce some orders for my wedding and would love somepany¡±


    | fought the urge to frown in confusion as my brows tried to knit sogether. It was not a lovely day at all. It was chilly and the sun


    was hidden behind some thick clouds, rendering the sky a muted, dreary gray


    | supposed that Helene¡¯s request wasn¡¯t very honest as well. | wasn¡¯t sure if | was allowed to leave the fortress, but | decided to


    nod my head anyway. This was a good chance to test if | was as much of a prisoner as | suspected.


    Fortunately. | didn¡¯t seem to be strictly grounded to the walls of Viokwell. We smoothly walked past the iron gate after Helene


    showed a pass of some sort to the guards. The guards even stamped their chests and saluted us respectfully as we moved past,


    so clearly, things weren''t all that they appeared.


    Acar was waiting for us outside of the iron gate. It wasn¡¯t asrge as the one that had brought us to Yurene from Wezi, but it


    was still rather nice, and the driver held the door open for us. Helene and | climbed in, and once we were settled, the car started


    and drove down the road


    As | stared out the window and the castle vanished in the distance. | wanted to shake my head in disbelief. | couldn¡¯t believe I¡¯d


    just left the fortress so easily. Though it wasn¡¯t as if I''d escapedpletely, | was still amazed.


    ¡°| thought it was impossible to leave, | uttered before | could stop myself.


    Helene smiled at me. | understand how you feel. Life in the fortress can certainly seem... oppressive. But Ronald gave me a


    pass


    She reached into her pocket and retrieved the thin paper she¡¯d shown the guard. ¡°Sometimes Ronald allows me to have some


    fun in town when things get too dull.¡±


    ¡°| wish | had a pass like that, | joked


    Helene offered me a thin smile but didn¡¯t say anything further.


    The rest of the car ride continued in silence. Even though we weren''t in the castle anymore, | noticed that Helene didn¡¯t seem all


    that rxed. Though she sat quietly with a smile on her face, her caramel brown eyes kept ncing at the rearview mirror. She


    was on edge about something, though | wasn¡¯t sure what.


    Half an hourter, we arrived at the town. It was a nice little ce- not very modern, but charming all the same. There were a


    great number of coffee shops and bakeries everywhere, which made pleasant aromas fill the cold air. It was much more


    developed than Glolis, the small town we''d stayed in the night we''d arrived in Yurene.


    Helene asked the driver to stop on a popted street and then turned to me once the car came to a halt.


    ¡°| ced an order with a jewel dealer on this street and want to see the progress,¡± she exined to me. ¡°Once we''re finished


    there, we can just walk around and see if there are other shops we¡¯d like to go to¡±


    ¡°Sounds great,¡± | offered


    Helene asked the driver to find a ce to park, and after he agreed, we stepped out of the car. Helene¡¯s young maid had


    upied the passenger seat and got out with us She led us down the street and once we reached the jewel shop, she held the


    door open for usBelongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    When we walked in, the owner, a tall man withrge sses grees d us warmly and then ushered Helene over to a ss disy.


    They exchanged a few words and then he stepped away and returned with a small velvet box. When he opened it. 1 was


    surprised to ser a gold ring with arge gemstone on it


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    It was a beautiful, deep greep jewel that gleamed under the light.


    ¡°It''s from the South, the owner exined in a deep. heavily ented voice. ¡°Quite precious. Would you like to try it on


    Helene nodded and then slipped it onto her finger. She admired it and then showed it to me. ¡°What do you think. Ca ssandra?


    ¡°It''s exquisite.¡± | uttered as | studied it. It was one of the most gorgeous gems I¡¯d ever seen,


    Helene smiled and then turned to the owner. ¡°It¡¯s lovely, but | worry it¡¯s toorge for a ring. Could it be fashioned into a


    ne?¡±


    ¡°Of course, the owner nodded happily.


    Helene gestured to her maid, who instantly produced a small brown sack from her pocket. When it jingled. | knew it contained


    coins, and likely quite many of them


    The owner epted it and then fawned over Helene. ¡°Is there anything else | can do for you, mydy?¡±


    Helene considered the idea and then shook her head.


    ¡°| can¡¯t think of anything at the moment.¡± she said politely. ¡°But I¡¯ll let you know when | have an idea. Thank you for your help


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    After we exchanged goodbyes with the kind shop owner, we left the store and began to roam along the streets. | spotted many


    clothing stores along our walk, but Helene didn¡¯t seem all that interested. Every time we would go inside one. Helene would


    peruse the disys and try on a few items, but she didn¡¯t seem impressed by any of them.


    After we left the third shop. | got the feeling that Ronald''s fiancee didn¡¯t actually want to buy anything. She appeared as if she


    was just acting like she was shopping, though | didn¡¯t understand why. There was some sort of ulterior motive behind this visit,


    but what was it?


    | had no idea what was going on, but | remained cautious regardless


    We continued walking down the street, and when | nced around. | realized we were quite far from where the car had dropped


    us off. | was admittedly exhausted. | hadn¡¯t walked that much in quite some time. Since I¡¯d been confined to my chambers in


    Vlokwell, the only exercise I¡¯d gotten was the journey to Ronald¡¯s tower. | wasn¡¯t used to this kind of effort.


    Thankfully, some reprieve came when Helene spoke up.


    ¡°Should we get a warm drink?¡± she suggested, and she gestured to the storefront beside us. It was a lovely-looking coffee shop,


    and the smells that emanated from it were delightful, | nodded at once, relieved to finally get a moment to rest.


    We entered the shop and then sat down at a table near the window. A young man approached us with a smile and took our


    orders. | happily ordered atte and a fresh pastry. | hadn¡¯t indulged in something like that in a while, so | was quite thrilled to


    drink something other than bitter tea


    Once the young man was gone, Helene turned her attention to me and shed me a strange smile.


    ¡°Cas sandra, what do you think of the gemstone?¡± she asked me again, and then she leaned in closer. ¡°Please, give me your


    honest opinion. | really want to know what you think.¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    | was a little taken aback. Why was she so insistent about such a thing like that? Was the piece of jewelry weighing on her mind


    so heavily?


    But | knew that sometimes, things weren''t that serious. Perhaps she simply wanted another woman¡¯s opinion.


    ¡°It''s lovely.¡± | offered kindly. ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°Something about it isn¡¯t right, Helene finished my sentence when | began to trail off. When | nodded, her smile waned ever so


    slightly. The owner imed the gem is from the South, but | have my doubts. | think something is amiss.¡±


    ¡°If you think something is wrong, why would you give the owner so much money?¡± | blurted out before | could stop myself.


    Your maid gave him a bag of coins. Why bother if you suspect something is off about the gem?¡±


    Much to my surprise, Helene shrugged. ¡°I couldn¡¯t find a better store in this town. The jewelry in his shop is alright, even though


    his taste iscking. There are much better stores in the South, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±


    I smiled and nodded. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡±


    She smirked. ¡°A ring with thatrge of a gemstone makes me feel like a vulgarian.¡±


    Before | could say a word in response, Helene stretched her hand and finger. Suddenly, she gasped. | noticed the problem


    immediately.


    Her engagement ring was gone.


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    11:48 Fri, Feb 23


    ¡°My engagement ring,¡± she uttered, and her rosy cheeks flushed scarlet and her breathing grew more rapid. ¡°I must have


    forgotten it in the store when | tried on the other one.¡±


    Nervousness painted her expression, and she turned to her maid quickly. ¡°I need you to go to the store for me at once and fetch


    it, na


    The young


    young woman seemed hesitant and clenched her jaw. Helene didn¡¯t pay her irritation any mind.


    ¡°Do you want to be punished?¡± she demanded, and she lifted her chin ever so slightly. ¡°If the ring is lost due to your indifference,


    you will be punished in one way or another.¡±


    The threat was enough to send the maid away. She nodded her head and smoothed her dark curls down. ¡°Yes, My Lady. Will


    you please wait for me?*


    Helene gave the slightest of nods, and then the maid left the shop. She continued to stare out the window and watched the maid


    go down the street.¡±


    ¡°Keep smiling.¡± Helene uttered in a low voice without looking at me. For a moment, | wasn¡¯t sure if she was speaking to me, but I


    caught on quickly and did what she asked. | wanted to ask what was happening, but she spoke first.


    ¡°Keep smiling, Cas sandra,¡± she urged when she turned back to me. ¡°Don¡¯t look confused or worried, otherwise they¡¯ll notice


    something is wrong¡±


    They?


    | was even more confused, but | did what Helene told me to. | smiled and behaved as normal. When the young man brought us


    our food and drinks, | gave him a polite message of gratitude, and when he left, Helene took a sip of her coffee and sat


    forward.


    ¡°We finally have some time to speak,¡± she said quietly. ¡°Maybe ten minutes, given na¡¯s penchant for walking slow


    ¡°| don¡¯t understand,¡± | whispered as | nced around. ¡°Helene, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Of course you don''t,¡± she replied. ¡°No one would understand. Cas sandra, did you really think we could get the freedom to go


    anywhere we wanted? We''ve been followed and watched since we left the castle.¡±


    My jaw threatened to drop at this revtion, but | managed to hold it together. ¡°Followed? By whom?¡±


    ¡°It''s not important,¡± Helene said. ¡°There are many parties in Viokwell. Could be Kaleb, Ronald, or maybe some other high- born


    family seeking an opportunity to drag those two in the mud. It doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is that we can talk now.¡±


    She took a sip of her coffee and | did the same to appear normal While my carameltte was delicious, this odd situation


    somewhat spoiled the taste. This moment was tense, and | wasn¡¯t sure what she was about to tell me, but | knew it was likely far


    heavier than anticipated.


    | was a fool to think this outing was innocent.


    ¡°I''ll get straight to the point,¡± Helene said, and she ran her hand through her soft caramel brown hair. ¡°I have no idea what deals


    you''ve made with Ronald, but | need you to bear in mind that he¡¯s not better than Kaleb, All of these Northerners are the same.


    They''re all equally savage and insane.¡±


    My eyebrows shot up in surprise. How could Helene say such things about her supposed fiance? How could anyone utter


    anything like that about their soon-to-be husband?


    Unless it was a marriage for show?


    Was that a Yurenan tradition?


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    A


    Fri Feb 23


    Chipers 226


    90%


    11


    (I''ve


    ¡°Tifan? understamil¡± Ted pretty. ¡°Why are you telling me 18147


    don''t


    Helene rted a sigh and then at se ve been watching for days Codex kw you have something in


    you Condes. |


    P¨¦rlene rook a loop, deep ferah and then her and hemmet vezes darlined varli mumman: When te pole, hermitcr was een


    dersone af desperation.


    11:48 Fri, Feb 23


    90%

 Chapter 227

    KALEB


    | was in the middle of having a meeting with a few lords when Roxy suddenly burst into the meeting room.


    While part of me was annoyed by this interruption. | was also a little relieved. This meeting hadn¡¯t been going well.


    Yurene didn¡¯t work like Wega. Once a Pack was taken over by our country, they no longer functioned as a true Pack, as they


    had before. Their former Alpha was stripped of their title immediately and was no longer a true Alpha. Instead, they were made


    Lords, their new position authorized by myself, the king of Yurene.


    | was the only leader these new citizens could pay their loyalty to. That was the rule of our country. But true to our nature, wolves


    had always lived in Packs and served their own Alpha. So, technically, the Lords still had their independence and absolute


    authority over their Pack members. Therefore, it was important to make sure the Lords were on my side.


    At my core. | didn¡¯t believe in faith and loyalty. | knew once my power declined that those close to me would betray me at once. It


    certainly wasn¡¯t difficult to figure out that quite a few of the Lords favored my cousin, Ronald Adams, much more.


    Given the circumstances, | believed it was time to reaffirm and remind everyone of the severe consequences of treason. But


    today was not the day for that. | would find another opportunity to show my power.


    Roxy''s break-in gave the Lords a good excuse to be dismissed from the hall. After | gave them a short gesture, they filed out of


    the room one by one, and once they were gone, | turned my attention to the warrior sorceress


    Is it true that you¡¯re going to marry the healer you brought from the South?¡± she demanded. Her cat-like blue-green eyes shed


    with an emotion | couldn¡¯t ce, and her lips drew into a thin line.


    Behind her stood Anubis, and when we made eye contact, he simply offered me a shruga


    ¡°| couldn¡¯t stop her,¡± he exinedmely. ¡°She¡¯s far too strong.


    ¡°Is it true?¡± Roxy asked again, only this time, more intense.


    | huffed and shook my head. Of all of the things I''d expected her to say, this was not one of them.


    ¡°It''s true,¡± | answered her, and my eyebrow raised in slight annoyance. ¡°I assumed that Raven already told you the whole story-¡±


    ¡°She did.¡± Roxy cut me off, and her nostrils red in agitation. ¡°But | still don¡¯t see why you have to marry her.¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t see why | need to exin my actions to you,¡± | fired back, and | narrowed my eyes at her. ¡°You forget yourself, Roxy. | am


    the king.


    Anubis grumbled at my response and then tried to reach out for Roxy''s arm, but the warrior pushed his hands away. He took a


    step back in defeat and sighed.


    ¡°It''s time for you to leave,¡± he insisted, but she shook her head.


    ¡°Shut up¡± she spat and then she red at him. Her scornful look lingered for a moment, but when she turned her attention. back


    to me, her expression softened and turned almost wistful. ¡°You changed, Kaleb. You said you didn¡¯t but you wouldn¡¯t have made


    a decision like this if you hadn¡¯t. You''re different.¡±


    | rubbed my temples and exhaled sharply ¡°Everyone changes, Roxy. Only the dead remain steadfast. | don¡¯t have time for this


    useless argument. You don¡¯t hold any authority over my decision.¡±


    Roxy opened her mouth to speak but closed it quickly


    118


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    ¡°Since you''re here, | have a job for you,¡± | stated firmly as | stared into her eyes. ¡°I want you to take Asher Collins.¡±


    The sorceress¡¯ dark eyebrows knotted together immediately. ¡°The king of Wega? | don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Anubis scoffed and crossed his arms against his chest. ¡°I don¡¯t think a little girl like Roxy could ensnare the king of the South.¡±


    | red at him. ¡°I think she can because Asher Collins isn¡¯t presently in Anemond¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Anubis gasped in surprise.


    190


    ¡°There was an Official announcement made in Wega,¡± | exined. ¡°It clearly expressed that the king was missing. This is the


    perfect opportunity to take him. He iscking his usual guards, so he¡¯s unprotected for the first time since this n was set into


    motion. Now is the perfect opportunity to strike.¡±


    ¡°Why not send Anubis?¡± Roxy mumbled as she nced at the ground.


    ¡°Because Anubis has another job to do,¡± | replied, and | crossed over to her, ¡°Besides, Roxy, you''re the best pick for the mission.


    Asher Collins has the ancient disease within him-


    ¡°He does?¡± Roxy interrupted, her expression surprised as her full lips parted in shock.


    | nodded. ¡°Yes. He¡¯s vulnerable, so now is the time to act. | want you to bring him back to me, alive.


    | took a step even closer still. ¡°Will you carry out this mission for me?¡±Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Roxy took a long, deep breath, and then bowed her head obediently. ¡°I will¡±


    We stared at one another, and then she spoke again, only this time, her voice was softer.


    ¡°I''ll always do what you want,¡± she said. ¡°You know that, Kaleb, 1 haven¡¯t changed.¡±


    Before | could even utter a response, the sorceress turned on her heels and left the room without my dismissal. The sweet


    aroma of her ckberry perfume lingered in the air around me, and for a moment, | was frozen in ce.


    ¡°It''s difficult to deal with young girls like her,¡± Anubisined, and when | turned around to face him, his pointed face was


    annoyed. ¡°What do you want with Asher Collins, anyway? This is a blunt move. If the South knew that you took their king. it


    would be a deration of war.¡±


    ¡°| know,¡± | said firmly, and | crossed my arms. ¡°Do you remember what Raven said? If we want to invoke Cas sandra¡¯s wolf spirit,


    we have to use something strong, emotional, and rted to her past. It¡¯s the only way to awaken her.¡±


    Anubis lifted an eyebrow. ¡°You intend to kill her mate in front of her?¡±


    I snorted. ¡°An eager thought. But maybe we start with some light torture first. We can see how messing with him affects her and


    go from there. I¡¯m willing to push it as far as we can¡±


    The assassin grinned at me and his ck eyes shed. ¡°I thought you were growing soft, but obviously, | couldn¡¯t be more


    wrong. You''re just as devious as ever, Kaleb.¡±


    While | could revel in this praise, | chose not to acknowledge it. Tell me, how is Cas sandra?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s been meeting with Ronald''s fiancee quite a few times this week,¡± he reported. ¡°But there doesn¡¯t seem to be anything


    strange about it. Helene is little more than a powerless prisoner of Ronald¡¯s. She and Cas sandra have nothing to gain by


    spending time with one another.¡±


    ¡°How do you know she isn¡¯t meeting with my cousin secretly?¡± | wondered. There were no informants in Ronald¡¯s tower, so Cas s


    andra might have been using Helene as a cover-up to hide her meetings with Ronald.


    2/3


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    Chiperh

 Chapter 228

    CASSANDRA


    | waspletely stunned. Had Helene really said that sentence aloud, or had | simply imagined it


    Leave Yurene? With her?


    As the shock of her proposal died down. | realized that Ronald¡¯s fiancee didn¡¯t seem to be joking. Her expression was quite


    serious. The rosiness of her cheeks had faded and her lips were a solemn, thin line.


    ¡°| don¡¯t understand,¡± | uttered for what felt like the millionth time, and after | nced around us, | lowered my voice even further.


    ¡°Helene, you''re betrothed to Ronald, Your wedding is scheduled in less than a month. Why would you leave?¡±


    ¡°Because | don¡¯t want the wedding to happen,¡± she replied bluntly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to marry Ronald.¡±


    My eyes nearly fell out of my skull and my lips turned into a frown. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. You seem like such a nice couple-¡±


    ¡°It''s nothing but a performance, Helene cut me off and then she shook her head. ¡°I suppose I¡¯m a better actress than 1 thought.


    It''s the only way I¡¯ve been able to stay alive for so long, My life has depended on my ability to lie and fakecency.¡±


    After she took a long, deep breath, she took a long sip of her drink and then began to tell her story. She spoke at an incredibly


    fast speed and kept ncing at the window as she went on. It was apparent that she was making sure that her maid wasn¡¯t


    going to walk in on our conversation, and with every nce, | felt anxiety swell within me.


    What if we got caught?


    What would happen to us?


    Would we be punished for attempted treason?


    Despite my fears, | managed to quell my thoughts and gave Helene my full attention.


    She exined to me that she was from the South, She¡¯d been captured by a Northerner while she was on a trip with her parents


    and two sisters ten years ago when she was only sixteen years old.


    TF


    Her father had nned to do business with a Pack in the Northern area, and they were set to stay there for a few months. while


    he conducted his affairs. Her father was very determined to strike up a deal, so her family agreed to this temporary


    It was winter, she remembered, and it was snowing heavily when they arrived. They were staying at a mee, cozy cabin, and the


    was quite thrilled to be there. While things were strange and foreign, she felt safe and content.


    Calm


    ¡°Nave, she sand bitterly.


    wood took ce soon after they arrived Yurene started a sudden attack against the Pack that Helene¡¯s father was trying to


    conduct basis with The Park was unprepared and tell quickly. The violence was unstguable


    Her parcidudied in the raid, and


    Sturlund fou is


    mistera wyjeiced to separate They were all taken by different soldiers,


    ed so many times that she had


    wood Ingrulcation at thends of hey Southern.


    11:48 Fri, Feb 23.


    90%


    When Ronald found her three years ago, she had just killed herst master. He had been a twisted psycho and she couldn t bear


    his actions any longer. She was forced to take matters into her own hands and poisoned the man¡¯s morning tea


    After a moment of pause, she exined that the master was a Lord in Yurene, and one day, Ronald happened to visit him. When


    he¡¯d arrived and noticed the dead master lying lifeless on the ground, Helene thought she would be executed. But Ronald


    seemed to have another n for her.


    ¡°He made me an adoptive daughter of the lord,¡± she exined. ¡°Messed around and forged some official paperwork that made


    me appear to be a blood rtion of that wicked man. Since he¡¯s the king¡¯s brother, the matter was easy enough. He even


    covered up my former master¡¯s death and had the coroner state that it was a heart attack that killed him.¡±


    ¡°Wow.¡± | uttered in shock and | shook my head slowly. Poor Helene. To have gone through so much | couldn''t imagine what it


    had been like to be a ve at such a young age. She¡¯d endured so much.


    After a moment, | leaned in closer. So, Ronald saved you?¡±


    Helene¡¯s smile grew sardonic. ¡°I had thought so. Ronald seemed to be so nice back then. He was younger and much more


    handsome than the masters I¡¯d once served. And he was prestigious, of course. What more could a captive wish for?¡±


    She sighed. ¡°I thought I was lucky. But soon, | knew luck had nothing to do with it. The reason Ronald spared my life and saved


    me was because he wanted to use me


    ¡°How | implored.


    Helene offered me a rueful smile. ¡°There¡¯s only one way a man can make use of a woman who doesn¡¯t have anything but her


    body. Needless to say, after all I¡¯ve been through... I¡¯m fed up with this life. | want to leave it all behind.¡±


    | didn¡¯t know what to say.


    This was all so much to process.


    ¡°Despite my excellent performance, Ronald has never stopped watching me,¡± Helene continued on. ¡°But ever since you two


    began to meet, he hasn¡¯t paid as much attention to me. | think the chance to go has finallye. Luck is finally on my side. This


    is where youe in.¡±


    ¡°What can | do?¡± | wondered cautiously.


    | think the wedding would be the best opportunity to escape,¡± she said quietly. ¡°The gate will be opened for guests. Some of them


    will be from Southern areas. If we n it just right, we could blend ourselves among the servants and slip out.¡±


    Her eyes seemed enthusiastic at the mere suggestion, and | didn¡¯t want to let her down, but | wasn¡¯t sure how this would work


    ¡°I''m worried this will be extremely difficult,¡± | admitted. ¡°And | don¡¯t know that I can leave with you. It¡¯s too dangerous, and | can¡¯t


    just leave my son and maid behind¡±


    The light left Helene¡¯s eyes and her smile waned for just a moment. Disappointment shed across her features and she sighed.


    Maybe she was let down by my response, or maybe she knew that this was too impossible. She continued to smile. but | knew it


    was just part of her performance


    My heart clenched in my chest and it took all of my power to keep from crying Helene was clearly in pain and | wanted to get hex


    far away from this ce she didn¡¯t deserve any of this wanted nothing more than for her to return to her homnd wherever it


    was, and try to live the life that had been jobbed from her in the raud


    | datar katos if | should have said it, but | couldnt stop ends from falling out of my mouth any way


    though | don¡¯t thank thas


    idea | help you¡± | said. ¡°If you re determined to get away from your nightmare. |Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    11:48 Fri, Feb 23.


    909

 Chapter 229

    BECKY


    After days and nights of hard work, | finally hit my breaking point and copsed.


    D ickson had been right when he¡¯d tried to tell me to slow down, but | hadn¡¯t been eager to listen. So, when my body finally


    eaved, | sumbed to an intense bout of illness. Di ckson ushered me into a private room in the clinic and started treating. me


    right away.


    | was feverish for days and my mind was dizzy. The hours move in ways | couldn¡¯tprehend, and | didn¡¯t know how long | had


    been sleeping. | could feel it when D ickson came into my room and applied a cool cloth to my forehead, but | didn¡¯t have the


    strength to say anything. | was far too weak to move or speak


    Sometimes, | had nightmares. In those wicked dreams, | would see the faces of Marina and Ang, as well as shadow-like


    beings that lingered in the background. The shadows would surround me and try to engulf me with their ck power.


    | would wake from them crying but then fall back into heavy slumber. This continued on for a while, until finally, one night, |


    opened my eyes and found the strength to move.


    | was woken up by a loud noise downstairs. Though the voices were faint. | heard someone talking with great emotion. Soon


    after, another more soothing voice tried to calm them down. As they spoke, | nced at the clock. It was quitete and well past


    clinic hours.


    So, who was the mystery visitor?


    | removed the cloth from my head and carefully got out of bed. My legs wobbled, and | took a moment to limate myself before


    | took a timid step forward. Once | was certain | could move without falling, | walked over to the door and then quietly moved to


    the staircase.


    After a moment of pause, | climbed down the stairs, and when | reached the bottom, | was surprised to see Jasper and D ckson.


    ¡°Becky?¡± D ickson asked in surprise, and he rushed to my side swiftly. He instinctually held his arm out to steady me and I


    epted it gratefully. ¡°What are you doing down here?¡±


    ¡°What happened to you. Becky?¡± Jasper asked with concern as his eyes trailed over me. | hadn¡¯t had a chance to look at myself,


    but | was almost certain that | looked pale and terrible. There was no way that | appeared as put-together as 1 normally did, not if


    I''d been unconscious for so long.


    ¡°She¡¯s been working too many hours,¡± Di ckson exined for me, and he led me over to a chair. ¡°She¡¯s worn out.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯ve slept enough now,¡± | insisted, though | took a seat anyway. ¡°Or maybe I¡¯ve been asleep for too long How many days


    was out for?


    Di ckson frowned and stared at me as if | were insane. ¡°You''ve only slept for half a day, Becky¡±


    | was unmediately taken aback. Considering how many had dreams | had | thought I¡¯d been asleep for at least three days. It


    certainly felt like it.


    But despair my conson. | brushed my thoughts aside and loodied at Jasper What was the tall, muscr guard tromm Wild


    Crawler doing here Shouldn¡¯t he have been at Marley¡¯s side, attending to the many aiding patients in the Pack¡¯s chine


    ¡°What a going on | wondered and Jasper¡¯s expression gees serious


    Marley se me he exined vaguely and after he exhaled sleeply, he continued Something happened my Wild Crawler


    acts mathing ene and hits


    90%


    11:48 Fri, Feb 23


    My heart began to race in anticipation. ¡°What happened?¡±


    Jasper exchanged a nce with Di ckson. They seemed reluctant to share, but the time for vagueness ha They needed to be


    upfront with me.


    Don¡¯t hide anything from me. | insisted as | nced between them. ¡°I¡¯m feeling much better now. | can hand


    Jasper hesitated, but after a deep breath, he said something that made me stop in my tracks.


    ¡°This is going to sound crazy. But some of the patients the ones that have died...well.. they''vee back to life.


    1 stared at him in disbelief, but | knew at once from his solemn expression that he wasn¡¯t joking.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± | demanded. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°| know it sounds crazy,¡± he repeated. ¡°It¡¯s rather shocking, but I¡¯m telling you the truth.¡±


    He shook his head and then leaned against the nearest table and crossed his muscr arms.


    ¡°The death number in Wild Crawler has been increasing,¡± he exined. ¡°As a result, some of the corpses weren''t burnt or buried


    in a timely fashion. Two days ago, two of the guards of the mortuary were attacked. One died and the other was heavily injured.


    The one who survived reported what happened to him. He told Marley and Alpha Rayden that he¡¯d been attacked by a corpse,


    only it wasn¡¯t a corpse... it was a moving, breathing entity.¡±


    My lips parted in shock.


    A breathing corpse?


    This sounded like a twisted nightmare, one even scarier than the ones I''d endured upstairs.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Marley and Rayden thought it would be necessary to send me here and tell you both what happened.¡± Jasper said. ¡°We thought


    you might have an exnation.¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t know.¡± | admitted as | shook my head. ¡°Nothing like that happened when the first patient died. The coroner took quite a


    few days to examine the body andplete his report. The body never reanimated.¡±


    Jasper nodded ¡°Marley considered that as well. But she proposed a theory... she believes that the first patient didn¡¯t actually die


    from the disease¡±


    ¡°What do you mean Di ckson spoke up, and he pushed his dark sses up the bridge of his nose.


    ¡°The first one who died was old and he had many other diseases, Jasper offered. ¡°The mysterious illness might have been a


    trigger but it wasn¡¯t the ultimate reason for his demise


    | considered this idea for a moment and then frowned. ¡°So that would mean that the patients who died directly from the disease


    are more likely to reanimate? To be the living dead¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Marley¡¯s spection¡± Jasper sad..


    Tist my lower lip and pondered


    theag der had beenmile teling dot te ingentiler


    Tidon kang tid at tube for thtrc dead to


    How was it possible for a corpse toe back to life? The idea sounded reticulous. But ridiculous things happeningtely It


    something as grand as sorcery existed, why would


    4 days Jager moshat e We are


    duly resin Suce the attack tuppened, Alpha Rayden


    dipsos Bot Marley keja added of the ting dead using to the desciption


    20


    laa]


    11:48 Fri, Feb 23


    | nodded thoughtfully Did Marley manage to take a blood sample


    ¡°There was no blood sample.¡± the guard answered. ¡°The living dead had no blood in their veins.¡±


    | felt a little defeated at his reply. A blood sample could have given us a great deal of answers and would have been immensely


    helpful.


    When | frowned, Jasper reached into a leather bag beside him and retrieved some papers. He held them out to me.


    ¡°You''ll understand what | mean after you read Marley¡¯s report¡±


    [e)


    COMMENT


    90

 Chapter 230

    BECKY


    Just as Jasper suggested. Marley¡¯s report was concise and clear.


    The reanimated corpses had gained newfound strength in death They were able to move and attack swiftly and gracefully They


    also had great physical strength, more so than some of the most impressive and powerful werewolves in Wega


    However, they didn¡¯t seem to possess the ability to think for themselves Marley also wrote that she didn¡¯t think they had. sight as


    well because when the surviving guard ran away for help and returned with a group of heavily armed individuals. they all


    witnessed the living dead still attacking the body of the dead guard. Marley surmised that the smell of flesh and blood attracted


    them to a target and that alone seemed to be the reason why they attacked.


    As | scanned the report, | made note of a few question marks Marley had scrawled beside some bulleted points. There seemed


    to be some things she wasn¡¯t sure about, but from her findings, | could draw a few simple truths,


    First, the ¡°living dead¡± were still dead. Despite their reanimation, they had no heartbeat, and their blood didn¡¯t flow


    Second, they were inclined to attack living people. It was as if they were possessed by evil spirits and were fueled by a desire


    to kill.


    As I¡¯considered everything I''d just read, | carefully rose from my chair, and without a word, walked past Jasper and into myb. |


    retrieved my record and scanned through my notes. After a minute. | found a fewments I¡¯d made, about the poison.


    Yes, 1 had suspected that the final stage of this mysterious disease appeared to be mind-destroying, but | never got the


    opportunity to confirm it with Dic kson, as | was overwhelmed by everything that had happened recently.


    | stared at my notes for a moment and then walked back out into the lobby.


    ¡°Is it true that the patients at their final stage of the disease appeared to be losing their minds?¡± | asked Jasper and D ick son


    bluntly. The were silent for a moment and then Dic kson nodded.


    ¡°| treated a patient who could hardly form aplete sentence or recognize their own rtives,¡± he said quietly, and his sky-blue


    eyes looked defeated behind his sses. ¡°But then again, we need to keep in mind that many diseases have simr


    traits


    ¡°| know,¡± | replied. ¡°And most of those diseases are mental illnesses. This is different. This diseasees from a poison.¡± Dic


    kson frowned but then nodded thoughifully.


    ¡°We all believed that the poison was intended to kill someone.¡± | said before | could stop myself. ¡°But maybe it isn¡¯t. Maybe it¡¯s


    aimed at changing people¡¯s nervous systems and manufacturing the living dead.¡±


    Jasper inhaled sharply and stared at me as if I¡¯d uttered something absolutely insane. ¡°How is that possible?¡±


    | shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m willing to bet that only a sorcerer or sorceress would know how people could move and attack


    when their body is no longer living. But what | do know for certain is that this is dangerous, much more dangerous. than any


    other terrible disease


    After all, what would be more horrible than death?


    Turning into a monster.


    ¡°Did you find out who carried out the poisoning Laskeid Jasper,


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    11:48 Fri, Feb 23


    Chapter 230)


    He shook his head. ¡°Not yet, but we did find someone suspicious. One of the guards in Wild G interested in the ¡°living dead¡¯ and


    was caught messing with some of the corpses when Alpha burnt. It seemed almost as if he wanted to steal them away before


    they could be destroyed.


    ¡°Who were they?¡± Dic kson wondered.


    Jasper shrugged. ¡°We don¡¯t know his name. He was caught and interrogated, but we couldn¡¯t find out we could confirm with


    certainty is that he wasn¡¯t a Southerner. His ent was different.¡±


    ¡°He was....¡± Di ckson trailed off.


    ¡°A Northerner?¡± | finished for him, and we exchanged a fearful nce with one another.


    90%


    H


    overly


    be


    ¡°We suppose so,¡± Jasper replied as his eyebrows knitted together. ¡°We believe he was some sort of spy. But we couldn''t fi out


    more because the guard took his own life after the initial interrogation.¡±


    My heartbeat quickened and my stomach twisted into knots. A Northern spy? There was only one exnation, and the m thought


    of it was nearly enough to make me sick. As my head began to pound, | reached out and steadied myself on a nearby table. My


    head swam with dizziness and my lower lip trembled.


    Di ckson stared at me with concern, but | held my hand up when he tried to walk over to me. Jasper seemed too stressed to


    notice my bout of sickness, but | didn¡¯t me him at all. This was all a terrifying mess.


    ¡°If the guard was from the North...this must have something to do with Yurene,¡± | expressed, fear painting my tone. ¡°No other


    Pack would be able to n something of this magnitude.


    Ashudder ran through me.


    Ca ssandra could be in danger.


    ¡°We have to do something to inform Cas sandra about what happened in Wild Crawler,¡± | blurted out, and my chest heaved as |


    fought to catch my breath. My poor, dear friend was trapped up in that snowy, terrifying ce.


    ¡°Calm down, Becky,¡± Dic kson said, and he tried to steady me as | fidgeted, but it was no use.


    ¡°| can¡¯t,¡± | said as | shook my head back and forth. ¡°We have to do something. We could write, or phone, or... anything. We have


    to tell Cas sandra¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible, Becky,¡± Di ckson said gently, and when he lightly touched my arm, | met his gaze and nearly broke into


    tears. ¡°If the king of Yurene is the mastermind of this whole twisted situation, there¡¯s no way for us to reach out and tell Cas


    sandra the truth. He¡¯d never allow it and we have no point of contact.¡±


    While | knew he was right, | couldn¡¯t just give it up. She was my dearest friend. | couldn¡¯t let this go.


    ¡°Is there a way for someone to enter Yurene and get in touch with her?¡± | asked desperately. | knew the question sounded even


    crazier, but | couldn¡¯t help it.


    Silence hung in the room and no one met my eyes. | stood there helpless and shaking, as | waited for an answer | knew would


    never happen


    Ca ssandra was long gone she''d been taken by Kaleli to that awful country, meanwhile, the Northern king was trying to mess


    with Wega if this potser continued to spread and patients reached the final stage of the disease, there would be a full-on cone


    that would be difficult to stop. There was in telling how far this pilot would go, but as | considered everything. my onlyeniu


    Jasper suddenly cleared his throat and cased the tension.


    Find CRM F u


    11:48 Fri, Feb 23.


    ¡°There might be a way-he said quietly.


    | froze in ce and stopped fidgeting. ¡°What do you mean, Jasper?¡±


    ¡°Yes, what are you suggesting?¡± D ickson chimed in his tone utterly cautious,


    Jasper hesitated and then continued.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    90%


    ¡°Rayden mentioned there will be a wedding happening in Wild Crawler soon,¡± the guard stated vaguely. ¡°It might be our

 Chapter 231

    CASSANDRA


    The moment | agreed to help Helene, | regretted it and wished | could take my promise back. H Ronald''s fiancee escape from


    Yurene when | was still in trouble myself?


    But Helene appeared greatly moved. Her light brown eyes filled with tears, and her cheeks blushed a de she reached across the


    table and took my hands in hers.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she uttered quietly as she squeezed lightly and gave me a grateful smile.


    das


    | smiled back at her, but before | could reply, the door to the cafe opened, and the bells chimed as Helene¡¯s maid retu The poor


    girl¡¯s cheeks were flushed and she panted heavily as she rushed over to the table.


    ¡°| searched high and low, but your ring wasn¡¯t in the shop, mydy,¡± namented, and her eyes fell to the ground as in were


    steeling herself for physical punishment. ¡°I don¡¯t know what could have happened to it,¡±


    As the maid tensed up as if by instinct, Helene pondered her statement for a moment, and then, as if a sudden realization: hit


    her, her berry-painted lips parted.


    ¡°| wonder...¡± she murmured, and then she reached into the pocket of her heavy coat. She rummaged around for a moment and


    then retrieved her ring.


    na appeared as if she were about to cry from relief, and Helene gave her a small smile.


    ¡°Silly me.¡± she said as she slipped the ring back onto her finger. ¡°I must have put it in my pocket when | tried the other ring on in


    the shop. So sorry, na.¡±


    ¡°It''s no trouble at all, My Lady, the maid replied quickly, and when she raised her pretty blue eyes, they were wet with tears. ¡°I¡¯m


    simply d the ring is still in your possession,¡±


    We all knew that she was more relieved not to be punished, but | didn¡¯t me her in the slightest. | could only imagine what it felt


    like to be a maid in Viokwell. Hell, what it was like to serve as a maid in Yurene in general. While Helene didn¡¯t seem the type to


    inflict pain on others, surely na had been subjected to methods like that by others in the fortress if she¡¯d flinched like that.


    After we finished our food and drinks, we visited a few other shops before returning to the castle. Helene didn¡¯t say a single word


    about her situation or intended escape, but when the car returned to the fortress and stopped outside of the building | was


    housed in, Helene caught my hand and asked if | was willing to have tea with her tomorrow.


    She squeezed my fingers gently as a hint, and my stomach twisted into knots. | had no idea what she was nning, nor how to


    navigate this situation.


    ¡°Thave to visit Kaleb tomorrow morning, but I''ll be avable after that.¡± | said after | took a short breath. ¡°Is that


    ¡°After will be perfect, Helene replied ¡°I would like to have lunch with you¡±


    ¡°That sounds nice¡± | said, and after we exchanged smiles, we parted ways.


    that alright?


    1 didn¡¯t sleep very well that night When I''d returned to my chamber after my trip with Helene, Thadict rald Erika any thing


    sung thought. | wasn¡¯t sure if lever would


    lzern capeletally thing for her


    anhat was clear that this journey to Yuuene lud


    strar. But | didn¡¯t want


    11:48 Fri, Feb 23.


    to add to it further, so I-remained silent and pondered what Ronald and Helene told me as


    I still hadn¡¯t decided what to do when Ms. Benn turned up at my door the next day to lead


    The head housekeeper was pale, far more than usual, and her ice-blue eyes had dark circles remained expressionless like


    usual, | could detect a trace of worry in her eyes. As we walked sile main building, | remembered that Ms. Benn¡¯s daughter had


    been ill. | wondered if that was why s


    ¡°How is your daughter, Ms. Benn?¡± | asked before | could lose the courage to do so.


    The housekeeper remained silent at first, and | figured that she wasn¡¯t going to answer like always.


    But then, when we turned the corner and stepped on the staircase, she paused and turned to nce at me. Her was even


    paler still, and her lips trembled.


    ¡°She¡¯s still very ill,¡± she said quietly, and then her mouth drew into a thin line as her gaze fell to the ground.


    My heart ached for her. | knew what it was like to be worried for my child.


    ¡°I''m sorry to hear that,¡± | said gently. ¡°I hope she will recover very soon.¡±


    Ms. Benn looked back at me but didn¡¯t move. After a long, tense moment, she spoke again. ¡°My daughter won''t recover.¡±


    | widened my eyes in confusion, and before | could ask her what she meant, she continued on.


    ¡°| can¡¯t afford the medicine required to cure her,¡± shemented.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    My eyebrows knitted together as | tried to understand, in Wega, even the lowest level servant working in the pce earned


    very decent money. How could the head housekeeper not have enough to take care of her daughter?


    Ms. Benn began to climb the stairs and | began to wonder if there was anything | could do. Though she wasn''t the kindest to me,


    no one deserved to go without medicine if they were ailing.


    An idea crossed my mind.


    ¡°If you''re willing. | could check her condition,¡± | offered, and Ms Benn paused again. ¡°Bring her to my room if you''re able. I''ll


    examine her.¡±


    The housekeeper remained frozen, but after a moment she nodded.


    The bluntness of the Northerners never failed to surprise me. When Ms. Benn and | arrived at the meeting room, she didn¡¯t utter


    a word to me. Instead, she simply knocked on the door and announced ¡°It¡¯s Ca ssandra Keller, and then turned and left.


    1 let out a soft sigh and then entered the room a few secondster


    There were two other people in the meeting room aside from Kaleb. One of them was Raven, and the other one was a ck-


    haired man I''d never seen before As his equally ck eyes trailed over me and a cruel smile formed on his pointed face. | hadd


    the sense that he seemed to know me


    ¡°Helo be greeted me, and a shiver ran through me. Tin Arabis


    ¡°Hello¡± Exeplied politely, unsure of what the to say


    eto be interested in rating more to me fibead be gestured at the table and told me to take a seat.


    11:48 En, Feb 23


    | obediently sat on the couch opposite Raven, and the sorceress blinked at me. | wasn¡¯t quite sure what was did | understand her


    strange demeanor


    ¡°Go ahead, Raven,¡± Kaleb instructed in a bored tone. ¡°Tell her your request¡±


    Raven nodded and then turned to me. ¡°I think you should visit the prison tower, Ca ssandra. You need a thorough


    examination.¡±


    | was taken aback. A physical exam? Whatever for?


    ¡°What''s going on in the prison tower is top secret,¡± Anubis spoke up, and he shot me a suspicious re. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous to let a


    Southerner in the building. Besides, why is it necessary to do the check in the prison tower? It could be conducted anywhere.¡±


    ¡°The exam is private. Raven sighed in annoyance, and she rolled her bluish-green eyes. ¡°The check and the results aren¡¯t


    anyone¡¯s business. There are spies and informants everywhere. Besides, Ca ssandra isn¡¯t going to be a Southerner for much


    longer. She¡¯s going to marry Kaleb and be our queen.¡±


    | wasn¡¯t quite sure what their true intention was or why this physical exam was so important, but my body stiffened when Raven


    said the word ¡°queen¡±.


    LOMMENT

 Chapter 232

    CASSANDRA


    Anubis suddenly snorted and nced at me with irritation with yet even further cruelness.


    ¡°Healer Ca ssandra hasn''t even agreed yet,¡± he sneered, and his ck eyes shed. ¡°It seems our king isn to illicit a response.¡±


    As heughed. Raven appeared surprised. She folded her legs beneath her and sat forward.


    ¡°Why wouldn''t you want to marry Kaleb?¡± she asked me in confusion. ¡°Every girl in Yurene dreams about the king.¡±


    Anubis lifted a thick dark brow. ¡°Including you, Raven?¡±


    Raven¡¯s jaw dropped and she shook her head firmly. ¡°Me? Of course not! My sister, though she probably went nuts when she


    heard about this.¡±


    Anubisughed again, and | felt my face flush as | watched this exchange. Roxy had seemed intense when I¡¯d met her, so | was


    a little surprised to find out that she admired Kaleb. Then again, with how cruel and blunt the dark-haired beauty was, | couldn¡¯t


    be too shocked that the cruel Northern king was her type.


    As | nced at Kaleb, | wondered if he expectell me to answer his proposal now. | began to panic, but before | could lose myself


    in anxiety, the king asked Raven and Anubus to stop joking


    ¡°Enough,¡± he sighed, and then he turned his attention to Raven. How are the antidotesing along, Raven? Will you be able to


    prepare enough of them in such a short time?¡±


    ¡°The cure to ck Ma


    Marks, you mean?¡± Raven asked for rification, and after Kaleb nodded, he nced at me.


    1 felt my heart quicken as | tried to keep up.


    ck Marks.


    Was that the official name of the poison? The one that was guing both Wega and the man | loved and missed with all of my


    being?Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    And was Raven the one who had invented the cure for it?


    Before my mind could spiral further, the sorceress replied to the Northern king¡¯s question.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m able to she started to say, but Kaleb raised his hand to stop her before she could finish her sentence


    ¡°| need an amount of antidote sufficient enough to cure 50,000 people,¡± he said.


    Hasen frowned and then stared at him with a look somewhere between shock and utter confusion. ¡°Are you joking? Or at


    vagecrating the number?¡±


    the of Yurene said tly, and Haven uitz


    arritated sigh.


    ¡°Whist Har hell wir jou uje tor¡± star grumbled, just loud enough for me to hear, and then she left silent. After a moment of


    atu sjeike up. ¡°It¡¯s dithrode to get the antidote prepared in a short tune, cipecially that amount, without


    would


    of mumbers. But something like that would


    Fadeli perefund the Dor opin


    there he for our an annoyed sigh. Raven stopped


    ¡°Is it true that you used-the poison on 50,000 people?¡± she blurted out, and everyone in the room fell silent. ¡°I though were only


    going to use it on the guinea pigs since | invented the poison and...¡±


    Raven''s words dulled in my mind until they were almost shut outpletely, and | suddenly frowned as | tried to make sense of


    what was happening


    Did the talkative sorceress just say that she invented the poison?


    This made no sense at all. Wasn''t it Emmett?


    And why did Kaleb bring up a number like 50,000 Had he somehow gotten an update about Wild Crawler? 50,000 people was


    fifty percent of the remote Pack¡¯s entire poption.


    Had that many people gotten infected since I''d left Wega ande to Yurene?


    As my heart raced in my chest, | followed Raven¡¯s sight and looked at Kaleb


    50,000 is an estimation,¡± the Northern king said.


    Raven exhaled heavily and pursed her lips. ¡°It better be. Since we haven''t learned how to control it yet, you''d better not use it on


    that many people.¡±


    j


    He¡¯s already done it! | wanted to yell at her. Clearly, these two weren''t on the same page when it came to the subject, but |


    couldn¡¯t determine why


    No matter how confused and stressed out | was, however. | managed to hold in my anger. Anubis¡¯ cold ck eyes were on me


    and something told me | couldn''t slip up under his watchful gaze.


    So instead, | asked Raven a question for rification.


    ¡°What did you mean when you said you ¡®invented the poison?¡± | wondered. ¡°I thought it was created by Emmett Keller.¡±


    Raven didn¡¯t seem all that surprised by my question, which told me she knew about my rtionship with Emmett. But she did


    grimace.


    ¡°It''s true that Emmett created a powerful poison,¡± she exined. ¡°Initially, | was just trying to recreate it. Though | failed. !


    managed to create a poison that was slightly different than his, and | named it ¡°ck Marks¡±


    ¡°Slightly different?¡± Anubis snorted.


    Raven seemed agitated and shed a re in his direction. ¡°I did my best! ck Marks is still powerful, even though it¡¯s not as


    potent as Inferno¡±


    ¡°Inferno¡± | repeated back and my heart dropped in my chest as 1 froze


    Haven nodded oblivious to my shock. ¡°It¡¯s the name of the poison that Ermett created. | suppose he called it that because the


    potion is just like an interno impossible to put our¡±


    going to be sick. This was allmence wa


    (the naine to the sukurtingie lux


    The waste possiter way to has sated such thing after tha


    LESTINA


    C232


    As | considered the answer to this insanity, another thought crossed my mind, one that made me feel weak and left me on the


    urge of retching.


    Had Emmett nned all of these things?


    Was he involved in the inferno itself? Was he the one responsible for it all?


    ¡°Cassandra, are you alright?¡± Raven asked, bringing me back into the present moment. Her lovely face was full of concern. and


    she reached out for me just as | began to slump. ¡°You look positively green. Are you feeling alright?¡±


    My lips parted to speak, though | wasn¡¯t sure what to say, but before a full thought could escape my mouth, Kaleb cleared his


    throat and crossed over to me. His handsome face was as calm as always, but | could detect an ulterior motive in his dark blue


    eyes.


    There was always a motive with someone as calcting as him.


    ¡°| believe Cassandra needs to speak with me in private,¡± he dered as he rested his hand on the back of the couch | was


    seated on. ¡°Raven and Anubis, you''re dismissed. | will see you bothter¡±


    Though Raven didn¡¯t seem like she wanted to leave, she nodded her head obediently, and then she and Anubis left the


    room.


    isi)

 Chapter 233

    CASSANDRA


    As my head began to pound from the influx of this new information, | stared off in the far corners of the room.


    | saw movement in my peripheral vision, and then | felt Kaleb sit on the couch beside me. | nced briefly in his direction, and he


    held a tissue out to me. Though my cheeks were stained with tears, | didn¡¯t take it. | knew this was all by design. Every step he


    took was deliberate, and today¡¯s conversation was no exception. He allowed me to listen to what Raven was going to say and


    then watched me break down.


    Though | wanted to continue crying and dissolve into my sadness, | took a few deep breaths and calmed myself. Ronald was


    right. There was no way | could fight against Kaleh, at least not directly: Eneeded to be cunning and brave if | wanted to take the


    king of Yurene down


    So, | forced myself to look into his dark blue eyes,


    ¡°Are there truly 50,000 people in Wild Crawler who have caught the disease?¡± | asked him quietly.


    Kaleh didn¡¯t answer directly. Instead, he slightly raised his eyebrow and clenched his jaw before speaking


    ¡°The longer you drag out giving me an answer the more the number will increase¡± he said, his tone calm but also somewhat


    threatening


    | gulped down the lump that had formed in my throat and summoned all of my courage. | wasn¡¯t certain how this was going to


    y out, but | couldn¡¯t wait any longer. No one else would die because of my resistance.


    ¡°| will marry you,¡± | decided. ¡°And I''ll do anything you want to help find the magic that Emmett hid within me. But | have some


    conditions. If you want to make use of mepletely, you''ll need my full willingness to cooperate.¡±


    The Northern king seemed surprised by my statement and nodded for a second.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± he asked softly as his eyebrows crinkled together. | hesitated and then put forward my conditions.


    ¡°First, a cure needs to be sent to Wild Crawler,¡± | stated. ¡°Before our wedding even takes ce.¡±


    Kaleb nodded. ¡°That can be done. | promised as much would happen.¡±


    ¡°| hope you''re the kind of person who would keep your promises,¡± | replied, and the king of Yurene¡¯s expression grew solemn


    ¡°Of course,¡± he insisted. ¡°That''s why | never swear them easily. My morals may not align with others too often, but I¡¯m a man of


    my word, Cas sandra. Now, what else do you want?¡±


    ¡°Well, secondly, | want Raven to create the cure to Inferno,¡± | answered without missing a beat.


    Kaleb lifted a brow and didn¡¯t answer immediately. He must have known it was for Asher, but his handsome face didn¡¯t betray


    that at all. He ran his hand through his long golden-brown hair and after a brief moment of hesitation, he nodded his head


    ¡°| will allow Raven to give it a try, he remarked. ¡°But | want you to know upfront that she could very easily fail. She¡¯s talented but


    there¡¯s a possibility she cannot crack at


    Ewanted to fire back and tell him that it was non negotiable, but simply nodded back and then summoned the courage to make


    supposed what he was saying held some merit. So, 1


    last request.


    ¡°Andst trailed off and after a moment of pause. | straightened up ¡°I don¡¯t want Asher to find out about this.¡±


    1/3


    Find CRM For Small Businesses


    11:49 Fri, Feb 23


    Kaleb smirked. ¡°I doubt that it could be kept from him. News of our engagement is going to reach th if | tried my da mndest to


    ensure that no one tells him, the king of Wega would likely find out fro


    ¡°| know,¡± | sighed as my stomach twisted into anxious knots. ¡°But | want to keep it a secret at least ut invented


    The king of


    Yimene narrowed his eyes and studied for a moment. Then, yet another smirk formed on his


    ¡°You love your mate, he assessed, and when | parsed my lips, heughed lightly. ¡°Alright. I''ll help you save Asher and allow the


    naive king to remain oblivious.


    Even


    | thought he would have much more to say on the matter, but to my surprise, he didn¡¯t continue. Instead, he rose from the couch


    and then walked over to the door. He lingered in the doorway as he exchanged a few words with the guard stationed outside of


    the room, and then he turned back to face meN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°Helene¡¯s maid is waiting for you,¡± he announced, and | was nearly startled by his words. Like Ronald¡¯s fiancee said, Kaleb


    surely kept an eye on whatever | was doing. But still, it chilled me. | wasn¡¯t sure if Kaleb knew I had agreed to be Ronald¡¯s


    informant. He probably wasn''t, of course, but | was particrly on edge.


    | forced myself to smile through my stress and nodded politely


    ¡°I''ll walk you out myself,¡± Kaleb said as | stood up. ¡°I have a few friends to visit, so it''ll be


    | swallowed hard and then nodded again


    be on my way.


    You and Helene must have a lot inmon to talk about. he remarked as | crossed the room to join him. ¡°You''re both from the


    South, after all. | suppose that¡¯s why you''ve visited her so oftentely.¡±


    His voice was cid, yet his eyes were as sharp as ever. | had the sense that he was suspicious, but | remained calm and even-


    faced.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± | replied, and | offered him a small smile, ¡°Helene is very kind. I''ve enjoyed herpany greatly.¡±


    | must have managed to not appear panicked or suspicious because Kaleb simply nodded in response.


    He held the door open for me and we stepped out into the hall. We continued our walk in silence, and when we turned the


    corner, we spotted na, Helene¡¯s maid.


    na¡¯s eyes widened when she caught sight of Kalebs, and she immediately bowed her head.


    ¡°Hello, Your Majesty, she uttered politely as her cheeks flushed scarlet.


    Kaleb didn¡¯t address her. Instead, he reached out and took my hand in his. My heart began to race as | tried to make sense o


    what was happening, and then the king pressed his lips against thy hand gently


    Have a good day, Cassandra,¡± he said, and after he dropped my arm, he left. | tried to catch my breath. It was just a kiss on the


    hund, but it was more than I¡¯d expected


    Asolowed na to Ronaldsdence, | pondered the disy of affection


    waiting for mac on the terrace. The table wastaden with an entire feast of delicious smelling food, but | didn¡¯t diate an apprima.


    No instead Tupped at mane bitter tes and faced a sene, id in We talked and ate with mass and


    Hirjeir couldija say mything about her sis n, but | wasn¡¯t upset about it was still rechung trom


    Sales was arge golden bekas today and it was very eye tegie, and at in that bedre When | praised


    ching The pertand in the milde was shaped like an she happily told it was one of her favorites


    tand mas


    When lunch was finished, Helene smiled at me and gently tour hed my arm.


    ¡°| want to give you a present.¡± she announced, and then she withdrew her hand and unfastened her ne. When she handed


    it to me, | waspletely surprised.


    ¡°Oh, Helene, | couldn¡¯t ept this. | objected, but she shook her head.


    ¡°You must,¡± she insisted, and when we stood up, she then she hugged me. Before | could break the embrace, she whispered. in


    my car. ¡°You must take it.¡±


    Before | could question it further, | felt Helene ce something in my pocket.


    My lips parted in surprise, but when | nced at Ronald¡¯s hancee, she shook her head.


    ¡°Wait until you get back to your chamber,¡± she whispered.


    It was a warning, and it sent a chill down my spine:


    What had | set in-motion?

 Chapter 234

    CASSANDRA


    Nervousness gued me the entire way back to my chamber. On one hand, | was afraid that Hele thing her mistress had ced


    in my pocket, and on the other. Iwas eager to know what it was.


    When | reached my room. | took a moment to greet Erika and Finnick, and then | told Erika | needed to Though the deration


    was a little bit of a lie, it wasn¡¯t an unusual excuse by any means. I¡¯d spent most of my since I''d arrived in Viokwell- usually


    eagerly studying the books Emmett had left for me and searching for clues.


    Finnick was too busy ying by himself to notice anything was amiss, and as | walked by and headed to the quiet corn imed


    as my reading nook. | found myself missing him dearly. We saw each other daily, but with everything happeni didn¡¯t get the


    quality time | was used to with him.


    | had duties to fulfill, and once | did, Finnick and I, along with Erika, would find our way back to Wega. Back to Asher..


    | forced away my thoughts of the Alpha King and turned my attention to the object in my pocket. | carefully retrieved it an was


    surprised to find it was a folded paper. When | carefully unfurled it onto the table, | discovered it was quite arge piece of paper.


    My eyes scanned over it, and my eyebrows shot up.


    ¡°It''s a map.¡± | whispered to myself. While it had no names and only a few exnations to it, it was clearly a map of the castle.


    There were a few red cross marks scrawled on the exits, which | inferred meant that they weren''t passable. There were also a


    few green round marks on other exits, which seemed to be passable. A few lines were also drawn along the roads, which


    probably indicated escape routes.


    As | studied the map, my heart thumped steadily in my chest. | felt excitement and panic at the same time. | knew how useful the


    map could be. It could be my life jacket. But | also knew all too well that it could be dangerous.


    If Kaleb were to discover this map and learn of our ns, | couldn¡¯t imagine what would happen. The Northern king wasn¡¯t one to


    handle things calmly, and something like this wouldn¡¯t go over well.


    | had no idea how Helene managed to draw this and how it had been possible to do it under the eyes of Ronald. If the Southern


    woman''s words were true, then he wasn¡¯t any better than Kaleb, and surely a thing like this would have been dangerous for her


    as well.


    | needed to find a safe ce to keep it.


    | carefully folded it back up and decided to only read it at night when Erika and Finnick were asleep. | couldn''t risk their safety or


    let them know that | was getting involved in business like this. They couldn¡¯t be essories to this would-be crime. The risk was


    mine and mine alone since I''d agreed to assist Helche on this mission.


    Just as | went to ce it back in my pocket, | noticed a small note had dropped onto the floor. As my eyebrows knitted together, |


    supposed it must have dropped when | unfolded the map.


    Fearefully opened the note and noticed it was written in the same swirly sort of penmanship as the map. After | read it, | an


    shock. ording to the note, the ne Helene had gated me this afternoon was more than just a mere piece of fine jewelry


    It was a wrajilini


    The note said that by pressing the eagle¡¯s songs a punoned norille would be released from its open beak. The needle was


    apparently quite nay, but the poison within was strong. Altogether, the pendant contained ten of these little needles. It was n


    martand that it shitwold teer treated.


    came the ponur way dendbe and could kill a person in


    ere just once, Icould have been hurt or even killed


    | shuddered as 1 tucked the gote into my pocket.


    | couldn''t imagine how long Helene had been nning this. She was far more well-prepared expected her to trust me so much,


    but it felt nice to be a person like that for Helene.


    Though things were uncertain, the weapon and map gave me confidence and hope.


    Yet another surprise arrived at dinner.


    Just as usual, it was Ms. Benn who brought us our evening meal, but this time when she entered the chamber, she look different.


    She wore a slightly awkward expression on her face. und her ice-blue eyes seemed timid. | hadn¡¯t seen such a vulnerable look


    on her, and it was admittedly a little strange to witness.


    The head housekeeper didn¡¯t retreat immediately after setting the tray down on the dining table. She hesitated for a moment and


    then cleared her throat, as if she¡¯d been gathering the courage to speak with me.


    ¡°Could | speak with you. Healer Cassandra?¡± she requested in her heavily ented voice.


    | nodded. ¡°Of course


    As | rose from my seat at the table. | gestured at the food and addressed Finnick and Erika. ¡°Please, go ahead and start without


    me.


    They nodded politely, and as they began to eat. | stepped away and crossed over to the far side of the room.


    *Healer Cassandra, could you indeed help my daughter?¡± she asked, and her cheeks flushed from embarrassment.


    ¡°I can do my best, | said softly, and then | nced at the door. Is she with you?¡±


    Ms. Benn nodded and then tucked a stray white-blonde hair behind her ear. ¡°Will you please wait a moment?¡±


    After | offered her a nod, she turned on her heels and retreated to the hallway. Erika watched on with concern but didn¡¯t question


    what was happening. She gave me a knowing expression, a silent and subtle indication that we would speak aboutter.


    Before long. Ms. Benn returned with a little girl following behind her. She couldn¡¯t be more than six. She had a pale but senous


    face, and the same icy blue eyes as her mother. Her breaths were thin and she trembled as she walked over.


    ¡°Cassandra, this is L,¡± Ms. Benn introduced us, and she smoothed her daughter''s pale blonde curls out of her face. ¡°Hello,


    L.¡± | greeted her, and when | squatted down to her level, she simply stared back at me with her wary eyes.


    | didn¡¯t pay her quietness any mind. | knew she was ill and | would never me a child for their shyness.


    ¡°Let me grab my medical kit, | said to Ms. Benn after | ced my hand on L¡¯s forehead. Her skin was hot to the touch. and


    covered with beads of sweat.


    | crossed the room and grabbed my liug from the closet, then returned to them. | began my exam right after, and as | took her


    temperature and other vitals. | noticed that she was looking at Finck, who maintained his distance politely but stared at her. 1,


    wild tell that he wanted to greet the little girl but when I took a step toward us. | warned him that her illness 214 be contagiotis


    and that he needed to stay over there


    He seed disappunted Rear noddest anyway.


    after 1 wijte them down anddered the possibilities, | told her


    11.49 Ft Fabon.


    I


    The housekeeper nodded thoughtfully but her expression was grim | knew that she could get the medicine, so | decided to take


    matters into my own hands


    ¡°I''ll try to get ahold of them. | sand thi fo


    my hands on the antibiotics


    one herbs. They should help her feel better until | can getExclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Ms. Benn¡¯s lips candes


    samle of relief.


    ¡°Thank you Healer Cassandra, she said Hank you


    by was the first time the stern woman had ever thanked me, and her sincere tone warned my heart


    n

 Chapter 235

    Chapter 235


    ASHER


    | had never expected the condition to be so dangerous for me. Of course, expectation was one thing and reality was another.


    | stared down at the killer whose throat had just been slitted. He was the third killer we¡¯d been forced to take the life of this week.


    Though these would-be assassins were not very skilled, they all seemed to be loyal to their master. None of them had said who


    sent them here to kill the king before their deaths, but Kane and Ss had their theories. My stepbrother thought it could be just


    about anyone, but the Beta assumed the man who hired these assassins was his own father.


    Though Oliver was the most suspected of the bunch, Kane suggested that it wasn¡¯t just him who wanted to use this chance to


    take the crown.


    The second and third killers came only half a day apart, which meant our whereabouts had been exposed. It came as no


    surprise to me that our route had beenpromised. Since we had takenmand of the Myriad and taken a few elite soldiers


    with us, Oliver must have gotten the news from his spies. The old Beta had eyes everywhere in Wega. As much at | hated to


    admit it, we were never truly safe from his watchful gaze.


    If only I''d known that Oliver Moses was so wicked before all of this had gotten so out of hand. | would have dismissed him from


    my court much earlier bamshed him and his viinous family to the bordends,


    All except Ss, of course. The youngest son of Moses had been a worthy ally and | was grateful to have him at my


    side


    ¡°Til be sure to ensure that our soldiers are extra vignt from here on out, Ss swore. his golden eyes fixed intensely on the


    body of the assassin¡¯on the ground.


    ¡°That¡¯s not enough¡± Kane remarked, his face worried. The more Packs we visit, the more people will know what situation their


    Alpha King is m. It might incur more and more killers from different parts of the country.


    ¡°Then what do you suggest we do?¡± | wondered as frustration swelled within me. ¡°Do you have a n?¡±


    My stepbrother ran his hand through his hair and then nodded. Sort of. What we need to do is figure out which Packs are ging to


    fight for the Alpha King once this war begins We need to know who is going to have your back once things in Wega escte.


    That being said, we need to keep you hidden away for now. Allow me to present myself and do the talkin S presence will also


    show them the king¡¯s authorityUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    kid want ine to remain in the shado ¡°I cut him off as my eyebrows creased together


    ¡°Yes and no Kai teplied gently ¡°The Alpha King doesn¡¯t need to be present during this campaign of ours, but that doesn¡¯t (rated to


    remata is the ¡®stay at one of nns when we meet with the Alphas of the differem Packs


    ¡°What do you man and It was clear that my stepbrother had a n in mut, but | wasn¡¯t following it


    (mund,


    ¡°Tuned dogue yote capitained aid he stepped away for a moment and returned with medium sized ba


    in avatarred thar bot and resealed iba konbenta


    Take (pards.


    A fake king? An imposter?


    | wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about this n.


    ¡°Do you intend for one of the soldiers to pose as me?¡± | asked him


    He shook his head. ¡°A soldier wouldn¡¯t work Warriors of the Myriad have all gone through intense training. They''re too hardened


    to pass as a king and have no experience or opportunities to witness how a royal is meant to behave.¡±


    | stared at Kane for a moment and then understood what his brother truly meant. It was a crazy idea, one | didn¡¯t with


    | began to speak. ¡°Do you intend-¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said with a nod. ¡°We need to change clothes. You will disguise yourself as a soldier, and I¡¯ll-¡±


    quite agree


    | shook my head before he could finish his sentence. ¡°This is too dangerous, Kane. You''re too important to risk. You''re the brains


    of this operation.¡±


    ¡°Tll take that as apliment, Kane said with an amused smirk. ¡°But that¡¯s precisely why | need to take the job. | know how to


    act since I¡¯ve been living in the pce for so long. I¡¯ve observed your father and yourself for years. | know your mannerisms.


    your speech patterns, everything. We may not look much alike, but | know how to conduct myself the way a king should.¡±


    ¡°Be that as it may, | don¡¯t think this is a good idea,¡± | insisted. ¡°I appreciate that you''re willing to take this risk for me, but this is a


    dangerous n, Kane.¡±


    ¡°| know it¡¯s dangerous, Asher,¡± Kane replied with a steady gaze. His violet eyes were even as they stared into mine and he raised


    his chin slightly. ¡°I know what I¡¯m taking on in doing this


    Ss and | exchanged a cautious nce with one another. The tall Beta didn¡¯t seem too convinced of this n either, though he


    likely wouldn¡¯t speak much on the matter. While Ss was intelligent, he had a quiet disposition and usually allowed me to make


    the decision rather than offering his opinion. That said, | knew if | asked him directly, he would speak his mind.


    | didn¡¯t want to offend Kane, but as a headache bloomed within me, | found myself at odds with his daring n.


    JM


    ¡°Asher, you have to let me do this.¡± Kane pressed, and he took a step toward me. ¡°I don¡¯t see any other option here.¡±


    ¡°And what happens if you die?¡± | blurted out. ¡°What do we do if one of the assassins gets ahold of you and attacks you, thinking


    you''re the Alpha King? | cannot ask you to make that sacrifice for me, nor would | ever want to..


    Kane remained silent for a moment, and we stared at each other for what felt like an eternity until he spoke again.


    ¡°My death would be better than yours, Asher,¡± he said firmly, his tone full of resolve. ¡°I¡¯m receable. You, however, are not. You


    have a duty to Wega, and you need to follow through and remain safe. | will take your ce.¡±


    COMMENT

 Chapter 236

    Chapter 236


    ASHER


    *| don¡¯t think this is a good idea,¡± Ss uttered before | had the chance to say a word.


    Kane¡¯s violet eyes shed and his eyebrows creased together in confusion. ¡°Oh? And what would you suggest we do. Ss I¡¯m


    not hearing you brainstorm any helpful ideas. Please, the floor is all yours. Offer up something useful.¡±


    Ss¡¯ demeanor grew defensive and his lips drew into a thin line. When he didn¡¯t reply within a second or two, Kane scoffed in


    his direction.


    ¡°That¡¯s what | thought,¡± my stepbrother remarked and then he smirked. ¡°You have nothing in mind, do you, Moses?¡±


    He took care to emphasize Ss¡¯ surname, and it was spat with venom right back at the Beta. | knew Ss didn¡¯t trust Kane,


    my stepbrother fully trust Ss. The two men stared at one another silently, and tension hung in the air. | allowed this to go on for


    a minute, and then | cleared my throat and stepped between them.


    Hot


    ¡°Enough,¡± | said in a low and warning voice, and | held my hands up in an attempt to de-escte things before they got intense.


    ¡°Don''t behave like a children. There¡¯s too much going on to act this way.¡±


    Ss took a step back, but his mouth remained curled into a snarl


    Kane rolled his eyes and then nced at the door. ¡°If we¡¯re done here, I¡¯m going to go talk to our soldier. Time is of the essence,


    brother. We can¡¯t hesitate any longer.


    He offered me a small bow of respect but didn¡¯t wait for my dismissal to leave. While | was slightly annoyed by this, | knew he


    had a good point. Time was indeed limited and we needed to enact the n as soon as possible.


    Ss stared at the door, and once he was certain we were alone, his expression softened.


    ¡°Asher, | don¡¯t think this is a good idea,¡± he reiterated to me quietly. ¡°I know he¡¯s your brother, but | don¡¯t think he should y the


    part of king. What if he betrays us or ys some kind of trick-


    ¡°And what kind of trick could he y?¡± | questioned my Beta.


    Ss didn¡¯t answer at first, and then he released a soft sigh ¡°I don¡¯t know. But | think i it''s worth keeping in mind that Kane¡¯s


    mother, Mistress Margaret, seems to have an unusual rtionship with my father. Considering what my father is doing. | think we


    need to be cautious about Kane. He seems loyal at present, but things could change.¡±


    Though his words seemed a touch harsh and biased, | knew what he meant. If Margaret pressed a knife against my chest, would


    Kane be able to kill her?Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    But that wasn¡¯t a question | could concern myself with right now. We needed Kane for the job and | had to trust him.


    Thank you for your words,¡± | said, and | reached out and grasped the Beta¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I hear you and appreciate your concern,


    Ss. I''ll handle this and keep an eye on him to the best of my ability. For now, we follow through with the n


    Ss bowed his head in respect and that was that


    Though | still wasn¡¯t certam about all of this, | had to trust Kane had my best interests at heart. | had no other choice. He was my


    brother after all, and | needed as many allies as possible to survive this coup


    1


    Aller my conversation will files, we begati our preparation for the next day. We were going to visit the Sky Pride Pack Vitonow.


    They scie a Park that


    meet with any of the members. The recluuve


    Chapter 236


    wolves preferred the privacy of their own region and rarely left the hills. In all of my father¡¯s years as king, he¡¯d never mentioned


    meeting a wolf of Sky Pride.


    | hoped that fact would bode well, but it was difficult to say for certain. The Alphas of Wega were all so different from one


    another that it was hard to predict how our diplomatic meetings would go.


    We began the first part of the journeyter that day. After we picked up our belongings, we hiked through the woods until we


    reached the foot of the mountains. As the sun set and the woods were hathed in the violet haze of twilight, we stopped for the


    night and made camp


    There was a small inn close to the hills, but we decided it was too risky to stay there, even if it was just for a single night We


    wanted to remain as inconspicuous as possible to prevent the Sky Pride wolves from hearing of our presence too early. Camping


    also allowed us to avoid any assassins who would likely have their eyes on ces like the inn.


    So, we made camps underneath an enormous pine tree. Kane stayed in the King¡¯s camp, meanwhile Ss decided to conduct


    the night''s watch with another soldier.


    | stayed in the soldier¡¯s camp, and though | had a tent to myself. | couldn¡¯t really sleep that night. Everything we¡¯d endured.


    recently swirled around in my mind, along with thoughts of Cassandra, | didn¡¯t know if she was alright, and | had to make great


    efforts to not think about going to the North to look for her.


    But at the end of the day. | missed my mate dearly. | wanted to kiss her. | wanted to wrap my arms around her petite frame and


    pull her close. | wanted to hold her hands and never let them go again.


    The memory of her beautiful green eyes and the sweet smell of her long hair lulled me to rest. | managed to get some sleep. but


    it didn¡¯tst all that long.


    It was around midnight when | heard a sudden noise. It wasn¡¯t loud, but on a night as silent as this, it was clear. | sat straight up


    in my tent.


    Something must have happened.


    Was Ss still out there?


    | peered out into the night and was surprised to see that no one else had roused from the sudden sound. Most of the soldiers


    seemed to be in deep sleep, which was abnormal.


    | stepped out of my tent and carefully walked out of the canip. | took slow, furtive steps, but my timid pace came to a sudden halt


    when | found Ss lying on the ground.


    ¡°Ss!¡± | uttered, and | ran to the Beta at once. When he didn¡¯t rouse, | bent down to take his pulse. It was faint, and his chest


    rose and fell ever so slightly. | tried to wake him, but he didn¡¯t react to my efforts.


    | suddenly heard the noise again and realized it wasing from the King¡¯s camp.


    ¡°I''ll be back,¡± | assured Ss¡¯ unconscious frame quietly, and then | shifted into my wolf form. | wasn¡¯t sure what | was about to


    face, but | would be better suited to handle it with my razor-sharp ws.


    | carefully approached the camp, and just as | arrived, a sudden whimper reached my cars, followed by a loud groan. | couldn''t


    wait any longer, | rushed into the camp at full speed, and when | did, | was greeted by a gruesome sight


    m


    The ground was soaked with blood Kane was on the ground, clubs hing his thigh, and when he writhed in pain. | noticed a stab


    pouted in his thigh


    Ishulled back at onor and offered a cry of disbelietas 1


    to my brother ¡°Kane!¡±


    Ab Kane replied weakly and gestured to the right Not the away from him was a woman lying on the ground She was as pole


    as the moon and had a sysings slicking out of her ear It appeared if she had passed out


    11:49 Fri, Feb 23.


    ¡°What happened?¡± 1 demanded as | knelt down to Kane¡¯s level ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    My stepbrother nodded. ¡°I¡¯m alright. | stabbed myself, so the wound isn¡¯t very severe.¡±


    | frowned as confusion flooded through me. Why would you do that? | don¡¯t understand.¡±


    The woman is a sorceress,¡± Kane exined, and he gestured arthe unconscious woman, ¡°She used magic to lull Ss and the


    other soldiers to sleep. | stabbed myself just to stay conscious.¡±


    Lei)

 Chapter 237

    Chapter 237


    CASSANDRA


    Though | was scared to do so. | decided to ask Kaleb if | could get some medicine for Ms. Benn¡¯s daughter. | couldn¡¯t let poor


    L suffer through the symptoms of her illness any longer. The herbs Td given the head housekeeper were enough to dull some


    of the aches and pains that came with pneumonia, but to be fully cured. | needed real antibiotics.


    So, | summoned my strength and then requested an audience with Kaleb. The king of Yurene met with me in the same meeting


    room we¡¯d conversed in the other day, and when I crossed through the doorway, there was an almost amused glint in his navy


    blue eyes.


    ¡°Cassandra,¡± he greeted me as | approached the couch and took a seat. ¡°To what do | owe the pleasure of this meeting?¡±


    | decided to skip straight to my request. ¡°I need some medicine. Antibiotics and others. Is that something you could assist me


    with?¡±


    ¡°Medicine,¡± he repeated back, and then he raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why do you need it? Are you ailing? Or perhaps it¡¯s for your


    son or maid:¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    He instinctively leaned back as if | were contagious and | fought the urge tough. Instead, | maintained eye contact and then


    shrugged.


    ¡°None


    OF


    us are sick,¡± | replied. ¡°The weather and the environment in Viokwell are so different than Anemond. | want to be prepared just in


    case our immune systerns can¡¯t handle the sudden change,¡±


    but | wasn¡¯t about to tell the Northern king about L and her illness. | didn¡¯t want to cause Ms.


    It wasn¡¯t exactly the truth, bi Benn any trouble.


    ¡°Raven can cure you of any disease or ailment,¡± he said with a raised eyebrow


    | was forced to think fast on my feet.


    ¡°| don¡¯t want to rely on sorcery and magic,¡± | exined. As a healer myself, I''m morefortable with the normal methods. of


    medicine. | do hope you can understand¡±


    Kaleb stared at me for a moment and then nodded.


    ¡°Write a list of medicines you need, and I''ll have someone arrange a kit for you,¡± he said. | was surprised he didn¡¯t argue with


    me, but | was relieved that it wasn¡¯t a fight. | supposed that my agreement to his proposal had sweetened his disposition and |


    hoped he would continue to be amenable.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± | said, and | began to rise from the couch, but Kaleb stopped me before | could get too much further.


    ¡°Not so fast, Cassandra,¡± he said, and then he smirked. ¡°Now that that¡¯s handled, | will escort you to the prison tower ¡°The prison


    tower?¡± | repeated back in surprise.


    The king of Yurene nodded as if it were an obvious next destination. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? You have to receive a tull health


    Pamination. Raven is awaiting us as we speak


    ¡°b¡± said, and 1 telt my heart plummet in my chest. As a healej, | was no stranger to check-ups and medical tests. Hell I''d


    conducted them a million times. But it had taken me months toe around to feeling rxed in Anemond¡¯s clume. Yurene was


    a different story. While | liked Raven a great ded | didn¡¯t ressanly trust her and | wasn¡¯t sure how medicme was practiced here,


    nor did | know what sort of re lewas being celicted with any results


    However. | wasn¡¯t in any sort of position in decline agreed chalchs terms, and if | wanted to get the antibiones for Ms.


    Find CHIA For Small Businesse


    11:49 Fri, Feb 23.


    Benn¡¯s daughter, | needed toply


    So, | nodded my head, and then Kaleb held his hand out to me. | epted it, though his touch made me deeply ufortable,


    and without any hesitation, we left the meeting room and headed to the prison tower.


    The prison tower was a very tall building. far taller than I¡¯d expected. Unlike Wega, where all of the prisoners were held captive


    underground, Yurene seemed to prefer to lock their prisoners in a high imprable ce.


    The ascent to the highest point in the prison tower left me breathless. | wasn¡¯t out of shape by any means, there were just so


    many stairs that my muscles began to ache from the exertion.


    Before | could steady my breath. | froze in ce, stunned by what | saw ahead of me. An entire hallway of prisoners, lifeless in


    their wards. It was nearly impossible to tell if they were alive or dead. The stench of excrement and decay permeated the air, and


    as we walked by, | detected ck marks on the prisoners bodies.


    Kaleb silently led me down the corridor, and once we reached the end, we stepped into arge room. | recognized it at once as a


    laboratory. An empty bed was set up in the center and three researchers stood around. One of them was Raven, and she was


    enthusiastic when she caught sight of me


    ¡°Cassandral¡± she greeted me warmly and she pulled me into a tight hug after she rushed over. | epted the embrace and when


    we parted ways, | noticed the other two researchers were smiling at me. Despite their friendly expressions, | still felt a little


    chilled. Theboratory was rather different than Keller¡¯s in Anemond, and | had the sneaking suspicion that this room was used


    for human subject research.


    Kaleb pulled Raven aside and exchanged a few words with her. | didn¡¯t hear his opening statement, but | saw the dark-haired


    beauty frown.


    ¡°| haven''t seen Anubis today,¡± she said quietly.


    ¡°He¡¯s not in Viokwell,¡± Kaleb remarked, and his lips turned downward into a frown.


    ¡°What happened? Raven gasped, and the king rolled his dark blue eyes.


    *Anubis didn¡¯t get any updates from Roxy or any information about her, so he went to look for her,¡± he said.


    Raven shrugged. ¡°Roxy will be just fine.¡±


    ¡°| hope so, Kalebmented. He turned to leave, but before he dul, he made onest request to Raven. ¡°Please escort Cassandra


    back to her chamber once your examination isplete.¡±


    Raven agreed, and then Kaleb left without another word.


    Though | was nervous, | managed to stay calm. | carefully looked around and tried to gather as much information as possible.


    This ce seemed scary, but | knew after everything I¡¯d been through. | could handle this exam


    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous.¡± Raven assured me. This will be an easy check.¡±


    Horced a sale Thope | don¡¯t have to lie on that bed. It looks a little intimidating


    ¡°Of course, you don¡¯t the socess insisted with a wave of hernd. That bed is for the guinea pigs


    sarkanband at best, and then realized


    but the prisoners | had past seen out in the ward and a


    11.49 Fri, Feb 23.


    ¡°We''re running out of guinea pigs.¡± she noted casually. ¡°Luckily you showed up so | don¡¯t have to work o research anymore.¡±


    She appeared excited as she said this, and her lips curled into a smile. She acted like an innocent young girl conducting such


    horrible atrocities.


    Did she not understand how messed up this was?


    As | pondered the idea, Raven pulled on a pair oftex gloves and retrieved a syringe.


    ¡°I need to take some blood from you,¡± she said.


    ¡°Raven, what''s your research about?¡± | blurted out as | took a seat. ¡°Why do you need the guinea pigs?¡±


    ¡°Kaleb wants to control the guinea pigs and turn them into his weapons,¡± Raven responded quickly, and the moment the


    sentence escaped her mouth, her cheeks turned scarlet. It was clear by her reaction that she hadn¡¯t meant to say that, and when


    | turned around, | could see that the other researchers appeared panicked


    Raven suddenly uttered a dryugh that startled me.


    ¡°It was just a joke.¡± she said with a wave of her hand, and then her expression shifted. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you the real reason why this


    research is being conducted. It¡¯s top secret.¡±


    87


    Fiad Cild For Secall businesse


    COMMENT


    11:49 Fri, Feb 23.

 Chapter 238

    CASSANDRA


    It wasn¡¯t a joke.


    | knew it in my bones


    Raven''s expression had given it away the moment she¡¯d been caught.


    The storm clouds that had gued my mind felt as if they''d cleared away, and the puzzle pieces felt as if they''d been pu


    together.


    Mind control.


    Sorcery.


    Weapon.


    That¡¯s what Kaleb wanted, to turn the poor, diseased people into his weapon. Though it sounded utterly insane, this spection


    seemed more usible as Raven fidgeted and kept telling me what she had told me wasn¡¯t a fact.


    ¡°| shouldn¡¯t make jokes like that,¡± she said, her tone jittery and nervous. ¡°Roxy would kill me if she¡¯d heard that.¡±


    The dark-haired sorceress offered me a dry smile, and for a moment, | debated on pestering her further, but instead, | decided to


    bide my time. It was best to go along with things for my safety, so 1 offered Raven a smile back.


    ¡°Don''t worry,¡± | assured her warmly. ¡°I know you were kidding, Raven.¡±


    She nodded and seemed to soften up a bit. ¡°If you want to know more about the research, Cassandra, you could ask Kaleb


    Without his permission, I¡¯m afraid | can¡¯t share very much with you.¡±


    | wanted tough but forced myself to keep a straight face. As if merely asking the king of Yurene would be enough for him to let


    me know what he was doing here in this prison tower. Surely, Raven thought we were far closer than we were, or else she would


    know better than to suggest something like that.


    | expected something else toe up about the matter, but instead, Raven fellpletely silent and began to take my blood. |


    cooperated well and didn¡¯t fidget, though my mind ran in circles the entire time. Once she finished, she ced the tube of blood


    in a device I''d never seen before. It was both technologically advanced and a little archaic, and | wanted to ask what it was or


    what its function was, but | knew how that would go.


    So, instead. | asked some of the questions | knew she would be able to answer.


    ¡°Raven, what''s the difference between Inferno and ck Marks? | wondered, and | made sure to sound as innocently curious as


    possible | wasn¡¯t a fan of maniption, but | was learning that here in this Northern country, it was necessary to


    sunive


    Ravenidered the question for a moment, her dark eyebrows drawing together.


    ¡°It''s veryplicated¡± she said carefully, seemingly more prudent this time, as if she were weighing her words. ¡°But the


    that Inferno wasn¡¯t intended to destroy the body physically. In fact, it''s supposed to enhance one¡¯s


    raking them stronger and more. vital¡±


    physical


    ¡°Vital | repeated bark


    the go-tol. ¡°Thoir infected with the pesu korp then, youth. Meanwhile the scholiest ck Marks quickly. That¡¯s why Kalchi wasn¡¯t


    susteak an


    they deteriorate


    90Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    11:49 Fri, Feb 23.


    ¡°Do you mean immortal?¡± | asked as | stared at her in disbelief, unable to contain my shock at the idea


    ¡°That¡¯s the word,¡± Raven said with enthusiasm, and then she nodded. ¡°Inferno can turn someone immortal... theoretically. It''s


    just an assumption since no one has actually seen Inferno or used it. Between us, | doubt if Emmett Keller was actually able to


    make something so potent. I¡¯ve never understood why Kaleb was so persistent in trying to replicate it if there was no evidence of


    its existence. Anyway, I''ve done my best and | don¡¯t think Kaleb should expect more, you know?¡±


    When her rambling came to an end, her lips curled into a smirk, and | took a moment to absorb this information.


    Immortality.


    To suggest that a poison could alter the body and keep it from suffering the effects of aging was not only unheard of, but also


    impossible. It seemed that the only thing in the head of these men in power was continuing their life spans.


    Of course, I¡¯d seen many things that should have been impossible. Was there some merit in what Inferno was capable of?


    Though there was plenty | wanted to say to the sorceress, | couldn¡¯t speak a word. My head screamed as | pondered all of the


    secrets | had to keep. | felt like a pawn on Emmett and Kaleb¡¯s chess table, with Asher and the old king as additional pieces.


    Was that all we were to them? Pawns and yers to be shifted about to further their ongoing agendas and lust for power?


    Though | was usually rational and collected. | wanted to rip my hair out and scream from frustration. This wasn¡¯t the life I''d


    wanted for myself, and as | pondered the web that we''d all be tangled in. | thought of Emmett and his part in the situation. |


    wished | could meet him in my dreams again and tell him that | knew what he¡¯d done. | wanted to confront him and ask what he


    had wanted exactly, why he¡¯d done all of these things to me and the people | knew. Was it all just for revenge! For something that


    Asher and | had nothing to do with


    Why were we being punished for the crimes of others?¡±


    | knew in the back of my mind that even if | was able to see Emmett in my dreams again, | wouldn¡¯t be able to get clear answers


    from him. Besides, I¡¯d attempted to reach him for days, even weeks, to no avail. | had no idea how to make another meeting


    happen.


    As | considered all of these things, | noticed that Raven was studying me. Her lovely blue-green eyes nervously observed me. as


    if she wanted to make sure that she hadn''t said something wrong again.


    | wanted to use her, to tell her that though she was kind enough, she was involved in this twisted game as well. But instead. |


    decided to further bide my time and fake a smile.


    ¡°| agree, | lied pleasantly. ¡°Inferno sounds too good to be true.


    The sorceress face rxed and she seemed relieved. Though she didn¡¯t speak. | could tell that I¡¯d said the right things to


    convince her all was well


    We trashed my physical exam soon after, and Raven offered to escort me back | didn¡¯t protest, and as we walked through the


    dark corridor, | did my best not to stare at the so-called ¡°guinea pigs, though it made my heart ache to do so. Meanwhile when |


    nced at Raven, her expression was emotionless She didn¡¯t seem to care about those prisoners and esenined to the


    guard about the smell


    ¡°literate the dead gura pas un tune she ordered with a pitched expression ¡°It smells terrible it here¡±


    The guard worded and


    the stery of my ly


    prostir tower, Jalearest a


    wild ted on whose gong to get


    11:49 Fri, Feb 23.


    Raven shifted her gaze away from me, avoiding eye contact. It depends on your physical condition. Of c me. Kaleb will be


    making the final decision about what to do with your


    B


    T


    GHUGOT

 Chapter 239

    Chapter 239


    CASSANDRA


    That night, as | studied the map Helene had given me, | put together all of the information. I¡¯d been presented with and made


    several spections.


    First, the name of the poison that had infected Asher was likely Interno, not ck Marks. Asher had received it far too long ago,


    and if the infected in Wild Crawler were any indication, he would have deteriorated already if Raven¡¯s recreation was in his veins.


    Of course, if it was in fact Inferno, why hadn''t it taken effect right away?


    If | remember it clearly, Asher started to get the ck Marks on his body around the time he¡¯d visited Wild Crawler. So, what had


    triggered the reaction on his skin? It was hard to make assumptions about what was going on without specific scientific


    information or data to assess. | was a healer, but | was also a scientist, and without true research to observe, | was a little


    confused.


    At the very least, | was relieved to know that if Asher was truly infected with Inferno, and it had the effects Raven thought it did,


    he wouldn''t die any time soon.


    Second, mind control seemed to be real, and a major concern to consider. Although Raven hadn¡¯t found a way to achieve it yet. |


    knew that¡¯s what she was researching. It was also likely the reason that Emmett created Inferno. He invented the poison for the


    old king of Wega and imed it was a magic remedy to help him keep his youth.


    Emmett hadn¡¯t lied about that part, but he didn¡¯t tell the king the whole truth. He wanted to use the poison to control the king. But


    the king, maybe being skeptical and fearful, used it on his son instead of himself, to test it.


    Third, the great magic that Emmett ced within my body was the key to achieving mind control. Whatever magic lived within


    me was the catalyst to make his agendae true.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    As my eyes welled up with tears, | forced myself to take a long, deep breath, though the effort felt impossible.


    Though | couldn¡¯t confirm with absolute certainty that these spections were 100% correct, | had a strong feeling that they


    weren''t far off from the truth. That being said... what could | do? Should | tell Ronald right away? | was his informant after all, and


    we''d made a deal. | knew | needed to uphold my side of the bargain, but would it be better to keep these theories to myself until |


    knew the truth?


    Or would it be better to keep them hiddenpletely?


    | folded the map back up and stared over at the beds on the other side of the chamber. Erika and Finnick were fast asleep. and


    though we were all in the same room, I¡¯d never felt more lonely. It was so hard not to tell them everything, but | couldn¡¯t risk their


    safety, not when things were already so precarious. Their involvement in the events that happened in Anemond were worse


    enough. They couldn¡¯t get involved in what happened here in Yurene.


    | would keep this to myself for as long as necessary.


    Fromutered my next course of action for several days, and then, | crafted a bold n. If Helene could escape Viokwell, 1 might


    be able to slip away to Wega to tell them what was going on. If | could get to my homnd. | could warn them about how


    dangerous the patients infected with ck Marks would be, tell them about what I''d seen here in Yurene.


    Besides, Wild Crawler would be the perfect ce for Helene to hide herself if she hadn''t yet selected a location to run away to ht


    wat right on the border, tucked away far from where anyone could castly had her. It was perfect, small without being too small,


    and full of kind people


    O6ow the kind ones wore likely the ones who had not yet been infected by Raven¡¯s poisonous creation:


    112


    11.49 Fr, Feb 23.


    n


    | decided to present this idea to Helene and quickly scrawled a message for her. | asked Ms. Benn to delives at hoping that the


    delivery of the note would lead to Helene inviting me to lunch as I¡¯d done the other day. | made certain to be sague in my note so


    we wouldn¡¯t get caught.


    But to my surprise, when the housekeeper arrived, she told me that Helene appeared to be sick and that she''d spoken. instead,


    to Ronald. The king¡¯s cousin had returned to his residence because of his fiance''s illness and told Ms. Benn that Helene was


    unable to meet anyone now, but if | had important things to speak to her about, | coulde tomorrow. He would send a maid to


    pick me up tomorrow afternoon and we could meet in the ss garden.


    | was both baffled and worried by this news


    Helene was sick? How was that possible? After ourst meeting, she¡¯d looked radiant, and now, after only a few days, she was


    Though | knew it was just paranoia talking. | wondered if Ronald was involved. Had he found anything suspicious? Or was this


    meeting happening because he couldn''t wait to hear what | was going to say about Kaleb¡¯s secrets?


    Either way, | needed to be cautious,


    | quickly thanked Ms. Benn and the housekeeper nodded. She mentioned that she''d love to help because of what I¡¯d done for


    her daughter. Ms. Benn¡¯s attitude had improved a lot as L had gotten better. The housekeeper had even started bringing L to


    my chambers to y with Finnick.


    L was a serious but smart little girl. Finnick shared his toys with her and taught her how to y chess. In the meantime, Ms.


    Benn and | would sit down and drink tea. Though she didn¡¯t speak much, her attitude towards me had improved.


    One day, Ms. Benn fold me about herself. She told me that she could never thank the king enough for what he¡¯d done for her.


    He¡¯d saved her from her bitter life. Though she hadn''t borated, | gathered that she hade from a small Pack that was


    annexed by Yurene.


    Unlike Helene, who had witnessed how brutal the attacks and battles were, Ms. Benn described the conquering Yurenian


    soldiers as saviors. Before they arrived, she was abused by her ¡°lover¡±- an alcoholic who wanted to sell her daughter to his


    creditor. Ms. Benn said she was more than d when he was killed by a soldier. She thought she was going to be killed as well,


    but when the soldiers lifted their ws, the king intervened. He saved her and her daughter and gave her a job.


    As Ms. Benn expressed her gratitude toward Kaleb, | asked a question.


    ¡°If the king is so nice, why couldn¡¯t L get proper medical treatment?¡±


    As soon as the question left my mouth, | wanted to take it back. Since Ms. Benn admired Kaleb so much, | was certain she


    would probably be annoyed.


    And yet, she wasn¡¯t and replied very calmly.


    ¡°The king isn¡¯t perfect,¡± she said. ¡°But he¡¯s trying to be, and he¡¯s trying to make a perfect world. | hope one day he''ll be able to


    make it happen.¡±


    2/2


    laa]


    SEND GIFT


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    COMMENT

 Chapter 240

    Chapter 240


    ASHER


    Much to our dismay and agitation, the sorceress mouth was very tight. No matter what we tried. Kane and | cou answers out of


    her. She was well-trained and her expression refined eerily calm and aloof no matter what question


    asked of her.


    Thankfully, there were a few facts we knew to be true right away just by looking at her. It wasn¡¯t difficult to surmise from her dress


    that she was from the North. She also shared the same tilt of her head that seemed to be a cultural gesture amongst the


    Yurenians. I''d seen Kaleb do the same thing many times while he was here in Anemond, so | knew she was from his country.


    As we continued our interrogation, | grew worried about Ss and the soldiers, but luckily, after half an hour or so, they awoke


    from their magic-induced slumber. Apart from feeling a bit dizzy and disoriented, they seemed to be fine, but the atmosphere


    around camp was tense and unpleasant.


    This Northern sorceress had caused a big quarrel between Ss and Kane. Ss thought the sorceress needed to be ¡°dealt with¡±


    immediately, while my stepbrother believed she could be an important figure from whom we could get crucial information. The


    Beta, unsurprisingly, disagreed and thought Kane was idealizing the situation since we couldn¡¯t get even a syble out of her


    mouth.


    As much as | didn¡¯t want to admit it. Ss was right. The longer the sorceress was alive, the more dangerous things would be.


    Not to mention, she was a magic user. What if she used some sort of sorcery to contact her aplice? Surely she wasn¡¯t


    alone in her mission, and | wasn¡¯t sure what else could happen if she were to get loose.


    But there was one other thing | was concerned about, one | didnt vocalize to Kane and Ss. If the sorceress was sent from


    Yurene, would she know anything about Cassandra? Would her life or death affect Cassandra¡¯s situation and livelihood in the


    savage Northern country?


    Though | knew certain matters were objectively more pressing, Cassandra would always remain at the forefront of my thoughts.


    Though she wasn¡¯t here, the beautiful healer was the most important thing to me, and she permeated my mind more than


    anything else.


    | didn¡¯t speak as Kane and Ss argued with one another until Kane blurted out a statement that made me stop in my tracks.


    ¡°What if the North does something bad to Cassandra because we killed this sorceress?¡± he demanded, his violet eyes shing


    intensely as he stared at Ss. ¡°Is that a risk that you¡¯re willing to take, Ss?¡±


    The Beta didn¡¯t say anything. He ran his hand through his dark brown hair and then turned to face me. His golden irises were


    soft, as if he was sympathetic to Kane¡¯s mention of my mate.


    While we all knew Kane¡¯s suggestion was not very possible, we couldn¡¯t eliminate the possibility because we didn¡¯t know the


    sorceress intention. The only thing we knew for certain was that she had no intention to kill me, otherwise, she would have just


    used some type of deadly poison or magic as she sat there before us.


    So what did she want?


    And what did her master want:


    Much to our surprise, the sorceressughed. It was a dry one, a cynicalugh


    Sitas hood a re in her direction ¡°What are youughing.


    The surcourss harmed her eyes, her expression shifting to one of coldness rather than amusement. She took a moment goak,


    and when the dol, her vore wots arcted


    she and ruddly in a heavily ented voice and die tolled her eyes.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Fed CRM


    11:49 Fr. Feb 23


    Chapter 210)


    My eyebrows creased together. Do you know Cassandra Kellerhand how she is doing Is she safe


    The sorceress snorted and rolled her eyes again. ¡°I know nothing about the woman, except for the the queen soon


    My stomach dropped and my jaw nearly fell with it.


    ¡°Queen¡± | repeated back coarsely as my throat tightened.


    ¡°My king is obsessed with the healer and couldn¡¯t wait to im her as his, the sorceress remarked bitterly. She narrow. eyes at


    me. ¡°The king didn¡¯t want her former lover to impede the wedding, so he sent me to kill you.¡±


    Before | could realize what | was doing, | hinged and grabbed the sorceress by the throat. My ws extended and dug int the


    soft skin of her neck, She let out a soft cry, but the pitiful sound meant nothing to me. My vision was tinted red with anger and |


    could hardly think straight.


    ¡°Did Cassandra agree to marry him?¡± | demanded. 1


    Despite my hold on her, the sorceress managed augh. ¡°Why wouldn''t she agree? He¡¯s the king of Yurene.


    For the briefest moment, | considered squeezing further to silence the sorceress forever. It would be easy enough. | had a tight


    grip around her and it wouldn¡¯t take much to snap her neck. Though | wasn¡¯t one for violence. | had no qualms about hurting this


    would-be assassin.


    But instead. | released my chokehold, and as she fell to the ground, the world around me began to grow blurry. The camps, the


    soldiers. Ss, and Kane... all faded away. All | could see in my mind was Cassandra. Her big beautiful emerald eyes, her full


    lips. | saw them fell me goodbye to me..


    No. No, this couldn¡¯t be. She couldn¡¯t marry him.


    | couldn''t let this happen. | had to see her.


    | began to walk away without a second thought. In fact, | could hardly think at all, | was so consumed with my mission to see her.


    | needed her in front of me right away, Wega be damned. What good was it reiming my throne if she would never be beside


    me again?


    Ss and Kane tried to get to stand in my way


    to stop


    ¡°Asher, she¡¯s lying,¡± Kane insisted. ¡°She¡¯s trying to agitate you. It¡¯s all a trap-¡±


    | growled and shoved him away, attacking them as if they were my enemies rather than my friends. While part of me wondered if


    what the sorceress said was true or not, | couldn¡¯t think straight. There was a strong chance that the woman was trying to vex


    me since I''d thwarted her mission, but | didn¡¯t care My natural instincts had taken over, and as | stood there in the forest, | didn¡¯t


    feel like myself anymore.


    Without my mate, nothing was worth fighting for. I''d always known that and I never wanted to feel alone again. | needed her, no


    matter what the cost. If she was angry with me foring after her, | would kneel at her feet and beg for her forgiveness. | would


    kiss her a million times over and swear my endless love to her. The rest of the world didn¡¯t matter. All | knew was that | had to


    see Cassandra.


    | had to make sure she was still mine, still my Cora


    It was the only thought on my mind, the only one that t


    truly mattered.


    Find CHM For Small Businesses

 Chapter 241

    Chapter 241


    CASSANDRA


    The next day, Lawoke with a¡¯lump in my throat. My stomach ached with nervousness, and when | rose from my bed, my entire


    body trembled so mu li that | needed to sit back down. There was still so much on my mind that | could hardly contain my nerves.


    As | stared at the rays of sunlight streaming in through the ice-white curtains, | wanted to cry from the


    I''d managed to stay strong and keep from breaking down so | wouldn''t worry Erika or Finnick, but that task was proving far too


    difficult these days. Ronald, Emmett, Kaleb, Raven, Asher.. all of them danced around my mind, rendering me unable te handle


    anything else.


    T


    | wrapped my hands around my sheets and gripped them tightly, so hard that my knuckles turned white. | hated the king of


    Yurene for putting me in this position for putting all of us here Emmett too.


    Suddenly, | heard movement behind me, and when | turned, Finnick stood by my bed, his favorite teddy bear in his hand. His


    dark hair was rumpled and his big gray eyes were bleary from sleep, but his expression was concerned.


    ¡°Mommy?¡± he prompted me. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    | forced a smile and nodded. Wordlessly. Finnick walked over and climbed up into my bed. He sat beside me for a moment and


    then leaned against me.


    ¡°It''ll be okay,¡± he whispered, and | wrapped my arm around him pulling him even closer.


    | kissed the top of his head. ¡°I know, baby. | love you.¡±


    ¡°| love you too,¡± he whispered.


    After a while, we crawled back under the covers and cuddled. Finnick fell back asleep, and though | was too alert to do the


    same, | closed my eyes anyway.


    The day could wait. For now, | needed my baby,


    The meeting with Ronald was in his residence like always.


    Usually, when | met with the king¡¯s cousin, Helene woulde and say hello to me before she left us alone, but this time. she


    didn¡¯te to greet me. | supposed that like Ms. Benn had said the day before, Helene was seriously ill. | didn¡¯t see her or her


    maid anywhere


    Ronald didn¡¯t mention Helene or her sickness either, which surprised me even further. When we stepped out onto the terrace it


    seemed to be business as usual. His soft blue eyes were more alert than usual, and he wore a curious expression on has


    handsome face


    ¡°Have you made any progress?¡± he wondered with a slight tilt of his head, and then he took a sip of bitter tea Though he didn¡¯t


    say it out loud. | knew he was referring to my investigation of Kaleb


    | considered mng course of action for the briefest of momenty and then nodded my head. | had prepared for this talk and to tell


    any lies. | didn¡¯t know how much information Ronald already had and | didn¡¯t want hun to think | was ang or doinuing the truth.


    That being said | decided not to tell him the whole truth either particrly


    galing


    plotoms or anything che, not when | wasn¡¯t sure if |


    Flod CAM For Small Bujulesann


    11:50 Fri, Feb 23.


    89


    So instead, | told Ronald all about the prison tower and the research being conducted on the top floor, led by Raven and to other


    researchers. | told him that while | knew they were studying something. | wasn¡¯t sure what exactly because Raven refused to tell


    me. | briefly described what | had seen in those wards, the dying ¡°guinea pigs. Of course, | didn¡¯t call them that foul nickname,


    but rather by what they were, prisoners. Victims of horrid experiments.


    Ronald frowned, though he didn¡¯t seem to doubt what | told him. He considered my words for a moment and then spoke.


    ¡°I''ve heard hearsay about that prison tower,¡± he remarked as his eyebrows crinkled and he folded his hands on the table. ¡°But |


    didn¡¯t expect such craziness from my cousin. Kaleb has always wanted to use evil sorceries to achieve his vile ambitions


    His voice trailed off and he shook his head in disgust. | was surprised by the phrase ¡°evil sorceries and didn¡¯t know what to make


    of it. It was almost as if Ronald forgot that he was half sorcerer himself.


    Ronald seemed deeply troubled by this information. His eyes seemed distant and his mouth drew into a thin line.


    ¡°| hope you''ll be able to bring me more information next time,¡± he said calmly. ¡°We need to work together on this.¡±


    He stared at me, and for a moment, | thought I¡¯d been caught and that Ronald had realized | hadn''t told him the whole truth. But


    he didn¡¯t say anything. He ran his hand through his long hair and stared out at the wall surrounding the fortress. It was clear that


    he had much on his mind, and | desperately wished | could return to my room and put this conversation to


    rest.


    ¡°How is Helene?¡± | wondered. ¡°Ms. Benn mentioned she was ill and I¡¯ve been worried.¡±


    ¡°Helene is fine,¡± he said simply. ¡°She just needs some rest. Wedding nning has burnt her out, that¡¯s all.¡±


    His tone gave me the sense that he didn¡¯t want to talk about her at all.


    ¡°Does she need someone to examine her?¡± | pressed. ¡°Or even check in-¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Ronald cut me off, and then he shifted the subject abruptly. ¡°Do you know if Kaleb wants to form an army and


    launch a war against Wega?¡±


    Though the question was jarring, | answered it the best | could.


    ¡°| can sense so,¡± | replied. Though | don¡¯t know if it''s a solid n. He hasn¡¯t confirmed or denied it, but | have a strong ferling that


    he¡¯s got some sort of mission in mind.


    Rould nodded. ¡°I think he¡¯s going to take action now, or at least soon. The king of Wega has been missing for quite some time.


    It''s the best opportunity for him to strikeExclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    My mind suddenly went nk and my lips parted in surprise


    The king as mussing¡± | repeated back


    Aulier peser returned to Aucmond: What happened to hime Was he even alive | didn¡¯t understand what was happening joner


    Was soumrone holding han hostage torturing hime And if he was gone, who was running Wegut


    eet


    Oxu.Aff of any worries, fears, and exhaustioni


    i pounded an heavily in my cheat that it began to¡¯


    ufas my head in


    11:50 Fri, Feb 23.

 Chapter 242

    Chapter 242


    CASSANDRA


    When | awoke. | couldn¡¯t move. | tried to stretch my limbs and make sense of where | was, but it was impossible. | felt as if | was


    tightly bound to a bed, strapped down with no hope of excipe. It was dark, so | couldn''t tell for sure, but | wondered if maybe |


    was in the bed that I had seen in Raven¡¯sb in the prison tower.


    My breath was so thin that | felt as if | could die at any second. My body was burning, a horrible, aching feeling that | never


    wanted to experience again. It was almost like | had returned to the inferno in Rosepetal. Maybe | had never truly been saved at


    all, and everything that had happened to me past the point of the ze was nothing more than a mere hallucination before


    death.


    Suddenly, | felt my inner wolf groan. A painful groan, followed by anger.


    ¡°Why have you been so weak and cowardly?¡± she growled at me, her voice fierce like Cora¡¯s. ¡°Where has your warrior¡¯s spirit


    gone?¡±


    She then scolded and cursed me. ¡°You aren¡¯t this person. You aren¡¯t a weakling. You''re a daughter of Felix, not some small.


    snivelingmon wolf. So, why are you acting like this?¡±


    | wanted to speak to reply back to her and tell her what had happened to me, but | couldn''t. | didn¡¯t have the strength to do so.


    My body waspletely numbed, though my mind was clear. If only | could call out to her with my thoughts and reassure her.


    tell her that deep down within me, | was the same warrior I¡¯d always sworn to be. I''d tell her that even though I¡¯d merely served


    as a healer since the ze had taken my life from me, that hadn¡¯t meant that | wasn¡¯t a fighter.


    But then again was | still a fighter?


    Had 1 cast aside my warrior instinct in favor of surviving?


    Suddenly, my wolf appeared before me. Her thick, plush fur was snow white, her body was muscr and strong. Her eyes were


    the same green as mine. My wolf form was just as beautiful as it had always been


    | admired her for a moment and felt a longing in my soul. Seeing her again was likeing home.


    My wolf stopped cursing and shouting and simply red at me with her glowing eyes.


    must fight now, she insisted as she took a step toward me. ¡°Fight for our mate, our country, and our future You cannot hade in


    the shadows and be a coward anymore¡±


    Suddenly, | heard the sound of a machine a series of fast beeps apanied by voices in the far distance.


    Sure | wasn¡¯t sure if | was dreaming or not. | couldn''t tell it had opened my eyes, though | knew | probably hadn''t.


    | saw my soundings


    (ex: tough i knew who they were kinud.


    by trady like a spritur¡¯s web, and people stood around me


    H42 +375 4301540/y k htbehin


    This per day ea


    11:50 Fri, Feb 23.


    Then, | heard Kaleb. ¡°Stop this. This is too much, Raven,¡±


    ¡°This is what has to be done if you want to get it.¡± she argued. ¡°I won¡¯t lose this opportunity, Kaleb. You should trust me


    89


    Then, there was a screech | didn¡¯t know what happened, but the space was filled with horrified gasps and angry mumbles


    Suddenly, | felt someone lift my body, holding me away from the bed, but the moment | rose from the mattress, my min went


    nk again, and | slipped back into oblivion.


    When | finally woke up. | wasn¡¯t in theb, but | wasn¡¯t in my own chambers either. | was in arge room with a high ceilir that


    had an borate mural of the Moon Goddess upon it. | stared at it for a moment in wonder and then | heard Kaleb¡¯sExclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    voice.


    ¡°You''re awake,¡± the king of Yurene stated, his tonecking any sort of emotion


    | moved slightly and turned my attention away from the mural. Kaleb was standing not too far away, his navy blue eyes


    unamused as they regarded me.


    | opened my mouth to speak, but my throat was too dry. Kaleb immediately grabbed a ss of water from a table and brought it


    to me. As | carefully sipped from it, | regained some of my energy.


    | suddenly remembered that when I''d fainted, | was on Ronald¡¯s terrace. Would that make Kaleb suspicious? Did this mean that


    our alliance had been exposed?


    >


    | expected Kaleb to question me, to demand that | confess, but instead, he asked me nothing. He took a seat on the chair beside


    me and leaned forward.


    ¡°You fainted because you aren¡¯t used to the weather in Viokwell,¡± he assessed. ¡°You''ve been exhausted these days. | may have


    pushed you too hard, and for that, I¡¯m sorry Cassandra.


    He rose from his chair and stared down at me. His golden brown hair fell loosely over his shoulders and gleamed under the light


    that streamed in from the window. He was dressed more casually than usual, and | was surprised at the sight of him. Despite his


    cool demeanor, he seemed fairly calm, if not bored. His expression didn¡¯t seem like one of anger or betrayal.. so had he not


    suspected anything after all?


    ¡°| had Raven check your condition and you''re fine, though | didn¡¯t send you to your room because | didn¡¯t want to worry your son


    Kaleh revealed. ¡°Thest thing | wanted was for him to get upset over nothing, though | wouldn¡¯t me him. He¡¯s been under


    much stress, as you so clearly have been.¡±


    Though part of me thought it was incredibly considerate that the Northern king had considered the feelings of my son, a lump


    formed in my throat as the rest of his statement settled in


    So, it wasn¡¯t a hallucmation? Were the machines, the tubes, all of it were they real? Had it been real? Were the researchers


    studying me, probing around, and trying to push me to some sort of extent?


    | simply nodded, unable to do much more.


    My mind continued to spin in circles as | tried to understand what exactly had happened to nie. Ed supposed that my wolf had


    been a parafestation of whatever my bram was trying to sort through, but the rest? What was all of that about?


    ¡°M. konn will get you something to eat Eatch continued and then he turned and


    tradict himmelt on the doorway and spoke over bsubder


    | don¡¯t thank you should go to Homald a ce spate, he alsised


    | toward the door. Before he left


    to host among ¡°My and Helene will be


    y tey befor the wedding Hay have such to do and | did ink they could be bothered.¡±


    11:50 Fri, Feb 23 0.


    89

 Chapter 243

    Chapter 243


    CASSANDRA


    The king of Yurene didn¡¯t say anything further before he left the room. Once the door closed behind him. | let out a heavy breath


    and sat up. | swept my long copper hair off of my sweat-soaked neck and then let out another sigh.


    | felt disoriented. | didn¡¯t think Kaleb¡¯s words were truly an indication or acknowledgment of my secret alliance with Ronald. If the


    Northman truly knew of such a thing, he wouldn''t have been so calm while speaking with me. While he wasn¡¯t hotheaded, he


    also wasn¡¯t rxed, and | had the sense I¡¯d have seen irritation in his eves.


    There was only one exnation. Ronald must have covered the situation.


    While | was appreciative of that, | realized that Kaleb had officially put a stop to my visits with Ronald and Helene. Though | could


    take a chance and try his temper, ignoring what he¡¯d said just now. | didn¡¯t think it was wise. | still had so little information that


    any bold move could ruin our ns- Ronald''s, Helene¡¯s, and mine.


    Above all. | needed to find out what had happened to me.


    And the best source of information, no, the only source of information...


    Ms. Benn walked into the room after knocking once. The head housekeeper helf a tray in her hands, and after she


    acknowledged me with a nod, she set the food tes on the table. She seemed like she didn¡¯t want to be in my presence and


    was behaving as she had before I¡¯d helped her daughter.


    ¡°Ms. Benn,¡± | prompted her before she could leave. ¡°Could you join me? | could use thepany.¡±


    The housekeeper¡¯s ice-blue eyes stared at me in surprise for a moment, and | swore from her expression that she was going to


    decline my invitation, but then she nodded. As she sat down, | was surprised that she wasn¡¯t arguing against the idea, but |


    wasn¡¯t going to question it too much.


    ¡°Is L doing well!¡± | wondered. ¡°Has her recovery been alright?


    ¡°Yes,¡± she answered. ¡°Everything is fine.¡±


    Her replies were simple and short, but they were better than silence.


    | gave her a bitter smile. ¡°I thought you liked me better now, Ms. Benn.¡±


    Implying that | was upset by her cold attitude seemed to do the trick. Her expression softened and then she released a small


    sigh.


    ¡± very much appreciated your help, she admitted, and then her eyes nced elsewhere. ¡°But | don¡¯t think this is the proper ce


    for someone like myself to stay and chat¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± | wondered, and then | joked with her ¡°Is this ce under surveince?¡±


    Though it wasn¡¯t a serious statement by any means, Ms Ben seemed taken aback by when | said


    ¡°That is absolutely impassible, she uttered as she stared at me in disbelief. This is the kings chainber. It will never he


    My lips parted as | nced aroual the room. The king¡¯s chainber


    This was Katebes


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    11:50 Fri, Feb 23


    what I¡¯d have expected from Kaleb. Sure, the bed was quiterge, but it was canopied. It was incredibly lovely, not somewhere


    I''d have expected such a conniving king to reside.


    Once | got over the shock, | realized Ms. Benn was right. If it was Kaleb¡¯s chamber, nothing would be nothing would be


    overheard. This was the best opportunity for me to ask for something | couldn''t


    | set down my fork and looked at Ms. Benn. ¡°I have a request. And | would like for you to help me.¡±


    | made sure to make my tone as serious as possible, and the housekeeper raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°| want you to find out what happened to Lady Helene,¡± | requested.


    Ms. Benn frowned and studied me with concern as if I''d said something absolutely ridiculous.


    ance and


    ¡°Something must have happened, and | don¡¯t think it¡¯s an illness that stopped Lady Helene from seeing others,¡± | continued.


    ¡°Since the king has forbidden me from going to Lord Ronald''s residence... | wanted to ask you for your help.¡±


    ¡°Cassandra, I¡¯m not supposed to snoop in on a lord ordy¡¯s life Ms. Benn replied as she shook her head.


    ¡°But you are able to do so, | insisted.


    Ms. Benn didn¡¯t deny it. | had thought so. As a head maid trusted by the king, Ms. Benn had the freedom to go around the whole


    castle without suspicion. She was the best choice to help me by far.


    Before she could argue, | continued again. ¡°I also need a list of the guests that will be attending the wedding. A full list, if


    possible.


    This time, she stared at me as if my head were on fire and her lips moved downward into a frown.


    ¡°What do you need that for?¡± she asked.


    ¡°| can¡¯t tell you now, but it¡¯s important,¡± | assured her. ¡°Please, Ms. Benn. | desperately need your help with this matter¡±


    She offered me a weary stare and took a moment to consider my request. She ran a hand over her hair, smoothing a loose


    strand that came out of her bun, and then let out another very small sigh.


    ¡°| can get you a list, but | will have to ask for the king¡¯s permission,¡± she said.


    | shook my head. ¡°No, the king can¡¯t know about this. This would have to stay between us.


    This agitated Ms Henn. Her cheeks flushed scarlet and her nostrils red as she spoke


    ¡°| don¡¯t know what you¡¯re nning, Miss Keiler, but | won''t betray my king, she insisted, every word tinged with anger ¡®1


    are you that | will do no such thing. If you want the list, the king must know!¡±


    the rose to her feet and started.


    but | reached out ant grabbed her was | didn¡¯t use excessive force, but a way


    othing rough for her to remain in ce. Then, Loffered her a culid virate


    Please down Faid handy


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    Ms. Benn¡¯s face turned ghostly pale. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    As | watched her gulp heavily, | simply shrugged. ¡°Nothing. | just wanted to remind you that L hasn¡¯t made a full recovery. A lot


    of things can change in a short amount of time. Ms. Benn 1 just wanted to remind you of that


    COMMENT

 Chapter 245

    Chapter 245


    ASHER


    When | awoke. | found myself in a terit. My vision was blurred, but | could see the vague outlines surrounding me. The sound of


    faint voices lingered beyond me, outside, but when | tried to move my lips and utter a sound. | couldn''t.


    Thest thing | could remember was racing heading toward the North. My mission had been so set in my mind that | couldn''t


    understand what | was doing here.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    What happened to me?


    | wanted to sit up, but despite my every effort, | couldn¡¯t move. My limbs were numb, as if every inch of me had been paralyzed. |


    couldn¡¯t even lift a finger or curl my toes


    Did Kane or Ss drug me?


    No, that would be ridiculous,


    Perhaps this was all just a dream- my vision failed to focus and my body was rendered immobile because | was deep in slumber.


    That had to be it. The scenes that danced in my mind and swirled around like a tornado were merely a dream, Nothing had


    actually happened.


    After a while, | managed to twitch my finger, and then | could roll onto one side. It took great effort, and once | was there, | heard


    movement outside. They must have heard me shift.


    Ss and Kane rushed into the tent. Their faces wore sithr expressions of displeasure and a little bit of brooding, which gave


    me a terrible feeling. Something was wrong, something terrible.


    ¡°What happened?¡± | demanded before they had he chance to speak. My voice was raspy and a little broken, and my throat


    ached.


    The Beta and my stepbrother exchanged a nce. They seemed as if they didn¡¯t want to answer me, so | spoke again.


    ¡°What happened?¡± | repeated. ¡°What¡¯s going on??¡±


    Kane exhaled heavily. ¡°Something really weird happened, Asher


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± | wondered.


    His violet eyes nced away and then he shook his head lightly. At first, you were racing so fast that we could barely catch up to


    you. You were so swift, Asher. And then all of a sudden... you stopped. We caught up to you, and your face looked so.


    bewildered¡±


    My eyebrows creased together as | med to understand what he was saying. This was all sounding so strange, and when | uned


    to tracimy memories for what he was talking about | couldn¡¯t remember anything


    ¡°Your body went still,¡± Kane continued. ¡°And then you appeared as if you were going to fant


    1 frowned at hom


    s gear seat atter taking a mement tegniter his word. ¡°I was as if you were possessed by a spirit or something We uried to


    speak wash you tour in was like you could hear like youbinace. You just stout there like you were lost of something We ned


    everything as could to get you to soap sucht u butu wan Chappening. And then, you closed your


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    11.50 Fri Feb 23.


    invented this whole story to deter me from going to the North: Ed remembered seeing red upon learning that Cassandra and the


    king of Yurene were going to be wed, and it was then it was like Ss had said like something had possessed me


    Admittedly, | had a sharp temper, and sometimes, if the situation was dire enough. | lost myposure and lived in a strong


    state of anger. Yet, I¡¯d never been in this position before. Id never been so upset and out of control


    | never lost control. Even in my darkest moments, | was able to remain myself.


    Though | didn¡¯t want to believe them. | knew they were telling the truth.


    It was like I''d been some kind of puppet controlled by someone else. Stiff and unresponsive before copsing to the groun


    | didn¡¯t understand. How was this possible?


    What was going on here?


    | thought again of Cassandra and wished she were here. As a healer, | was certain she could exin what was going on and


    why I''d acted in such a manner.


    The ghost of her scent lingered in my mind and my heart ached


    Cassandra.


    | took a moment and then looked back at Kane. His expression told me that he was holding something back. His face was weary


    and his eyes seemed like they were somewhere else.


    ¡°Say whatever¡¯s on your mind, Kane,¡± | stated firmly. ¡°There¡¯s no reason for you to hide anything from me. This is all so confusing


    and you''re making it worse by acting this way. So speak inly.¡±


    My tone was harsher than usual, and | wished | could have softened it just a little before speaking. | was acting like an egotistical


    king who couldn¡¯t listen to anyone and only focused on themselves.


    Much like my father had been in the old days.


    | hated this side of me. | wasn¡¯t this person. But | also hated being this vulnerable. | wasn¡¯t a poor, fragile thing, but the truth of


    the matter was that my body was weak. | could hardly move from the cot.


    Luckily, Kane didn¡¯t seem offended by my severe tone. Instead, he just appeared even more worried.


    ¡°Asher, where did you get those ck marks on your arms?¡± he asked quietly and my heart stopped.


    For a moment, | was confused, and then | remembered the thing I''d long cast aside. The disease. The entire reason I''d insisted


    Cassandrae back to me with Anemond in the first ce. The starting point of our reunion, and the thing that had gued my


    nightmares for months.


    With everything happeningtely, I''dpletely neglected my health. But now that | remembered the severity of my condition,


    the pressure hung around me like a noose.


    ¡°| didn¡¯t mean to pry,¡± Kane continued, and he approached the cot. ¡°But | discovered them when | checked your pulse, and | was


    shocked, to say the least Asher, they don¡¯t look alright. When did you get them?¡±


    | don¡¯t know, | said quickly. It wasn¡¯t a lie, but | knew | must have sounded pessimistic and uncooperative What else could 1 say?


    1 buk it could be a good exnation for what happened to you before you fainted, my stepbrother suggested, and he tan Lis


    hand through his golden hair ¡°Does Cassandra haow abaur marks


    Inodded reluctantly and then sighed. ¡°Yes, she does. If they¡¯re the reason for my strange behavior and the stiffness, it must


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    89


    be some sick joke of the Moon Goddess. As strange as it sounds, | thought this was a blessing because it had brought me and


    Cassandra together again. With her treating me daily, we became close once again. But now we couldn¡¯t be further away from


    one another


    As | continued, my voice grew more and more hysterical. | trembled and couldn''t control myself.


    ¡°Calm down. Asher Kane soothed me as he came closer.


    ¡°How can | calm down?¡± | snapped at him, and then | turned to Ss. ¡°Could you calm down if your mate was in a dangerous


    situation? Or if she was set to marry another man?¡±


    The Beta frowned and his lips drew into a thin line. He didn¡¯t answer, only stared at me with his strange golden eyes.


    Kane studied me for a moment and then huffed and turned to Ss.


    ¡°Can you leave us for a few minutes?¡± he requested firmly. ¡°I need to speak with my brother alone.¡±


    SEND G


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    COMMENT

 Chapter 246

    Chapter 246


    80%


    ASHER


    Much to my surprise, Ss didn¡¯t protest this time. He obediently nodded his head and after a long, lingering nce, the Beta


    retreated immediately. I''d expected resistance, but then again, Ss likely didn¡¯t know how to deal with this situation. He was


    incredibly intelligent, but when it came to emotional hardships, he wasn¡¯t well-equipped.


    Once he was gone. | gave Kane a cold nce and then a scoff.


    ¡°What do you have to say to me?¡± | wondered and | fought the urge to roll my eyes.


    ¡°What''s so important that you had to dismiss Ss?¡±


    Though | knew it was cruel of me to think that way, Kane¡¯s weary face irritated me greatly. | knew | was being unreasonable and


    acting childishly, yet | couldn¡¯t control myself. The stakes were far too dire and | wasn¡¯t sure what was going on.


    | lost my temper when Kane mentioned Cassandra. Was my stepbrother trying to remind me how useless | was at this point? |


    didn¡¯t understand his intentions, which only made my own emotional issues far worse.


    Perhaps my anger came from immense jealousy. As much as | hated to admit it, in the past, | had been jealous of any man who


    seemed to know Cassandra better than me. Kane, Kaleb, Rayden... | had been extremely weary and jealous of all of them. They


    all acted as if they knew her better, as if they could see through her heart.


    | felt exasperated. | could feel the anger in my heart contorting my face and body, consuming what little tenderness and


    calmness | still had left in


    If only Cassandra could see me now, |mented bitterly, and | tried to summon the image of her lovely face in my mind. Her long,


    gorgeous hair, her full lips, her big emerald eyes... would such a stunning beauty still find me attractive? Or would she see a


    terrible monster before her? If | were to touch her, would she recoil? Would she find me the most despicable man alive?


    ¡°If you want to stop me from going to the North, you should hold your breath,¡± | advised. ¡°I¡¯m not going to change my mind on the


    matter. As soon as | recover from my current condition, I¡¯m going to resume my journey-¡±


    ¡°| won''t stop you, Asher,¡± Kane cut me off with a soft sigh. ¡°I know that trying to sway you in any direction other than your


    intended one is impossible. | just wanted to remind you that the stiffness of your body might reur, and you might not be able


    to recover any time soon. The next time may be worse, and | don¡¯t want you to lose control of yourself.¡±


    | wanted to say some kind of retort, but before | could, Kane suddenly changed his tone.


    ¡°| was jealous of you, Asher,¡± he admitted, and he took a seat on the chair near me. ¡°I know that¡¯s probably not what you want to


    hear, but | can¡¯t keep it to myself. | was jealous of the fact that decided withoutExclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    you Cassandra. |... | would never do that. You always know what you want and would give up everything for your love.¡±


    any hesitation to go find


    He released yet another sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t know that | could have done the same if | were you. | would hesitate to things | was doing,


    like duty, responsibilities, and so on.¡±


    give up the


    My eyebrows creased together and | red at him. ¡°Are you trying to make fun of me?¡±


    Kane shook his head immediately. ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying. | mean... I¡¯m jealous that | could never love Cassandra the


    way you do.¡±


    Anger swelled within me once again. The mere sound of her name from his mouth filled me with agitation.


    ¡°| thought that Cassandra would do the same for you as you would for her,¡± my stepbrother continued, and he golden hair away


    from his handsome face. ¡°Why would she agree to leave with Kaleb and go to Yurene? Was it out of


    swept his


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    responsibility for Wega? If so, what motivated her to save our country, one that made her suffer so much? | guess | just don¡¯t


    understand this.¡±


    His violet-blue eyes were distant and wistful as he mused.


    ¡°Don''t speak like you can see through her,¡± | said spitefully as | shook my head.


    Heughed. ¡°I can see through both you and Cassandra even though you can¡¯t do the same. Love has blinded you both and


    makes you insecure and distrusting of one another. Your rtionship is wrought with suffering.¡±


    | fell silent and studied him for a moment. His tone had taken on a bitter edge, and | wasn¡¯t sure how to react. Had mine and


    Cassandra¡¯s love truly grown bitter as he¡¯d suggested? Or was he basing this theory on my current temperament?


    ¡°| can also see another reason why Cassandra decided to cooperate with Kaleb,¡± Kane continued on with a raised eyebrow, and


    then he gestured to my arms, which were covered by long sleeves. ¡°Asher, did you get the disease when you were in Wild


    Crawler?¡±


    | nced down at my sleeves and heat spread to


    my


    cheeks.


    ¡°I''m not sure,¡± | admitted as | tried to recall the specific details of my illness. ¡°It was likely around that time, but | don¡¯t think I''d


    taken water from the poisoned ce. Cassandra has also spected that my... disease.... is different from the one that prevails


    in Wild Crawler.¡±


    Kane nodded thoughtfully. ¡°This might be rted to Yurene¡¯s n. If so, the sorceress would know something about it.¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t know,¡± | said as my lips curled downward into a frown. ¡°If Kaleb wanted me dead, why would he have gone around


    somehow and used a chronic poison like the one within me? He could have just killed me and been done with it. | don¡¯t


    understand why two different poisons would have been used on me and those in Wild Crawler... but | suspect it was done by


    Oliver Moses.¡±


    Kane¡¯s golden eyebrows shot up for a second. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it was Oliver. He¡¯s conniving and devious, but | don¡¯t think he


    would have had an opportunity to poison you.¡±


    As much as | didn¡¯t want to admit it, Kane was probably right. | had always been on guard with the entire Moses family. Though


    we were close due to my unfortunate marriage to Adalyn, | had made a clear point of keeping myself protected while in proximity


    to all of the Moses-save for Ss, of course.


    ¡°No matter what the answers are... we seem to have an opportunity to question the sorceress,¡± Kane offered. ¡°Hopefully we can


    dig out some truths about Yurene and figure out what¡¯s truly going on here.¡±


    Though his words sounded nice, | didn¡¯t think the mysterious magic-wielding woman would be that willing to share her ns.


    ¡°| thought she was unwilling to cooperate,¡± | said as | frowned.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Kane replied, and then he smirked. ¡°She was at first. But something changed when you were unconscious, Asher. And we


    have made an interesting discovery.¡±


    2-2


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 Chapter 247

    Chapter 247


    ASHER


    In less than an hour, | had regained enough strength to be able to move. With Kane¡¯s assistance, | careful position and climbed


    out of the cot, though my knees wobbled when my feet hit the ground. My stepbroti with his arm, and | clung on tightly for


    bnce.


    ¡°You okay?¡± he asked me, and when | offered him a small nod, he nodded back. ¡°Good. Take a deep breath. We don move


    swiftly. Take all of the time you need.¡±


    Though | wanted to rush out of the tent and go straight to the sorceress, a lingering sense of numbness remained in my limbs. It


    was as if they had fallen asleep, and the feeling was quite unpleasant.


    | grimaced as | tried to shake it off, and then frowned further still when it didn¡¯t work. | took a breath as Kane instructed and then


    began to walk to the entrance of the tent. Kane dropped his arm but followed suit in case | fell.


    Once we were outside, Kane led me down the path, and once we reached our destination, my eyebrows shot up. We were in the


    camp where the sorceress had been kept.


    At my orders, the magic-wielding woman was brought to us. Kane, Ss, two other soldiers, and | stood on either side of her to


    keep her from escaping.


    The pretty sorceress appeared pale. Her skin had almost bluish undertones, and her eyes were lifeless and vacant. ording to


    Ss, she hadn¡¯t eaten or drunk, nor had she uttered a single word. The spiteful expression she¡¯d once worn had disappeared


    since I''d lost consciousness. Instead, the woman seemed weary and exhausted.


    ¡°The soldiers hadn¡¯t allowed her to rest or sleep,¡± Kane exined quietly as | studied her. ¡°Every few minutes, they force her to


    take a walk, which makes her even more tired than she already is.¡±


    | nodded, and it wasn¡¯t until she noticed me that she lifted her chin with eagerness. Though she still clung to exhaustion, her


    eyes trailed over me and her lips pursed, as if she were studying me. Yet, she still said nothing.


    Kane took a step forward. He rolled his shoulders back and then offered her a smooth smile.


    ¡°You must be famished and thirsty,¡± he remarked to her, his voice silky like an interrogator seducing answers from a stubborn


    prisoner. ¡°We''re willing to let you go... but only if you tell us what we want to know. The way | see it, you''ve already betrayed


    your king by telling us about Cassandra... so why not tell us more?¡±


    His velvet tone would have normally been enough to sway any woman, but the sorceress looked uninterested in his efforts. The


    more Kane spoke, the more determined her expression grew, as if she was proud of ignoring his attempts at seduction.


    Kane realized that he was getting nowhere, so he nodded at Ss, who moved forward with no hesitation. His movements were


    fluid and graceful, and as he walked over to the sorceress, it was clear that his tactics weren''t going to be anything like Kane¡¯s.


    His golden eyes were focused and his tall form rose well over her petite frame.


    His tone was unlike Kane¡¯s in every possible way.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t cooperate, we''ll have to torture you,¡± he snarled quietly, and then he went into detail about his intended methods. |


    had to admit that while Ss wasn¡¯t exactly the kind of person to employ such tactics, | could respect his attempts.


    Unfortunately for us, even though Ss wasn¡¯t bad at ying the role, the sorceress saw through him right away. She let out a


    contemptuous snort and remained impassive.


    Ss studied her for a moment and then stepped away. Once he was back in ce, he inclined his head in my direction, and |


    walked into s c


    13


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    | was the final option, and | was more than ready to speak with her.


    | exhaled heavily, as if | were bored by this useless interrogation, and then | rolled my gray eyes.


    ¡°She seems like she doesn¡¯t know anything else,¡± | remarked. ¡°Since her aplice has abandoned her, she¡¯s of now.¡±


    | removed a badge from my pocket and dropped it on the ground like it was a piece of trash. Then | patted Ss¡¯ sho


    ¡°Execute the poor girl when you find it convenient,¡± | said.


    +5N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    At first, the dark-haired sorceress remained nonchnt, like she didn¡¯t know we were referring to her fate, but when she caught


    sight of the badge I''d dropped, her face changedpletely. Her expression froze and disbelief and shock filled her bluish-green


    eyes. She looked up at me just as | was about to turn and walk away. Her lips trembled and parted, but pursed again without a


    sound.


    | fought the urge to smirk, though it was quite tempting. | couldn¡¯t give myself away, not when | was so close.


    Instead, | raised a brow.


    ¡°What did you mean when you said her aplice abandoned her?¡± | wondered.


    Kane spoke up, his voice full of faux sympathy as he yed along. ¡°Her aplice had arrived not too long ago but was


    discovered by our soldiers. The man said he would do anything not to get caught or imprisoned. So, he agreed to give her up.


    He¡¯s going back to their home to report to the king that she betrayed her country-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± the sorceress shouted. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t give me up and leave!¡±


    Tears welled up in her eyes as she visibly broke down.


    ¡°The badge speaks for itself,¡± Kane continued on, and he gestured at the ground.


    Acry escaped the sorceress. ¡°It must be Anubis! The crafty Anubis... damn him! Damn him!¡±


    She began to curse in her native tongue, her words thick and not easily understood. Tears streamed down her cheeks and her


    hair fell into her face as she cried.


    Kane and | exchanged a nce with one another, and then my stepbrother squatted down beside the sorceress. He handed her


    a handkerchief and offered her a few kind words.


    She was instantly rmed and suspicious. Despite feeling desperate after what we''d told her, she didn¡¯t seem to trust Kane or


    particrly like the way he tried to soothe her.


    Meanwhile, | stared at the badge on the ground. That little thing was the reason she¡¯d broken down.


    When we made the n, though Kane believed it was worth trying, we didn¡¯t expect it to work so smoothly. The story my


    stepbrother had told wasn¡¯t all lies. We did find someone was lurking around, and they must have been the sorceress¡¯


    aplice, but the soldiers hadn¡¯t caught him. The man, whoever he was, was skillful and quick. They were only able to tear the


    badge from his shoulder before he slipped away.


    This badge seemed to be all we needed to make the girl speak.


    She smiled for a moment and then snatched the handkerchief from Kane¡¯s hand with a small snart


    ¡°Stop referring to me as sorceress or girl¡± she muttered as she wiped the wetness from her high cheekbones. ¡°My name is Buy


    11:50 Fri, Feb 23

 Chapter 248

    Chapter 248


    CASSANDRA


    | was certain that | would never forget the look on Ms. Benn¡¯s face when I''d threatened her and alluded that her daughter''s


    condition could easily worsen if | stopped offering help.


    The head housekeeper¡¯s already fairplexion nched so white she looked like a ghost. Her lower lip trembled and her icy


    blue eyes widened sorge that they appeared like they could fall out of her skull.


    Though her terrible expression haunted my thoughts, | didn¡¯t regret that I''d done something awful like this. Given the chance, |


    would have done it over and over again, but still, | some part of me did feel sorry for Ms. Benn. | couldn''t imagine how | would


    feel if someone had threatened me with Finnick¡¯s life.


    But, | did what had to be done. | was powerless in this castle, in this entire country, even. Without nasty ploys and fierce cunning.


    | wouldn¡¯t get any closer to getting out of here and returning to my homnd with Erika and my son.


    After our discussion, Ms. Benn left the room at once, her cheeks flushed and her movements swift. As she walked away, | felt a


    strange sense of empowerment. | was stronger than | thought, and | needed to carry this strength with me as much as possible.


    | could survive Yurene. | just needed to be brave.


    Luckily for me, Ms. Benn aplished her mission excellently despite her unwillingness. She worked like a skillful spy. getting


    close to Ronald''s tower residence with usible excuses. She caused no fuss at all and did everything with her usual calmness.


    When she arrived at my chamber one night to report her findings, she seemed surprisingly disoriented. Her expression was a


    mixture of horrified, confused, and strained. I¡¯d asked her to take a seat, and when | realized she was shaking, | carefully guided


    her to the table.


    Finnick and Erika were fast asleep, so | led her to the far side of the room to give us some privacy, and once we were certain our


    conversation could be conducted without interruption, Ms. Benn began to speak.


    ¡°| grew close with a few maids who didn¡¯t serve Helene or Ronald directly,¡± she began, her heavily ented voice timid. ¡°Ones


    who worked in the residence, but didn¡¯t report to them. Though | don¡¯t want to belittle them or make light of their efforts, their jobs


    are rtively unimportant and boring. They were more than eager to converse with me since they don¡¯t often get the chance to


    talk to others.¡±


    | nodded thoughifully.


    ¡°They were eager to speak with someone who works for the king directly,¡± she continued, and she ran a hand over her slicked-


    back hair and smoothed it down nervously.


    | could sense that it was a habit of hers, one that only appeared when she was under duress.


    ¡°After some light conversation about the goings-on in the pce, | began to pry,¡± Ms. Benn said quietly. ¡°It didn¡¯t take much for


    them to speak. They told me that Helene hadn''t left her chamber in days. One of the maids told me that no one is allowed to


    enter Helene¡¯s room exept for Lord Ronald himself. They were instructed to leave her food trays on the floor outads the door and


    then collect it at a fixed tune Yet, when they arrive to collect the tray the food is hardly touched.¡±


    My eyebrows shot up in surprise. This situation was far more date than I¡¯d suspected. Helene, locked in a room? Unable to


    C2 perhaps being prevented to do so?


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    11:50 Fri, Feb 23


    Was she truly ill? Or being held captive by the king¡¯s cousin?


    ¡°Go on,¡± | insisted, though | wanted to ask all of these questions aloud.


    Ms. Benn let out a small breath and then nodded. ¡°At first, Helene¡¯s maid¡¯s could hear quarrels within the sounds from Helene or


    roars from Ronald. At night, they would hear the door bumping and the stomps in none of them were allowed to approach. None


    of them could witness anything for themselves. Then the nois and there was only silence.¡±


    | shook my head slowly.


    35)


    ¡°Even after Lord Ronald came back and entered Helene¡¯s room, noints or fighting could be heard anymore,¡± Ms. Benn


    reported and her eyebrows knitted together. ¡°Two days ago, one of Helene¡¯s maids was summoned to thedy¡¯s room. By whom,


    they didn¡¯t know, but that didn¡¯t matter.. After an hour or so, the maid returned to the servant''s quarters without saying a word.


    Despite it being a bit strange, the others didn¡¯t pay much attention to her. It wasn¡¯t until they went back to the maid¡¯s room that


    night that they found her lying on the bed, with a knife in her stomach. She... took her own life.¡±


    My jaw dropped slightly as | tried to understand what she¡¯d just told me.


    ¡°What?¡± | breathed, and my head swam with dizziness.


    Ms. Benn¡¯s lips turned white as if she¡¯d witnessed the gruesome disy herself. ¡°Yes. She killed herself. Since then... all of the


    maids have been horrified. Some believe the knife was given by Lady Helene and that she enchanted it with some kind of


    sorcery. Others think the maid had an affair with her master. They¡¯re all rumors, of course, just spections and gossip. But the


    death... the death was real, whether it was a suicide or a murder.¡±


    | stared at her for a moment, my eyes wide and my heart heavy as | considered the situation. A dead maid? This wasn¡¯t good


    news.


    | wasn¡¯t sure | believed in the idea of an enchanted knife, but | couldn¡¯t discredit it given everything I''d seen in this savage


    country. Yurenians were capable of so many acts of magic and violence. What if someone had used a spell on the knife after all?


    What was their intention? And why the maid? Had she seen something she wasn¡¯t meant to in that chamber?


    ¡°Did they describe how she looked?¡± | wondered, and when Ms. Benn frowned in confusion, | rified my statement. ¡°The


    maid?¡±


    Ms. Benn hesitated and then nodded. When she described the appearance of the maid, my heart sank even further in my chest.


    It wasn¡¯t just any maid. It was na, the maid who had apanied us on our shopping trip in town.


    | remembered that Helene had thought the girl might be a spy. But did she take her theory too far? Had she killed the girl out of


    self-defense? Helene didn¡¯t seem like the type, but then again, nothing was as it seemed.


    What was the truth?


    What was Helene thinking and what was she doing right now? Was she even alive?


    Thest thought sent a chill down my spine.


    Ms. Benn stood up and offered me a small nod. ¡°I must take my leave, Miss Cassandra. | have things to attend to-¡±Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You may leave,¡± | said in agreement. The head housekeeper left with no hesitation, and once she was gone, | pondered this


    whole situation


    Before tears could roll down my checks. | rose from my seat and approached the window. | carefully closed them, and as |


    started to turn around to head back to the table, | noticed that Finnick was awake. My son¡¯s gray eyes wererge with concern,


    and they stared at me with a weary gaze


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    With howte it was, he should have been fast asleep, and yet, he was wide awake.


    ¡°Mommy?¡± he wondered. ¡°Can | talk to you?¡±


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 Chapter 249

    Chapter 249


    CASSANDRA


    | was a little taken aback by Finnick¡¯s serious request. His face appeared timid, yet his tone was solemn, much more sole than a


    child¡¯s should have been. As | studied his expression, | felt ashamed of myself for borderline neglecting my son thes days. I¡¯d


    been so immersed in this undercover business that | didn¡¯t have much time to talk with Finnick, aside from our daily goodnight


    kiss.


    When | shifted my gaze, | realized I''d left Helene¡¯s map on the table not too far away.


    ¡°Okay, honey,¡± | agreed. ¡°I just need to do something really quick, okay?¡±


    Finnick nodded politely, and then | moved forward and folded the map up. | stashed it aside, and once it was gone, | gestured for


    Finnick to join me.


    ¡°Come here, baby,¡± | urged him, and after | took a seat, | extended my arms out to him. ¡°Would you like to sit in myp?¡±


    My son nodded and then gave me a little smile. He climbed onto myp and | held him close. | ran my hands through his dark


    hair and then stroked his cheek affectionately.


    ¡°I''m sorry for interrupting you, Mommy,¡± Finnick apologized as he leaned into my touch. ¡°Aunt Erika said you were busy these


    days, so | shouldn''t bother


    you as much.¡±


    ¡°You could never bother me,¡± | insisted. ¡°Ever. I¡¯m always here for you, honey. Now, what did you want to tell me?¡±


    | continued to pet his hair as he remained silent, and then he gathered the courage to speak.


    ¡°Is L going to die, Mommy?¡± he wondered quietly.


    | was instantly surprised by this question as well as his saddened tone. ¡°Why would you ask something like that, baby?¡±


    ¡°L told me her disease was incurable,¡± Finnick answered, and his sterling eyes fell downward.


    | lifted his chin and shook my head. ¡°That isn¡¯t true, Finnick. L is getting better with every passing day. She was sick with


    pneumonia, which is extremely curable. She¡¯s going to get better soon.¡±


    But Finnick shook his head. ¡°L told me that there was something else in her body that she couldn¡¯t get out, and it¡¯s devouring


    her and her mother day by day.¡±


    My eyebrows shot up as | tried to make sense of such wordsing from my five-year-old¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°When | told her we were going to leave this country and go back to Wega one day, she went quiet and didn¡¯t want to talk to


    me anymore,¡± he continued quietly. ¡°She didn¡¯t want to be friends with me anymore because | would leave while she would just


    stay here and die. Mommy... | don¡¯t want L to die.¡±


    His eyes welled up with tears and his voice cracked at the end of his sentence. It was heartbreaking to see him get so worked up


    over something that likely wasn¡¯t true at all.


    ¡°Oh, Finnick,¡± | soothed him gently as | wiped the tears from his cheeks. ¡°L isn¡¯t going to die. She doesn¡¯t have any other


    serious illnesses and she¡¯s going to recover soon. | know it seems scary, but she¡¯s going to be okay.¡±


    He hesitated and then spoke again ¡°Mommy, are we going to leave this country?¡±


    i nodded but felt a bit worried. ¡°Yes. Finnick, do you not want to leave?¡±


    Finnick frowned. ¡°I miss my friends in Wild Crawler. Can we go back there after we leave here? Anemond isn¡¯t fun and


    r


    178


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    Prince Marco isn¡¯t my friend, | don¡¯t like the pce at all. It¡¯s too stuffy. | miss the trees in Wild Crawler. Can we please go back


    there and pretend none of this happened, Mommy? Please!


    ¡°It depends, baby¡± | answered honestly, though | knew the possibility was likely small. ¡°I also miss Wild Crawle could go back


    there too. Who knows, maybe we can make it happen. But there¡¯s no guarantee. | don¡¯t know w happen just yet.¡±


    Ashort silence lingered between us and then Finnick spoke again.


    ¡°Can we take L with us when we leave?¡± he pleaded, his voice more urgent than before.


    | was surprised again by this insistence.


    ¡°L won''t want to leave,¡± | tried to say, but Finnick shook his head.


    ¡°She does,¡± he insisted with a firm shake of his head.. ¡°It was her request, Mommy. She wants to leave with us. She said her


    incurable disease is caused by this country and she wants to leave for good.¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t think her mother, Ms. Benn, would agree to something like this,¡± | tried to say as | fought to understand what he was


    talking about. Children often had lofty imaginations, but something told me there was more to this situation than | thought.


    Something was going on here, though | wasn¡¯t sure what yet.


    ¡°L has never liked her mother,¡± Finnick pressed. ¡°She¡¯s using her, and L hates being used, Mommy.¡±


    | frowned at him. ¡°L might just be unhappy because her mother is so busy, Finnick. But Ms. Benn loves L. She¡¯s been


    worried about L¡¯s condition. It was she who requested that | treat L-¡±


    ¡°L told me it wasn¡¯t like that,¡± Finnick argued, his little voice fierce as he defended his friend. ¡°She said her mother didn¡¯t want


    her to die because she still wanted to use her. And if L died, her mother would be useless to this country.¡±


    | was confused at once.


    This seemed like such a strange thing for Finnick to say, but at the same time, | knew that he wasn''t one to tell tall tales. He was


    always such a truthful child, sometimes to a fault. | could trust him with my life, and | had the sinking feeling that he knew


    something that | didn¡¯t.


    Was L in trouble?


    Would Finnick also be in trouble since he was so close to L and whatever was happening? The thought was terrible. | didn¡¯t


    want my son to get involved in anything dangerous. We were already in such a precarious position here in Yurene. We couldn''t


    risk it getting any worse than it was.


    Though | was nervous to figure out what was going on, | summoned my courage and maintained a calm demeanor.


    ¡°What do you mean, honey?¡± | wondered. ¡°How does L make her mother useful to Yurene?¡±


    ¡°L has special abilities,¡± Finnick answered slowly. ¡°Just like the ck-haired woman who came to our room not long after we


    arrived. The one with the pretty eyes.¡±


    | frowned again,


    Was he referring to Raven?Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°But L¡¯s ability is different,¡± he continued before | could ask. ¡°She can fetch a cup with a flick of her fingers. She can read


    minds. She knows what I¡¯m about to say before | even open my mouth, and she can predict things.¡±


    His face grew serious.


    2/3


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    ¡°It''s a secret between L and me,¡± he exined softly, his voice practically a whisper. He reached out and tugged on the sleeve


    of my shirt, just as he had when he was much younger, and then his gray eyes stared deeply into mine. ¡°But | though you should


    know about this, Mommy. L is special. That¡¯s why Ms. Benn wanted you to save her.¡±


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    11:51/ Fri, Feb 23

 Chapter 250

    CASSANDRA


    | froze in ce and my heart pounded in my chest as my head drowned with what felt like a million thoughts.


    Had | heard Finnick correctly?


    Did my son mean to tell me that L was a sorceress?


    | knew he didn¡¯t know the word ¡°sorceress¡± nor did | exin to him what kind of tricks Raven had yed during that visit to our


    chamber. So, there was little chance that he was making this entire thing up. Besides, Finnick wasn¡¯t a liar.


    So, did that mean...?


    Finnick¡¯s gray eyes grew wider still and he nced around the room as if to make sure that no one would hear us.


    ¡°Mommy, L can read my mind,¡± he uttered, his voice filled with a mixture of shock and amazement as his intensely into mine.


    eyes


    bore


    | forced down the lump that had formed in my throat and searched for the right thing to say. If this was truly the case, | needed to


    speak with L and try to get to the bottom of what was going on.


    Achild sorceress... it was a concept I¡¯d never considered before, but it made a great deal of sense. Raven, Roxy, Ronald... they


    all probably grew up with the ability to wield magic. To someone who didn¡¯t possess such abilities, it all sounded so fantastical


    and incredible.


    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case, | would like to talk to L,¡± | decided after | took a couple of moments to gather myself. ¡°I want to know


    what''s going on for myself, okay? Until then, let¡¯s keep this between us.¡±


    The next day, Ms. Benn dropped L off at our room in the afternoon, just as she usually did.


    ¡°I''m still working on the guest list, Miss Cassandra,¡± she said quietly before she left the room. ¡°I''ll have it to you in two days.


    Is that suitable?¡±


    Though | wanted it earlier than that, | nodded my head. ¡°That¡¯s fine. Thank you, Ms. Benn.¡±


    The head housekeeper nodded, and then she closed the door behind her as she left.


    Usually, after Ms. Benn departed, | would check L¡¯s blood pressure, ask the little girl a few questions, and then make sure she


    took her medicine. Once all of that was handled, | would leave Finnick and L alone to y, and then Erika, read some books,


    or just contemte our situation, worrying about this or that.


    go talk with


    Normally, L seemed cold and bored as she spoke to me, her ice-blue eyes intense as they stared at me. Her gaze usually sent


    a chill down my spine, but as | stared back at her today, | felt a small ache in my heart.


    Was this poor, pretty girl in trouble?


    ¡°L, can | speak with you?¡± | asked after she took her medicine, ¡°Just you and me, please?¡±


    | half-expected her to roll thoserge eyes and ignore me, but instead, she nodded seriously. Finnick started to walk over but |


    shook my head gently at him. | didn¡¯t have to utter a single word. He seemed to understand what was happening, though he


    pouted a litle at being left outExclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Friks sensed that something more was going on and quietly escorted him away from us.


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    Once we were alone, | asked L to sit with me. Sheplied withoutint and after | took a moment to gather myself, |


    smiled at her.


    ¡°L, how old are you?¡± | wondered.


    ¡°Five,¡± she answere politely. | was a little surprised by this. | knew she couldn¡¯t be much older than Finnic


    expression was so serious that | thought she was at least six or seven. Of course, her body was so small and


    appeared fragile, as if she could break at any given moment.


    | smiled at her again. ¡°That''s a wonderful age. Now, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re wondering what | want to talk about. Finnick... he me about


    your special abilities-¡±


    L suddenly huffed and cursed under her breath, using some vulgar words that surprised me.


    ¡°| knew Finnick couldn''t be trusted,¡± she growled quietly.


    | reached out and touched her arm. ¡°That¡¯s exactly the reason why you told him about your ability. You wanted me to know, didn¡¯t


    you, honey?¡±


    L¡¯s cheeks flushed a dark rose color and she didn¡¯t deny it.


    ¡°Why did you want to tell me?¡± | continued. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I''ll tell someone else?¡±


    She shook her head firmly and stared into my eyes. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t. Ever since Finnick told me that you were both going to leave


    the country, | knew my secret was safe with you.¡±


    | wanted to smirk. L was smart. She was not only acting like an adult but also thinking like an adult. Though she was merely


    five years old, she was evaluating her circumstances and making the bold yet right decision.


    | only hoped it would pay off.


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± | wondered gently.


    ¡°Hasn''t Finnick told you already?¡± she said in a slightly irritated voice. ¡°I want to leave this country. | want to go with you.¡±


    ¡°You know this can¡¯t happen, right?¡± | asked her softly, making sure to remain polite and respectful. ¡°Your mother would never


    agree to it, L-¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t care what my mother thinks,¡± she cut me off quickly. ¡°She only wants to use me. My mother knows I¡¯m a sorceress but


    doesn¡¯t know what I can do exactly. Once she does, she¡¯s going to make use of me. I¡¯m certain of it.¡±


    ¡°Don''t think like that,¡± | tried to urge her. ¡°You don¡¯t know how much your mother loves you.¡±


    L¡¯s stare suddenly became spiteful. It was a strange expression to see on such a young child, and | was suddenly taken aback


    by it.


    ¡°It''s you who doesn¡¯t understand,¡± she fired back. ¡°Il know my mother much better than you do, Cassandra.¡±


    Though | didn¡¯t agree with her sudden intensity, | didn¡¯t argue with her. Perhaps L was right. Either way, | wasn¡¯t here to talk


    about Ms. Benn. | was more interested in finding out more about L¡¯s identity and abilities.


    ¡°Is your father a sorcerer?¡± | asked her, shifting the subject.


    ¡°| don¡¯t think so, she answered. ¡°And | don¡¯t think Ms. Benn is my real mother as well. | think I¡¯m adopted and that¡¯s why I¡¯m


    mistreated¡±


    Hes pale blue eyes filled with tears and her voice trembled a bit. My heart ached for the child, and | thought she was going to


    borate more, but she didn¡¯t. | was so surprised by all of this


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    ¡°Are you from Dark Abyss?¡± | asked.


    89%


    When Ms. Benn had told me about her experience, how her Pack had been attacked and her husband was killed, she¡¯d never


    mentioned which Pack it was.


    But L shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. | lost a lot of my memories.¡±


    | nodded and tried to assess the situation. | noticed that L¡¯s words were inconsistent. She seemed to


    stress and probably had a lot of trauma to work through. The poor girl seemed like she¡¯d been through a empathize with her


    strongly.


    ¡°Can you demonstrate your abilities to me?¡± | wondered.


    L grew serious and shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t read your mind, Cassandra. You''re the only one I¡¯ve never been able to read.


    That¡¯s also why | decided to tell you about my abilities. | believe we''re the same.¡±


    ay

 Chapter 251

    Chapter 251


    KALEB


    | diligently stood in front of my mother¡¯s grave solemnly, and after staring at the ornately carved bi to dust off the stone. This


    was my first visit in quite some time, and the thick coating of grime on the ston it had been in a while. | normally didn¡¯t allow it to


    get this bad, but as ofte, things had been infinitely busy had a moment alone.


    As | cleaned it, | pondered the state of things and then allowed myself to consider my mother. Ever since she died, l¡¯a had a


    nightmare about her passing or otherwise. Nor had | after I¡¯d killed all of my siblings and most of my cousins. Not even when I''d


    ended my father¡¯s life.


    | wasn¡¯t afraid of ghosts or gods. | wasn¡¯t afraid of punishment from the Moon Goddess for the acts I''dmitted in the


    past.


    Butst night, | had a nightmare, one that | couldn¡¯t shake. It was haunting my thoughts and bleeding into the waking world so


    vividly it made me uneasy.


    In my dream, | saw my mother groaning in her bed. The scent of death permeated the air and filled my nose so much that | was


    practically choking on it. She was calling out for my father, her voice strained and pitiful. The agony of it was chilling. If it weren¡¯t


    for her voice, | would have thought she was already dead. She appeared so weak, so feeble. Her skin was practically


    translucent, and her eyes, once vibrant, had lost their beauty.


    Though she was barely clinging to life... she was still my mother.


    4


    Despite being the lowest among all of the king¡¯s wives, a desperate and cunning maid who seduced the king and elevated her


    status to be one of his mistresses because of her pregnancy, she delivered a prince. She made the king a legitimate


    son.


    She had always said she was lucky that she was fertile. She told me that | was a gift from the Moon Goddess, but | couldn¡¯t help


    but wonder if she truly believed that idea. Was her life confined in a small room, waiting for a man who would never visit again,


    better than her life as a maid?


    In the dream, | walked closer to her, trying to stop her groaning. As | approached her bedside and the stench of death grew


    stronger, | stifled my urge to retch and tried to calm her down. | told her gently that Father wouldn¡¯te. | wanted nothing more


    than for her to pull herself together and stop calling out for him.


    But when | caught sight of her hollow face and stared into her eyes, | realized that the woman in bed wasn¡¯t my mother.


    It was Cassandra.


    Her beautiful face, those lovely doe-like deep green eyes with their longshes, her full, pink lips... all weren¡¯t normal. Her face


    was ravaged and contorted into anguish. Even her long, copper hair was brittle and matted. It was a horrid sight that sent a


    shiver down my spine.


    | tried to retreat, but she reached out and grabbed my arms. | tried to pull away, but it was of no use. She began to curse at me.


    At first, she spoke some vulgar words, and then they gave way to more specific things. She cursed me for what | had done: the


    nasty things I''d done in the dungeon, the ugly face I¡¯d worn when | slit my father¡¯s throat, all of the pain I¡¯d caused since I''d


    be king of Yurene.


    As she reminded me of these events, her words conjured up vivid images, and they grew so intense that | couldn¡¯t think. All |


    could see was myselfmitting these atrocities over and over again, meanwhile, Cassandra¡¯s voice continued to call me such


    vile things.


    Ich pam my my chest, a great pain as if my very soul was going to dissolve as it grew stronger. It burned within me like a wildfire,


    and just as | became consumed by the ze... | woke up


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    | sat up in bed and panted as | fought to catch my breath. Sweat drenched my entire body and | gripped my sheets forfort.


    Rationally, | knew that the dream wasn¡¯t consistent, nor had it been real, but still, | felt a great burden from it.


    It had taken much of the day to ease my thoughts, but as | stood in front of my mother¡¯s grave, | wor had received from Anubis


    had caused the dream.


    Anubis told me in the brief note that Roxy had been caught and that traces of him had been discover Wega before he could


    approach the king. He asked if Roxy should be abandoned, and that he needed because if he got caught by a Wega soldier, it


    would be an unnecessary loss.


    I''d stared at the note for quite some time, unsure of what to do.


    Should Roxy be abandoned?


    essage |


    | thought | would be decisive without any hesitation, but that wasn¡¯t the case. | couldn¡¯t make up my mind on the matter, but why?


    Roxy was useful but not indispensable. So why couldn''t | make a decision?


    This was the very reason | kept these pawns. | cared for them as my trustedpanions to gain their trust and loyalty, and then


    when necessary, | would give them up.


    When the wind rippled through my hair, a thought crossed my mind.


    Wasn''t that exactly what I¡¯d done to my sister, Eleanor?


    My memory traced back to that awfulpetition in the dungeon. It was a brutal fight. We were all too clever, too hesitant, too


    indecisive. We were wasting time at first. We were all so young and stupid and thought we could change the way this country


    was ruled. We had believed that if we banded together and challenged the very idea of this bloody tradition, that they would


    surely yield.


    But we had overestimated our willpower as well as how cunning a werewolf could be.


    So, we began to fight.


    | wasn¡¯t the strongest one. | hadn¡¯t gotten the best training sessions. | was always excluded by my siblings when they epted


    fighting lessons from the outstanding soldiers of Yurene. They loathed me for carrying a low-status woman¡¯s blood.


    All except Eleanor.


    She was the firstborn child of the king, the best fighter, and the most respected heir. She was the only one that treated me like a


    brother rather than a nuisance. After their lessons with the soldiers, Eleanor would meet with me privately and train me herself.


    She took care of me with great empathy and | cared for her very much.


    Everyone in this country had said that Eleanor was the true queen, the future ruler of Yurene, and the only one of us who was


    worthy of the throne.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    In the dungeon, when I was chased and nearly killed by one of my brothers, Eleanor had protected me. She made a promise to


    me that she would take me out of the dungeon with her and together, we would make this country a better ce.


    But instead...


    | nced down my hand as if the blood was still there. Eleanor¡¯s blood. | would never forget the sight of it as it gushed out of her.


    | had used my hand to cover her bright blue eyes as they stared at me in disbelief after I''d attacked her.


    Since that moment, | haven''t stopped fighting.


    I''d told Eleanor¡¯s body that | had to take the crown no matter what. | had to change the country. | would be a good king, no


    matter what it took


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    But was | truly changing Yurene?


    Or had | lost myself in this game of power long ago?


    2.89%


    | stood in front of the grave for a while longer and thought of Eleanor. Then, | rose to my feet and decided upon my answer for


    Anubis.


    ¡°Roxy is still useful. Take her back.¡±


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 Chapter 252

    ASHER


    As | stared at the beautiful yet disgusted face of the raven-haired sorceress before us, | searched


    to go about questioning her. Now that we knew her name, Roxy, it was clear that she was on the v a matter of prying her further.


    | remembered that | had once attended an interrogation with my father before his death. He¡¯d been sile the dungeon, and once


    we reached the staircase, he turned to face me with a tense expression and his cold


    1.


    89%


    ¡°We''re going to teach you some techniques that will be useful in the future,¡± he remarked sternly. ¡°Pay attention. This will useful


    in the future when you need to dig out the truth.¡±


    Though | wasn¡¯t too keen on the idea, there was no refusing my father, so | nodded, and then we continued our walk. Once we


    were in the dungeon, we were met by a pair of my father¡¯s men and then escorted to a cell in the back.


    They were interrogating a servant who had been involved in a half-baked plot to steal valuables from the treasure trove of the


    pce. He¡¯d been caught on the scene, lingering around the entrance of the room, but despite his obvious involvement and


    intention to steal, he was stubborn and refused to confess.


    | couldn¡¯t remember what exactly they had done to make him speak, but when the servant broke down, he told us all of the


    details and became so cooperative that he even gave away his aplice.


    | hadn''t understood why the servant would give in so easily, but when we left the dungeon, Father said that it was what people


    did when they felt abandoned and alone. If given the chance, they would act out after perceived betrayal, and try to turn things


    around by joining their rivals.


    That was likely what Roxy was about to do, now that she knew that her aplice- this Anubis, had betrayed her and left her


    behind.


    We stood there in silence for a while. Neither Kane, nor Ss, nor | dared to speak. We simply waited for Roxy to start the


    conversation.


    It simultaneously felt as if an eternity had passed but also a few minutes, and after Roxy wiped her eyes, | finally addressed her.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± | asked firmly but still calmly. She seemed surprised by my question, and | half-expected her to scoff at me,


    but she didn''t.


    ¡°The king of Yurene sent me to capture the king of Wega and bring him back to the North,¡± she exined, her tone rapid and


    her voice heavily ented. ¡°I don¡¯t know why he wanted me to do it, though | suppose it has to do with the healer.¡±


    Her gaze shifted to me at thest word of her statement, and her discontentment was incredibly obvious. She clearly harbored


    some sort of irritation toward Cassandra, though | wasn¡¯t entirely sure why.


    ¡°Since you don¡¯t seem to approve of his orders, why did you go on the mission?¡± Kane spoke up before | could, and he crossed


    his arms against his chest.


    ¡°| would do whatever he asked, she answered as if it were obvious, and then she softened. ¡°I have always obeyed no matter


    what


    Ss snorted and rolled his golden eyes. ¡°And yet you didn¡¯t obey this time, did you?¡±


    Roxy shot him a re and pursed her full lips. Though she diddy reply to his mockery, her face looked a little paler, as if the


    weight of her actions was dawning on her.


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    11:51 Fri, Feb 23


    Chapter 252


    89%


    ¡°Who are you?¡± | asked her, and | lifted my chin slightly. ¡°Where did youe from originally? And how are you able to use


    sorcery? Yurene has no history of magic power, so I¡¯m not understanding your part in all of this.¡±


    She nced at each of us, as if searching for something, and then, after a while, a shortugh escapUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°| can¡¯t figure out if you¡¯re joking or pretending to be confused,¡± she remarked, and then she smirked stupid. ¡°Where did |e


    from originally? What a question.¡±


    Her blue-green eyes glinted with amusement. ¡°Ie from the same ce you do. We could very well be fr ancestor. If it weren¡¯t


    for your first king who betrayed the great sorcerers, we would not have suffered-¡±


    ¡°Are you referring to Ewonmiams?¡± | cut her off as my eyebrows knitted together. ¡°The ancient academy of sorcery?¡±


    Roxy snorted and rolled her eyes. ¡°I see the great king of Wega knows nothing about history. Unsurprising, of course-¡±


    Irritation bloomed within me and | chose not to act on those impulses.


    ¡°Ewonmiams was closed because of a severe ident,¡± | replied. ¡°Most of its members died from the ident and that¡¯s why


    sorcery and magic is forbidden in Wega. It was made forbidden to prevent further damage and death.¡±


    Roxy barked out augh again and shook her head.


    ¡°You would be idiots if you believed that to be true,¡± she remarked. ¡°But then again, it¡¯s understandable... after the purge, nothing


    about sorcery remained in this country. | suppose the real history of Ewonmiams was obliterated. So, I''ll simply tell you the truth.


    Wega was built on treachery and ughter, and your first king was no more than a thief.¡±


    ¡°Do not nder our first king,¡± Ss blurted out angrily. His eyes shed and his hands were balled into fists at his side.


    ¡°nder?¡± Roxy repeated. ¡°If you think what I¡¯ve just said is nder, then you''ll be quite surprised by everything else | have to


    tell you. There¡¯s a story you should all know, Once I¡¯ve finished, you can decide if it¡¯s true or not.


    The day of interrogation passed quickly and soon gave way to nightfall. As a warm breeze blew through the wind, | took a deep


    breath. Despite the nice weather, | felt a chill and couldn''t get warm. | was too gued by what Roxy had told us.


    ording to the sorceress, the first king of Wega had used the great sorcerers of Ewonmiams to win wars and annex Packs


    that now belonged to Wega. After appointing himself the king, he betrayed the sorcerers andunched a purge against them,


    whichsted for centuries. Our country was founded on this betrayal and bloodshed.


    As | pondered the tale, | heard someone approach and turned to see Kane.


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± my stepbrother asked as he joined me.


    ¡°Fine,¡± | remarked, though it felt like a lie.


    ¡°She might not be telling the truth,¡± he offered. ¡°The sorceress might be trying to disorient us and distract us from what''s going


    on.


    Despite his trying to soothe me, | could tell by his voice that he also believed Roxy to be telling the truth. It was undeniable that


    Wega had almost obliterated the history of Ewonniams. The only things that remained were the books Cassandra had read in


    the locked room of the royal library. We had betrayed the sorcerers and then wiped them from history.


    ¡°Do you think the people of Wega are proud of their country? | wondered.


    Kane howned ¡°What do you mean, Asher?¡±


    ¡°I''ve just been danking¡± | said, and | ran my hand through any her ¡°What¡¯s the point of being the king of a country that


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    was stolen in the first ce? When | was in Wild Crawler, no one would say or even demonstrate pride in Wega. They were


    happy and content in their own Pack. And | suppose it will be the same in the Sky Pride Pack. So, what''s the point of holding


    such arge country when my very leadership of it depends on the support of the Alphas? What is there to be proud


    of?¡±


    Silence lingered between us.


    ¡°| don¡¯t know, brother,¡± Kane mused after a moment, and then he stared off into the distance. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


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 Chapter 253

    Chapter 253


    SILAS


    Much to my irritation, it was my duty to watch over the sorceress tonight. | wasn¡¯t thrilled by the pros had to follow the orders of


    my king.


    Unlike the others, | hadn''t believed a single word that poured out of Roxy¡¯s mouth this afternoon. In her stor imed were


    completely factual, she¡¯d implied that the great sorcerers of old were omnipotent and incredible, werewolves were utterly


    useless. ording to supposed legend, the most powerful of the magic-wielders could read people¡¯s minds and even manipte


    them when they saw fit.


    But at the end of the day, these legends were merely stories. There was no proof that her stories were true and | only believed in


    solid evidence. Stories had never been enough. | needed to witness things with my own eyes, and thus far, | had no reason to


    believe her.


    Besides, the sorceress was cunning. All she wanted was to y with our thoughts and intimidate them. Her sea-green eyes had


    a fierceness about them that couldn¡¯t be denied, and no matter how much she fluttered her long eyshes, | wasn¡¯t falling for


    her tactics.


    Unfortunately, once she realized that | wasn¡¯t sumbing to her maniption, she opted to make my evening a living hell. She


    kept making endless requests- to eat, drink, wipe her face, take her to relieve herself... the requests were constant, and | barely


    had a moment of silence.


    When she wasn¡¯t speaking, her gaze was fixed upon me as if | had something on my face. Though she didn¡¯tment on


    whatever was on her mind, her stare felt heavy, and there came a point where | forced myself to turn away slightly. But even


    when | closed my eyes, | could still sense her. It was annoying me to no end.


    ¡°Will you not speak?¡± she prompted me with mocking in her tone. When | didn¡¯t respond, she spoke again. ¡°Really? Not a word


    from you-¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± | growled before | could stop myself, and anger boiled in my chest. When | turned to face her, | was irritated to see that


    she wasn''t intimidated at all. On the contrary, her lips curled into a grin and she tilted her head to the side slightly


    ¡°So, you do have a voice after all,¡± she remarked, and then sheughed lightly. ¡°I know you don¡¯t trust me, seems to hold no


    weight. Your Alpha King trusts me and that¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    but


    your opinion


    ¡°Silence,¡± | snarled. ¡°If you want to challenge my loyalty to the king, you should simply hold your breath instead. Unlike you, I¡¯m


    not going to betray my Alpha.¡±


    My voice was heavy with disdain, so much so that Roxy was stunned for a moment. Her lips parted in surprise and then she


    gulped.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± she said in a low voice that was nearly a whisper, and she tucked a strand of ck hair behind her ear.


    ¡°You understand nothing.¡±


    Though | was tempted to fall for the bait and demand that she stay quiet, | didn¡¯t reply. She was trying to get a rise out of me and


    | couldn''t fall for it, not when it was my duty to keep an eye on her. | had to remainposed, at least for the most


    part.


    After a short silence, her eyes fixed on me again, but her expression lost its cruelness and grew serious.


    ¡°You have no idea what | sacrificed for my loyalty,¡± she remarked.


    ¡°I''m not interested in whatever tale you have to tell,¡± | sighed as | rolled my eyes at her. Why should I care about her feelings?


    There were much bigger things to worry about.


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    11:51 Fri, Feb 23 *


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    ¡°You''re not interested in anything other than your stupid loyalty¡± she fired back defiantly. ¡°You''re like a stick of iron,pletely


    lacking emotions, while I¡¯m not. That¡¯s why you think you''re better than me, but | can assure you that''s not true.¡±


    As her irritation reached my ears, | frowned.


    Was there an ounce of truth in her words?


    ¡°Have you ever loved anyone?¡± she continued.


    | didn¡¯t reply, but | couldn¡¯t resist getting swept into her question. Before | could stop myself, my mind wande to Becky.


    | thought about ourst meeting, the look in her beautiful reddish-brown eyes as she stared up at me. Was she alright? Was she


    staying with that healer man?


    Had she given him an answer after his confession of love?


    Just the thought of it all was enough for a lump to form in my throat.


    | tried not to think of these questions, as a very small part of me was worried that Roxy would read my mind like the sorcerers


    she spoke so highly of. | couldn¡¯t risk her finding a weak spot in me and using it for her escape.


    But much to my surprise, she was no longer watching me. Instead, she stared off at the distance and seemed lost in her own


    thoughts. She tugged at the sleeve of her ck sweater absently.


    ¡°Love is selfish,¡± she mused quietly. ¡°Loyalty is selfless. They can¡¯t coexist.¡±


    Before | could reply, she turned back to me. ¡°If you¡¯ve ever loved anyone and made a vow to be loyal to that person.... is your


    vow rendered broken if your lover chooses someone else?¡±


    | watched her mournful face for a moment and then spoke. ¡°Are you speaking of Kaleb?¡±Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    She didn¡¯t answer, but it was obvious that | was correct.


    ¡°If something made you selfish, it should not be love,¡± | said. ¡°Love is something divine and would have made you selfless. Isn¡¯t


    the happiness of the person you love all that matters?¡±


    Roxyughed lightly and then shook her head. ¡°You''re so pretentious. What would you do if the one you loved decided to choose


    someone else and abandoned youpletely? Would you remain so gant?¡±


    | pursed my lips. | couldn¡¯t answer the question.


    I didn¡¯t want to.


    The sorceress sighed. ¡°You might be right. Love can be selfless as long as one can watch the person they love every day and


    feel the happiness of that alone. But being abandoned... that¡¯s another story. For all of these years, | have tried to be useful to


    him. | obeyed all of his orders and did all of the nasty jobs he required of me. All | wanted was to be at his side and stay with him.


    But in the end. | was no more than a pawn that could be thrown away?¡±


    Just as her bright eyes welled up with tears, she shifted her head and avoided contact with me, but not before | caught a glimpse


    of hate and longing on her face.


    | suddenly fell suffocated


    | didn¡¯t know if it was a magic trick yed by the sorceress or if it was simply her words that made me feel the were of


    es my antar


    Berty


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    11:51 Fri, Feb 23


    Was Roxy right? Could | ce her happiness above mine? Could | surrender her if she were to choose another man?


    Could | discard my love for her if it meant she could be happy?


    Es)

 Chapter 254

    ASHER


    The next day, we began our ascent up the mountain.


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    The Sky Pride Pack resided near the top of these hills, and it was a grueling journey. Speed and swiftness had no advantage on


    steep hills, which was how Sky Pride had remained intact throughout the years, while other Packs suffered from constant wars


    and disputes. The location was advantageous and strategic, and while the climb was far from ideal, | had to admire their


    resilience.


    None of us had ever visited this technically autonomous Pack before, nor had we expected to have such difficulty. We had to


    abandon most of our belongings on the way, as they only weighed us down and made the climb more cumbersome.


    The only source of relief was the fact that | didn¡¯t need to disguise myself here, as no one would be able to attack us in Sky


    Pride. No assassin would be able to reach the remote Pack, so a shroud or costume was unnecessary.


    It was around noon when we reached the first gate. Our party waited around for nearly half an hour as one of the guarding


    soldiers went to report our presence to their Alpha. The remaining soldiers of Sky Pride, despite being told that it was the Alpha


    King visiting them, showed no reverence. They regarded me politely, but there were no outward disys of loyalty or


    acknowledgment.


    Ss was outwardly slighted by their behavior but | stopped him before he could grow angry. There was no use getting upset with


    these wolves when we were trying to appeal to them for their support.


    So, we hung back and waited until finally, the guard returned with a well-dressed man. This middle-aged man was lean and


    graceful in his movements. Though he smiled, his eyes were sharp.


    He bowed courteously at me and then spoke.


    ¡°Good day, King Asher,¡± he greeted me warmly. ¡°My name is Darwin Stone. | am the hand of the Alpha. Our leader is busy at


    present and has asked me to escort you to the castle in his stead. Will you follow me?¡±


    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, Darwin Stone,¡± | replied politely, and then | nodded. ¡°Yes, we would be grateful to follow.¡±


    Darwin nodded back and then we were let in through the


    gates.


    Our trek didn¡¯tst long, and when we reached the castle, | was surprised to see how grim everything around us was. The


    crudely-crafted castle was tall and carved out of the same dark gray stone that surrounded us. Since we were up so high, the


    wind was bitterly cold, and there was little color around.


    Sky Pride had never been a wealthy ce, but they had the strongest soldiers, which made their walked into the castle, | tried to


    remind myself of this fact and forced a pleasant expression on my face. support


    crucial. As we


    Darwin exined that the Alpha would join us soon, and in the meantime, we were escorted to a waiting room. Though it was


    smaller than the ones in Merliscire pce, it was decorated nicely with simple butfortable furniture, some oil paintings, and


    vases of mountain wildflowers. Their light scent filled the air and was a wee change after all we¡¯d been throughtely in the


    woods.


    Kane, Ss, and | exchanged nces with one another. | couldn¡¯t say anything private to them with Darwin present, but they


    seemed to pick up on my silent request to stay on their best behavior. They nodded their heads at me obediently.


    Once we were seated, Darwin cleared his throat.


    Your Majesty, might | inquire about your intentions?¡± he wondered and he raised a dark eyebrow. ¡°The Alpha King has never


    graced us with a visit, so we are greatly ttered to have you. Yet.. | suppose there is something you want from us?¡±


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    | was a little taken aback by the abruptness of his question but | didn¡¯t want to dance around my point. | knew it would be more


    respectful to go about this with utter honesty, so | raised my chin and answered.


    ¡°I''ll be frank with you, Darwin,¡± | replied seriously. ¡°There¡¯s an impending threat on the horizon, and


    The hand of the Alpha studied me for a moment and then nodded as if to urge me to continue.


    So, | told him everything that we were facing, though more concisely so | wouldn¡¯t overwhelm him with i simply exined that


    Oliver Moses was trying to overthrow my rule and that the King of Yurene was nnin war against Wega. We were here to


    ensure support from Sky Pride and request their allegiance.


    Darwin listened intently and didn¡¯t seem surprised at all by anything | said. He waited for me to finish and then offered m another


    polite nod.


    ¡°This does indeed sound quite serious,¡± he remarked, but then he shifted his tone. ¡°However... though | can see your difficulties


    in the matter, Your Majesty, | don¡¯t see what any of this has to do with our Pack. No matter who rules over Wega, Sky Pride will


    remain the same.¡±


    Suddenly, Ss uttered a growl. ¡°Have you forgotten your vows to the king of Wega?¡±


    Darwin smiled. ¡°I assure you that we will never forget our oaths. But | must remind you that the vow was made to the king of


    Wega, not to a singr man. It doesn¡¯t matter to us who wears the crown.¡±


    He then turned his attention to me. ¡°Your Majesty, | want to be honest. | see little possibility that you could win. The old Beta


    Oliver has solid support from both councilors in Anemond and wealthier Packs such as the Moon Gem. Not to mention that many


    Packs in Wega still harbor ill feelings after your treatment toward the country¡¯s traitors... the Felix family.¡±


    My nostrils red at the mention of the Felixes.


    ¡°You made quite a fuss after the death of the traitor¡¯s daughter,¡± Darwin continued. ¡°It has not been forgotten that you demanded


    the Packs to assist you with finding a ghost.¡±


    Anger flooded through me and | was mere moments away from losing my temper at such an usation, but | managed to stay


    calm.


    ¡°The Felix family weren''t traitors,¡± | answered with little hesitation. ¡°And my mate didn¡¯t die. | can prove it to you and all of


    Wega once this is done. Until then, | can offer an apology for my behavior five years ago-¡±


    Darwin smirked. ¡°That¡¯s all well and good but there¡¯s no need. Forgive me, but | don¡¯t see why Sky Pride should risk our soldiers¡¯


    lives to help you. If that¡¯s your only intention for your visit, Your Majesty, you''d better leave before others catch wind of this


    proposal.¡±


    Hisst sentence was so rude that Ss sprang up from his seat. His golden eyes shed, and he was about to lunge toward


    Darwin, but | managed to stop him in time. | shot him a look of warning, but before | could say a word, a deep voice traveled in


    from the corridor.


    ¡°Darwin, you shouldn''t be so rude to our guests.¡±


    Upon hearing the voice, the hand of the Alpha¡¯s eyes widened and he sprang up from his seat and bowed in the direction of the


    corridor.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


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 Chatper 255

    Chapter 255


    ASHER


    By Darwin¡¯s reaction, | knew at once that the voice belonged to the Alpha of Sky Pride. | shifted in my seat and turned around to


    face him. When | did, | was surprised by his


    appearance.


    He was


    quite tall, with dark skin, gray hair, and beard, and arge belly. His brown eyes crinkled at the corners and when he smiled, |


    was impressed by the whiteness of his teeth.


    He walked into the room with the support of a young woman. They both appeared ill, though they wore it differently. The young


    woman was beautiful, with long, thick curly dark hair, and pretty hazel eyes, but her frame was incredibly thin. A small wind could


    easily have blown her away.


    The Alpha himself appeared to have difficulty breathing. Once he reached us, he opened his mouth to speak but began to cough


    before he could utter a word.


    Darwin rushed over to support him on the other side. He smiled at the young woman, and she lowered her head to avoid his


    gaze.


    They helped the Alpha sit down, and once he was seated, he raised his eyes to meet mine and then smiled broadly.


    ¡°Forgive me for my tar dines s, Your Majesty,¡± he said kindly. ¡°My name is Arthur Harvey, | am the Alpha of the Sky Pride Pack.


    Wee to my home.¡±


    ¡°The pleasure is all mine,¡± | replied with a small smile of my own and then | introduced the rest of my group.


    Arthur offered a round of nods and smiles, but when he caught sight of Roxy, he frowned in confusion. To his credit, the dark-


    haired sorceress had been tied up with a robe and was standing beside a soldier of the Myriad. It was a strange sight to be


    certain, but | tried to exin it simply.


    ¡°She is a captured spy of Yurene,¡± | stated. ¡°Pay her no mind.¡±


    The Alpha did notment and instead turned back to me. ¡°I¡¯m happy to have you here, Your Majesty. Please pardon Darwin¡¯s


    lousy attitude. That is not how | like to conduct my business, especially in front of guests.¡±


    ¡°It''s no trouble at all,¡± | assured him. | began to exin again why we were here, but the Alpha raised his hand to stop me.


    ¡°| heard everything from the corridor,¡± he exined. ¡°And while | appreciate and


    13:58 Mon, 26 FebBelongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    admire your dedication, Your Majesty, I¡¯m not certain this is a request | can honor.¡±


    ¡°What can | do to sweeten the deal?¡± | blurted out, and then | calmed myself. ¡°I can offer you substantial coins andnd as a


    reward-¡±


    Arthur cut me off with augh and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in useless promises such as these. If you were to fail,


    these rewards would never reach my doorstep and | would suffer the loss of my soldiers for no reason. | need more incentive


    than that, Your Majesty.¡±


    | fell silent for a moment and then spoke. ¡°If not coins ornd, what would you like in return then?¡±


    Arthur didn¡¯t answer directly. Instead, he shifted his position and nced at the young woman beside him.


    ¡°This is my only daughter, Kiara Harvey,¡± he introduced her to us. ¡°My wife died in childbirth and Kiara nearly died as well. As you


    can see, she is too physically weak to take the crown as the next Alpha, so she¡¯s in need of a good husband.¡±


    | stared at him in confusion as | tried to make sense of his words.


    ¡°Do you need me to find your daughter a husband?¡± | wondered, and then | frowned. ¡°Though I¡¯m surprised to hear that you¡¯d


    need my assistance. Doesn¡¯t Sky Pride have plenty of young and strong soldiers who could be eligible matches?¡±


    Arthurughed heartily and then smirked. Beside him, Kiara¡¯s eyes widened in embarrassment.


    ¡°You''re right,¡± he remarked. ¡°Sky Pride has plenty of good fighters, but that¡¯s not what | need. | want a young man who knows


    business better than fighting, someone who treasures wisdom better than brutality, and most importantly... someone who could


    win my daughter¡¯s heart. My people are simple-minded, Your Majesty, myself included. Most don¡¯t know how to run a Pack nor


    how to please my dear daughter.¡±


    Ss, Kane, and | exchanged nces and then | spoke.


    ¡°| would be more than willing to help find the right son-inw once everything is sorted out-¡±


    Arthur held his hand up. ¡°This must be sorted out first. Otherwise, I¡¯m unable to offer any support to you.¡±


    As unease swirled in my belly, | nced over at Kiara. The girl waspletely silent. She didn¡¯t seem to object to her father¡¯s


    decision, nor did she seem content with it.


    Darwin, on the other hand, wore a sullen expression. His eyes were fixed downward and


    13:58 Mon, 26 Feb


    his lips drew into a thin line.


    52%


    | attempted to assess the situation. Perhaps the hand of the Alpha wasn¡¯t too pleased by what his leader proposed. These terms


    were unusual, after all, and we all seemed perplexed by the idea.


    | was hesitant to respond. If | was in Anemond, | might have looked through the councilors and their heirs and selected a nice


    gentleman who seemed best suited for the job. But this was impossible to do now that | was so far from the pce. And the


    Myriad... how was | supposed to know which soldier was smart and which wasn¡¯t?


    L


    Atest? Apetition? Some sort of questionnaire that determined their identities. outside of the


    orm?¡±


    The clock was ticking. How could | waste time on this while Oliver and Kaleb were taking such action against the country? Their


    strength was likely growing by the day. If | didn¡¯t act soon, Wega could crumble and fall to its demise.


    All of a sudden, Roxy barked out augh. All turned to face her with surprised nces, and then, she spoke.


    ¡°There seems to be the perfect pick for Alpha Arthur¡¯s lovely daughter,¡± the sorceress remarked with a cruel, mocking grin on her


    face. She fixed her teal eyes on Ss, and everyone followed the direction of her gaze.


    Ss¡¯ cheeks flushed scarlet.


    ¡°Who better to wed the young woman than the Alpha King¡¯s Beta, the heir to the Moses family,¡± Roxy suggested with a dark,


    raised eyebrow. ¡°As far as I¡¯m aware, Beta Ss is still single, and he would be more than willing to support his Alpha in whatever


    capacity he needs. He is exceptionally loyal, after all. I¡¯m sure he would be quite pleased to offer your daughter his hand in


    marriage. Isn¡¯t that right, Ss?¡±


    She took care to emphasize the word ¡°loyalty¡±, and when she did, Ss red at her. It seemed as if there was some kind of


    issue between them, one that had arisen before in camp.


    | wasn¡¯t sure what to say. Since he already had a mate back in Anemond, Ss wasn¡¯t exactly avable for such matters, but


    before | could breathe a word, Alpha Arthur¡¯s brown eyes


    lit up and his lips curled into a warm grin


    ¡°Is that true?¡± he asked me directly, and then he nced over at Ss.


    RIA

 Chatper 256

    Chapter 256


    ASHER


    Ss stiffened at once and then red at Roxy. As his golden eyes shot daggers in her direction, he remained utterly silent.


    We all knew that should anything be spoken wrongly, this alliance between us would be ruined. We needed Alpha Arthur on our


    side, and yet... this wasn¡¯t a matter for Ss to solve.


    Meanwhile, Arthur seemed quite focused on Ss. He appeared rather interested in the idea, and his dark eyes trailed over the


    young man.


    ¡°| didn¡¯t expect you to be the son of Oliver Moses,¡± he remarked, and then he raised an eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯s quite interesting that father


    and son are against one another now.¡±


    Ss nodded politely, and then Arthur¡¯s smile widened.


    ¡°If what you say is the truth, | would be very willing to marry my daughter to Beta Ss,¡± he announced as he made eye contact


    with everyone in the room.


    Kiara nced at Ss as well, but her weak and tired expression remained the same. She was perfectly silent, which | assumed


    was a natural state for her.


    ¡°Unfortunately, Beta Ss has already found a mate in Anemond,¡± | cut in politely, and then | gave Arthur and apologetic smile. ¡°A


    fated mate, in fact.¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Darwin spoke up. ¡°As far as | have heard, Your Majesty, Beta Ss¡® mate is a low¡ªborn and the Beta declined the opportunity to


    im her at a banquet. Is that correct?¡±


    Arthur''s brow lifted and he turned to me. ¡°Is that true?¡±


    Asmall sigh escaped me and then | nodded. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true. Ss and Becky never imed one another.¡±


    The Sky Pride Alpha¡¯s lips resumed their smile once more.


    ¡°An unimed mate isn¡¯t that big of a problem,¡± he remarked as if the matter was simple. ¡°And a fated mate at that...¡®


    His voice trailed off and his stare shifted back to me. ¡°Thest time people spoke about fated mates, it wasn¡¯t a nice story. I¡¯m not


    so certain that such a rtionship is real nor is it a good thing. An arrangement, however... that is a much stronger idea, is it not,


    Your Majesty? My Kiara is a fine woman, worthy of only the most splendid of men.¡±


    | froze in ce as | tried to make a decision. | didn¡¯t want to risk this alliance, yet |


    Yo


    Mon, 26 Feb


    3


    52%


    didn¡¯t want to force Ss to marry the girl out of obligation. What would be if | robbed the Beta of his potential rtionship


    with Becky for good?


    Arthur rose from his seat and carefully moved closer to Ss. The Beta stood tall, but | could detect a note of worry on his


    features, not that | could me him, of course. This was an impossible situation, one | never thought we''d be in.


    The Sky Pride Alpha examined Ss for a moment.


    ¡°You''re a good-looking man, Beta Ss,¡± Arthurplimented him, his tone warm and genuine. ¡°I hope you are just as clever as


    your father, though less... selfish.¡±


    He turned back to me before Ss could utter a response. ¡°What do you think, Your Majesty? Would you be willing to bless this


    union and marry this young man and woman?¡±


    ¡°It depends on Ss¡® own will,¡± | replied quickly, forcing all of my frustration and concerns deep into my belly. It was taking all of


    my restraint to keep from saying all the many ways this was a terrible idea.


    Arthur shrugged, not all that amused by my answer. ¡°If he¡¯s loyal enough, he would just obey his king. Would he not?¡±


    He stared at Ss in a challenging way. My brother-inw, fists clenched at his sides, remained absolutely silent for a second,


    and then bowed his head and stamped his chest, showing obedience to his king.


    | felt a great burden fall heavily on my shoulders. | hated this feeling. Was | supposed to make this decision? By whatws was |


    granted the right to decide the fate of another person¡¯s life? Just because | was the king of Wega, | had to force Ss into such


    a terrible position.


    | knew this much- Ss was the most loyal soldier andrade one could ever ask for. He was devoted, intelligent, and


    dedicated. | knew with absolute certainty that he had my back in any situation.


    Could | really force him into marrying someone he didn¡¯t know when he already had a fated mate back in Anemond?


    Could | force him to solve my problems for me?


    Before | could utter a word, Kane rose from his seat and took a step toward the Alpha.


    ¡°| believe the captured soldier¡¯s information isn¡¯t very usible,¡± he remarked, and he shot an annoyed nce in Roxy¡¯s


    direction. ¡°Ss respects his mate in Anemond very much. And the only reason why he didn¡¯t im her that day at the banquet


    was because she was unwilling yet to be imed.¡±


    | raised an eyebrow at him.


    Kane, sticking up for Ss?


    It was a quite strange thing to witness, though | was d to see them finally getting along.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, Beta Ss is clearly still avable,¡± Darwin huffed. ¡°Unimed mates mean nothing. The rule of werewolves


    say as such.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Kane replied, and then he uttered a shortugh. ¡°As far as avability, Beta Ss iscking a mate mark, so


    physically, he is obviously open. But emotionally... that¡¯s another story. Alpha Arthur, would you truly be willing to marry your


    daughter to someone whose heart is set on another woman?¡±


    Arthur frowned deeply. He seemed to be quite affected by Kanes¡¯s words, and stared off in the distance for a moment before


    turning toward his daughter. Just as he did so, my stepbrother smiled and stepped toward Kiara.


    ¡°| believe this young princess deserves a better fate than this,¡± he said after he offered her a graceful bow.


    ¡°Better?¡± Arthur let out a sharp exhale. ¡°Who would be better for her than the king¡¯s Beta?¡±


    Kane stared into the young woman¡¯s hazel eyes in a questioning way and then extended his hand toward her. Her cheeks


    flushed lightly as she epted it, and she smiled sweetly at him. Kane gently kissed the back of her hand and when he let go,


    he then turned back toward us. He offered Arthur a small bow of respect.


    ¡°Would the king¡¯s brother be a good choice for this lovelydy?¡± he asked, and his violet eyes twinked with happiness.


    My stomach twisted into knots and it took all of my power to not drop my jaw in shock. As | nced around the room, it was clear


    that | wasn¡¯t the only one surprised by this sudden utterance.


    Alpha Arthur seemed especially stunned. He didn¡¯t seem thrilled by Kane¡¯s bold move of kissing his daughter¡¯s hand, but as the


    seconds passed by, he looked both confused and surprised.


    Before the Sky Pride Alpha could say a word, Kane introduced himself.


    ¡°My name is Kane Collins,¡± he said clearly and concisely. ¡°Though | am only an adoptive son of the former king, | share his royal


    surname, the same as the current Alpha King¡¯s. He and | are quite close, you see, so | believe | could be a suitable recement


    for Ss,¡±


    He smiled at Kiara. ¡°I would like the privilege to court dear Kiara. She has already stolen my heart. | would like the chance to


    earn her hand in marriage.¡±

 Chatper 257

    ASHER


    That night in Sky Pride was far colder than it had been in our forest camp below the mountain. The wind outside of the fortress


    blew intensely, so much that it rattled the window, and it made me shiver instinctively as we were escorted to our rooms.


    Much to my surprise, our designated quarters were warm and cozy, the beds decorated with plush, thick nkets, and the wood


    floors were covered in several soft rugs. The furnishings were simple yet lovely, and when | finally had a chance to rx, |


    flopped down onto the bed and allowed the nkets to re up around me. | sank into the softness for a moment and stared up


    at the ceiling as | reflected on the evening.


    Alpha Arthur hadn''t been very content with Kane¡¯s deration at first, but after he proposed the idea of courting Kiara, the Alpha


    escorted us to a small banquet hall. A feast in our honormenced, and as the night went on, Arthur began toe around on


    the idea. Kane always knew how to smooth the tension and make everyone satisfied. He was kind and charismatic enough to


    sway anyone in his favor.


    Kiara seemed equally enticed by him. All evening, her bright hazel eyes kept ncing over at my stepbrother, and her full lips


    curled into a small yet happy smile.


    However, as this disy continued, aplicated feeling swelled within me. | didn¡¯t understand Kane¡¯s decision, nor did | get


    why he would make such an offer to court Arthur¡¯s daughter. Why would he step in to save the day when Ss was on the line?


    | wanted to understand and yet | couldn¡¯t. This was all so strange and confusing.


    Just as | tried toe around to the idea, a knock on the door interrupted my thoughts.


    ¡°Come in,¡± | called out, and | forced myself to sit up and appear presentable. Assuming it was Alpha Arthur, | ran a hand through


    my hair and smoothed the wrinkles from my shirt, but much to my surprise, in walked Kane with a chessboard in his hand.


    ¡°Brother,¡± he greeted me warmly, and then he gestured at the table in front of me. ¡°If you¡¯re struggling to sleep, perhaps you


    would like to y a game with me? It¡¯s been quite some time since ourst match.¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Though part of me wanted to climb back into bed, the other decided to oblige Kane¡¯s request, so | nodded my head and


    approached the table.


    At first, we yed in half-silence. While | remained quiet, Kane wouldment shortly when | clearly made a wrong move. He


    uttered a few stinging remarks, and after | lost two games in a row, he shook his head slowly.


    ¡°You seem greatly distracted, Asher,¡± he mused thoughtfully, and then he tilted his head


    04%


    slightly as he studied me closely. ¡°What¡¯s going on in that lovely mind of yours?¡±


    +5


    | didn¡¯t know what to say. | simply stared at the brother who sat opposite me and always smiled. Words felt impossible given the


    circumstances, and | didn¡¯t know what to do.


    ¡°| know what you''re thinking,¡± Kane spoke again, and he leaned forward against the table. ¡°But | want to make it perfectly clear


    that | didn¡¯t make this decision purely for you or for Wega. | don¡¯t want you to think of this as a sacrifice. Being the Alpha of an


    undefeatable Pack is a glorious thing and I¡¯m perfectly content with the idea. Besides, Kiara is quite pretty, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    He let out a soft chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s time for me to settle down, And she seems like she would be a kind partner.¡±


    | wasn¡¯t convinced by his words even a little bit. His attitude toward the matter was far too casual, and I''d known him long


    enough to see that something was amiss.


    My lips parted, but before | could say a word, Kane held his hand up to stop me.


    ¡°This is going to benefit everyone,¡± he assured me firmly. ¡°I¡¯ve already made my decision, Asher, and | won''t take any further


    considerations. Besides, Alpha Arthur isn¡¯t someone we can easily toy with. If we want to act quickly, we need his allegiance.¡±


    I let out a soft sigh and then nodded.


    Kane nced down at the chess set and then figdeted with a couple of pieces.


    ¡°Now, | didn¡¯t juste here to y chess,¡± he revealed. ¡°In truth, ¡®m here to tell you something important. | heard from my soon-


    to-be father-inw, that there is going to be a wedding in Yurene soon.¡±


    My stomach dropped and a lump formed in my throat. My heart began to race with panic, but Kane reached out and touched my


    arm.


    ¡°Don''t worry,¡± he assured me. ¡°It¡¯s not Cassandra. It¡¯s the wedding of Kaleb¡¯s cousin. Arthur told me that on the wedding day, the


    capital of Yurene, Viokwell, will be epting hundreds of guests from outside the city.¡±


    My eyes widened at the idea. ¡°Do you mean to suggest-¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Kane cut me off, and then he nodded. ¡°It would probably be the best time to sneak in and find Cassandra. Arthur got a


    private invitation from Ronald Adams, the cousin, who seems to be seeking alliances with Packs from outside Yurene behind


    Kaleb¡¯s back. Arthur agreed to help him. But let¡¯s not focus on that now. | don¡¯t intend to attend the wedding, so I¡¯m willing to give


    you the invitation card.¡±


    4


    ¡°Thank you, Kane,¡± | managed to say as | grappled with all of this information. ¡°This is


    [e)


    10:33 Wed, 28 Feb


    great news.¡±


    in


    ?)


    64%


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m still against this bold idea of bringing Cassandra back by force,¡± he reminded me. ¡°But | know that no


    matter what | do, | can¡¯t stop you. Besides, I¡¯m unable to apany you for the rest of your journey because | have to remain


    IN


    here, as required by Alpha Arthur. The wedding will be in three days, and guests usually arrive two days early. You''d better


    depart tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯te with me?¡± | uttered before | could stop myself, though | knew the answer. We both fell silent and then Kane


    smiled at me.


    ¡°| hope this won''t be thest time we can y chess,¡± he said quietly, and then he rose from his seat. ¡°In fact, | know it won''t be.


    But it''s veryte now, and you need to get some rest. You have a long day ahead of you.¡±


    | rose from my chair and crossed over to him. He held his arms out to me, and we embraced tightly. This hugsted longer than


    usual, and heaviness filled my chest. | didn¡¯t want to leave Kane behind. My stepbrother meant the world to me, and doing this


    alone filled me with dread. But he made his choice and | had to respect the great deed he¡¯d done on my behalf and honor his


    wishes.


    ¡°Return safely, Asher, alright?¡± he asked me once we parted.


    ¡°| will,¡± | swore, and after we shared one more quick hug, Kane left the room, and | returned to the bed.


    Awedding in Yurene.


    This was going to be a strange affair indeed.

 Chatper 258

    ASHER


    Once Kane left the room, | changed into a pair of nightclothes and then went to bed. | dozed off quickly, but my sleep was quite


    light.


    So much so, that when a noise rang out from the corridor, | woke up immediately and began to look around in surprise. For a


    moment, | wondered if the sound was just my mind ying tricks on me, but something in my gut told me that wasn¡¯t the truth.


    Something was amiss, something | couldn¡¯t dismiss straight away without investigation.


    | rubbed my eyes and immediately rushed outside of the room and into the courtyard just down the hall. As | walked, the metallic


    scent of blood reached my nose at once, and | hastened my pace.


    | was the first to arrive, followed by Kane, Alpha Arthur, Kiara, Darwin, and a few soldiers. Everyone was outfitted in their


    nightclothes, and one by one, we each fell stunned at the sight before us when it was illuminated by the torches of the soldiers.


    My. stomach twisted into painful knots and for a moment, | thought | was about to retch in disgust.


    Bodiesy on the ground, covered with rich, viscous dark blood. Two of them were Myriad soldiers, outfitted in their uniforms.


    One of them was a strange masked man that | didn¡¯t recognize. As | slowly approached, it was clear that they were all dead.


    All except Ss, whoy beside the masked stranger. He was severely injured, and my lips parted in horror when | saw the blood


    gushing from his lean chest. Though he was breathing faintly, it was clear that he was fading quickly. We needed to intervene at


    once.


    Everyone was disoriented by the insane sight.


    Kane frowned deeply. His skin had turned quite pale at the sight of Ss, but he forced himself to go to Kiara, who was weeping


    out of horror. He held her tightly as she dissolved into s obs.


    Arthur was angry at the sight of it all. He cursed aloud andmanded one of his soldiers to call the healers. He ordered them


    to care for Ss at once andunch an investigation into what hadmenced in the courtyard.


    ¡°We need to determine what has happened here!¡± he growled at Darwin, who shrank into himself after the harshness of the


    Alpha¡¯s tone reached his ears. He nodded obediently and then rushed out of the courtyard.


    Meanwhile, | tried to make sense of what had happened..


    111


    [e)


    10:33 Wed, 28 Feb GG


    64%


    +5


    Everything must havemenced in a short amount of time, otherwise, the night watch soldiers would havee and joined


    the fight. The two Myriad soldiers, | recognized, were the ones who were tasked with watching over Roxy in turns. | didn¡¯t know


    their names, but they were respectable men.


    So,


    PHC


    what had urred here?


    Had the sorceress hurt them in an attempt to escape?


    HIGH


    The sound of sputtering interrupted my thoughts, and I quickly snapped out of my haze and turned to see Ss. A thick, wet


    cough escaped him, and | crouched down beside him and held his hand.


    TU


    The Beta¡¯s chest had almost been ripped apart. It was a gruesome sight, one | knew would haunt me for quite some time. There


    was so much blood everywhere it was a miracle he was still breathing.


    The attacker must have been someone with great strength and fighting techniques. They¡¯d managed to kill two elite soldiers and


    severely injure Ss Moses. Whoever they were, they were strong and ruthless.


    Ss coughed again, and | wiped his dark hair away from his sweat-drenched forehead. His golden eyes were distant, and his


    breaths became fainter and fainter. When | gently squeezed his hand, he locked eyes with me and managed to speak.


    ¡°It was the same man I''d fought with the other day,¡± he exined, his voice strained from the pain of his injuries. ¡°The one sent


    by Kaleb who wanted to save the sorceress? I¡¯m sorry | didn¡¯t catch him alive, Asher. And I¡¯m sorry | might not be able to help


    you anymore-¡±


    ¡°Don''t say that,¡± | interrupted him, and | squeezed his hand. ¡°You''re going to be alright, Ss. We''re going to get you some


    medical attention. You''re going to be just fine.¡±


    Agroup of healers arrived just momentster, and they carefully took Ss away on a stretcher. Once he was gone, Alpha Arthur


    let out a small growl.


    ¡°This is not going to be tolerated,¡± he said quietly and he shook his head slowly. ¡°I¡¯m going to contact Yurene and demand an


    exnation. How dare they send an assassin to


    land. To my


    my


    home?¡±


    ¡°It''s no use,¡± Kane replied shortly as he continued to hold Kiara close. ¡°The man wasn¡¯t an assassin. We need to block any


    messages and pretend the man never snuck in. The sooner Kaleb learns about the deaths that happened here, the sooner he''ll


    send more to finish the job. Besides, what would happen if the sorceress were to find out Kaleb hadn¡¯t given her up after all?¡±


    | nodded as | processed this information. Roxy¡¯s cooperation was more than important.


    [e)


    Wed, 28 Feb


    5


    64%i


    She was the only person who was familiar with Viokwell. We needed her on our side as much as possible if we were going to


    pull off this mission.


    Darwin didn¡¯t seem to agree with this idea.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°Your people have caused too many problems for Sky Pride,¡± he hissed at us. ¡°Besides, Ss cannot remain here. If the son of


    Oliver Moses dies here, what would that crazy Beta do-¡±


    ¡°Ss is still the Lord Beta of Wega,¡± | reminded him somewhat harshly with a raised eyebrow. ¡°You are obliged to serve him


    by thew.¡±


    ¡°Who cares about aw at a time such as this?¡± Darwin fired back. ¡°We have an entire Pack to consider, Your Majesty. We


    cannot risk the safety of our Pack members for one


    man-


    37


    ¡°Enough!¡± Alpha Arthur demanded, and his nostrils red as his dark eyes darted around the courtyard. ¡°I can lock down the


    information, but Darwin is correct. We are unable to cure Ss Moses. He cannot remain here in Sky Pride. He shall need to be


    transferred out of here at once.¡±


    Kane opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Arthur raised a hand in warning.


    ¡°Consider the benefit of Sky Pride,¡± he reminded him firmly. ¡°This is to be your Pack, Kane. You must act on its behalf.¡±


    My stepbrother¡¯s violet eyes darted over to me. | felt the pain in his expression. | didn¡¯t like that they were shoving Ss aside,


    but what choice did we have? We had to cooperate or this would all fall apart.


    ¡°Fine,¡± | spoke up. ¡°Kane, get in touch with the royal healers immediately and make arrangements to send Ss back to


    Anemond.¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t know if that¡¯s a good idea, Asher,¡± he replied as his eyebrows creased together. ¡°What about Oliver Moses?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t see another choice,¡± | said. ¡°After all, Oliver wouldn¡¯t kill his son. He¡¯s a conniving maniptor, but he¡¯s no murderer. We


    need to get Ss to safety, no matter what it takes.¡±


    Kane hesitated for a moment and then nodded. He pulled himself away from Kiara and then walked over to where | stood.


    ¡°Asher, | don¡¯t think you should go to the North,¡± he advised quietly. ¡°Look at this attacker. Kaleb¡¯s soldiers are ruthless. You


    could get yourself killed.¡±


    Though | knew he was right, | saw no other option.


    0


    20


    ¡°| won''t change my mind,¡± | said. ¡°I¡¯m going to Yurene.¡±

 Chatper 259

    CASSANDRA


    Though L couldn¡¯t read my mind, it wasn¡¯t difficult for me to prove that her abilities were real.


    At Finnick¡¯s request, | met with the girl when Ms. Benn had dropped her off for a ydate. We waited until the head housekeeper


    was gone, and once we were certain the coast was clear, we sat down at the table and began an assessment.


    L seemed hesitant at first, as if she were worried that | wouldn''t believe her but after some light coaxing, she managed to rx


    and agreed to disy her powers to me.


    She wasn¡¯t able to read my mind at will, but she still disyed some form of irvoyance. For example, she predicted quietly


    that Erika was going to go to the counter and turn on the kettle to boil some water. She could even specifically assess which cup


    she¡¯d use, what tea she''d collect, and the very mannerisms she would disy as she prepared the hot drinks.


    | stood there inplete shock as all of her predictions were proven correct. It took all of my effort to keep my jaw from


    dropping. Though | had seen Raven and Ronald perform some impressive acts themselves, | still wasn¡¯t used to disys of


    magical ability. Sorcery was still such a foreign concept, yet | supposed | would have to get used to it.


    L quietly exined that she didn¡¯t need to see the person in order to read their minds. She could do it as long as her intended


    subject was within twenty feet of her. She told me with a small smirk that she used it often to predict when her mother was


    coming home early and utilized it to ensure she wouldn¡¯t get caught reading books or papers she wasn¡¯t meant to read.


    Unfortunately, there were also some deficiencies in her abilities.


    First of all, she couldn¡¯t multi-task. If there were two or more people within her twenty- foot radius, she couldn¡¯t read their minds


    at the same time and if there were too many people in a small space, she could barely use it at all.


    Second of all, her ability dependedrgely on the rity of people¡¯s ideas. She exined that what she could read was not the


    idea itself, but a picture- a visualized idea. That meant if the idea hadn''t been visualized properly, L couldn¡¯t pick up on it


    clearly. That was why she couldn¡¯t always determine what Ms. Benn was thinking about. She often read some fragments of


    pictures that didn¡¯t form a cohesive thought and couldn¡¯tpose the meanings.


    It madeplete sense to me. After all, L was still such a young girl. Her mind-


    10:33 Wed, 28 Feb GG.


    04%


    reading ability likely hadn''t fully blossomed yet. | theorized that given more time and practice, she could really be a formidable


    force.


    L told me that she had been careful enough not to let Ms. Benn notice what her ability truly was. Ms. Benn had always known


    that she was capable of something, but she wasn¡¯t certain what it was.


    +5


    However,tely, she began to put things together and questioned if L was irvoyant.


    ¡°That¡¯s why | have to escape,¡± she whispered to me with a stressed expression on her little face. ¡°I have to get away from her.¡±


    | could sense that her rtionship with Ms. Benn wasplicated. At certain times, she seemed quite spiteful and expressed


    hatred toward her. L called her an evil woman who must have stolen her from her parents in order to manipte her for some


    benefit. Yet at other points... she seemed upset. The poor girl seemed greatly attached to Ms. Benn, who despite everything,


    had raised her for all of these years and was her mother.


    However, L¡¯s determination to escape never wavered.


    ¡°| know you''re nning to escape,¡± she said boldly, and she lifted her chin slightly. ¡°Finnic told me that you¡¯ve been studying


    some sort of map every night.¡±


    | was a little taken aback by her statement. | hadn¡¯t known that Finnick had noticed the map at all and was surprised he had even


    spoken to L about it. But at the same time, it was true what they said about adults underestimating their children. Kids noticed


    everything and Finnick was a smart boy.


    Before | coulde up with a response, L leaned forward in her seat and spoke again, much softer than earlier.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°| won''t tell anyone,¡± she assured me gently. ¡°If you agree to take me with you.¡±


    | offered her a regretful expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, honey. | can¡¯t do that. Besides, the escape isn¡¯t for me.¡±


    L pouted for a moment and then studied my face, as if she were trying to figure out if | was lying or not. Then, her lips parted.


    ¡°| see,¡± she remarked, and then her face brightened. ¡°I know the truth now! Is it Lady Helene who wants to escape?¡±


    | felt heat spread to my cheeks, but I did all | could to maintainposure.


    ¡°What makes you say that?¡± | uttered as | felt my palms grow sweaty. | tucked my hands beneath me and tried to stay calm.


    64%


    L smirked proudly. ¡°If | wanted, Miss Cassandra, | could know everything. I¡¯ve read my mother¡¯s mind and saw her speaking


    with you. I¡¯ve also seen her sneaking around Lord Ronald¡¯s residence. | know something is going on.¡±


    The little girl was indeed quite smart.


    | knew that given L¡¯s irvoyance, | couldn¡¯t deny it.


    ¡°Ultimately, it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± |mented. ¡°Since | can¡¯t meet with Lady Helene anymore, there¡¯s nothing | can do now. Any ns


    we may have made... | can¡¯t follow through on them with her. Things have grownplicated. I¡¯m sorry, L.¡±


    L frowned and then her expression brightened again.


    ¡°| could use my ability to help you find out what happened to Lady Helene,¡± she suggested. ¡°But only if you talk with her and ask


    her to take me with her.¡±


    ¡°How would you be able to help?¡± | wondered as | tried to understand.


    +5


    She considered this for a moment and then spoke up. ¡°I could let my mother take me near Lord Ronald¡¯s residence. I''ll find an


    excuse to get over there. If I¡¯m close enough, | might be able to find out what¡¯s going on. I¡¯m smarter than my mom, so you won''t


    need to worry-¡±


    | shook my head. ¡°L, that¡¯s too dangerous. You can¡¯t get involved in this-¡±


    Before | could finish my sentence, there was a knock at the door, and L and | stiffened up. We fell silent, and when Erika


    answered the door, Ms. Benn walked into the room.


    L rose from her seat and ran over to her mother obediently. Ms. Benn patted her head and then asked her daughter to leave


    the room. L did so without hesitation, and once the girl was gone, the housekeeper approached me.


    ¡°| have the guest list, Miss Cassandra,¡± Ms. Benn revealed quietly, and then she reached into her pocket and retrieved a bit of


    paper. After she passed to over to me, she nced at the door. ¡°Did L cause any problems for you?¡±


    | shook my head and smiled. ¡°Of course not. She was polite as usual.¡±


    Ms. Benn nodded.


    ¡°Thank you for this,¡± | said as | gestured at the paper.


    She nodded again, and then silently left the room. Once the door was closed, | opened the piece of paper and scanned it.


    It was a long list with various Pack names, most of which I¡¯d never heard of. However, |


    10:33


    Wed, 28 Feb


    64%


    5


    recognized a few Packs from Wega. | was hoping to find Wild Crawler or some of the other Packs I''d visited with my father


    when | was a child, but | had no such luck. The only one that stood out was Sky Pride, and it wasn¡¯t for good reasons.


    All | could remember about Sky Pride was their arrogant Alpha, who had received my father rather poorly when he went there for


    inspection. Apparently, the whole Pack had been quite standoffish.


    Nevertheless, | made sure to memorize and note the Wegan Packs. Perhaps one of them would be of use to me when they


    arrived at the castle.

 Chatper 260

    CASSANDRA


    The information that Ms. Benn had told me about Lady Helene seemed to spread through the castle like wildfire. The stories


    from the maids traveled fast, and servants began to gossip and wonder if Helene had died. These rumors spiraled on and turned


    absurd by the time it was three days before the wedding. People suggested they were going to see a monster at the altar


    because surely, that was what Helene had turned into.


    So, when Ronald announced that he and his fiancee were holding a party at his residence two days before the wedding night,


    everyone was surprised.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Before | had received my invitation that day, | was summoned by Kaleb and taken to the same meeting room we¡¯d spoken in


    before. When Ms. Benn quietly escorted me from my chamber and dropped me off in the corridor, | heard whispers about Lady


    Helene and did my best to drown them out. | didn¡¯t want to pay these awful stories any mind, especially if something really had


    happened to my friend. L had yet to disclose any information to me, so | waspletely in the dark about the situation.


    When | walked into the meeting room, Kaleb was seated at the table. His dark blue eyes were distant, as if he had much


    weighing on his mind. It wasn¡¯t until | took a seat that he finally nced up at me.


    ¡°Cassandra,¡± he greeted me emotionlessly. ¡°Wee.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± | said back politely.


    He sighed and ran a hand through his golden brown hair. ¡°While | appreciate the niceties, there¡¯s no need for the stiffness,


    Cassandra.¡±


    | wasn¡¯t sure how to respond, so | simply nodded. The king of Yurene seemed satisfied by that and continued on.


    ¡°| suppose you want to know why you''re here,¡± he mused. ¡°I wanted to ask you some questions regarding Emmett-¡±


    ¡°I''ve told you all that | know,¡± | interrupted him, and then | softened my tone and forced a calm expression. ¡°As I¡¯ve mentioned


    before, | don¡¯t know anything special about him, nor have | remembered any new details from the past. I''ve told you everything.¡±


    Kaleb exhaled heavily and began to rub his temples. There was a restlessness about him and from the dark circles beneath his


    reddened eyes, | had the feeling it had been going on for days. He seemed on edge, more so than usual.


    Something was bothering the Northern king.


    10:21


    Thu, 29 Feb


    But what?


    As he massaged his temples, he closed his eyes and | wasn¡¯t sure what to do or say. | needed a distraction, something to shift


    the focus to rather than Emmett.


    ¡°How are Raven and Roxy?¡± | wondered. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen them in quite some time.


    Kaleb suddenly opened his eyes at the mention of Roxy¡¯s name in particr, and his deep navy irises bore into mine with


    intensity. My heart beat swiftly in my chest as | worried that | may have said the wrong thing.


    But just as quickly as he reacted, he softened his gaze and sat back in his chair.


    ¡°Roxy is on a mission,¡± he noted nonchntly.


    It was immediately obvious that Kaleb was stressed about something. Perhaps this so- called mission that Raven¡¯s intense and


    angry twin sister was on? Though he was trying to maintain a certain coolness, | saw right past him.


    He was hiding something.


    Kaleb shifted slightly, and as he turned away from me, | noticed the pallor of his skin. He looked much paler than usual like he


    was feeling ill. If his mannerisms were any indication, he likely wasn¡¯t sleeping well, which would only make things worse.


    For the first time, Kaleb appeared weak.


    | had an impulse to take advantage of the situation and ask him about the things that had bothered me- Raven¡¯s research, the


    mind-controlling, the impending fight against Wega. Part of me was almost deluded enough to think if | asked, Kaleb might


    communicate with me openly and in the process, reveal something about himself. Perhaps a weakness | could make note of or


    some vulnerable bit of information | could keep in mind for the future.


    But no matter how much | wanted to try, | said nothing.


    | couldn''t risk making things worse for myself, or for Finnick or Erika. While we were all trapped here in Yurene, | couldn''t act


    rashly or on impulse. | had to be smart in case something backfired.


    So, | remained quiet.


    However, the moment |mitted to silence, Kaleb turned back to face me and spoke softly.


    ¡°After Ronald¡¯s wedding, we can consider our own thing,¡± he offered vaguely. ¡°Our wedding.¡±


    +5


    THE


    10:21 Thu, 29 Feb


    The heaviness in my heart


    grew.


    Kaleb was unable tomunicate, wasn¡¯t he?


    | wasn¡¯t sure what to say, so | forced a small smile and nodded.


    94%


    +5


    The king of Yurene reached out to me as if he wanted to hold my hand. It was a strange gesture, and while | knew that in his


    current state, it was a meaningless thing, | avoided his touch.


    ¡°Finnick is expecting me,¡± | said awkwardly, and | nced at the door. ¡°I promised to y chess with him today.¡±


    Kaleb¡¯s hand lingered halfway between us and then he nodded and pulled it back.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he said quietly, and then he gestured forward. ¡°You''re free to go, Cassandra.¡±


    Later that day, a maid arrived at my chamber to take me to Ronald¡¯s residence. She was a middle-aged woman I''d never seen


    before and she wore a pleasant smile. She introduced herself as Helene¡¯s maid and mentioned that her mistress looked forward


    to


    seeing me.


    After | said goodbye to Erika and Finnick, | agreed to go with her, and as we walked to Ronald¡¯s residence, | studied the maid


    closely. She was acting normal, much to my surprise, and | realized that the information Ms. Benn had given me was true.


    Helene¡¯s former maid was truly gone.


    But was it really a suicide?


    | felt both agitated and worried. | didn¡¯t understand why Ronald had decided to throw this party. If he wanted to show everyone


    that Helene was fine, he could have done so in two days at the wedding.


    | wished | could find a way to talk with Helene privately and figure out what was happening.


    When we arrived, | was taken aback at the sight. The first floor of Ronald¡¯s residence had been decorated with multi-colored


    fragrant flowers and gauze. It was lush and dreamy, not to mention the perfect backdrop for an allegedly romantic event.


    As | nced around, | realized | was quite early. There weren¡¯t many guests in the room yet, just a few here and there.


    Helene and Ronald were speaking with a dark-haired woman on the opposite side of the room. Helene was smiling elegantly,


    and even from my vantage point, | could see


    ll


    10:21 Thu, 29 Feb GG.


    her cheeks were flushed a deep rose color. Her light brown eyes twinkled, and she looked radiant in a pale cream-colored dress.


    She didn¡¯t seem ill or depressed at all.


    94%


    +5


    However, the longer | stared at her face, the more worried | grew. | had a weird feeling that | couldn¡¯t exin. Something was


    amiss.


    As | walked closer, | realized the person the couple was talking to was Raven. The sorceress was dressed in a simple ck


    dress, and when | approached, the conversation ended, and she offered me a smile.


    ¡°Hello, Cassandra,¡± she greeted me warmly, and after she gave me a quick hug, she turned and left to mingle with another


    guest. | was a little taken aback by the interaction but forced myself to remain collected as | turned to see Ronald.


    The king¡¯s cousin smiled. ¡°Cassandra, how lovely it is to see you.¡±


    ¡°The pleasure is all mine,¡± | said as he and Helene fixed their gazes upon me, and I gave them a kind smile of my own.


    ¡°It''s a shame Kaleb isn¡¯t able to attend tonight,¡± Ronald remarked as his soft blue eyes trailed over me. ¡°He would be stunned by


    your beauty tonight.¡±


    Heat spread to my cheeks. | had taken the time to brush out my waist-length hair and wore a pale blue dress, but it wasn¡¯t


    anything extraordinary. His ttery was nice. enough, but | didn¡¯t trust it.


    ¡°Helene is the one whose beauty is a sight to behold,¡± |plimented his fiancee. ¡°She¡¯s so radiant that no one else matters.¡±


    ¡°Indeed she is,¡± Ronald agreed, and he kissed Helene¡¯s hand. ¡°She¡¯s the prettiestdy in my eyes.


    Helene blushed. ¡°Cassandra, you are too kind, as well as modest. You are very lovely as well.¡±


    While her words were kind, there was something strange in her tone and expression. She seemed off and spoke to me like | was


    just a friend of Ronald¡¯s she wasn¡¯t familiar with at all. There was no depth in her voice or gaze.


    While | was unnerved, | continued to speak with them, and after we chatted a little, Helene mentioned that she needed to use the


    ladies¡¯ room. | picked up on the opportunity immediately and offered to escort her there.


    Thankfully, Ronald didn¡¯t object and nodded with a fond smile.

 Chatper 261

    Chapter 261


    CASSANDRA


    Helene didn¡¯t utter a word on our way to thedies¡® room but conducted herself very politely. Her pretty face remained smiling,


    and the expression was so fixed it was as if she had been born smiling. It was unnerving after a while, and | kept waiting for it to


    falter, but her face never changed.


    Once the door to the bathroom was shut tightly behind us, | tried to talk with her and attempted to coax her out of her daze.


    ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± | asked. ¡°I heard that you were ill with some sort of sickness.¡±


    ¡°It was just a cold,¡± Helene replied nonchntly. ¡°It was nothing to worry about. I¡¯ve fully recovered now.¡±


    | nodded my head and after a moment of pause, | tried again. ¡°I heard about your maid as well-¡±


    ¡°It was all just a rumor,¡± she cut me off before | could finish my sentence. ¡°The maid resigned because her mother passed away. |


    suppose that someone wanted to use such gossip to demean my fiance, but it couldn¡¯t be farther from the truth.¡±


    She turned to face the mirror and smoothed her caramel¡ªcolored hair down. My eyebrows creased together as | tried to make


    sense of it all. Her movements, her expression, her tone, even her words... it all seemed so rehearsed. It was so eerie and


    strange like she was a puppet or something.


    | waited a little while and then decided to probe her further.


    ¡°Helene, did something happen?¡± | asked directly. ¡°You don¡¯t seem like your usual self.¡±


    She turned to face me and her smile grew even more exaggerated, as if she were putting on a show or something. Her berry¡ª


    painted lips were curled into a chilling grin and after a second or two, | had to nce elsewhere.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± she assured me, and then she turned to face the mirror.


    Something definitely wasn¡¯t right. No matter what | asked, Helene answered me without much consideration, as if she had her


    answers prepared beforehand. Everything about her felt so fake, it was almost as if she were someone else entirely.


    | wasn¡¯t sure what was going on. Was she behaving this way because she didn¡¯t want to risk being overheard? Surely this ce


    wasn¡¯t the best ce to speak about the n, but | began to wonder if she decided not to carry out her escape at all. Maybe she


    thought | was unreliable and didn¡¯t want to follow through.


    [e)


    11:58 Fri, 1 Mar. ti& G


    77%


    +5


    As she touched up her makeup, | decided to try again. | took a step closer toward her, we werepletely alone, and then


    scanned the marble bathroom to make sure..


    lowered my voice to a whisper.


    ¡°Helene, is the n still going to happen? Or do you want to cancel it?¡±


    Helene suddenly stiffened and then turned to face me. Confusion painted her expression and she blinked her honey brown eyes


    at me in confusion.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± she asked as she stared at me.


    What was | talking about?


    It was my turn to frown, and | stared back at her in shock. Why did she seem so unaware of what we had discussed?


    | had an impulse to rify and ask Helene if she¡¯d decided not to escape and find her freedom outside of Viokwell, but as |


    stared into her eyes, | realized that her confusion wasn¡¯t feigned. It was real.


    Ronald''s fiancee had no idea of what | was speaking of.


    Even the most skillful actress couldn''t fake the pure look of innocence in her gaze. was iparable. | knew in my heart that


    Helene was truly confused and didn¡¯t know what | was speaking of. She had forgotten about our talks, and even worse, she may


    have forgotten about her n to leave the country at all.


    It


    As dread set in, | tried to make sense of her strange behavior.


    Was this all rted to the sickness that had left her bedridden for days? No, that couldn¡¯t be possible. She would have had to be


    on death''s door in order for her mind to be sopletely scrubbed like this. No disease could eliminate people¡¯s memories like


    this.


    As | frowned at her, Helene seemed to snap out of her haze and gave me yet another


    smile.


    ¡°We should get back to the party,¡± she remarked. ¡°Ronald is waiting for me, I¡¯m sure. | don¡¯t like to keep him waiting


    She behaved as if she had no secret to hide, and the way she spoke of Ronald had me confused. She seemed so deeply in love


    with him, which struck me as odd because she had fully intended to run away on her wedding day.


    What had changed?


    While | wanted to keep interrogating her, | knew that Ronald was likely wondering where we were, and | didn¡¯t want to keep him


    waiting for her sake, | wasn¡¯t sure if he


    11:58 Fri, 1 MartiO G


    was hurting her and | couldn''t risk her safety.


    As we left the room and stepped into the hall, | smiled at Helene.


    11%


    35)


    ¡°Would you like to visit


    like to visit my chamber tomorrow?¡± | wondered. ¡°I would love to have you over so you can try some tea | brought from the


    South-¡±


    ¡°| would need to ask Ronald,¡± she cut me off. Her tone wasn¡¯t aggressive at all. She genuinely sounded like she was content with


    his attention and didn¡¯t want to spoil it.


    Of course,¡± | replied.


    | knew at once that Ronald would likely decline. Yet, when we arrived at the party, Helene asked for his permission to see me,


    and he agreed without hesitation.


    ¡°You could even go shopping with Cassandra out of town if you want,¡± he said with a smile, but Helene took his hand.


    ¡°| don¡¯t want to be too far from you,¡± she mused dreamily, and then the pair kissed sweetly.


    Though | smiled, | was chilled to the bone.


    Something wasn¡¯t right.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    l invited Helene to my room in the afternoon, just after Ms. Benn dropped L off for her medicine. It was a deliberate


    arrangement, as | needed L to help me.


    | half-expected her to decline my request, but to my surprise, L put forth no conditions for her cooperation. She sat across the


    table from Helene, and as we sipped. at the tea Erika prepared for us, L¡¯s face grew pale.


    Though Helene was kind to us, | noticed L was shaking. Her big blue eyes were locked on Helene¡¯s pretty face, and her


    expression was both confused and horrified. When Helene addressed her directly, L would reply politely, but her entire body


    tensed up. She was clearly scared, but | couldn¡¯t tell why.


    | wanted to ask, but | knew | had to bide my time.


    Helene stayed for about an hour. She mentioned numerous times that she didn¡¯t want to leave Ronald for too long. In this hour,


    we talked about our memories of the South, but surprisingly, Helene didn¡¯t mention her family or the trauma she¡¯d endured even


    once. She kept saying that she found the North to be much better than her homnd because that¡¯s where she¡¯d met her love. It


    was all so syrupy and sweet, not to mentionpletely unlike the Helene | knew. She sounded like a lovesick teenager, not a


    grown


    woman.


    111


    11:58 Fri, 1 Mar tiO


    77%


    +5


    ¡°It''s a great honor to marry a royal lord,¡± she mused as she smiled absently. ¡°I¡¯m quite lucky.¡±


    Even though | wanted to shake her and snap her out of her daze, | knew it would be no use, so | simply yed along.


    After she left, | turned to face L.


    ¡°What did you read?¡± | wondered. ¡°Did you pick up on anything strange?¡±


    The little girl didn¡¯t answer at first. Her gaze was distant and her hands shook as if she¡¯d caught a chill. Finally, she shook her


    head mechanically.


    ¡°| couldn¡¯t see anything,¡± she said quietly.


    | frowned. ¡°Does that mean that Helene is a sorceress? Or that she has abilities like


    you?¡±


    L shook her head again and then blinked at me. ¡°Unlike you, Miss Cassandra... all | saw in Helene was darkness. Pure


    darkness. There was nothing in her mind. It was like she was trapped in ckness.¡±

 Chatper 262

    CASSANDRA


    My heart dropped suddenly in my chest as | stared at L in shock. Had | heard the little girl correctly?


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± | managed to ask as my belly began to ache from nervousness.


    L shook her head and tugged at a strand of her hair anxiously. Her big eyes stared off in the distance for a moment and then


    she turned back to face me.


    ¡°It could mean that Lady Helene doesn¡¯t have any thoughts in her mind,¡± she mused, and then she took her head. ¡°Sometimes


    it''s hard for me to read people¡¯s minds when they haveplicated thoughts. If there¡¯s too much going on in their thoughts, the


    pictures | see are like a mosaic. But I¡¯ve never seenplete darkness before, Miss Cassandra.¡±


    | considered the information for a second and then a thought crossed my mind.


    Mind control.


    Ayear ago, | never would


    that there concept any of my time. It sounded so preposterous, so


    strange and fairytale-li ave given the


    magic-users and heard the tales of possibilities.


    was no reason to take it seriously. But now that I''d seen the orcerors, | knew that nothing was out of the realm of


    What if Helene¡¯s mind was being controlled by Ronald?


    Was it even possible?


    | took a brief pause to gather my ideas and concerns, and then | voiced them to L. The little girl thought about it for a moment


    and then spoke.


    ¡°Some of the books my mother keeps hidden away describe different psychic abilities and magical powers,¡± she exined as her


    eyebrows crinkled together. ¡°She¡¯s been trying to uncover what | can do. I¡¯ve read a little about mind control in one of them.¡±


    My lips parted, and | nodded my head to urge her to continue.


    L searched her mind and then spoke. ¡°The


    are two types of mind-controlling, but both can take away people¡¯s wills. One is like hypnosis. By brainwashing, a person would


    act ording to the new concepts they¡¯d been introduced to. History books have mentioned that many great sorcerers could


    practice it. Another kind, however, is more like a legend. | read that with certain talismans, one could control another¡¯s mind and


    make them do exactly what they wanted. But no one has practiced that before, at least no one that¡¯s been recorded.¡±


    I stood there, bewildered, impressed by the


    amount of knowledge L had stored away. Though she was just a little girl, she was quite intelligent. Lsupposed she had to be


    in order to survive Ms.


    Benn.


    ¡°I''ve just spent a lot of time reading,¡± she said quietly, and she tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. ¡°Especially the books my


    mother has kept hidden from me. | want to fully develop my abilities and get away from this ce one day, so | need to learn all |


    can.¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°That¡¯s very wise of you,¡± | praised her, and then | shifted the subject back to the mind-control. ¡°Now, I¡¯m wondering if Lord


    Ronald used the first one-¡±


    But L shook her head at once. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯ve heard that Lord Ronald doesn¡¯t carry one of those great sorcerer¡¯s blood.


    His mother was just a low-ranking witch who could y small tricks and illusions.¡±


    My eyebrow shot up in surprise. | had never thought about the different rankings of sorcerers, but it made a great deal of sense.


    Thus far, | had only witnessed small acts of magic from Ronald, such as the business with the enchanted rose at the party.


    Was it too much to assume he was capable of mind control?


    Suddenly, a realization hit me and a small gasp escaped from my lips.


    Raven.


    | recalled the conversation I''d witnessed her having at the party with Helene and Ronald. Ronald and the sorceress were


    speaking quietly and closely with one another.


    Could Raven have done this to Helene?


    | didn¡¯t want to think that the dark-haired young woman was capable of such a thing, but | recalled the sight of the prisoners in


    the tower... the ¡°gui nea pigs¡± as she¡¯d so cruelly and callously called them. | remembered the look of apathy in her blue-green


    eyes, her expression emotionless as she walked past them in their cells that day when she¡¯d performed a health exam on me.


    The wretched, putrid stench of blood and death in the air hadn¡¯t even seemed to affect her as she''d led me to her


    lab and back.


    While there was certainly a level of detachedness one would have to have as a scientist, | had to wonder how wicked she truly


    was beneath the surface. She had been kind enough to me, but her treatment of others had me questioning her character.


    n


    One thing was clear enough. Raven couldn''t be trusted. Not right now, when things were so precarious and dangerous.


    Though it was only an assumption that she was involved in this mind control business, | saw the risk behind it all. If Ronald had


    won Raven¡¯s support and favor, his alliance with me would have been rendered useless. But at the same time, this was also an


    opportunity to exaggerate the conflict


    between cousins.


    What would happen if | brought this up to Kaleb? This had the opportunity to distract attention away from me, which might


    increase the chance of carrying out my n smoothly. The more


    chaotic Yurene was, the more time | could win for Wega and Asher.


    The very idea excited and intimidated me at the same time. | was never a person of tactics, nor was my father and brother. The


    Felix family had always done everything in a clean, honest way.


    But loyalty and honesty hadn¡¯t saved them. It destroyed them entirely.


    So now, | had to do anything in my power to survive. | owed it to my family to endure.


    After L left my chamber, | asked Ms. Benn to escort me to Kaleb¡¯s study. Though she seemed reluctant about it, she agreed to


    take me there.


    Once we reached the corridor, she bowed her head and excused herself, leaving me alone. | quietly approached the door and


    lingered outside of it for a moment, taking in the grains of the dark wood. Part of me wondered if | was making the right choice. |


    wasn''t fully convinced that | should do this at all. Kaleb may have already known about all of this, which would make it impossible


    to leverage things in my favor. He was much more cu nning than | gave him credit for.


    There was also a chance that my words could bring up suspicion toward me. The king of Yurene might wonder why | would want


    to suddenly help him out, with good reason.


    | summoned the courage to knock, but just as | raised my hand, | heard a woman¡¯s voice from the inside of the room. | paused


    and leaned in closer.


    It was Raven''s voice.


    ¡°You''re going to lose if you keep doing this,¡± she practically growled at him, and then she huffed. ¡°You''re getting boring, Kaleb.


    Weak, even.¡±


    | waited to hear Kaleb¡¯s voice, but Raven¡¯s words were followed by a long silence. | leaned in closer, but | couldn¡¯t hear anything.


    Either they weren¡¯t speaking or they were whispering so low that | couldn''t pick up on it through the door.


    Suddenly, the door opened abruptly, and | jumped,pletely startled.


    Raven walked out with an unhappy expression on her pretty face. Her bluish green eyes nced at me briefly and then she


    strode away in irritation.


    What was that about?


    What had they been speaking of?


    Before | could think about it too much, Kaleb¡¯s voice called out to me from inside the room.


    ¡°Enter.¡±


    3/4

 Chatper 263

    KALEB


    Much to my surprise, Cassandra walked into my study with a smile on her lovely face. As she approached my desk, though, |


    could sense that there was nervousness beneath the surface, like she was cornered prey. She seemed prepared to run at any


    given moment, and the sight of it, as well as the very idea, made me feel strange.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    | remembered the first time I¡¯d met Cassandra in the vige square in Anemond, in the back alley behind the pet store. When I''d


    saved her from the kidnappers, she¡¯d thanked me while wearing the same expression. Smiling, but nervous.


    ¡°Take a seat,¡± | requested. Once she sat down in the chair opposite me, | cleared my throat and continued. ¡°How was the part at


    Ronald''s residence?¡±


    She smiled politely. ¡°It was quite lovely, thank you for asking.¡±


    My lips drew into a thin line. She was speaking to me as if she did not know me in the slightest, and | wasn¡¯t a fan of it at all. Why


    was she behaving this way in front of me? Was she truly so scared of me that she was going to act like a stranger?


    | let out a soft sigh and rolled my shoulders back.


    ¡°What brings you here, Cassandra?¡± | shifted the subject and then | smirked at her. ¡°We just met yesterday. If | didn¡¯t know any


    better, | would think that perhaps you''ve truly fallen in love with me after all.¡±


    Cassandra bit her full lower lip and her cheeks flushed scarlet. My words had practically fallen out of my mouth, and the moment


    they did, | wished | could unsay them. She was clearly feeling awkward about it, but she managed to quicklypose herself.


    ¡°| wanted to talk to you about something,¡± she said, and she tugged on a lock of her long copper hair. ¡°I discovered something


    strange that | needed to bring to your attention.¡±


    Truth be told, | wasn¡¯t surprised by this in the slightest. Here in Viokwell, weird things happened daily, if not hourly. There were


    loads of people who came to ask for a meeting with me, iming that they found a traitor or unearthed a conspiracy. Some of


    them might be true, but most were not. Many sought attention or desired to use me as a tool to banish their enemies. All it took


    was a simple usation to open up an investigation, and many in the castle were well aware of this fact.


    But Cassandra... | had never expected her to say such words to me. What did she want to report to me? What did she want?


    Was this some sort of attempt at deceiving me?


    ¡°What is it?¡± | asked.


    She took a breath. ¡°It¡¯s Helene. She¡¯s acting... strange.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh?¡±


    | had heard about all of the fusses caused by Ronaldtely. Rumors had spread around Vliokwell saying that my cousin had


    confined his fiancee, who''d allegedly lost her mind and persuaded a maid to take her own life. | also knew that Ronald, in an


    attempt to halt the rumors, had held his little party to clear his and his fiancee¡¯s reputations.


    +5


    | had little reason to care. Ronald would be dead after the wedding, so | didn¡¯t care or feel troubled


    at all.


    | took a moment and contemted the best way to go about this. | obviously couldn¡¯t let Cassandra in on the truth, so | needed


    to y along and act at least halfway interested.


    ¡°I''ve heard about the things that happened to Helene,¡± | offered, and | leaned forward in my seat and rested my hands on the


    table. ¡°I assume that most of them are nothing more than rumors. She might just have premarital anxiety. I¡¯m sure Ronald will be


    able to handle it.¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t know,¡± Cassandra countered, and her eyebrows knitted together as she shook her head politely. ¡°I think there¡¯s more to it


    than nerves. She¡¯s acting like apletely different person. It¡¯s like she¡¯s been hypnotized, Kaleb.¡±


    |ughed before | could stop myself. ¡°Hypnotized?¡±


    She nodded her head and |ughed again.


    ¡°Ronald isn¡¯t capable of something like that,¡± | assured her and then | reached my hand out toward her. ¡°You might be over-


    exhausted these days, Cassandra. Maybe we could go on a trip after this so you can get some air.¡±


    Cassandra hesitated for a moment and then spoke again. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s Ronald. What if... it''s Raven? | think she has


    something to do with this, Kaleb.¡±


    Well, that had certainly been a surprise.


    | hadn''t expected Cassandra to put things together so quickly. I¡¯d been so absorbed in other business these days. Roxy and


    Anubis¡¯ dyed returns, necessary arrangements for the wedding, and the other issues that urred amongst the other high-


    born lords in Yurene... all had consumed my mind sopletely that things had fallen through the cr acks. | had forgotten to


    keep an eye on


    Raven.


    It seemed | needed to thank Cassandra for what she had told me, though none of it was surprising in the least. Unlike her sister,


    Roxy, Raven had always been interested in these evil games. She enjoyed manipting people and loved the idea of using


    sorcery against people. She had always been difficult to keep under control, and it was clear that she was up to something.


    There was a time when she was obsessed with the idea of hypnotizing lords who came to meetings in the castle. She had great


    fun making them do things that they never would have done by their own will, like taking off their trousers and other shenanigans


    like that in front of the other lords. There had been several high-born court members who had asked me directly to execute


    Raven for


    | had strongly considered taking such an action to show that | didn¡¯t allow such-foolery to take ce in my own home, but the


    cons outweighed the pros. | knew that Raven had so much more to offer than these childish pranks. She was a talented


    sorceress and had a lot of potential to do great things. She just needed strong supervision and observation.


    It wasn¡¯t until | let her research the living dead n that she finally stopped such mischief. She ceased all childish pranks and


    focused all of her time and energy on research and theorizing what poisons and magic could really do. She¡¯d seemed dedicated


    to the idea of using mind control for Yurene¡¯s gain, but now that | knew she was up to more than just that...


    Since | had objected to her crazier ideas and the research had reached a bit of a block, she seemed to want to resume these st


    upid games and pranks. Perhaps Ronald had taken note of her restless behavior and appealed to her more immature side to use


    her for his own nefarious schemes.


    Anger swelled within me at the very thought of it all.


    Ronald was not the innocent, kind-hearted man that people believed him to be. | had a strong feeling that he had offered his


    fiancee up to be Raven¡¯s pet and puppet. | knew he coveted my power. Maybe he thought this would bring him closer to bringing


    me down.


    Either way... this wouldn¡¯t stand.


    Ha

 Chatper 264

    KALEB


    After my meeting with Cassandra, | escorted the healer back to her chamber, and once she was back there, safe and sound, |


    made the decision to pay Raven a visit. As | rushed straight to herboratory in the prison tower, my hands balled into a fist at


    my sides. | was angry, more angry than I''d been in quite some time.


    | couldn''t let Ronald take my throne from me.


    | couldn''t let anyone take my power from me. Not after everything I''d been through to be the king of this country. I''d made


    too many sacrifices, shed too much blood, and cried too many tears in the quiet of my bedroom, to allow someone as terrible as


    Ronald to take my crown from me.


    No.


    This ended now.


    When | reached Raven''sboratory, | wasn¡¯t the least bit surprised to see her goofing around. She was ying with a pair of


    blood samples,bining them with some unknown chemicals and potions, and seeing how they reacted. | wanted to swipe


    them off of the table and throw them on the floor. She was behaving like a child, which only made me want to do the same.


    Why was no one content with following orderstely?


    Had they forgotten who | was?


    It wasn¡¯t until | walked up behind her that Raven even noticed me. She looked up from her scientific materials and raised an


    eyebrow at me.


    ¡°Kaleb,¡± she said unenthusiastically. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    | angrily confronted her about everything Cassandra had told me. It took all of my restraint to keep from strangling her as |


    repeated everything about Lady Helene, and once | was finished, | was surprised to see how calm her expression was.


    ¡°It''s true,¡± she said with a small shrug. ¡°I did it all.¡±


    My eyebrows shot up and a low growl escaped me. ¡°Why would you do that, Raven?¡±


    She shrugged again. ¡°I just wanted to have some fun. Besides, | was doing it not just as a favor to Ronald, but to Yurene as well.


    Lady Helene didn¡¯t want to get married to Lord Ronald. They quarreled all of the time. If she continued to protest, the wedding


    would have been postponed. Wouldn''t something like that bring shame to Yurene, since Ronald had invited so many guests?


    Besides, it was nothing more than a little maniption. | wasn¡¯t going to leak any information about our research to Ronald.¡±


    | rubbed my temple as she bbered on rapidly. | knew there was no use in arguing with Raven.


    She was so unbelievably stubborn and didn¡¯t listen well. The only one who might have been able to get her under control was


    her sister, Roxy.


    Astrange feeling surged within me.


    Roxy.


    Where was she now?


    ¡°You should be more concerned about the whereabouts of your twin,¡± | speaking. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried at all about Roxy?¡±


    marked once Raven quit


    Raven grimaced. ¡°Why would | be worried? | know my sister better than you do, Kaleb. Who could defeat a warrior like her?


    Moreover, Anubis is handling things, isn¡¯t he? There¡¯s nothing | can do about it all, so who cares?¡±


    | opened my mouth to speak, but Raven wasn''t finished.


    ¡°| don¡¯t understand why you care about small things like this when there are more important things for you to consider,¡± the dark-


    haired sorceress rambled on. ¡°You¡¯re wasting time. Once we seed with our great sorceries, the rest of it won¡¯t be an issue.


    Ronald, the lords who conspire against you, Wega... none of it will be a problem anymore. The world will be at your hand,


    Kaleb. What are you so afraid of?¡±


    | frowned as her words set in. She¡¯d said plenty in such a short amount of time, and truth be told, | needed a moment to absorb it


    all.


    | began to wonder... what was | afraid of?


    What was | scared of?


    | couldn''t exin it, not in words that would make sense to anyone else.


    Yesterday, when | dreamt of my sister, Eleanor, she asked me the same question. She was in support of Raven¡¯s opinions and


    urged me to do whatever it took to keep my power.


    In the dream, my older sister had been covered in thick, ruby blood. Her eyes red at me sharply, and sheughed at me


    cruelly. The sound was grating and filled my mind with a terrified feeling. | hated every second of herughter and wanted


    nothing more than for it to ceasepletely.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°| knew you were a ba star d with no guts,¡± she used me. ¡°What are you waiting for? Isn¡¯t this what you wanted? You betrayed


    everyone to get power. And now, you want love and mercy? You''re pathetic, Kaleb. You''d be aplete idiot to consider even


    for a second that that healer would ever love you. Why would someone love a scu mbag like you? Even if you became the king


    of the world, no one would ever truly respect/or love you. Ba star ds are ba st ards. You were born with low blood, and you''ll die


    that way too. Lowly and pathetic.¡±


    As she broke into another fit of cruel, evilughter, | reached out, grabbed Eleanor¡¯s slender throat, and squeezed tightly, killing


    her again to make her stop her cursing.


    Unfortunately, her deathsted only a matter of seconds, and she resumed herughter soon after. She wasn¡¯t able to be killed


    in this dream. No matter what | did, how hard | squeezed, how much | anguished, she wouldn''t perish.


    ¡°You have never changed,¡± she chided me sternly. ¡°You want to have a soft heart. You want to use glorious excuses to disguise


    your bad intentions. But nothing can change the fact that at your core, you''re truly evil, Kaleb. You¡¯re not worth


    of love. Who could ever love a monster like you?¡±


    As | stared at Raven, Eleanor¡¯s words repeated in my mind, and my hands balled into fists at my


    side.


    ¡°| told you before that if you keep being like this, anyone could easily defeat you,¡± Raven reminded me. ¡°Including Ronald.¡±


    For a moment, reality began to blur and Raven sounded exactly like my dead sister. Unfortunately, they were both right. Like it or


    not, | had already done far too many cruelties. | couldn¡¯t be redeemed. | was a king and | needed to y the role. Too much had


    happened for me to ever live a normal life again. | had to keep my power no matter the cost.


    So, | needed to stop being weak and behave like a king.


    Asilence lingered between us for a while until | heard a noise out in the corridor. | walked to the door of theboratory.


    ¡°Who is there?¡± | demanded with irritation.


    When | opened the door, | was surprised to see two guards attempting to stop a man in ck from getting close to theb. |


    recognized the man from his costume. He worked for Anubis.


    ¡°What''s going on?¡± | demanded.


    The man knelt on the ground. ¡°Your Majesty, | need to speak with you in private.¡±


    | nced at the guards. ¡°Leave us at once.¡±


    The guards stopped at once, nodded their heads, and then turned on their heels and left. Once they were gone, | turned back to


    the man.


    ¡°What''s going on?¡± | repeated myself.


    Raven suddenly walked out into the hallway. The man opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say a word, his gaze


    lingered on her.


    ¡°You can speak freely,¡± | urged him. ¡°She is of no concern.¡±


    The man nodded. ¡°Your Majesty, Anubis is dead. And the Southerners have captured Roxy.¡±

 Chatper 265

    Chapter 265


    BECKY


    Before Rayden departed for the king''s cousin¡¯s wedding in Yurene, he came to visit us in Anemond. When he arrived at the


    clinic, he was disguised as one of the businessmen who had swarmed the city in the hopes of attracting the attention of Oliver


    Moses. They wanted to show their loyalty to the Moses Family since they now controlled all of Anemond.


    In the Alpha King¡¯s absence, they had taken over the capital of Wega, and much to my surprise, as well as Dickson¡¯s everyone


    seemed to forget about the king. | wasn¡¯t an optimist in the slightest, but to see the citizens of Anemond switch up their loyalty so


    quickly only added to my dislike of this ce. While the Alpha King and | didn¡¯t know each other outside of our interactions at the


    clinic, he seemed like a nice enough man, one who didn¡¯t deserve any of this.


    We epted Rayden into the clinic and then escorted him to the meeting room in the back. Dickson prepared us some fragrant


    tea, and once it was ready, we all gathered around the table.


    Wild Crawler¡¯s Alpha took a moment to rx after his long journey, and once he was more steady, he shared with us some news.


    ¡°| have two messages for you both,¡± he announced as he wrapped his hands around the mug. ¡°One is good, but the other... it''s


    decidedly not. Which would you like me to share first?¡±


    Dickson and | exchanged nces.


    ¡°| suppose the good news first?¡± | spoke up.


    Rayden nodded and then ran a hand through his thick ck hair. ¡°The good news is that the medicine is working very well.


    Patients¡¯ conditions are improving day by day and no major side effects have been detected. If things continue like this, you and


    Dickson should be clear toe to Wild Cralwer and see the progress for yourselves. If all goes well, the medicine should be


    able to move to mass production.¡±


    | lit up at the idea and it took all of my effort to remainposed. This was incredible news! | had spent many a sleepless night


    tossing and turning, wondering if the medicine was working as I''d theorized it would. Knowing that the people of Wild Crawler


    were getting relief and their conditions were improving filled me with joy for the first time in a long time.


    But before | could get too excited about this, | remembered that Rayden had also expressed that he had bad news. | couldn¡¯t let


    myself forget the reality of our situation. My hands began to shake at the prospect, so | tucked them beneath me and steadied


    my breath.


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful,¡± | said. ¡°I¡¯m d to hear it¡¯s working.¡±


    Dickson nodded in agreement and then adjusted his sses. ¡°Now, what''s the bad news?¡±


    Rayden gulped and then leaned forward.


    ¡°| heard from an Alpha | know that Cassandra is going to marry the King of Yurene.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± | gasped, and | nearly fell out of my chair as | stared at Rayden in shock. ¡°No, there¡¯s no


    Chapter 265


    way!¡±


    Rayden nodded solemnly. ¡°I wish it wasn¡¯t true, but it seems that the king of Yurene is forcing her. I¡¯ve heard that she¡¯s been


    literally confined in his castle, unable to leave.¡±


    Anger swelled in my belly and | wanted to cry in anguish at the idea. I¡¯d known all along that Cassandra was likely having an


    unpleasant time in the Northern country, but | hadn¡¯t expected her to pracucally be a prisoner there. That conniving, terrible king!


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Rayden said with a small sigh. ¡°I intend on meeting with Cassandra in person. She never should have gotten involved


    in business like this, and | have every intention of bringing her back with me. None of this would have happened if she¡¯d stayed


    in Wild Crawler.¡±


    Hisst sentence was said so low that it was nearly a whisper, and he stared off into the distance as he said it.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    | felt as if my heart had been clenched by arge hand. Cassandra must have been suffering a great deal in Yurene. | was both


    fearful and angry. | feared the possibility that my friend might not be able toe back, and | was angry with myself for not


    stopping Cassandra from meeting Kaleb alone.


    If I''d been there too... things could be different.


    ¡°Do you know anything more about Cassandra?¡± | asked. ¡°Did your Alpha tell you anything else?¡±


    The Alpha shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s all | know.¡±


    | nodded and then swallowed hard. ¡°Please be careful, Rayden.¡±


    ¡°| will,¡± he swore. ¡°I promise I''ll bring her back, even if it means my own death. I''ll do all in my power to get her back to Wega.¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t want anyone to die,¡± | replied, and then | reached out and touched his arm. ¡°We need both of you toe back alive.¡±


    Rayden nodded.


    We chatted for a while longer and then the Alpha of Wild Crawler departed. We wished him luck lon his mission and then


    watched his car drive away. As he continued down the street, | said a small


    prayer to the Moon Goddess for his and Cassandra¡¯s safe retur


    to Wega.


    Allittle while after he left, | heard a noise outside of the door, followed by a series of loud knocks.


    ¡°Open the door!¡± a deep voice demanded and my heart dropped in


    my


    chest.


    Who was on the other side of the door?


    Dickson rushed over to me and held me back.


    ¡°Get behind me,¡± he insisted and | did so without question.


    Was it Oliver Moses.


    Cassandra? Or perhtside of the clinic? Was he here to execute¡¯me for my closeness with


    Cassandra? Or perhaps my mate bond with his son?


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    Chapter 265


    Though Di ckson was shielding me, there was nowhere for me to escape. So, | took a few deep breaths and then told him to


    answer the door.


    Dic kson didn¡¯t want to, but after | urged him again, he agreed.


    He opened the door and revealed a guard wearing the uniform of the Moses family. The guard fixed his dark eyes on me and


    then spoke.


    ¡°Where is the royal healer?¡± he asked sharply.


    My heart stopped in my chest and | forced down a gulp.


    ¡°She isn¡¯t here,¡± | answered through shaky breath. ¡°She isn¡¯t in Anemond.¡±


    The guard frowned at me. ¡°Are you a royal healer, then?¡±


    | frowned, confused by the intention of his question. ¡°I¡¯m not officially a royal healer. What do you need?¡±


    The guard looked impatient and rolled his eyes. ¡°I just need a healer.¡±


    | was a little surprised by his answer. He didn¡¯t seem to be looking for Cassandra specifically, so | wasn¡¯t sure what was going


    on. As | tried to make sense of things, he reached into his pocket, retrieved a paper and pen, and scanned the list on the note. It


    was a list of location names, and Kellers was listed at the bottom.


    ¡°Stay prepared and don¡¯t leave this ce,¡± the guard said sternly. ¡°You might be summoned at any time.¡±


    ¡°Summoned?¡± | repeated back in surprise. ¡°Sir, what''s going on?¡±


    The guard stashed the note back into his pocket and then nced down at me.


    ¡°You haven''t heard anything?¡± he asked and when | shook my head, he frowned. ¡°The Beta Ss has returned to Anemond


    severely wounded and on the verge of death. Lord Oliver demanded the best healers for his son, so all of the royal healers are


    being summoned. If any let his son die, they will face a death sentence as well.¡±


    | felt my blood freeze. The guard frowned further as | stiffened in ce and then huffed.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry,¡± he said. ¡°You aren¡¯t a royal healer. But you¡¯d better pray that Ss lives. There¡¯s no telling what Oliver


    Moses will do if he does.¡±

 Chatper 266

    Chapter 266


    CAS SANDRA


    Through my chamber window, | could see cars and well-dressed werewolves cross through the main gate and enter the fortress


    every hour starting from the early morning hours. Even from my ce on the second floor, | could hear the bustling sounds of the


    grounds. Vliokwell was alive with activity, and my heart was racing as | realized the scale of this impending wedding.


    Most of the guests attending Helene and Ronald¡¯s ceremony were being amodated in the main building, but a few were


    being housed in the side buildings, including the one where | resided.


    With all of the activity and movement throughout the fortress, Ms. Benn was incredibly busy. The head housekeeper stopped by


    my chamber early in the morning when she usually dropped off L and when | noticed her daughter wasn¡¯t with her, mentioned


    that she would be bringing her daughter byter in the day.


    As | heard the noise from the hallway filter into my room, | felt uneasy. | hadn¡¯t heard this muchmotion in my entire time


    here, and | was a little nervous about it all.


    Despite my anxiety at the event itself and therge amount of guests, the excitement of the wedding had spread through the


    entire castle. For the first time since I''d arrived, there was a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere. Music and conversation filled


    the halls, and even the guards, who usually wore harsh expressions, were smiling. It was a little strange to behold, but | decided


    to use everyone¡¯s good moods to my advantage.


    When | approached the guards with L and Finnick in tow and asked them if | could take a walk outside, they didn¡¯t object


    much. Instead, they simply rmended that | take a route to avoid the main road and the guests.


    | nodded in understanding and after | offered them smiles, they let us pass by.


    It was a gray and cloudy day, but | didn¡¯t let theck of sun bother me too much. | was just happy to leave the prison of my


    chamber unapanied by anyone but my son and his friend.


    As we walked, | caught some of the eyes of guests but averted my gaze quickly before the guards could notice. | was hoping to


    find someone wh


    dressed like a Southerner, but | wasn¡¯t having much luck with it. Everyone out in the yard appeared to be Northerners, much to


    my dismay, and | had to stifle my disappointment to avoid suspicion from the guards.


    L and Finnick ran happily in front of me, their eyes alight with excitement as they scanned the busy grounds. Though | was a


    little stressed, | was grateful they were at least feeling happy for the first time in a while.


    My attention was caught suddenly by arge box being carried in by a few serv ants. It was a beautiful scarlet color, with the


    image of the Moon Goddess carved into the surface of it. The Goddess¡¯ image was soft and kind.


    As | studied it, | had the strong feeling it was a gift from the South. | didn¡¯t suspect that the savage and violent Northerners would


    ever portray the Moon Goddess in such a soft sort of manner.


    | craned my neck around as they walked past and tried to search the yard for potential Wegallians. Before | could find anyone, |


    heard Finnick call my name.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± he shouted and then he repeated himself as he ran right into me.


    ¡°What is it?¡± | wondered as | frowned down at him in surprise. My son didn¡¯t answer at first. He stared at me with concern in his


    large gray eyes and after he let out a soft sigh, he gestured, indicating for me to squat down.


    | wasn¡¯t sure what was so dire, but | obliged without question. Once | was at his level, Finnick leaned in close and whispered in


    my ear.


    ¡°Mommy,¡± he said softly. ¡°Mommy, | saw the Alpha King.¡±


    My lips parted in shock.


    The Alpha King?


    | waspletely stunned for a moment. My heart raced and | fought to catch my breath. | managed to steady myself seconds


    later and then spoke.


    ¡°Do you mean Asher?¡± | asked.


    | knew it was likely a silly question, but | had to know with absolute certainty that Finnick was speaking about my mate and not


    Kaleb.


    When my son nodded firmly, | instinctively lifted my head and craned around eagerly, searching thewn for Asher.


    Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t seem to be anywhere near us. | couldn¡¯t find a single man who looked like Asher.


    My lower lip trembled in disappointment, and my eyes began to well up with tears. | wouldn¡¯t have known what to say to him


    anyway, but I¡¯d been so thrilled and relieved to see him that | hadn''t


    cared.


    Asher.


    My Asher.


    Before the tears could fall down, my cheeks, | managed to calm down. As much as | wanted to believe he was here, it sounded


    impossible. How could Asher be here? That would be ridiculous, not to mention reckless on his part.


    ¡°You must have seen wrong, honey,¡± | said to Finnick softly


    He frowned and then shook his head. ¡°I saw him, Mommy! | know | did.¡±


    His voice grew louder, and | began to panic as the guards started to nce in our direction. | didn¡¯t want to attract attention,


    especially when it came to something like this.


    ¡°Shh,¡± | shushed him strongly but not harshly. ¡°Quiet down, Finnick. You must have seen someone


    else.¡±Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°But-¡± he started to protest, but when | shook my head, his voice came to a halt. As his eyes fell to


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    the ground, L nced between us in confusion.


    Knowing we had the risk of calling attention to ourselves, | decided that it was time for us to go back inside. | wasn¡¯t in the mood


    to walk anymore.


    As we returned to our room, my mind was only focused on Asher. No matter what | did, | couldn¡¯t shift my thoughts away from his


    face and the possibility he could be here in Yurene.


    Once we were back, | tried to distract myself but | couldn¡¯t. | went to the far corner of the room and stared.out the window. My lip


    began to quiver again. | had been missing and worrying about Asher nonstop since I''d arrived here in the North, and | couldn¡¯t


    suppress feelings any longer. I¡¯d tried being strong, but what was the point?


    Tears finally escaped me, and as | quietly cried, | heard footsteps approach, and when | turned around, Finnick was behind me.


    His gray eyes were even wider than usual and he wore a saddened expression.


    ¡°I''m sorry, Mommy,¡± he apologized quietly. ¡°I really thought | saw someone who looked like the Alpha King. | didn¡¯t mean to make


    you so sad.¡±


    His voice waspletely heartbreaking, and while | had been upset by his words, it wasn¡¯t his fault. He was just a child, after all.


    ¡°It''s not your fault,¡± | assured him, and | reached out and drew him toward me. | wrapped my arms around him and then kissed


    him on the forehead. ¡°It was just someone who looked like him. Mommy is alright. | promise.¡±

 Chatper 267

    Chapter 267


    ASHER


    The capital city of Yurene was heavily guarded, even more so than I''d expected. While I¡¯d been well aware that the ce would


    be swarming with security, given the scale of the wedding, the sheer amount of guards that stood around was impressive.


    Our car joined the line of other vehicles waiting to approach the enormous gates, and when | rolled down the window, the guards


    began to speak. We were told once entered through the enormous gate that our identities needed to be triple-checked before we


    could enter the castle that stood in the distance. The castle was equally impressive, its walls soaring so high into the air that it


    looked like it was kissing the clouds. It was an amazing sight to behold, though | hated admitting that anything in Yurene was


    impressive.


    While | had been nervous toe here, | knew | had a low chance of getting caught, especially since | had disguised myself


    using Darwin''s identity.


    When I''d initially proposed the n, the Sky Pride wolf had been agitated by the idea of me using his name to sneak into Yurene,


    but Kane reminded everyone that crafting a new identity for me might raise suspicion. It would be easier to assume the name of


    another wolf, and Darwin made the most sense. As the hand of the Alpha, Darwin would be the most suitable for attending the


    wedding on behalf of Sky Pride¡¯s leader.


    Thankfully for us all, Kane had been right. Taking Darwin¡¯s badge in his stead had made it easy for me to pass through the


    checkpoints. The guards stationed in the different zones had a list of names they referred to whenever a guest approached, and |


    had made it through the first two without issue.


    As | approached the third and final checkpoint, | began to grow nervous, but when the guard scanned the list and found my


    ¡°name¡±, he smiled at me, gave a short bow of respect, and then opened the gate.


    Our car passed through with ease, and once we did, the gate closed heavily behind us, ready for the next guest to present their


    badges.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    | nced around in amazement. The minimally decorated grounds were filled to the brim with ser vants hauling luggage and


    leading guests to the number of buildings around the main castle.


    Though the castle appeared to be bustling with people, the gray buildings seemed quite grim. This whole ce was sad and


    gray and nd, the sky included. | had never seen a more dismal region, and the mere thought of Cassandra being here made


    my heart ache for her.


    Cassandra...


    Was she in one of those buildings? | didn¡¯t know, but | had to remain hopeful that she would be


    here.


    When the car pulled to a stop, a well-dressed maid opened the door for me. Her hair was pulled


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    into a severe bun and her icy blue eyes were intense as they stared into mine.


    ¡°Wee to Yurene,¡± she said with a polite smile. ¡°My name is Ms. Benn. Allow me to lead you to your quarters. | apologize for


    the inconvenience, but the main building is full, so you will be amodated in one of the side buildings on the left. Rest


    assured, the standards of the rooms in those buildings are exactly the same.¡±


    | nodded and offered a kind expression. ¡°Thank you very much, Ms. Benn.¡±


    | had brought six soldiers with me to Yurene. Ms. Benn informed me that they would be sharing three rooms while | would have


    the room at the end of the corridor to myself. | was pleased with this arrangement. In fact, it waspletely ideal. It would be


    convenient for me to sneak out and look around in a room at the end of the hall.


    Ms. Benn told us that our luggage and personal belongings would arrive in a few minutes, and then tactfully rmended that


    as Southerners, we shouldn''t go out at night in Viokwell, because the patrolling guards might take us as assassins or spies.


    ¡°It''s purely for safety,¡± she exined with a small shrug and then she smiled. ¡°Is there anything else | can do for you before |


    leave?¡±


    | had the impulse to ask her where their soon-to-be-queen would be, but that would be too risky. So, instead, | just asked if any


    of the other guests from the South had arrived.


    Ms. Benn nodded and named a few of them. ¡°They¡¯re in the same building, but on different floors.¡±


    | didn¡¯t recognize any of the names of the guests, but | knew their Packs. A few of them belonged to Wega, just like Sky Pride.


    As | pondered their names, | wondered if they were ready to betray Wega and coborate with Yurene on this impending war.


    | supposed | could visit some of themter.


    ¡°| hope it¡¯s alright to wander around inside the building,¡± | remarked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Ms. Benn assured me, and then she bowed again. ¡°I hope you have a pleasant stay.¡±


    The night fell quickly, and after dinner, | returned to my room and leaned against the windowsill as | stared out at the sky. To my


    dismay, the moon and stars weren''t visible due to the thick cloud


    cover.


    The grounds below had finally quieted, as all of the guests who were supposed to arrive today had


    all arrived.


    | nced at the clock hanging on the wall. It was nine. The maid, Ms. Benn, had mentioned before she¡¯d left that all serv ants


    would be off-duty past nine, so if | needed anything, it would be better to call them before then, otherwise, there would be a


    significant dy and | might not receive care until the next day.


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    | stepped away from the window and approached the door of my room. | couldn''t hear anything out in the hallway. The corridor


    had fallen silent, which made this a pretty opportune moment.


    | reached into my pocket, retrieved the letter that Cassandra had left for me, and after | said a small prayer, | pressed a kiss on it


    before returning it back to my pocket. It had be a ritual of mine and | used the note to give me courage. | surely needed it if


    | was going to pull this mission off.


    After | took a moment to steady my breath, | opened the door and peered around. Once | was certain the hallway was empty, |


    stepped out quietly.


    From what Ms. Benn had told me, | was on the fourth floor while the rest of the Southern guests were arranged on the third floor.


    | wasn¡¯t sure what my n was, but | knew that time was of the essence and | could dy my snooping any longer. | needed to


    gather intel on Yurene, and | couldn''t do some from the confines of my room.


    Cassandra was here somewhere, and while | had no idea where she was hidden away, | vowed that | would search this entire


    fortress to find her. | would stop at nothing to find my mate and bring her


    back home to Anemond.


    Back home to me.


    Where she belonged.

 Chatper 268

    CASSANDRA


    When Ms. Benn arrived at my room to pick up L, she handed me a small, folded¡ªup piece of


    paper.


    ¡°It''s an updated list of guests,¡± she exined when | frowned at her in confusion. ¡°Many of the guests originally listed didn¡¯te


    and some new names have been added.¡±


    When | nodded my head, she released a reluctant sigh.


    ¡°| also did as you requested and arranged most of the Southern guests in this building,¡± she revealed, a pained expression in her


    voice.


    Though | wasn¡¯t proud of my actions, | knew they''d been necessary. Just before Ms. Benn had left my chamber earlier that day,


    I''d demanded that she move the Southerners to the same building | resided in. She¡¯d been reluctant to oblige my request, but |


    hadn''t taken no for an answer.


    | was pleased to know that at the very least, she¡¯d followed through. | hadn''t liked my actions, but this was too important of an


    opportunity to waste.


    ¡°Thank you, Ms. Benn,¡± | said.


    ¡°| don¡¯t need your thanks,¡± the head housekeeper sniffed and her ice¡ªblue eyes red at me for a moment before they softened


    slightly. Still, her irritated expression remained. ¡°I want you to keep your promise, Cassandra, and bring no harm to my daughter.


    L is a good girl, and even though she has some constrained thoughts, she¡¯s still my daughter. Nothing could take her away


    from me. | would do anything for her.¡±


    | nodded my head. ¡°I know. | understand the feeling of being a mother. e-¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°You know nothing,¡± Ms. Benn rudely cut me off as her eyes shot daggers in my direction. | noticed the dark circles beneath


    them, as well as the redness. Something had happened, though | knew she would not tell me what. Ms. Benn seemed to have a


    million secrets, and while | was curious, | knew they didn¡¯t matter. | had too many other things upying my mind to bother.


    Just as | was about to turn around and close the door, Ms. Benn¡¯s lips parted and then trembled, as if she wanted to say


    something else. | stood there patiently for the briefest of moments, arms awkwardly hovering on the doorknob as | waited for her


    to speak, but instead, she let out a soft exhale and then turned and left.


    That night, after Erika and Finnick had fallen asleep, | carefully dressed myself in the ckest clothes | owned and pulled my hair


    back into a braid so it wouldn''t get in my face. | pulled on afortable and quiet pair of shoes, and once they were secure, | put


    on the tiny ne weapon Helene had gifted me so long ago. | tucked it beneath the neck of my shirt and then walked over to


    the small dresser beside my bed and retrieved my medical kit. | grabbed a few syringes of


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    anesthesia and carefully tucked them into my pocket, ensuring that they wouldn¡¯t slip.


    | had decided to go on my way to visit the Pack leaders staying in the side building and wanted to make sure that | was armed in


    case things got out of hand.


    Once all was secure, | checked the new list Ms. Benn had given me. The head housekeeper had been very thorough and noted


    both the names and the room numbers of all of the Southern wedding guests. | was very grateful for this attention to detail. It


    would save me a lot of time, surely.


    | had memorized a good chunk of the names and numbers, but | studied it again anyway to make sure | hadn¡¯t gotten anything


    wrong.


    | took a moment to gather myself, and after | took a few deep breaths, | touched my golden eagle ne. | could do this. | had


    to do this,


    Once | was feeling calm, | carefully crossed the room and then opened the door. | waited to make sure Finnick and Erika hadn¡¯t


    heard me, and once | was sure, | closed the door quietly behind me.


    The corridor was darker than I''d expected, and | hadn¡¯t thought to bring lights with me. | supposed | didn¡¯t need them really.


    Something about the darkness weirdly made me feel safe. | had once feared the shadows, back when | was alone in Rosepetal,


    waiting for Asher to return every night. Back then, darkness had meant endless waiting. And after the inferno, when | was


    severely burned, all | could sense was darkness.


    | had been blind for a time after that dreaded fire. It had been absolutely terrifying to not be able to see at first, but after a while, |


    felt safer in the darkness. | had been afraid of any brightness and fire for years.


    Thinking of my blindness reminded me of Emmett, the man | had once believed was a hero. Everything was so different now. |


    had no idea who Emmett was. | didn¡¯t even know who | was.


    Was | Cassandra? Cassandra was a fake identity, of course... so was | really Cora?


    I shook


    away.


    head at the notion. Cora had died, her family had vanished, and her wolf had gone


    My world had been crushed and rebuilt and then crushed again.


    | felt lonely, weak. Yet, | had to move on, by instinct. Even though my wolf was gone, her instinct remained in my blood, the


    instinct to win and survive.


    Before | could get too lost in my thoughts, | heard a slight noise from upstairs. A crack of the wooden staircase beyond me. | was


    on thending, and my heart stopped beating for a moment.


    | looked up and saw nothing. Whoever was there walked in the darkness as | did.


    Was someone sneaking around like | was? Who was it? An assassin?


    | didn¡¯t dare to move anymore and tried to hold my breath as my eyes darted around, but my heart bumped drastically fast in my


    chest. It was so noisy that | was afraid the stranger in the darkness


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    could hear it.


    | wanted to run and go back to my room. | had been prepared to kill someone if need be, but as | stood here on thending, | felt


    complicated about the idea.


    Could | truly take someone¡¯s life even if | was in danger?


    Could | allow that on my conscience?


    | knew it was wise to run and go back to your nest when you couldn¡¯t identify your enemy in the darkness. | supposed | could


    sneak back outter and try again once the stranger had concluded whatever business they were up to.


    So, | took a short breath, made up my mind, and then turned to leave. | tried to creep slowly and ced my feet gently on the


    staircase, but the wooden floor had other ideas.


    The stair beneath me creaked loudly and panic flooded through me.


    Just as | decided to run, someone cupped my mouth from behind. | wasn¡¯t able to scream, nor was | able to run. | knew that |


    was done for, but before | could lose myself in fear, | heard a familiar voice and frozepletely.


    ¡°Cassandra, it''s me.¡±


    | nearly fainted from surprise.


    It was Asher.

 Chatper 269

    CASSANDRA


    I stopped struggling and widened my eyes as my heart stopped in my


    chest.


    Asher¡¯s voice sounded coarse and more tense than I¡¯d ever heard it, but I knew at once that it was him.


    It was almost impossible to believe, but it was true.


    Asher was here in Yurene.


    My mate was here in this cold, terrible country.


    He turned around to face me, and though we couldn¡¯t see each other in this darkness, the scent, the


    warmth of his body¡­ everything was so familiar it couldn¡¯t be ignored.


    After a moment of silence, I felt Asher¡¯s finger brush across my cheeks. I hadn¡¯t realized I was crying


    until I felt the wetness of my tears against my skin.


    When he pulled me into a tight hug, he whispered in my ear.


    and kissed my neck ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so much, Cassandra,¡± he said, and then he pulled away and then


    my lips. Then he reached for my hand and began to kiss each of my fingers devoutly.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t bear not seeing you,¡± he whispered in between kisses. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡±


    As his lips danced against my skin, I managed to stop the steady stream of tears and calm down. I


    wanted to let him kiss me forever, but I remembered that we were in the middle of the stairs and


    couldn¡¯t afford to get caught.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t safe here,¡± I said as my eyes darted around. ¡°The maids could appear at any time. We need to


    find somewhere to go-¡±


    ¡°I have a room on the fourth floor,¡± he interrupted, and without another word, he grabbed my hand and


    led the way.


    We walked in darkness, our hands clenched together tightly. I remember when we were young, we had


    always been like this. We would take each other¡¯s hands and walk together when we were deep in the


    forest and felt afraid. We were each other¡¯s sce, and tonight


    was no exception.


    He led me to the end of the corridor and then rooted around and retrieved a key. He unlocked the door,


    and much to my surprise, the room was nearly pitch¨Cck.


    When we entered and he locked the door behind us, he exined that he had turned off the light


    before he¡¯d left to wander the corridors, pretending to be asleep so no one could disturb him.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Before I could say anything more,, Asher cornered me against the door and began to kiss me. My heart


    pounded as surprise overtook me. I hadn¡¯t expected this by any means, but I wasn¡¯t protesting at all.


    As his body pressed against mine with carnal need, his warm, masculine scent filled my nose,


    and my body erupted into shivers.


    Our kisses went from sweet to utterly passionate, and as his hands wrapped around me, I couldn¡¯t help


    but whimper and moan. My entire body ached and yearned for him. I needed Asher as much as I


    needed oxygen, and I vowed to show him just how much I desired him.


    While the darkness made my eyes ache a little as they strained to make sense of our surroundings, it


    made my other senses clearer. As his hands traveled down my sides and then rested on my hips, I


    began to tremble. Hisrge hands grasped onto me firmly, and after a moment, his fingers darted


    underneath my blouse and then eased it up over my head. It dropped to the floor, leaving me standing


    there in just my bra.


    The rest of my clothes soon followed, and I shivered in anticipation as he undressed me. He took his


    time and care, and with every garment removed, my heart raced faster and faster. His fingertips


    danced over every inch of my skin, and when his hands raised to cup my breasts, a moan of delight


    escaped me.


    ¡°Oh, Asher,¡± I breathed, and when he gently squeezed, I gasped. I hadn¡¯t been touched this way in so


    long. It was all I¡¯d dreamed of since ourst encounter together, only this moment felt even more


    intense than it had in my dreams. Asher had always been a generous lover and tonight was no


    exception.


    His clothes fell away soon after, and once they were gone, Asher led me to the bed and we coupled the


    way we had when we were young. Our lovemaking was tender and passionate, and once we had


    reached the height of our pleasure, we took a moment to catch our breath, and then cuddled up against


    each other.


    a little, but after we started to talk, Asher leaned over and turned on the bedside The light was so dim


    that only our faces were illuminated, and when I finally got to see the familiar beauty of his gray eyes,


    my lips curled into a smile. I traced his jaw with my fingers.


    ¡°Asher,¡± I sighed. ¡°Oh, Asher, how did you even get here in the first ce?¡±


    He smiled at me and then kissed my knuckles. ¡°I used a disguise, my love. I was only able to be here


    because I used someone else¡¯s name. Most people here have never seen me before, so all I had to do


    was don some dark clothes, and a cape¡­ they could tell I was Southern from my ent, but other


    than that, I wasn¡¯t detected.¡±


    ¡°Whose name did you use?¡± I wondered.


    ¡°T


    got help from the Sky Pride Pack,¡± he exined. ¡°I used the name of their hand of the Alpha.¡±


    ¡°How did you manage to do that?¡± I wondered as I tried to understand. ¡°I¡¯ve been so worried, Asher.


    When I heard you were missing and that Oliver Moses took control of Wega in your absence¡­ I¡¯ve


    been so frightened.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about that,¡± he said, and he rubbed my cheek. ¡°It¡¯s a long story, and I don¡¯t want to waste


    our precious time on this. I want to know how you¡¯re doing. I¡¯ve been missing you every day since


    you¡¯ve been gone. Have you been okay?¡±


    My eyes dropped from his as a sigh escaped me. ¡°It¡¯splicated. I don¡¯t even know where to start.¡±


    ¡°Try,¡± he urged me.


    I took a moment to gather myself and then told him about what Kaleb was nning. I shared the cruel


    traditions of the country, and what I¡¯d seen in the prison tower, and spected that Kaleb wanted to


    use sorcery to control people¡¯s minds and form a huge army. I told him I had wanted to find someone


    who could bring this message back to Rayden and Becky because they needed to know how horrible


    the disease was so they could take precautions.


    Asher listened in silence as I spoke, but after a while, he seemed distracted. As I talked about the


    disease, he yed with my long hair and stroked my bare shoulder. I could tell that something was on


    his mind, but I wasn¡¯t sure what was going on.


    I stopped speaking and drew the nket up higher so we couldn¡¯t be too distracted.


    ¡°Asher, is something wrong?¡± I wondered. ¡°You seem a million miles away.¡±


    He stared at me for a moment and then ced another kiss on my lips. He didn¡¯t answer my question


    and asked one of his own instead.


    ¡°Is there anything else you want to tell me?¡± he asked quietly.

 Chatper 270

    CASSANDRA


    Confusion flooded my mind and my lips parted as I stared at Asher. I felt lost, and I kept waiting for the


    Alpha King to say something more for rification, but instead, he simply


    stared at me.


    For a moment, he reminded me of Finnick. The two looked so much alike and this expression was no


    exception. Sometimes, Finnick would stare at me in the same way if I forgot something I had promised


    like he was a puppy who had been wronged by his owner. It was a vulnerable look I¡¯d never expected


    to see on an adult man¡¯s face, and the mere sight of it made my heart hurt.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked him directly after another moment of silence.


    Asher¡¯s dark eyebrows creased together and then he let out a soft sigh.


    ¡°I heard that you are about to marry the king of Yurene,¡± he revealed. ¡°That you two are engaged to


    one another. Is that true?¡±


    A lump formed in my throat and


    my eyes


    widened.


    How had Asher found out about this? Kaleb had promised to not let him know. It was one of the


    requirements of our agreement, and he¡¯d vited it somehow.


    My cheeks suddenly began to burn as heat surged through my body. Though I had done nothing


    wrong, I still felt embarrassed. This was something I¡¯d never wanted Asher to find out about, and from


    hisrge¨Ceyed stare, I knew my fears had been valid.


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± I admitted, but I kept speaking before his mouth could open. ¡°But it¡¯s nothing more than a


    strategy, Asher. Kaleb wants to use me to achieve some great sorcery, and I, on the other hand, need


    him to provide antidotes for Wild Crawler. I have no intentions to marry him. I just need to bide my time


    until the antidotes are ensured, and then I¡¯ll find a way to break it off.¡±


    I took a step closer and stared deeply into his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re the only man I¡¯d ever want to marry, Asher,¡±


    Asher¡¯s expression softened and then he nodded,


    ¡°I never doubted it for a moment,¡± he assured me and then reached out and took


    my hands


    in his. ¡°I was just afraid that Kaleb had forced you into this and was scared for you, Cassandra.¡±


    ¡°How did you find out about our engagement?¡± I wondered. ¡°The news wasn¡¯t supposed to leave


    Vlokwell.¡±


    ¡°We caught a sorceress named Roxy out in the woods,¡± he exined. ¡°She tried to attack us, but we


    stopped her before she could cause too much damage. She said she was from Vlokwell-¡±


    ¡°Roxy?¡± I gasped, and my voice caught in my chest. That¡¯s why I hadn¡¯t seen Roxy in quite some time.


    Had Kaleb sent her to kill Asher?


    A chill ran down my spine. I shouldn¡¯t have trusted him for a single moment. All of the promises he¡¯d


    made to me had been lies.


    ¡°Do you know her?¡± Asher wondered as his eyebrows creased together.


    I nodded. ¡°She¡¯s the lead of Kaleb¡¯s soldiers and the sister of Raven, another sorceress who¡¯s in


    charge of medical research. She¡¯s an important figure here in Vlokwell.¡±


    As I considered all of this new information, I felt rmed. Asher had mentioned an attack. Had Roxy


    managed to hurt him? The very thought made my stomach twist in knots and before I could stop


    myself, I asked Asher out loud if he was alright.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    He nodded and offered me a reassuring smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Thanks to Kane¡¯s n, I came out unhurt and


    we were able to get Roxy under control. In fact, if it weren¡¯t for her, we wouldn¡¯t have figured out a lot of


    things and I wouldn¡¯t have gotten here.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°Kane¡¯s n?¡±


    I waspletely confused. Kane was supposed to be back in Anemond, or at least that¡¯s what I¡¯d


    asked him to do when I¡¯d left for Yurene.


    ¡°It¡¯s a story for another time,¡± Asher said vaguely. ¡°But Kane¡¯s been with me since I left Anemond.¡±


    ¡°And


    Shere is Roxy?¡± I wondered.


    ¡°She¡¯s still with Kane in the Sky Pride Pack,¡± he answered. ¡°He¡¯s perfectly fine and safe but something


    terrible happened before my departure. Ss was attacked by someone who tried to take Roxy back


    with him. He must have been her aplice or something. From what she exined, he was a skillful


    killer, but he died in the fight with Ss and the other


    Skillful killer?


    I knew at once that had to be Anubis, the suspicious man with the dark eyes and vile smile.


    If I was correct, that meant that Kaleb had lost two of his trusted assistants. And Raven didn¡¯t seem to


    be very loyal to him. This could be a chance to break him, could it? Though I didn¡¯t trust him much


    either, I could indicate this to Ronald. If Kaleb was busy with his own troubles, he wouldn¡¯t be able to


    interfere with the South¡¯s business.


    But this needed to be done after I got the antidotes. I couldn¡¯t risk losing the medication needed to cure


    the ailing people in Wega, not when I¡¯d endured this for so long already.


    Suddenly, Asher took my chin and raised it, causing me to meet his eyes.


    ¡°Cassandra, I¡¯m here to take you away from Yurene,¡± he exined softly.


    I was stunned. What did he mean by that? We couldn¡¯t leave just like that. What about the plots that


    Kaleb was nning to overthrow Wega? What about Oliver Moses, who wanted to use this


    opportunity to usurp the throne?


    I didn¡¯t understand.


    How could we throw this all away?


    Asher moved themp toward him and raised his chin, exposing his neck. Though it was covered with


    heavy makeup, I could still see the ckness underneath. The dark marks of his disease had traveled


    nearly up to his chin.


    ¡°The disease has developed quickly recently,¡± he said quietly. ¡°There was one point where I was unable


    to move my body, it was so bad.¡±


    I suddenly felt disoriented and on the verge of tears.


    What did that mean? How could that happen?


    He drew me close and stroked my hair. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I didn¡¯t tell you this to upset you. I just¡­ Cassandra,


    I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯m going to make it. I¡¯m afraid¡­ I¡¯m afraid of losing the opportunity to spend my


    last days with the ones I love. If I were to draw myst breath without you¡­¡±


    As his voice trailed off, I shook my head firmly and stopped him.


    ¡°No,¡± I said as my tears fell down my cheeks. ¡°No, Asher. I won¡¯t allow the disease to take you away


    from me. No one can take you away from me. Never again.¡±


    I nted a firm kiss on his lips and pressed against him so tightly I could hear his heart beating against


    my chest. A thousand emotions flooded through me, but above all, I was feeling determined.


    When we pulled away, I stared deeply into Asher¡¯s eyes and suddenly, a thought crossed my mind.


    Perhaps all wasn¡¯t lost at all.


    ¡°I think I know someone who could cure you,¡± I revealed. ¡°Someone here in Vlokwell.¡±

 Chapter 271

    CASSANDRA


    After what felt like an eternity of hearing about the event, Ronald and Helene¡¯s wedding day came.


    Aside from the new guests who had arrived early in the morning, everyone was invited to visit Ronald¡¯s


    residence and have lunch with the happy couple.


    Just as I had yesterday, I¡¯d decided to take a walk around the castle grounds, and as I roamed about, I


    shivered. The weather wasn¡¯t ideal for a wedding. It was incredibly dismal and cloudy, not to mention


    windy, with no sun shining through the thickyer of clouds. It looked like it could rain at any given


    moment. I doubted there would be a visible moon in the sky when the night came.


    In the South, werewolf couples had to make their vows beneath the moon, otherwise, it was believed


    the marriage would be doomed. It was a superstition, most likely, but still, it was an important thing to


    my people.


    But the Northerners didn¡¯t seem to care about such traditions. I heard no mentions of the moon at all


    amongst the guests or anyone else in the castle.


    When the sky grew darker, the guards approached me and rmended that I go back to my room,


    but I wanted to stay. I hadn¡¯t brought Finnick or L with me today. I needed some quietness to


    contemte my next moves and my son had been overly excited from the moment he¡¯d awoken.


    Though he liked nothing about the North, he was very much looking forward to the wedding.


    I couldn¡¯t me him. Every kid loved big events with colorful balloons and joyful people, and Finnick


    was no exception.


    Ms. Benn hadn¡¯t brought L to our room this morning since we¡¯d all be attending Ronald¡¯s wedding


    tonight and she would be on duty until veryte. Her daughter had been ced under the care of a


    maid who wasn¡¯t going to serve tonight. I supposed it was an excuse. Ms. Benn was probably afraid I


    was going to do something bad tonight and didn¡¯t want L to get involved.


    I didn¡¯t me her, but I couldn¡¯t care less about any of them now. The only thing that upied my mind


    was Asher¡¯s condition.


    The Alpha King¡¯s condition had raised a serious new issue. I had nned to gather


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    enough information and get the antidotes before finding a way to leave Yurenee, but now,


    all I could think about was his disease. I wasn¡¯t sure if the antidotes would be useful to Asher, but I was


    certain that if anyone could cure him, it was Raven.


    That¡¯s why this had been soplicated and difficult.


    I needed to change my n but I honestly didn¡¯t know if there was another n I coulde up with. I


    needed Raven to help me. If the sorceress was unwilling, I would have to kidnap her. I would do


    anything necessary to help ASher, even if it waspletely unwise or crazy.


    I had been thinking all night, trying to figure out a feasible solution, but things wereplicated, to say


    the least. Asher told me that he had only brought six soldiers with him to Yurene. That wasn¡¯t nearly


    enough to go up against Kaleb. Not only that, but the only weapons I had were Helene¡¯s needles and


    my little self- made one. While they could do a decent amount of damage, there was only so much they


    could inflict if necessary, and I wasn¡¯t sure if this would be enough to get us out of Vlokwell.


    I had a strong feeling that we could get away from here if we were smart enough, but taking the most


    important sorceress in Yurene with us¡­ was another storypletely. I had no idea how we could


    sneak Raven out of here, especially with how she tended to run her mouth. How could we get her quiet


    enough to sneak away? Especially if she didn¡¯t want to go with us willingly?


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Then there was the matter of Finnick and Erika. I couldn¡¯t leave them behind, but could I help them get


    away? I knew that Erika could handle herself perfectly well, but Finnick was just a little boy. He was


    serious and intelligent, but he was still a child, and he wouldn¡¯t understand what was happening. I knew


    him well enough to know that he would be too frightened to get away, and I couldn¡¯t risk letting him fall


    behind.


    As I stared up at the terrible, cloudy sky, I wanted to let out a frustrated scream of anguish. There was


    so much to risk here and I didn¡¯t know what to do about any of it. Things felt even more impossible than


    usual, and I was failing to find a solution to solve all of the arising issues.


    Asher had told me that it was alright. As long as I no longer wanted to send him away, as long as we


    were together, there was nothing to be afraid of. He would love me for the rest of his existence and he


    didn¡¯t care about anything else so long as I was by his side.


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    As loving as the sentiment was, I hadn¡¯t allowed him to speak of death. He wouldn¡¯t die. He must not


    die. We still had the rest of our lives ahead of us. We were so young and had so many more years to


    come. I would do anything to save him so that we could live out those years together, but as I stared up


    hopelessly at the sky, I began to doubt myself. How could I save him from such a miserable, premature


    fate?


    +5


    I knew that Raven would surely be present at the wedding banquet. She was an important figure here


    at Vlokwell, so her attendance was probably necessary. Maybe I could take the chance¡­, ask her to


    have a conversation with me in private, pull her aside and take her where no one could see us, and


    then have Asher¡¯s soldiers subdue her. I could administer anesthesia and perhaps it would take effect


    quickly enough to pull this off.


    But how could we pass all the necessary checkpoints if we carried an unconscious Raven with us? Her


    limp body would attract too much attention for us to sneak her past the guards, and I could think of no


    reasonable exnation to offer them if we got caught.


    My head started to ache as my thoughts swirled around in my mind. I stopped in ce and took a few


    deep breaths as I tried to collect myself. This seemed impossible, but I needed to stay as level-headed


    as possible if I wanted to survive.


    Just as I did, I noticed that someone in the distance was trying to catch my attention. A man was


    standing beside a huge wooden box simr to the one I¡¯d seen yesterday. He was dressed in a uniform


    I didn¡¯t recognize, and it wasn¡¯t until I took a few steps forward that I began to recognize him. When he


    waved at me excitedly, my lips parted in surprise, and I let out an involuntary gasp ofplete


    surprise.


    It wasn¡¯t just any man standing there in the garden.


    It was Rayden.


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 Chapter 272

    CASSANDRA


    The moment I¡¯d noticed Rayden, it seemed like the guards had done the same. As the tall, dark-haired


    man from Wild Crawler approached me with long strides, I noticed the guards all tense up in unison.


    I began to panic. What was about to happen? And what was Rayden doing here in Vlokwell?


    Before Rayden was about to greet me, one of the guards stopped him from getting any closer to me. I


    shed Rayden a firm expression and silently let him know that it wasn¡¯t wise to show that he knew me.


    I half-expected confusion, but Rayden understood immediately. Instead of acting like he wasing to


    speak with me, he turned his attention to the guards and wore an expression of confusion.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± he apologized to them with a convincing frown on his tanned face. ¡°I think I¡¯m lost. I had


    been led to my room by a nice maid before, but I came out here to tell my serv ants that they needed to


    be careful with our boxes. I know it might sound silly, but when I decided to go back to my chamber, I


    found myself lost in the crowd. There are so many people here and this is my first time at Vlokwell,


    after all.¡±


    One of the guards, an older one with gray hair, looked suspicious of Rayden¡¯s


    story.


    ¡°Where are you staying?¡± he demanded. ¡°What room and building?¡±


    Rayden answered him quickly, and then the guard¡¯s expression softened, as if he believed him.


    ¡°It¡¯s that way,¡± he said gruffly, and then he pointed beyond us.


    Rayden nodded and then gave him a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank you so much for your help, sir. It¡¯s greatly


    appreciated.¡±


    He left hastily, and as I dedicated the room number he¡¯d provided to memory, I realized that he was


    staying in the same building Asher and I were in. His room number indicated that he was on the same


    floor as Asher and I forced myself to keep a straight face even though I wanted to squeal with


    happiness.


    What a lucky coincidence!


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    10:38 Wed, 13 Mar


    65%


    I couldn¡¯t believe how this all had worked out. I hadn¡¯t expected to see my old friend Rayden here in


    Yurene and now that he was here, perhaps my n could work out after all.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    As it started to rain, I informed the guards that I was going inside, and after they nodded, I decided to


    visit Rayden immediately. We had much to discuss and I couldn¡¯t wait a moment longer.


    Once I got inside the building, I climbed up the stairs and went directly to the fourth floor. Since it was


    Ronald and Helene¡¯s wedding day, there were no maids or serv ants in the entire side building, and


    because all of the guests were in Ronald¡¯s tower residence, there were no guests in the corridor either.


    It waspletely empty, which meant I could rx, at least just a little.


    I hastened my pace but kept myself calm. I didn¡¯t want to overwhelm Rayden straight away, but I knew


    there was a strong chance of it anyway.


    I stopped in front of the door with the number Rayden had told the guards and then knocked on the


    door. After the first knock, the door opened, and Rayden¡¯s broad, white-toothed smile greeted me


    warmly.


    There was another young man I didn¡¯t recognize with him in the room, but he looked much more shy


    than my old friend.


    ¡°Is it alright if we have the room for a moment?¡± Rayden asked him kindly. ¡°This is my old friend,


    Melissa, from a Pack on the other side of the country. We haven¡¯t spoken in quite some time and I¡¯d


    like to catch up.¡±


    Much to my relief and surprise, hispanion didn¡¯t question his excuse at all.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Melissa,¡± he said simply and then he left the room. Once he was gone, Rayden


    closed the door behind him and then stared at me in disbelief. His eyes trailed over me nervously, and


    he tugged at his long bluish-ck hair.


    ¡°Hello, Cassandra,¡± he greeted me. ¡°Please,e sit.¡±


    I smiled back at him, and once I took a seat, he got to work and made me some tea. The room was


    silent for a while, and once it was done, he sat down at the small table with me and fidgeted with his


    sleeves.


    ¡°Why are you here, Rayden?¡± I asked him after a moment. I realized it was blunt, but I couldn¡¯t think of


    another way to ask him how he was here in Yurene.


    ¡°I heard you were about to marry the Northern king,¡± he exined. ¡°I thought you must have been


    forced into it, so I came here to help you escape.¡±


    <


    10:38 Wed, 13 Mar


    65


    A small chuckle escaped my lips. It seemed that everyone had heard the news of my engagement.


    Rayden seemed confused by my reaction, so I exined what was happening.


    ¡°I epted the king¡¯s proposal, but it¡¯s not what you think,¡± I assured him vaguely. ¡°That being said, I


    do need your help with something, Rayden.¡±


    He nodded happily at my statement, as if he were thrilled by the concept. He started to ask me how I


    was doing and if I was alright, but before he could get too much further, I held up my hand to stop him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Rayden, but I can¡¯t talk for much longer,¡± I said politely. ¡°I¡¯m unharmed, I promise. But I¡¯ve


    found out some of Kaleb¡¯s n.¡±


    When I told him about the idea of a human body weapon, Rayden appeared excited and then angry.


    When I questioned his reaction, he told me about the ¡°living dead¡± and the progress of Becky¡¯s


    research.


    As he told me all about it, I saw there in shock. Though I had suspected the living dead might be a


    reality and not just a joke Kaleb had made, I was still taken aback by it all. But at the same time, I was


    happy to hear that Becky had made great progress toward an antidote.


    Rayden told me that the antidote Becky had invented had indeed passed the


    necessary tests.


    ¡°Now that there¡¯s a cure, everything can get back to normal,¡± he exined, his tone seeping with


    happiness as he smiled at me. ¡°Everyone is going to be so thrilled to see you back, Cassandra.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to ruin his mood, so I simply asked how he got here to Yurene. As far as I knew Wild


    Cralwer hadn¡¯t been invited to the wedding, so how had he gotten North?


    Rayden told me he hadn¡¯t been invited, but had instead asked for help from his father¡¯s best friend, the


    Alpha of the Red Stone, an autonomous Pack that bordered Wild Crawler.


    I nodded my head as I considered his words. ¡°How many came with you?¡±


    ¡°More than twenty,¡± he exined. ¡°If including the Alpha¡¯s se vants.¡±


    I nodded, ¡°Would the Alpha of Red Stone help?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been like my uncle for my entire life,¡± Rayden exined. ¡°I can ensure he¡¯ll


    help. Besides, it shouldn¡¯t be difficult to get you and Finnick out of here.¡±


    I shook my head and leaned forward in my seat. ¡°It¡¯s moreplicated than that, Rayden. It isn¡¯t just


    me here, Rayden. Our king is here too. The Alpha King.¡±

 Chapter 273

    KANE


    The day after the sudden attack in Sky Pride, Asher departed for Yurene to save Cassandra, and not


    soon after my stepbrother left, Alpha Arthur fell into aa.


    It was a sudden urrence, even more surprising than the attack on Ss, and though the healers of


    the remote Pack couldn¡¯t identify the exact cause, they suggested the attack had caused excessive


    emotional fluctuation.


    Arthur¡¯s daughter Kiara was utterly distraught by her father¡¯s loss of consciousness, and just after the


    Alpha was escorted to a private wing of his castle to be observed, I had to pull her into another room


    and rub her back as she wept.


    I wasn¡¯t sure how long we were there, but time ceased to matter as I rubbed the poor girl¡¯s back and


    assured her that things would be fine. I wasn¡¯t entirely sure that was true, but I had to keep the hope


    alive regardless. We needed Sky Pride¡¯s assistance if things we were to go to war against Yurene, but


    even that aside, I didn¡¯t want Arthur to pass away. He was a little strange, but he was an earnest man,


    and thest thing this Pack needed was the loss of their leader.


    Since Kiara and I hadn¡¯t officially been wed, ording to the traditions of the Pack, Darwin was


    appointed to manage on behalf of the Alpha.


    However, despite this technicality, Darwin and I always found ourselves at odds with one another. We


    were constantly butting heads, and it made things challenging.


    For example, Darwin believed that Ss Moses should be sent away immediately, while I countered


    that the Beta needed proper medical treatment before leaving. I worried that otherwise, Ss could die


    on the road back to Anemond, but Darwin didn¡¯t seem to care much. He insisted that Ss be sent


    away at once, and since he had the final decision, I had no choice but toply.


    Thankfully, Darwin agreed to let two healers apany Ss on his way back to Anemond. It was a


    small victory, but a victory nheless, so I had to celebrate as much as I could.


    Hourster, Ss was sent away to Anemond, and as he was being ushered away to return to the


    capital, I sent a prayer to the Moon Goddess for both his safety on the road, and for his health to be


    restored. While Ss and I weren¡¯t exactly the best of friends, I didn¡¯t wish him any ill will.


    Once he was gone, we returned to the castle¡¯s meeting room, and the subject of


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    Roxy was brought up. Darwin thought we had spent too much time and resources watching over the


    Yurenian sorceress. The Hand of the Alpha pointed out that we had already sent the most elite soldiers


    away with the Alpha King.


    ¡°Why should our men waste their efforts on some Northern sorceress?¡± he sniffed angrily as he


    crossed his arms against his chest and raised his nose haughtily, ¡°I see no reason to keep her here.¡±


    ¡°Roxy is dangerous, but useful,¡± I tried pointing out, but Darwinughed before I could finish my


    statement.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°She is not useful to Sky Pride,¡± he insisted.


    Such argumentssted for almost the whole day. Darwin hardly made any concessions. An unpleasant


    atmosphere seemed to hand in the air, partly due to the Alpha¡¯s illness, and partly because of the


    tension between us. Darwin had the utmost authority here, and as much as I hated his derations, I


    found it hard to challenge him. Other members of the Pack, despite outwardly appearing to disagree


    with Darwin¡¯s views,plied with his instruction nheless.


    It was understandable yet frustrating, and when we adjourned for the day, I headed back to my


    chambers. Once the door to my room was closed tightly behind me, let out a loud groan of defeat.


    I


    This had all been more challenging than I¡¯d expected. I thought I could use Sky Pride tobat Oliver


    Moses, but after the events of the day, this idea seemed impossible because Darwin would surely


    object to it. The sno oty Hand of the Alpha was far more difficult to deal with than Alpha Arthur, and I


    had no idea how to handle things here.


    When night fell, I heard a knock at my door. I let out a soft sigh, assuming it was Darwin, but much to


    my surprise, it was Kiara on the other side. She smiled at me warmly and gestured down at the food


    tray in her arms.


    ¡°Hello,¡± she said softly. ¡°I heard you hadn¡¯t had dinner, so I brought you some


    food.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that¡± I said. ¡°That was very kind of you. Please,e take a


    seat with me.¡±


    The Alpha¡¯s daughter nodded, and then she joined me at the table in the corner of the room. As she


    arranged the tray in front of me, her hands shook a little, and she bit her full lower lip.


    ¡°How are you doing, Kiara?¡± I asked after a moment of silence.


    10:38 Wed, 13 Mar


    ¡°I¡¯ve been so worried about my father,¡± she admitted, and then she tugged on a strand of her long curly


    hair. ¡°I¡¯ve been praying to the Moon Goddess for his safety. I hope it will help.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it will,¡± I assured her. ¡°That was very nice of you.¡±


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    She smiled humbly and then nced toward the window. As I noticed the regality of her delicate side


    profile, a strong sense of guilt seized my heart. Kiara was so innocent and pure¡­ and I was using her,


    wasn¡¯t I?


    ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t interrupt your evening,¡± she spoke up as she turned back to face me. ¡°I just wanted to


    tell you something.¡±


    I gave her a smile and the warmest voice possible. ¡°You weren¡¯t interrupting, I promise. What did you


    want to tell me?¡±


    Kiara hesitated a moment and then spoke. ¡°Darwin said something to me a few hours ago¡­¡±


    She gulped heavily and then her eyes fell to the table.


    ¡°What did he tell you?¡± I asked gently as concern flooded through my mind.


    Kiara¡¯s beautiful hazel eyes met mine.


    ¡°He told me he loves me,¡± she admitted. ¡°And that he wants me to reject your proposal.¡±


    My eyebrows shot up, though I wasn¡¯t that surprised. I wasn¡¯t blind. I could see a glint in Darwin¡¯s s


    when he looked in Kiara¡¯s direction. But obviously, Alpha


    Arthur had no intention of marrying Kiara to him.


    I was certain that Darwin was taking advantage of the fact that the Alpha was ill to make his move and


    that my presence only served as a further threat.


    ¡°And what did you say to him?¡± I asked, and then another question escaped me. ¡°How do you feel


    about his deration?¡±


    Kiara shook her head. ¡°I¡­ I/don¡¯t feel that way about him.¡±


    I nodded my head and then my eyebrows knitted together. ¡°What made you want to tell me this? I don¡¯t


    mind you sharing things with me, I¡¯m merely curious.¡±


    She twisted a coil of her hair around her finger nervously and her cheeks flushed. The bit of warmth


    against her dark skin was lovely, and for a moment, I was in awe of her. She was so effortlessly


    beautiful.


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    After a moment, her eyes met mine again. ¡°Do you love me, Kane? I¡­ I want an honest answer.¡±


    I sat there frozen for a moment, which she misinterpreted at once.


    ¡°I knew it,¡± she said as she smiled bitterly. ¡°I know the reality of it all. I¡¯ve never been an attractive girl-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a very lovely girl,¡± I interrupted her, and I leaned forward in my seat. ¡°I promise, Kiara, I¡¯m telling


    you the truth. You¡¯re so much more than you think you


    are.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s kind of you to say,¡± she remarked, seeming like she didn¡¯t believe me. ¡°My father has always


    told me that love wasn¡¯t necessary in a marriage. He told me he wasn¡¯t in love with my mother when


    they got married, but their marriage was good anyway. Is that true? Are loveless marriages able to


    work?¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what to say. My mind immediately went to my mother. Her first husband, my biological


    father, was no more than an ambiguous figure. All Margaret had ever told me was that he was an


    abusive man who left us right after I was born.


    And the former King, Asher¡¯s father¡­ though he married Margaret shortly after the queen died, he


    didn¡¯t love my mother at all.

 Chapter 274

    KANE


    Even as a child, I had been well aware of the fact that my new stepfather didn¡¯t love my mother.


    Though the King of Wega had always treated us well, and Margaret neverined about hisck


    of attention or kindness, it wasn¡¯t difficult to tell that he didn¡¯t share any affection toward her. Truthfully,


    Asher¡¯s father had only married Margaret because she had been histe wife¡¯s maid. After Selene


    Collins¡¯ death, the king was desperate to learn any and all information he could about the queen, and


    he saw his union with my mother as an opportunity.


    He asked Margaret to tell him everything about thete queen: how she hadughed, how she would


    smile, the things that brought her happiness. Every single detail about her. Selene was the only subject


    of their conversations, and while my mother didn¡¯t outwardly protest or refuse him, it bothered her


    greatly.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    She had told me once that she believed the king was just trapped in his regret. He regretted that he


    had neglected his beautiful and beloved wife. He was remorseful and told my mother once in a drunken


    stupor that life felt unbearable after Selene¡¯s death.


    Despite the king¡¯s words and actions, Margaret was fully convinced things would change. She believed


    that if she tried hard enough, she could help Asher¡¯s father forget Selene.


    But it was nothing more than a delusion in her mind.


    Things didn¡¯t improve, not in the slightest.


    One day, I had even heard the king ask Margaret to imitate Selene.


    I didn¡¯t remember what I had wanted that day, but I had overheard the conversation when I was


    roaming the halls of Merliscire in search of my mother. I had been searching high and low, and when I


    arrived in the corridor near their room, I heard voices filtering out. I froze for a moment and then quietly


    crept toward the room until I was just outside of it. I crouched down low to ensure I wasn¡¯t detected and


    held my breath as I listened in.


    Their conversation was nothing noteworthy until the king asked my mother to speak like Selene. It


    wasn¡¯t a typical order, more like a plea, and when he spoke the words out loud, Margaret hadughed,


    thinking it was a joke. The moment she hadughed, the king¡¯s demeanor changed and his pleas


    turned into amand. He told her that as her king, he was giving amand and she had to obey.


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    Margaret had done as she was told and obeyed, though she was ashamed to do so. When her


    imitation didn¡¯t meet the king¡¯s standards he berated her and told her she was a terrible actress.


    ¡°I thought you knew Selene the best,¡± he snarled at her. ¡°That¡¯s why I married you, Margaret. But it


    seems like I made a mistake.¡±


    He left the room soon after and Margaret broke into tears. Thankfully, the king hadn¡¯t seen me as he


    rushed out into the corridor, and once he was gone, I ran in tofort my mom.


    As I looked at Kiara, I found it hard to speak. What I wanted to say wasn¡¯t going to do me any good, nor


    her. I wanted to say that marriage without love often leads to something tragic and horrible.


    It was true, considering how Margaret and the king had ended. And it was the deepest secret I held in


    my heart. I would never find the courage to confess to my brother that Margaret had beenplicit in


    killing his father. She had once confessed to me that she had put an end to thete king¡¯s life using


    some sort of chronic poison, and while killing was never the answer, I couldn¡¯t me her for wanting an


    escape from the cruelty.


    Kiara waited patiently for my answer, as if it was going to decide her future for her, and when I didn¡¯t


    speak, she reached out toward me and gently touched my arm.


    ¡°Kane?¡± she asked softly as her lovely eyes stared into mine.


    I snapped out of my daze at once.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I apologized. ¡°I¡¯m just a little distracted. I don¡¯t know, Kiara. I wish I had an answer, but I


    don¡¯t have one for you.¡±


    The light in her eyes diminished and her gaze dropped at once.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± she said quickly, and then she nodded her head. ¡°It was st upid of me to ask, of course.


    You¡¯ve never been married so you wouldn¡¯t know.


    She nced at the window again and then sighed.


    ¡°I appreciate your honesty, Kane,¡± she said. ¡°In the past¡­ suitors would say without hesitation that they


    were madly in love with me, as if they thought I was too slow- witted to know they were lying. But I¡¯m


    not. I know most of those men were liars. They only wanted me because I¡¯m the Alpha¡¯s daughter.


    Their sights were only set on power and acent wife.¡±


    Sat, 16 Mar


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    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t demean yourself,¡± I said softly as I tried to make sense of her words. ¡°Kiara, you¡¯re


    clever and kind¡­ you deserve so much more than a man who would underappreciate you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for saying that,¡± Kiara replied, and she gave me a small smile. ¡°I was happy when you said


    you wanted to marry me. I had heard about you from cousins and friends who came to visit Anemond


    at festivals. You¡¯re even more charming than the stories I¡¯ve heard.¡±


    She stopped suddenly and then rose from her chair.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t think we should get married,¡± she said, and then she nodded her head. ¡°Thank you for your


    time, Kane. I hope you have a pleasant night.¡±


    Before I could utter a word, the Alpha¡¯s daughter turned and started to walk out of the room. I jumped


    up from my seat and immediately followed her.


    ¡°Kiara-¡± I called out, but she nced behind her and stopped in ce.


    ¡°If we hadn¡¯t met under such a circumstance, would you have ever considered marrying me?¡± she


    wondered as her eyes trailed over me. My lips parted, but before I could give her an answer, she


    continued. ¡°I think Darwin might be the better choice for me. He might be a bit too old, but I know his


    love for me is real. He¡¯s been here for me longer than anyone else and he¡¯s loyal to my father. He


    would respect me and treat me well. Perhaps it would be better for me to marry him instead.¡±


    A lump formed in my throat and I wanted to say something, but again, Kiara stopped me, this time


    holding her hand up.


    ¡°I¡¯m not like my father,¡± she said. ¡°I know the king of Wega is in trouble, and I believe Sky Pride


    should do their duty and support the king. Even if I marry Darwin, I will persuade him to help you,


    Kane.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he would,¡± I countered before I lost the courage to do so. ¡°And I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea


    for you to marry him.¡±


    Silence hung in the air as my voice disappeared. I hadn¡¯t meant to blurt out thest sentence, but it fell


    out of me before I could stop it. I didn¡¯t think she should marry that fool of a Hand, but I couldn¡¯t figure


    out a good reason to give her. I didn¡¯t want to deceive her and tell her that I loved her or promise her a


    perfect marriage. It would also be cruel to say that I distrusted Darwin and knew she wouldn¡¯t be happy


    with him without being able to offer her something better.


    But it was true.


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    I wanted better for her.


    +5


    She was kind, smart, and beautiful. She didn¡¯t deserve to settle like she thought she did.


    Before I could say something more, abrupt knocks on the door cut through the silence, and then the


    door opened.


    One of the soldiers who had been appointed to watch over Roxy stood on the other side.


    ¡°Pardon the intrusion, Lord Kane,¡± the soldier said in a panicked voice. ¡°The sorceress has escaped.¡±

 Chapter 275

    CAS SANDRA


    Rayden seemedpletely surprised by the fact that Asher was here in Yurene as well, and though it


    was clear from his expression that he wanted to know more about the situation, he didn¡¯t ask for the


    details.


    The new Alpha of Wild Crawler sat at the table patiently and allowed me to share some of the more


    vague aspects of the king¡¯s presence while leaving out the ones that would get him in trouble if he were


    caught. I didn¡¯t want to keep secrets from the sweet young man who hade here with the intention


    of rescuing me, but I didn¡¯t want Rayden to get in trouble on my behalf and face punishment at the


    hands of these violent Northerners. I¡¯d seen firsthand what the prisoners in the tower looked like after


    being


    tortured and medically experimented on. I wouldn¡¯t risk Rayden¡¯s life like that.


    At the same time, there were things I needed him for, and if it was possible to receive his help, I


    couldn¡¯t refuse.


    I told him that we needed to take a sorceress back to Wega with us, and to my surprise, he didn¡¯t


    question the reason. He simply told me that we could use therge wooden boxes for smuggling


    purposes.


    From there, we enacted a n.


    We would move after the wedding ceremony began.


    While Helene and Ronald stood there at the altar, Rayden would wait at the gate outside of Vlokwell.


    Meanwhile, Asher and I would go fetch Raven. I had figured out several routes that weren¡¯t as guarded


    as the rest, so I was certain I could get to her without being spotted. Rayden said he¡¯d arrange for


    some of hispanions to be there in case any idents were to happen. They were loyal to him and


    he knew they would cooperate easily.


    Once our n was crafted, Rayden and I parted ways, and I left his room quietly. As I stepped into the


    corridor, I felt the urgent need to talk with Asher, but knew that he was off at Ronald¡¯s residence with


    the other guests. The Alpha King was wearing a disguise that concealed his identity, and while I knew


    he would be safe, I was still nervous that he would get caught.


    I waited in my room anxiously, pacing back and forth as I waited for him to return, and with every


    minute that passed, my nervousness grew.


    I was sure that Asher would find a reason toe back to meet me before the


    Sat, 16


    wedding ceremony, but timing was everything. Kaleb was going to send a maid to pick me up, and I


    needed to make sure all would work out correctly.


    A yawn escaped me as I gazed out the window. I didn¡¯t know why I was feeling so exhausted. Perhaps


    it was the bad weather. The clouds and darkness were an ominous sign, and I hoped it wouldn¡¯t be bad


    luck.


    It was 3:00 PM when Asher finally returned. I knew he was back from Ronald¡¯s when I heard the


    familiar hum of a Wegan song. It was the signal we had decided upon the night before. Once I heard


    the signal, I was supposed to go to the staircase and go down to the fourth floor to meet with him.


    I raced out of my room and then headed to the stairs with great haste. Thankfully, no one else had


    returned to the building yet, so the hall was empty, and I rushed right into Asher¡¯s room without getting


    caught.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    +5


    Once the door was closed behind me, Asher swept me into his arms and kissed me. My arms wrapped


    around him tightly, and he spun me happily in a circle before setting me back down. We continued to


    kiss passionately, our lips and tongues pressing and exploring each other¡¯s for quite a bit of time. It


    seemed as if we could never get enough of one another, and the moment we were together, we wanted


    to give into our wolves¡¯ instinct. Though I couldn¡¯t shift anymore, the primal urge to be together was still


    quite strong, and it took all of my effort to peel myself off of him:


    ¡°What took you so long?¡± I asked as I gazed up into his sterling eyes.


    ¡°Ronald was quite talkative,¡± he sighed, and he gently stroked my long hair. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I was gone for so


    long, baby. I didn¡¯t mean to worry you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I assured him. ¡°While you were gone, I was working on a n.¡±


    I told him about my reunion with Rayden, and Asher seemed less than pleased that the newly


    appointed Alpha of Wild Crawler hade all the way to the North to save me, but he listened carefully


    to our n anyway.


    As I repeated the details to Asher, I felt my confidence grow ever so slightly. Maybe I would always feel


    more reassured and confident with him at my side.


    When I finished talking, Asher leaned down and pressed his lips against mine softly.


    ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you,¡± he told me when he pulled away, and he smiled warmly. ¡°I knew you would figure


    out a n, Cas sandra. You¡¯re always my heroine.¡±


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    I smiled back at him, and as love swelled within my heart, he caressed my cheek.


    +5


    ¡°I need you to promise me that if we can¡¯t get the sorceress, we will still leave this ce and find


    somewhere else to live together,¡± he said, his voice almost a plea. ¡°I- don¡¯t want you to endanger


    yourself further.¡±


    Though I nodded my head, I didn¡¯t want to consider the possibility that we might not be able to bring


    Raven with us. I needed her toe with us to cure Asher¡¯s disease, and despite the promise I made


    him, I wouldn¡¯t leave empty-handed.


    The moment I returned to my room, I raced to get myself ready. Though I wasn¡¯t going to attend the


    wedding, I needed to appear as if that was the n.


    Erika helped me apply a light touch of makeup and then arranged my hair in a soft, messy updo. I


    pulled on a pale blue dress with halter straps and a high slit on one side of the skirt that was both pretty


    to look at and practical enough for me to move quickly if necessary. I added some of the jewelry Kaleb


    had given me to further add to the facade, and the moment I finished putting an earring in, there was a


    knock on the door.


    The maid hade to collect us much earlier than anticipated, and Erika let her into the room, the


    young woman exined that Kaleb wanted to see me before the wedding. While I didn¡¯t understand


    the reasoning, I nodded anyway.


    Erika and Finnick came with me, and both appeared excited to be leaving the chamber. They hadn¡¯t


    entered the main building or seen the banquet hall before, so they were amazed by its grandness.


    When we entered the room, I spotted Kaleb right away. The king of Yurene was drinking in the corner,


    far away from the crowd, meanwhile, Ronald was chatting with guests in the center.


    I asked Erika to take care of Finnick and find him some snacks to eat while I went to see Kaleb. My


    maid agreed and with no hesitation, she escorted my son away, and I headed toward the Northern


    King.


    While he was wearing a suit and his long golden brown hair had been brushed out and smoothed


    down, Kaleb¡¯s eyes indicated that he wasn¡¯t all that together. He appeared to be tipsy already, and


    when I approached him, he smiled at me and took my hand. He pressed his lips against my hand, and


    when he raised his gaze, his dark blue eyes seemed unusually bright under the light of the chandelier.


    He seemed excited. Maybe too excited.


    ¡°It¡¯s too noisy in here,¡± he remarked as he nced around. ¡°We need to find a better room to talk in.


    Will youe with me?¡±


    He gestured for me to take his arm, and though I didn¡¯t want to, Iplied anyway.

 Chapter 276

    CAS SANDRA


    Vern


    142


    As we crossed the banquet hall and headed toward the entrance, I caught sight of Asher, who stood on


    the other side of the room. His eyes were on Kaleb and me, and I watched his lips draw into a thin line.


    His stare was sharp, but thanks to the distance and his disguise, Kaleb didn¡¯t notice him. He seemed


    too lost in the daze of his drunkenness, and I thanked the Moon Goddess for this. The less aware


    Kaleb was, the easier the n would go.


    The king of Yur ene brought me to a small meeting room at the other end of the corridor. He closed the


    door behind us and then led me over to the couch on the far side of the room. He slumped down and


    then patted the cus hion beside him.


    ¡°Sit beside me,¡± he requested.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Though I didn¡¯t want to, I did as he asked, and once I was there, Kaleb¡¯s eyes trailed over me.


    ¡°You look really pretty tonight,¡± heplimented me with an earnest smile.


    I didn¡¯t know what to say, so I simply smiled back. I wasn¡¯t sure what he wanted, but something was


    going on here. My entire body tensed up and my stomach twisted into knots.


    Kaleb didn¡¯t seem by myck of response.


    ¡°How do you feel about the wedding?¡± he asked. ¡°Do you like all the noise? Would you like it if our


    wedding was just as splendid?¡±


    He babbled at a rapid pace and my unease grew stronger. I didn¡¯t understand what was going on and I


    had a really bad feeling about this interaction.


    Just as the thought crossed my mind, Kaleb suddenly leaned over and narrowed the space between


    us. I could smell the alcohol on his breath, and before I could get away, he cornered me using his


    muscr arms.


    My breath caught in my throat and I began to tremble as I pressed my back tightly against the couch. I


    tried shoving myself back as far as possible, but it was no use. He was still too close to me. His nose


    nearly brushed mine and his breath was hot against my face.


    ¡°Did you ever like me?¡± he asked shakily. ¡°Before I confessed honestly to you about what I had done¡­


    before I made myself a bad guy. Did you ever like me,


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    I didn¡¯t know his intentions or why he had decided to ask me in this way. The question was strange,


    hrious even, if he really meant it. Given the circumstances of our meeting, were genuine feelings


    d him even in the realm of possibilities? Had he deluded himself into thinking that I could ever like


    someone


    like him, someone so deeply broad failed by this terrible country,


    someone so inherently violent that he had plotted revenge against Wega?


    Even if Asher hadn¡¯t been the love of my life, how could I ever care for someone like that?


    Before I could even part my lips to utter a word, Kaleb¡¯s gaze shifted to my lips, as if he intended to


    breach the distance between us even further and kiss me. Panic swelled within me, and as my body


    trembled further, I felt the sudden urge to push him away. I was mere seconds away from doing so


    when Kaleb suddenly retreated back.


    A cruel but almost defeatedugh escaped him.


    ¡°It seems like I have my answer,¡± he remarked. I couldn¡¯t tell if he was disappointed or not.


    Kaleb then rose from the couch and ran his hand over his long hair, smoothing it down again.


    ¡°Wait here for a moment, Cas sandra,¡± he said as he avoided my gaze. ¡°I have something to show


    you.¡±


    Before I could protest or ask for rification, Kaleb turned and left the room, closing the door behind


    him tightly. Agitation filled my mind and I leaned back into the couch and let out a heavy sigh.


    What was going on?


    Why had he decided to do all that and what did he want to show me? I wasn¡¯t sure if he¡¯d found


    anything suspicious and wondered if he¡¯d seen Asher after all.


    The minutes passed by slowly and Kaleb didn¡¯t return.


    I waited ten minutes before I went toward the door, but when I tried to open it, it was locked from the


    outside. I tugged as hard as I could, but it was no use.


    My heart began to race as I tried to pry it open and then I realized it was a trap. Kaleb had locked me in


    the room deliberately, but why?


    O


    I started yelling.


    ¡°Help!¡± I cried, and when I received no answer, I called out again. I wanted to know if anyone was


    there, but all I could hear was faint noises from the hall. The banquet hall was likely too loud to carry


    my voice.


    I ran toward the window quickly, and unfortunately, it was locked as well. The ss was too thick to be


    breakable, and after I realized there were no tools i could use to escape, I sank to the ground in defeat.


    No matter what Kaleb wanted, I knew I couldn¡¯t stay here. I needed to get out.


    I stood up and removed my shoes. I struck the window as hard as I could with my heel, but there was


    no use. I screamed for help, wishing someone would be on the other side. But no one was there.


    I was locked in this room alone.


    Bad memories flooded in at once. Thest time I had been locked in a room alone, I nearly died. I


    remembered the desperate feeling, the smell of my burning flesh¡­


    A chill ran through me and I wrapped my arms around myself tightly.


    As tears streamed down my face, the memories began to consume me, and for a moment, I swore I


    could smell smoke. At first, I thought I was deluded, but then, the smell grew stronger. Something was


    on fire.


    When I turned around, I saw fire. The couch was aze, and before I knew it, the curtains went up in


    mes too.


    Before I knew it, fire engulfed the room.


    I started to scream, but I couldn¡¯t move. I was so scared that my limbs had stiffened. My fear was so


    strong that I couldn¡¯t think straight. As the smoke filled my lungs, I thought that this was it.


    I was going to die,


    I had been lucky five years ago, but not this time.


    My skin began to feel like it was burning, but I forced myself not to look at it. Everything started to grow


    blurry. All I could hear were the crac ks of the burning furniture around me.


    No one was going to save me. No one was going to notice me until my body was nothing more than


    ashes.


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    11:24 Sat, 16 Mar


    <3


    But suddenly, I heard someone calling my name. First, they were calling for Cas sandra, and then


    Cora. And then there was a bumping against the door.


    Was it Asher?


    +5


    I wanted to answer him, but the smoke was too heavy. Even the act of opening my mouth was


    impossible.


    With a loud thump, Asher suddenly broke in and rushed to my side. He pulled me into his arms.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± he asked, and when I nodded, he gave me a bit of soaked cloth and told me that we


    needed to leave.


    Was this all a dream?


    I pressed the soaked cloth against my mouth and followed Asher anyway. We left the room, but the


    outside was no better. Everything was on fire. I scanned the corridor, but all I could see was mes and


    all I could hear was screaming.


    It was like a living hell.


    ¡°Where are Finni ck and Erika?¡± I cried out to Asher as my heart plummeted in my chest.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see them,¡± he replied.


    ¡°They should be in the banquet hall,¡± I said. ¡°We need to find them.¡±


    We ran down the hall, but the moment we did, I nearly retched in shock.


    The gates were all locked up. Guests were trapped in the hall, waiting for their death. Smoke and


    mes twisted everywhere, and as the screams filled my ears, I kept searching for Finni ck.


    ¡°Finn ick!¡± I called out in hopes of finding him, but it was no use.


    Ronald and Helene were standing near one of the doors. Some men were bumping against therge


    door, trying to break it. Ronald looked horrified while Helene seemed crazily happy. Sheughed as


    she grasped her fia n ce¡¯s shoulders and said something to him. But he ignored her as if she were


    invisible and continued to stare at the gate.


    I rushed over to them./


    ¡°Have you seen Finn ick and Erika?¡± I demanded. ¡°A little boy and a middle-aged


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    woman? Have you seen them?¡±


    Helene appeared frantic when she saw me.


    ¡°It¡¯s doomsday!¡± she cried as she grabbed my wrist. ¡°No one will be able to escape. I want you to stay


    with me and enjoy this beautiful sight.¡±


    The ceiling started to fall, but I didn¡¯t notice until Asher ran over and pushed me aside. The moment I


    fell to the ground, Asher was engulfed by fire and a scream


    escaped me.

 Chapter 277

    CASSANDRA


    The horrible sight before my eyes was the worst nightmare I¡¯d ever seen, yet no matter how hard I


    pinched myself, it wasn¡¯t going away.


    *


    As the fire covered Asher¡¯s body, his skin began to peel down. Soon, the ck burnt skin became


    ashes, and then the ashes disappeared entirely and blew down the corridor.


    ¡°No!¡± I screamed out of anger and sorrow. ¡°No, no, no!¡±


    My lungs ached as I cried out, but I couldn¡¯t stop. Tears spilled down my face like a river, and my vision


    started to break out with spots as I shook.


    No one was going to take Asher away from me.


    This couldn¡¯t be happening.


    My skin began to burn again, and I realized the mes were engulfing me as well, but I didn¡¯t care.


    There was nothing I could see but fire, endless, unstoppable fire. The screams and cries soon faded


    away, and as the mes danced around me, I realized that Ronald, Helene, and the other guests were


    gone too.


    But somehow, despite my trauma and all that I¡¯d endured at the hands of fire, my fear disappeared.


    Without Asher, there was no point in going on. I wasn¡¯t afraid anymore. I would ept my demise


    knowing that I did all I could in this lifetime.


    But just as I resolved to close my eyes and ept my unavoidable and imminent death, a figure


    became clear in the inferno. They were standing not too far away from me, and when they walked


    forward, their features became more clear.


    It was Emmett Keller.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally here,¡± he remarked as the mes flicked around us. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you for so


    long?


    ¡°Waiting for me?¡± I blurted out before I even had the chance to understand what was happening. ¡°Why


    were you waiting for me, Emmett?¡±


    His eyes remained fixed on mine and then he smiled calmly at me.


    ¡°I owe you an exnation,¡± he said.


    III


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    10157 Tue, 19 Mar


    ¡°What exnation?¡± I wondered as my eyebrows creased together. ¡°Emmett, what¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything,¡± he assured me as my mind began to panic. ¡°I just need you toe here.¡±


    I nced around us at the fire that was still zing on and hesitated for a second before Iplied.


    Once I was close enough, Emmett caught my hand, and suddenly, the burning sensation that had


    consumed my body vanished, and momentster, the mes vanished as well.


    Once the fire was gone, I realized our surroundings had changed, and we were back in our home in


    Wild Crawler. Our house looked exactly the same as it had in the old days when Emmett and I were


    married.


    ¡°Is this¡­ an illusion?¡± I wondered as I stared around.


    ¡°You can call it an illusion,¡± Emmett replied, and when I turned to face him, I realized he was wearing


    the usual nnel shirt and jeansbination he used to wear. ¡°Or you can call it the trick of a sorcerer.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re dead,¡± I pointed out. ¡°How can you y tricks now?¡±


    ¡°I may be dead, but a sorcerer can do a lot of things,¡± he said, and then he gestured toward the kitchen


    table. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit down?¡±


    I was baffled but couldn¡¯t allow myself to sit at the same table we¡¯d shared dinner at for so many years.


    ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t have time, Emmett. I have to save Asher and look for Finnick-¡±


    ¡°Asher and Finnick are alright,¡± Emmett interrupted me gently, but I shook my head.


    ¡°How can you be sure?¡± I asked suspiciously as I eyed the front door. ¡°How do you know they¡¯re okay,


    Emmett?¡±


    ¡°I know quite a few things,¡± he said vaguely, and then he gestured to the table again. ¡°I¡¯ll exin them


    all to you.¡±


    I stared at him suspiciously. None of this made sense.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to get back to them anyway if I don¡¯t allow it,¡± Emmett sighed. ¡°Come now, take a


    seat and I¡¯ll tell you what¡¯s going on.¡±


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    I frowned butplied anyway. I sat down and red at Emmett as I settled into my usual chair at the


    head of the table.


    ¡°This will be ourst talk,¡± Emmett remarked after a moment of hesitation. ¡°I thought it would be a bit


    more friendly-¡±


    ¡°How dare you say that after what you did,¡± I cut him off angrily.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice,¡± he said calmly. ¡°Things weren¡¯t always under control. I¡¯m sorry for that.¡±


    ¡°You took my wolf soul from me,¡± I reminded him angrily. ¡°And now you think a simple apology will


    make up for it-¡±


    ¡°I understand your anger,


    but I¡¯m not sorry for what I did,¡± Emmett interrupted me sharply. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I overestimated myself


    and my ability.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I demanded as I stared at him in confusion.


    My former husband sighed and then spoke.


    ¡°Everything started with Asher¡¯s father,¡± he exined. ¡°Or more precisely, with his regret about his


    wife¡¯s death.¡±


    ¡°The old queen?¡± I wondered.


    Emmett nodded. ¡°That¡¯s the reason why the king started to search for sorcerers in the first ce. He


    wanted to bring Selene Collins back to life.¡±


    I blinked at him in surprise.


    ¡°After searching for a long time, he finally noticed Dark Abyss,¡± Emmett continued. ¡°He made an


    agreement with my father, the greatest sorcerer at the time. My father was going to help him bring back


    Selene¡¯s soul and the old king would reinstate sorcerers and rebuild the academy.¡±


    ¡°Ewonmiams,¡± I muttered, and Emmett nodded.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he confirmed. ¡°Unfortunately, my father¡¯s research didn¡¯t go very well. He found out that if one


    wanted to bring back someone¡¯s soul, they needed to find a vessel who shared the person¡¯s blood.¡±


    ¡°And the vessel was Asher,¡± I realized.


    Emmett nodded again. ¡°My father had been too confident and too eager. He


    wanted to revive the name of sorcerers and restore them to their former glory. But


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    10157 Tue, 19 Mar


    after the king had his son take the concoction, my father realized he had failed. He couldn¡¯t link Asher


    to Selene¡¯s soul. At the same time, he discovered something new. He realized he was able to control


    the little boy¡¯s behavior at his will.¡±


    ¡°Asher¡¯s,¡± I mumbled as I began to absorb this new information.


    ¡°My father was afraid that the king would be angry and decide to kill us,¡± Emmett continued. ¡°So he had


    a horrible idea. Could he use Asher to kill the king?¡±


    My jaw dropped.


    Had he really just said that?


    ¡°Why would he think that?¡± I demanded.


    ¡°If the king was dead, we would not only be safe but Ewonmiams could be restored,¡± Emmett replied


    calmly. ¡°So, he conspired with the Beta, Oliver Moses. However, Oliver was never a good ally. He saw


    the potential of sorcery and wanted my father to manufacture an army for him. Their secret alliance


    was noticed by Darrin Felix.¡±


    At the mention of my father¡¯s name, I felt a tightness in my heart.


    ¡°Darrin Felix was a man of righteousness,¡± Emmett continued. ¡°He had grown up with the belief that


    sorcery was evil and terrible. He urged the king to capture and execute my father.¡±


    He paused and his eyes softened.


    ¡°I believe you¡¯ve already heard the rest of the story,¡± he said. ¡°My father escaped and the king hunted


    him down. My father had to ask for help from Yurene¡¯s king, Kaleb¡¯s father. Kaleb¡¯s father was more


    sophisticated and regal. He made my father believe that Yurene would provide safety and protection for


    our family. But it turned out that he wasn¡¯t a good man either. So, my father coaxed him to drink that


    concoction.¡±


    As the puzzle pieces began to fit together, I shook my head slowly and then frowned.


    ¡°If that¡¯s true, Asher would have died long ago,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Why had Kaleb¡¯s father deteriorated so


    quickly and Asher hadn¡¯t?¡±

 Chapter 278

    CASSANDRA


    Though there was still so much doubt in my heart and mind about this entire situation, Emmett seemed


    to have an exnation for everything.


    ¡°It¡¯s true that Kaleb¡¯s father¡¯s condition worsened quickly, but he wouldn¡¯t have died so early if Kaleb


    hadn¡¯t been the one to end his life,¡± he said. ¡°As for Asher, it¡¯s because he¡¯d been trying to control his


    condition for all these years.¡±


    I sat there for a second and then my frown deepened even further.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± I admitted as my eyebrows creased together. ¡°What do you mean, Emmett?¡±


    ¡°People who drink the concoction gradually lose their own minds,¡± Emmett exined. ¡°Over time, they


    be nothing more than mere puppets for their master. A vessel without their own souls. My father


    had felt sorry for Asher. He thought it was evil and unforgivable to use an innocent young boy like that.


    So, before his death, my father asked me to try my best to cure Asher.¡±


    I blinked back at him in surprise. Emmett had tried to cure Asher? When had this happened?


    ¡°How?¡± I asked. ¡°And when?¡±


    ¡°I did my best to get Asher¡¯s condition under control,¡± Emmett continued on as if I hadn¡¯t interrupted


    him. ¡°Every year, I would disguise myself as one of the royal healers and give him medicine I¡¯d crafted


    to help.¡±


    6699


    That¡¯s why you left Wild Crawler for a while every year,¡± I said, and then I frowned. ¡°But you were


    meeting with Kaleb¡­¡±


    ¡°Things wereplicated,¡± he sighed as he shook his head slowly. ¡°And they only grew more


    complicated as the years went by. Kaleb somehow discovered the truth behind the concoction and


    tracked me down. He wanted me to help him just as his father had ordered around/mine.¡±


    He paused for a moment and his lips drew into a thin line. ¡°I knew I was going to die by his hand one


    day. Kaleb was more uncontroble than his father and far more vtile.¡±


    ¡°Was Kaleb the one who killed you?¡± I wondered as I met his gaze. Sadness bloomed within me at the


    thought. While Emmett and I hadn¡¯t shared a


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    traditional marriage, he had still been my friend for all of those years, and it saddened me to think that


    the king of Yurene had taken his life.


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    ¡°Kaleb had threatened to kill me, but he didn¡¯t follow through,¡± Emmett sighed. ¡°I killed myself before he


    had the chance to do so. I burned myself alive so Kaleb wouldn¡¯t be able to use my body for further


    research after my death.¡±


    My voice caught in my throat as my eyes welled up. This was far more intense of a conversation than


    I¡¯d expected, and while I was relieved that Kaleb hadn¡¯t killed- him, it was still a brutal death. Despite


    everything, Emmett hadn¡¯t deserved an end like that.


    Silence lingered between us for a while as I searched for the right thing to say, and after a while,


    tightness gripped my chest. I had a question, but I didn¡¯t want to ask it. It was too hard and I wasn¡¯t


    sure if I wanted to know the answer. But Emmett himself had said this would be ourst conversation. If


    I didn¡¯t ask it now, I¡¯d never


    know the truth.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Is Asher¡¯s disease incurable?¡± I uttered once I found the courage to do so.


    Much to my surprise, Emmett shook his head. ¡°On the contrary. I¡¯ve already found out what can save


    him.¡±


    I gasped lightly as my heart raced in my chest. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Emmett studied me carefully. ¡°I hadn¡¯t figured it out until I met you. After I¡¯d saved you from the inferno


    and realized you were Asher¡¯s fated mate, I discovered something. If I wanted to cure Asher and stop


    his soul from diminishing, I needed to find someone who shared part of his soul or a bond with it. For


    most people, it¡¯s impossible, because they don¡¯t have a fated mate. For normal pairs, their wolf souls


    exist alone, and the mate im doesn¡¯t truly bind them together. But for fated mates, their wolf souls


    are entwined with each other¡¯s since birth.¡±


    My lips parted as I realized the truth. ¡°You mean Asher could be saved if we im each other?¡±


    Emmett nodded, and while I should have been overjoyed by this revtion, all I felt was anger. It


    burned deeply within me and before I could stop, I shouted at him.


    ¡°If you knew this, why would you take my wolf soul from my body?¡± I demanded as my hands curled


    into fists. ¡°Why hadn¡¯t you told me all of this before? Everything would have been sorted out long ago if


    you¡¯d told me-¡®


    Emmett shook his head. ¡°Not everything. I¡¯m not a selfless man. It¡¯s true that if I¡¯d


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    told you all of those things, all of your problems would have disappeared¡­ but not mine. I didn¡¯t care if


    I died, but I didn¡¯t want the great sorcery I¡¯d taken from my father to disappear from this world.¡±


    ¡°Sorcery caused centuries worth of problems,¡± I pointed out as I began to lose my temper. ¡°And you still


    wanted to preserve them? I don¡¯t understand at all, Emmett.¡±


    ¡°You might not understand, but a sorcerer is always proud of his abilities,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Besides, it


    isn¡¯t sorcery that caused trouble. There is no such thing as evil magic. Only evil intentions.¡±


    His eyes locked on mine and a chill ran down my spine. There was something more, something he


    hadn¡¯t told me yet, and I wasn¡¯t too keen on finding out what it was. This was unbelievable. He had


    kept such big secrets from me, and they were stacking higher and higher by the moment. I didn¡¯t want


    to be here in this kitchen with him, but I knew there was more and I needed to find out what he wasn¡¯t


    saying.


    ¡°What did you want from me then?¡± I asked as evenly as I could manage.


    Emmett let out a small breath. ¡°When I took your wolf soul, I realized I couldbine part of my soul


    with yours.¡±


    My eyes widened and my heart dropped. ¡°What?¡±


    He nodded, his expression solemn. ¡°I realized I could do it and then actually made it happen. In doing


    so, I sealed my abilities as a sorcerer within that bit of my soul. Ibined with yours. I wasn¡¯t able to


    use magic after that-¡±


    ¡°Crazy bastard,¡± I growled at him. It took all of my restraint to keep from jumping over the table and


    launching myself at him. I felt vited in every sense of the word. Part of Emmett¡¯s soul was within


    me? This was too much to process.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he said, and then his lips curled into a smirk. ¡°But I would like you to consider it a gift.¡±


    ¡°A gift?¡± I repeated back angrily, and this time, I jumped up from my seat and lunged at Emmett. I


    wanted to grab his throat, but I couldn¡¯t do it because suddenly, Emmett wasn¡¯t tangible.


    Much to my surprise, I noticed my body had changed. Snow white fur had grown over my hands and


    my nails had sharpened into ws. But somehow, I knew it was more than just my body. There was a


    wildness within me, a primal feeling I hadn¡¯t felt in years.


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    Emmett smiled at me. ¡°It¡¯s time to say goodbye now. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t exin this to you sooner. I


    believe you¡¯ll be better than me at using these abilities.¡±


    The house around us started to disappear and mes began to engulf everything. Emmett¡¯s figure


    became fainter and fainter.


    ¡°Goodbye,¡± he said before he disappeared, and secondster, I was back in the burning banquet hall.

 Chapter 279

    KALEB


    The whole main building was on fire.


    watched it burn from a distance, admiring the plumes of smoke as they rose high into the air. It was a


    gorgeous sight, though dark given the circumstances. Thankfully, I couldn¡¯t hear the screams and cries


    within because the tightly shut windows and doors had blocked them. As I stared at the building, I


    wondered if this was what those people felt when they locked my siblings and me in the dungeon,


    leaving us to our demise.


    Had they stood outside the doors, wondering who would be the victor and who would meet a violent


    death at the hands of their family members? Had they felt satisfaction at the idea of us fighting one


    another?


    All of my enemies, as well as those with the potential to be my enemies, were there in that burning


    building, but I couldn¡¯t feel even a tiny bit of happiness at the sight. Nor did I feel regret or horror.


    I felt absolutely nothing at all.


    Those who had stood loyal to my side of the conflict had been evacuated out of the building and stood


    beside me, watching the structure burn with expressions of wonderment. Some were excited, like


    Raven. The young, dark-haired sorceress had been excited from the moment I¡¯d revealed my n to


    her.


    ¡°This is the most beautiful thing I¡¯ve ever seen,¡± she remarked, her bluish-green eyes enormous as


    they stared ahead. ¡°It¡¯s even more incredible than I¡¯d imagined it would be, Kaleb.¡±


    As much as I wanted to, I couldn¡¯t call her crazy this time, because I was just as insane as her.


    Raven had said there would never be a more perfect opportunity or idea to provoke Cassandra¡¯s wolf


    spirit. She believed that the inferno and the burning were the keys Emmett Keller had used to seal


    Cassandra¡¯s wolf. It was genius, really, to use her fear and trauma to lock away that vital key to her


    shifting, but we hadn¡¯t known how to get it out of her. It wasn¡¯t every day that one came across an


    opportunity for a fire big enough to elicit such a fear response, but this one had presented itself at the


    right moment.


    When else would so many people gather in Vlokwell?


    O


    +5


    Rain fell steadily from the sky, yet the fire didn¡¯t cease. I wasn¡¯t sure what kind of sorcery Raven had


    used on the building, but the fire had been so precisely controlled that it hadn¡¯t spread beyond the


    intended point, nor was it ending until she said so.


    ¡°It¡¯s like an oven,¡± she had said.


    Fifteen minutes had passed, and Cassandra hadn¡¯t escaped yet. Her small son and her maid were


    crying beside Raven, their faces filled with fear and shock as they stared at the building. The maid


    managed to keep herself steady, but Finnick¡¯s chest wracked with s obs and his cries filled the air


    around us. It was heartbreaking to hear, but this was a necessary task. I couldn¡¯t put an end to it simply


    because a child was crying.


    Despite my indifference, Raven crouched down beside him and rubbed his back.


    ¡°Your mother will be just fine,¡± she assured the little boy repeatedly, but the more times she said it, the


    more horrified Finnick looked.


    There came a point where I couldn¡¯t look at him any longer. The child was a distraction. I couldn¡¯t let his


    sorrow and pain affect me, not when I needed to stay so focused. My only worry was the sorcery that


    Emmett had hidden within Cassandra. There had been no conceivable way of extracting it, so we had


    come up with this n. My mind swam with a million thoughts, but I forced myself to concentrate on the


    task at hand.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    The smell of smoke soon became suffocating, and I loosened the tie around my neck. It was


    excruciating, and my throat began to ache the more of it I inhaled. Behind me, the voices of those loyal


    to me began to makements about the acrid smell around us, and as they coughed, I knew it was


    time to call it.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to get her out,¡± I remarked. If Cassandra died, our efforts would be in vain. We would have


    done all of this for nothing.


    I raised my hand at the soldiers in special protective suits beyond us awaiting instructions, but before I


    could utter a word, Raven stood up and shook her head


    ¡°Not yet,¡± she insisted, but as soon as she finished her sentence, a loud growl escaped the building. It


    was an intense sound, so clear and strong that the air around us felt as if it had vibrated. The hairs on


    the back of my neck raised I straightened in ce.


    up


    and


    Before any of us could properly react, the intensity of the fire decreased all of a sudden. Mere moments


    later, it was quickly smothered.


    O


    10157 Tue, 19 Mar N


    eyes e


    and angry as they stared


    59%


    ¡°What happened?¡± Raven shouted, her ahead of us. She frowned deeply and raised both hands high in


    the air. The veins at her temples tensed as she strained, but no matter how she tried, nothing


    happened. All of her attempts at magic failed, and with every try, her agitation


    grew.


    +5


    Another growl rang out and was quickly followed by a heavy thud. The front doors of the building flew


    open, and thick smoke billowed out onto the grounds. Among the thick trails of smoke was a gray wolf.


    My eyebrows knitted together as I stared in confusion, and as I looked closer, I realized it wasn¡¯t gray,


    but white. It had only looked gray because of the smoke, but its fur was actually snow white.


    A white wolf.


    That was a rare color to see indeed. White werewolves were exclusively female and usually highborn.


    It was a fur color reserved for royalty and nobility, and I had never seen a wolf that shade in person.


    Guests who had been trapped within the building followed the wolf, coughing as they stumbled out.


    The white wolf crawled closer toward Raven and me, its body lowered and its eyes


    red as rubies.


    Everyone around me froze, unsure of how to react.


    With another growl, the wolf lept into the sky andunched an attack at me. I was swift enough to avoid


    its sharp ws, but Raven wasn¡¯t. The young sorceress¡¯ was ripped open, the deep wound instantly


    oozing rivers of blood.


    I inhaled sharply.


    Raven had put that arm on Finnick¡¯s shoulder.


    arm


    The crowd drew backward in the chaos, and I half expected the boy to burst into tears, but instead, he


    widened his te-gray eyes at the wolf and ran toward it.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± he cried out, and the wolf lowered her head, letting Finnick ce a kiss on her cheek.


    It was Cassandra?


    Did that mean Raven¡¯s n had seeded?


    Momentster, the wolf raised its snow-white head and stared at me. Then, it bared its pearl white


    teeth and road at me angrily.


    arrows, but


    The soldiers realized what happened and started to attack the wolf without instruction. They sprang into


    action and tried using their guns and arrows, nothing seemed to hurt the wolf, because the bullets and


    the arrows changed directions right before they could make contact with its body.


    I inhaled deeply and knew the cause at once.


    The soldiers began to reload, but I held my hand up and stopped them. They took a step back


    obediently, and once they were a safe distance away, I shifted into my wolf form. I hadn¡¯t taken this


    shape since I¡¯d won the battle in the dungeon, and it felt good to be back in it.


    Once I was a wolf, the soldiers changed forms as well, and Cassandra pressed closer.


    As she advanced, a strange feeling formed in my belly.


    Would I win this time?


    =

 Chapter 280

    Chapter 280


    CAS SANDRA


    It had been five years since I¡¯d been in my wolf form.


    It was strange, this feeling of pure, primal instinct, and yet it was still so familiar.


    I thought I would forget how to run and how to fight, but on the contrary, I remembered them quite well.


    The muscle memories, along with the fighting skills my father Darrin and my brother Ector had once


    taught me were still so clear in my mind.


    As my ws dug into the damp earth beneath me, a shiver ran down my spine. I could feel the power


    flowing through me, electric and tense. It was exhrating but admittedly a little scary since I wasn¡¯t


    used to this sensation.


    I lowered my head and growled, ring at the wolves circling me. Kaleb¡¯s guards, no doubt, each


    ready to take me on. I attempted to count them all but soon lost track. Of course, I didn¡¯t care all that


    much about how many adversaries stood against me. My wolf instincts had kicked in and taken control


    of my very being.


    These wolves could try to fight against me all they wanted. They would pay dearly for that mistake,


    likely with their lives.


    As strange as it was to admit, I yearned for a good fight. The power that Emmett had left in my body


    made me feel capable and strong. I had never learned how to wield magic, and yet, when I¡¯d left the


    main building, all I¡¯d had to do was think about deflecting the bullets and arrows that hade my way.


    The magic did the rest of the work.


    I was more in control than I¡¯d been in years and I was thrilled and fascinated by this magic feeling. I


    wasn¡¯t powerless or weak anymore. I was a fighter.


    With a roar, one of Kaleb¡¯s wolves lept toward me and bared its long canines. Saliva dripped from its


    mouth and spilled onto the grass, and then it lunged forward and tried to swipe at my chest. Before it


    could make contact, I shifted aside swiftly and ducked behind its back in one fluid motion. Once I was


    in position, I sprang forward and buried my teeth in its neck.


    Blood gushed from the wolf and after it let out a pained cry, it copsed to the ground.


    1/4


    III


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    11:18 Wed, 20


    Chapter 280


    All around me, the other wolves let out growls and snarls of agitation, and then theyunched their


    attacks in unison. Each of them was huge and incredibly strong, but their size and bulk didn¡¯t make


    them more skillful in fighting. I was able to evade and duck deftly without getting a single scratch on


    me.


    +5


    Maybe the soldiers and guards had been relying too much on weapons and forgot how to fight as


    werewolves. Their movements were clumsy and none of them could eveny a w on me.


    But as I got caught up in the flurry of movement, one wolf stood out among the


    crowd.


    Kaleb.


    The king of Yurene hadn¡¯t jumped into the fray initially. He had stood back and let his mene after


    me first, simply watching the fight from a safe distance. Then, when I had dealt with half of his pathetic


    soldiers, he shifted into his wolf form.


    I was a little surprised by his appearance. He wasn¡¯t nearly as physically imposing as his men. Sure,


    his wolf form wasrger than mine, as he was a male, but his body was leaner than the others. His


    muscles were understated, but when he sauntered forward, power radiated from him. His fur was the


    same golden-brown as his hair was in human form but his eyes were pitch-ck. The darkness of his


    irises was chilling, and as he circled me, his gaze focused on me sharply.


    Kaleb moved like lightning. Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    As we danced around one another, it was as if he could predict my every move. He would react before


    I could fight back, and he took the opportunity to lunge at me when I was busy dealing with his


    desperate soldiers.


    The Northern king¡¯s ws scraped down my back, leaving a long wound near my spine that stung the


    moment the cold air hit it. I cried out, pain washing over me as I howled. Dizziness flooded my senses


    for a moment, but I pushed through the pain and instead focused on the anger swelling in my veins.


    I growled and leaped, aiming for his neck as I sprang into the air. But before I could make contact, I


    was stopped by a group of his soldiers. Theirrge bodies blocked my path, and I was forced to take a


    step back. I snarled, irritated by this interruption. These wolves were annoying pests keeping me from


    my real target.


    I decided to deal with them immediately.


    2/4


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    11:18 Wed, 20 Mar


    Chapter 280


    66%


    +5


    I took on a group of wolves, but as we fought, I soon realized that this deflection had been a part of


    Kaleb¡¯s strategy. But I discovered the truth far toote. Kaleb¡¯s ws appeared before my left eye. I


    closed my eyes instinctively, bracing for a great deal of pain and the potential loss of my vision when


    those ws met the soft membrane, but for some reason, the pain never came.


    When I opened my eyes, I saw an arm near my snout.


    An arm covered in ck marks.


    It had been pierced by Kaleb¡¯s sharp ws.


    I widened my eyes as I realized Asher was beside me. His brows were furrowed from the pain and his


    lower lip trembled.


    Horror traveled through me. Asher had blocked the Northern king¡¯s attack.


    Kaleb moved to strike again, but before he could, Asher¡¯s nails swiftly became ws, and he ripped


    into the Yurenian¡¯s stomach, leaving a deep wound.


    A loud howl of pain escaped Kaleb, and he retreated quickly.


    Despite the blood streaming down his arm, Asher held his head up and red at the king.


    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s true what they say about the North,¡± he called out to him. ¡°There are no gentlemen here.


    Only a group of cowards would take on a lonedy wolf.¡±


    Kaleb growled lowly, his dark eyes narrowed. He retreated a few steps and


    continued to re. I could tell there was a wide range of emotions within him, but I couldn¡¯t tell what he


    was thinking.


    My gaze turned back to Asher, and when I noticed his arm, I let out a cry. The wound Kaleb had


    inflicted was deep.


    Asher removed his shirt and used his shirt to bind his wound.


    ¡°We need to leave right now,¡± he said urgently, just low enough for me to hear. ¡°Ronald is calling an


    army toe, so there¡¯s surely going to be a battle here. I might not be able to stay conscious for long.


    I can feel the stiffness within my body. Cas sandra, we need to get out of this ce before the disease


    gets me.¡±


    Tears welled up in my eyes but I forced myself to remain strong.


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    11:18 Wed, 20 Mar


    Chapter 280


    66%


    ¡°I¡¯ll take Finnick before I shift into my wolf form,¡± he said, and after I nodded, he reached out, stroked


    my shoulder, and then began to change.


    Asher¡¯s wolf form was more intimidating than I remembered. His fur was a deep, rich ck, and his


    gray eyes He was tall and strong and


    turned a brilliant silver


    radiated power.


    All of the remaining soldiers moved backward once he was done shifting. It was clear from their eyes


    that they were afraid he was going to join the fight.


    But instead, Asher stepped toward Finnick and then lowered himself down so our son could climb on


    his back. Once Finnick was seated, Asher eyed nodded in his direction again.


    and I


    I spotted Erika not too far away and rushed over to her. My maid seemed to understand my intention


    and quickly shifted too, taking on the form of a smaller, sandy-colored wolf. Her eyes met mine, and


    after we nced at Asher, we took off in the direction of the gate. We needed to move and we needed


    to move back.


    As we ran, I heard Raven screaming behind me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let her get away!¡± she cried to Kaleb¡¯s soldiers. ¡°Get her!¡±


    I remembered my original mission and made a split-second decision to turn around. Erika continued


    toward the gate, but I rushed to Raven. Just as the sorceress¡¯ blue-green eyes widened in surprise, I


    knocked her to the ground, and as she lost consciousness, I mannered her onto my back. Once I was


    sure she was secure, I ran and joined Asher.


    Movement andmotion began behind us, but I didn¡¯t care. I thought I heard Ronald¡¯s voice and the


    sound of firing guns, but I didn¡¯t stop and I didn¡¯t look


    back.

 Chapter 281

    CASSANDRA


    As we raced through the grounds in our wolf forms, I saw the buildings beyond us and noted with


    horror that they were all on fire now. The smoldering mes rose high, as did thick plumes of smoke.


    I had hoped to get some medicine from my room to treat Asher¡¯s wound, but there was no chance of


    that happening now. Part of me felt a small amount of loss in knowing that many of my belongings were


    still within the chamber, but the other part knew that material items didn¡¯t matter. I had my family with


    me, and for now, we were all safe and sound. The medicine would have been nice, but I would have to


    find other methods of dealing with our injuries.


    As I tried to suppress the pain in my back and the panic of escaping this ce for good, my eyes


    scanned the grounds. Serv ants were running around desperately, their expressions horrified as they


    fled away from the burning buildings. They were so terrified that they hadn¡¯t even noticed us.


    Finnick clenched himself against Asher tightly, his sterling eyes wide with fear as


    screams rang out around us. I wished I could use my newfound magical abilities to put out the fire, but


    since I knew little about how to use sorcery, I didn¡¯t know how.


    he studied the ze. Our son trembled and wa


    Thankfully, none of the soldiers had followed us, so once I was certain we would be okay, I carefully


    eased Raven¡¯s still unconscious body onto the ground and then changed back into my human form,


    Erika followed suit and helped Finnick get down from his perch on Asher¡¯s back. Once he was secure


    in the maid¡¯s arms, I nodded at Asher, and the Alpha King shifted back too.


    ¡°Is everyone alright?¡± I asked as I nced around at my family.


    Everyone nodded, and then Asher approached me.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do here,¡± he said, recognizing the concern on my face. ¡°We need to leave


    before the situation esctes.¡±


    I nodded my head and then Erika did the same.


    1/4


    TALLIN


    III


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    56%


    ¡°If you take Finnick, I¡¯ll worry about this one,¡± she said, and she inclined her head to Raven. When I


    nodded again, Erika handed Finnick over to me and then carefully eased Raven up. Despite her calm


    demeanor, the maid was incredibly strong and powerful. She carried the sorceress with ease while


    Finnick buried his face into the crook of my shoulder.


    I kissed his forehead and tightened my hold around him. ¡°It¡¯s okay, baby. We¡¯re gonna get out of here.¡±


    We resumed our journey back toward the gate, but before we could get too much further, I heard a


    voice call my name.


    I whipped around, and through the thick smoke, a figure approached. It was Ms. Benn. The head


    housekeeper held L in her arms. Her sharp, angr face was stained gray from the soot and there


    was a frantess in her ice-blue eyes.


    My eyes fell on L. She appeared to have lost consciousness and appeared weak. The smoke


    inhtion had likely done a number on the


    poor child.


    Even though I knew it would have been smarter to turn and continue heading to the gate to escape this


    wretched ce, I couldn¡¯t turn my back on a child.


    ¡°Cassandra,¡± Ms. Benn pleaded as she approached me. ¡°Please, you have to take L with you.¡±


    PI


    I was taken aback and frowned. Had I heard her correctly? Was this a trap? quickly scanned the area,


    yet Ms. Benn seemed to be acting alone.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked as my eyes trailed over her. ¡°Why would you want me to take her when


    you could juste with us?¡¯


    Ms. Benn shook her head quickly. ¡°I can¡¯t leave. The king needs me.¡±


    ¡°The whole country is on the verge of war,¡± I practically shouted back at her, nearlyughing at the


    absurdity of her statement. ¡°Kaleb won¡¯t care about losing a maid.¡±


    Her pale eyes widened and then shed. ¡°You know nothing about this country, about loyalty. I would


    rather die than leave. But L doesn¡¯t deserve that. Get her out of here, take her somewhere safe.


    Make sure she will be safe.¡±


    My lips parted but I couldn¡¯t refuse. We didn¡¯t have time to have a whole discussion, so I just nodded.


    Wordlessly, Erika passed Raven over to Asher and then took L into her arms and held her close.


    2/4


    TH


    O


    Ms. Benn bowed and then quickly left and headed toward the main building. As I wretched her leave, I


    shook my head. I had never understood Ms. Benn, but her loyalty to Kaleb seemed to be


    unquestionable. I couldn¡¯t imagine abandoning my child just to stay put and help such a violent king,


    but I supposed it wasn¡¯t for me to understand.


    We continued moving momentster, and uncertainty filled my mind. We were supposed to meet with


    Rayden, but as we approached the gate, we didn¡¯t see anyone other than Kaleb¡¯s guards, who


    appeared restless. Their eyes were locked on the smoke, but duty apparently kept them trapped in


    their positions.


    We hid in the dark shadows cast by the trees. I wondered if we would need to fight the guards to leave.


    Without Rayden and his friends¡¯ help, we couldn¡¯t slip out unnoticed. Of course, we weren¡¯t in the best


    position to be fighting. Asher and I were wounded, and we had two children with us, not to mention


    Raven, who could wake up at any moment.


    As I contemted our next move, I heard a small noisee from the bushes behind us. I exchanged


    a nce with Asher. He seemed to have heard it too. I silently set Finnick down and motioned for him


    to join Erika. Once he did, Asher and I crouched down and then quietly moved in the direction of the


    sound.


    As we stepped forward, we were surprised to see Rayden, but he didn¡¯t appear to be alone. The Alpha


    of the Wild Crawler Pack didn¡¯t seem too worse for wear, but his expression was distressed like he was


    in some kind of trouble.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Let me go,¡± he hissed to someone beside him. ¡°Or you won¡¯t like what happens


    next.¡±


    A woman¡¯s voice scoffed. ¡°If you don¡¯t do as I say, you¡¯re dead.¡±


    My lips parted as I recognized the voice.


    It was Helene.


    I walked toward them and saw Rayden standing in front of Helene. Helene¡¯s hand was on his right


    shoulder while her left hand was behind his back.


    Helene didn¡¯t seem to recognize me at first.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± she warned me. ¡°My knife is soaked with a deadly poison. This man will die the moment


    it breaks his skin.¡±


    ¡°Helene, it¡¯s me,¡± I pleaded with her. ¡°It¡¯s Cassandra. Please put the knife down. That man is my


    friend.¡±


    Suddenly, her expression changed and her honey-brown eyes widened. She removed her hold on


    Rayden, sheathed her knife, and then moved toward me.


    ¡°Cassandra!¡± she said, and then she wrapped her arms around me. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so happy to see you. I


    didn¡¯t know he was your aplice. Please, take me with you.


    We need to get out of here.¡±

 Chapter 282

    CAS SANDRA


    Asher approached us silently, and once Helene stepped away from me, I nced at Rayden, who was


    rubbing his shoulder with an unpleasant expression on his face.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked him directly. ¡°Where are your people, Rayden?¡±


    Rayden rolled his eyes at Helene. ¡°Ask her. She¡¯s responsible for what happened.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    The Alpha of Wild Crawler gestured around the area. I peered over the bushes and noticed several


    people were lying on the ground, clearly unconscious. When I turned back to Helene, she simply


    shrugged nonchntly.


    ¡°I saw this man and the others sneaking around the grounds with arge wooden box,¡± she answered,


    her eyes watching Rayden suspiciously. ¡°I supposed they were nning on taking something out of the


    castle, so I used some tricks.¡±


    ¡°What tricks?¡± I asked as fear swelled within me. I could see the men¡¯s chests rise and fall with their


    breathing, so it was obvious they were still alive, but that didn¡¯t mean that Helene hadn¡¯t done


    something lethal to them. The ne weapon she¡¯d gifted me proved that she was capable of plenty,


    and besides, I was still a little hesitant toward her after the way she¡¯d acted around Ronald,


    She had been under his spell for a good deal of time, and while she seemed fine now, I was still


    cautious.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to fight against so many men alone, so I used some drugs to make them pass out,¡±


    Helene answered calmly. Her tone was so casual that it was a little rming, and I fought the urge to


    groan.


    Instead, I nced at Rayden, who very much didn¡¯t appear to be drugged.


    ¡°What about him?¡± I asked her as my eyes trailed over my friend from Wild Crawler.


    that he¡¯s your


    ¡°I needed at least one conscious man to negotiate with,¡± she answered. ¡°So I gave him an antidote.


    And then you walked over here: Is it safe to say friend? You seem quite worried about him.¡±


    1/4


    ¦¤


    I sighed and then nodded.


    Though I¡¯d been initially cautious, Helene seemed to have recovered from her state of hysteria. She


    was speaking calmly and seemed to be making sense. But now we had a bunch of unconscious allies


    around us that needed to be roused at once. We needed all of the manpower we could muster if we


    were going to leave Yurene for good.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep my promise to help you get out of here, but I need these men in order to carry out the n,¡± I


    said. ¡°Can you wake them?¡±


    Helene let out a small gasp of happiness and then nodded quickly.


    She got to work administering the antidotes, and as we waited for the men to wake up, Rayden asked


    us what happened.


    ¡°I saw smoke and then watched a bunch of soldiers rush to the checkpoints,¡± he exined as he


    rubbed his neck. ¡°I was so worried about you guys. Thank the Moon Goddess you¡¯re alright. What


    happened exactly?¡±


    I nced at Asher and struggled to find the right words to say. How could I summarize this madness


    when I didn¡¯t understand the details myself?


    ¡°This country is doomed,¡± Helene spoke up, and Ronald isn¡¯t any better than his cousin.¡±


    and all eyes fell to her. ¡°Kaleb is crazy


    Rayden furrowed his brow. ¡°What does that have to do with the fire? I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Kaleb set fire to the main building,¡± I exined. ¡°He was trying to kill Ronald and his aplices, but


    they managed to escape somehow-¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t ¡®somehow¡±,¡± Helene interrupted boldly. ¡°It was magic. I saw it with my own eyes!¡±


    I shot her a re. ¡°Stop, Helene. Things have beenplicated enough. We can our escape n,


    alright?¡±


    discuss the detailste For now, we need to figure


    out


    Helene didn¡¯t seem too keen to let it


    go


    but nodded anyway.


    Asher finally spoke up.


    ¡°The men are all awake,¡± he pointed out. ¡°We should be good to move out. We just


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    A


    need a n.¡±


    Rayden offered him a polite bow of respect. ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s good to see sorry for not bowing


    sooner-¡±


    you.


    I¡¯m


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Asher assured him with a nod and when Rayden softened, he continued


    speaking. ¡°Where is the Alpha of Red Stone?¡±


    ¡°He left the castle earlier today,¡± Rayden replied. ¡°He should be waiting for us with a few of his soldiers


    in the nearest town.¡±


    Asher nodded thoughtfully and then turned to me. ¡°I suppose we return to Erika. We need to take


    advantage of themotion over there.¡±


    I nodded in agreement, and when Helene, Rayden, and Rayden¡¯s men obediently did the same, we left


    the area surrounding the bushes and reunited with Erika.


    Once everyone was in ce, we observed the gate. A bunch of guests were running toward it, hoping


    to leave the castle, but it was soon made obvious that no one was allowed to leave. One of the guests


    tried to forcer through the checkpoint without permission and was shot immediately. Based off his attire,


    the guest seemed to be a high-born from one of the Packs outside of the country.


    Everyone was shocked. Both us and the other guests stared on in shock as the high-born man fell to


    the ground dead.


    My heart sank and I turned Finnick away so he couldn¡¯t see what was happening. He buried his face in


    my neck again and I held him close.


    ¡°I wonder if the other gates are the same,¡± I whispered as my eyes scanned the perimeter of the castle


    grounds.


    ¡°Most likely,¡± Asher replied, much to my dismay. ¡°No one will be able to leave this ce tonight. I¡¯m


    certain of it.¡±


    I wanted to fight against this idea, but I knew he was right. The guards must have received orders from


    someone. Ronald or Kaleb. It didn¡¯t matter. The cousins likely knew the other had tricks up their


    sleeves and we were all coteral. They didn¡¯t care about us. They just cared about killing each other


    and maintaining control of this country. This fight was inevitable.


    past


    few


    I wanted to pull my hair out at the very idea. I¡¯d seen more violence in the months than any person


    should have and I yearned for a more peaceful existence


    3/4


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    Your sign-in rewat.. Come to im your free coins.


    with my family. But here for good.


    and then get out of


    So, I reached into my pocket and retrieved one of the syringes of sedative. I injected Raven with it and


    then we put her in the wooden box. We delegated responsibilities amongst the group and decided that


    Erika and one of Rayden¡¯s


    for taking care of Finnick, L, and the box while the


    gate.


    men would be respons through the


    rest of us would fight to


    Helene had originally been appointed to stay with Erika, but she insisted on fighting with us.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to fight with ws, but I know how to use poisons,¡± she argued, and she showed us


    her knife. I suddenly remembered the eagle ne she¡¯d given me and pulled it out of my pocket.


    ¡°You might need this,¡± I said as I handed it to her. She epted it and stared at me.


    ¡°Did


    you use it?¡± she wondered.


    I shook my head. Helene snorted.


    ¡°If we fail, I¡¯d better use it to end our lives,¡± she said bitterly. ¡°Better that than being caught and tortured


    to death by those crazy Northerners.¡±


    I didn¡¯t like the sound of that but nodded my


    head anyway.


    him a hug.


    Once the n was confirmed, I kissed Finnick and gave


    ¡°I love you,¡± I said as I held him close. ¡°Listen to Aunt Erika, okay?¡±


    He nodded his head. ¡°I will. I love you too, Mommy.¡±


    We parted ways a momentter, and after Asher and I shared a nod, we headed toward the gate.

 Chapter 283

    KALEB


    ¡°What a pleasant surprise,¡± Iughed as I spat out a mouthful of blood.


    Asher Collins was here, and I hadn¡¯t known it until now. Judging by the way he stood beside


    Cassandra, I surmised that he¡¯d been under my nose for at least a day or so, and I was amazed by the


    absurdity of all this.


    On any other day, the self-righteous Alpha King of Wega would have been a worthy adversary. I


    would have engaged in a battle to the death with that co cky leader of my country¡¯s enemy, yet as I


    watched him leave with Cassandra and her maid, I couldn¡¯t stopughing. This situation had escted


    far beyond my expectations.


    My soldiers seemed ready to follow the ck and white wolves, but I ordered them to stop at once.


    71


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to chase after them,¡± I announced as they stared at me with expressions of


    confusion. ¡°No one is able to leave the castle tonight, not even a fly. Besides, I have a more important


    rival to deal with now.¡±


    deal with


    As if on cue, Ronald approached with a group of soldiers surrounding him. My cousin¡¯s face was


    extremely cold and brutal. His blue eyes, usually as soft and blue as a slightly cloudy sky, had iced over


    and shot daggers in my direction as he advanced. I wasn¡¯t used to seeing such a disy of hatred on


    his unassuming features and it brought a smile to my face. It appeared he had finally given up


    pretending to be a gentleman. It was a relief to see his true intentions so readily shown.


    For years, I¡¯d told people that there was more to Ronald than what was on the surface. It had been


    infuriating to see them be so easily swayed by my fool of a cousin, but no one could mistake his


    expression for anything other than malice. His hatred for me brought made my smile widen.


    ¡°In our hatred, we are the same, cousin,¡± I whispered. ¡°Let us see who will be the winner once and for


    all.¡±


    Ronald gave a signal to his soldiers, and mere secondster, the muscr men hastened their pace


    and readied themselves to attack.


    1/4


    |||


    A


    My own soldiers reacted timely. They readied their weapons and fired at Ronald¡¯s men at once, and at


    my signal, they struck. I seemed to have the upper hand, given the number of soldiers at my disposal


    versus Ronald, who had much fewer. But quickly, my men¡¯s store of bullets and arrows ran out.


    The fight against Cassandra hadn¡¯t gone in our favor and my men had wasted too much of their


    ammunition trying to take her down. I silently chastised myself for not making sure they would have an


    additional arsenal, but I hadn¡¯t exactly expected this oue.


    I realized I wasn¡¯t in a favorable position because my cousin could use his wretched sorcery to heal his


    wounded men. It was an unfair advantage, but I would have to make do with what I had.


    This fight was unexpected. Ronald and his men were meant to perish in the fire of the main building, so


    I hadn¡¯t been adequately prepared for a battle. I hadn¡¯t brought enough of my soldiers with me either,


    so when Ronald finally stood right in front of me, he had a clear path. All of the soldiers on my side had


    been dealt with, so I was wide open.


    I extended my nails into ws and prepared to shift into my second form. I was still quite weak from my


    fight against Cassandra, but I wasn¡¯t incapable of defending myself. I was a formidable fighter and I


    needed no weapons but the natural ones I possessed.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    My muscles tensed just as Ronald stopped ten away from me.


    ¡°This will be thest day of your miserable life, Kaleb,¡± he said almost mockingly. His arrogance was


    almost apudable, but I wasn¡¯t about to give up so easily.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± I replied with a raised eyebrow. I spat out another mouthful of blood and then lowered


    my body, ready to shift at any given moment.


    As I moved, Ronald¡¯s soldiers seemed ready to spring into action, but my cousin raised a hand to stop


    them.


    ¡°No,¡± he ordered quietly, and then he took a step toward me.


    My eyebrow raised higher. What was his next move?


    ¡°We didn¡¯t have to be this way, Kaleb,¡± he said. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t done all of this, I never would have


    considered taking your life. And yet¡­¡±


    2/4


    O


    <


    He nced at the burning building behind us. ¡°It was supposed to be a beautiful wedding.¡±


    I wanted tough. That was nonsense. I knew Ronald would have done the same to me if he¡¯d had the


    opportunity. The wedding was an excuse to drum up his aplices. It was nothing more than a


    prelude to usurpation.


    ¡°How could it be a beautiful wedding?¡± I mocked him as I looked at the sky and sneered. ¡°It wasn¡¯t even


    blessed by the moon. Besides, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s beautiful to have to hypnotize your own bride and force


    her to marry you. In fact¡­ some could say it¡¯s a little pathetic to have to go such lengths to make a


    woman want you.¡±


    Ronald smiled coldly. ¡°I¡¯m not crazy lil


    like you are, Kaleb.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡± I countered with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate yourself, Ronald. Weren¡¯t you nning on


    taking this castle over after the wedding ceremony? I suppose I would have been found dead in my


    bed, reeking of alcohol, if I hadn¡¯t uncovered your n beforehand.¡±


    My cousin¡¯s face hardened. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to understand the situation. You are nothing more than a


    dead man now. That being said, I suppose if you¡¯re willing to kneel and beg for my forgiveness, I might


    show some mercy and consider sparing your life.¡±


    He seemed certain I would take advantage of the opportunity, but I had no intention of doing so. I


    remained unmoved,


    ¡°You¡¯re weak,¡± I said calmly. ¡°Even if you took my ce on the throne, you couldn¡¯t rule Yurene


    properly. A mediocre sorcerer like you doesn¡¯t deserve to be a king.¡±


    My words seemed to hit hard. Ronald instantly looked vexed. He turned to his soldiers and ordered


    them tounch their attacks against me.


    I had two seconds to breathe and then the fightmenced. I fought hard against the soldiers and


    managed to avoid most of their attacks, but there were still so


    many


    of them. As the minutes dragged on, it began to feel as if they were undefeatable with the help of


    Ronald. I shifted into my wolf form and it still didn¡¯t feel like it was enough. For every swipe or wound I


    inflicted, my cousin used sorcery to heal his men.


    I was also fightingpletely alone. None of the guests on my side dared step over


    3/4


    A


    4/4


    or go against Ronald under such a circumstance. It was apparent that no one expected me to win.


    It was infuriating. I was still their king and yet, they were all thrilled to see me fall.


    I fought until my knees were weak. I sank to the ground and shifted back into my human form. Blood


    dripped from my numerous wounds and the metallic taste of it filled my mouth. I couldn¡¯t even sense


    the pain now. I could hardly even move. I was so numb I barely even felt alive.


    Ronald stepped forward and then ced his hand on my head, forcing me to lower it.


    ¡°You¡¯re weak like a puppy without Roxy here to help you,¡± he said harshly and then he softened. ¡°If only


    we had been friends before. We were both abandoned, Kaleb. I was the pawn of the king and you were


    the unwanted son. We could have been a united front, and yet here we are.¡±


    His voice was so grating that I couldn¡¯t take it any longer. I shifted myself away his touch and then spat


    a mouthful of blood onto his face.


    Ronald¡¯s mouth jerked at one corner as his eyes filled with anger. He stole a knife from the sheath of


    one of his nearby soldiers and then raised it in the air. He used


    his other hand to grab me and aimed the de at my heart.


    I closed my eyes.

 Chapter 284

    CASSANDRA


    The fight was far more brutal than I¡¯d expected.


    When we¡¯d left Erika, Finnick, L, and Raven behind and headed toward the gate surrounding


    Vlokwell, I¡¯d known that we were getting ourselves into a mess of trouble, but I didn¡¯t know how bad it


    would be.


    The guards of the gate were far more difficult to defeat than anticipated, even with our numbers.


    We had all shifted into either our wolf forms or at least partial forms, and even as wolves, it was a


    struggle to win against Kaleb¡¯s men.


    As Asher and I fought off one of the men, Rayden and his men took on another. It was a flurry of


    motion and movement, and it had taken all of my efforts to remain focused on the fight. Thankfully,


    Asher and I were a great team, and we managed to take our guard down after a little while.


    The others, though, weren¡¯t as lucky.


    Rayden had nearly lost his left arm fighting with arge, burly wolf whose ws seemed as long as


    swords. Luckily, Helene reacted swiftly before those deadly nails could cut too deeply into the Alpha of


    Wild Crawler¡¯s shoulder and plunged her poisoned knife into the guard. Rayden waspletely taken


    aback, as was the guard, and when the wolf fell to the ground dead, his eyes widened, and stared at


    Helene in shock.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said to her as he fought to catch his breath.


    Helene nodded at him, and then we continued on.


    In addition to the pair of guards up front, there were guards stationed at the checkpoints ahead, but


    once we had broken the gate, the other guests seeking escape cheered. They had maintained their


    distance at first, unsure of how things would work out, but once they knew we were the good guys, so


    to speak, morale was boosted, and the guests joined our fight.


    The influx of numbers helped our cause, and we quickly managed to pass all of the checkpoints.


    A few of the men went back to grab Erika, the children, and the box containing Raven, and once we


    were all reunited, we left the horrible castle in the dust.


    |||


    O


    Cars arranged by Rayden and the Alpha of the Red Stone Pack were waiting for us outside of Vlokwell,


    hidden behind a host of thick pine trees. We all piled into the vehicles, and once they began to drive


    away, I finally released a heavy exhale of relief.


    We had done it.


    We had survived somehow.


    Well, at least mostly.


    Rayden, Asher, and the other men were severely wounded. I had some cuts on my arms and


    shoulders, and Helene had some bruises forming on her arms and shins. Thankfully, Erika, L, and


    Finnick were perfectly fine.


    We were all exhausted, and as the cars drove off the road at a fast speed, I looked back through the


    window at the living hell behind us.


    The smoke was so intense that I couldn¡¯t see the castle at all. It was a nightmarish sigh, one I was


    more than happy to finally leave behind. I wasn¡¯t sure where Kaleb had gone, but I also didn¡¯t care. All


    that mattered was that we were free from the confines of his wicked fortress.


    The car continued driving and soon darkness fell. I drifted in and out of sleep, never knowing what time


    it was, until finally, the sky began to brighten again, revealing the dawn. The car came to a stop soon


    after and when I nced out the window, I saw lights.


    The driver stepped out of the car and held the doors open for us. I took a deep breath and then


    carefully got out of the vehicle. My muscles ached as I stretched and I grimaced at the effort. All I


    wanted was a bath and a good night¡¯s sleep.


    We had arrived ar


    a country house. The Alpha of the Red Stone Pack was there waiting for us on the porch. He was a tall,


    middle-aged man with pale blonde hair and kind eyes, and he greeted us warmly and politely.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± he addressed Asher with respect, and he bowed. ¡°Wee. Please, allow me to escort


    you inside.¡±


    Asher nodded. ¡°Thank you for your hospitality.¡±


    The Alpha led us into the house, and I was pleased to see that all of the rooms within had been


    arranged nicely for us. It wasn¡¯t a big house, but it was cozy andfortable. After all we¡¯d been


    through in Vlokwell, I would have happily taken a


    shack or worse.


    111


    O


    We assigned people to the different rooms, and once everything was arranged, the wooden box was


    brought into the house. Rayden¡¯s men pulled Raven out, and much to my relief, the sorceress was still


    sleeping.


    ¡°Is there anything we can use to limit her movement once she wakes up?¡± I wondered.


    One of the men retrieved some ropes and carefully secured Raven¡¯s wrists so she couldn¡¯t escape or


    use sorcery once she awoke. When we were sure she couldn¡¯t escape, we all went into our separate


    rooms to get some sleep.


    L was still unconscious, but her breath was steady. She stayed with Erika, while Finnick insisted that


    he wanted to sleep with me.


    With all that had happened and the millions of things that still needed to be sorted out, I thought I


    wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep, but as Iy in bed and watched Finnick¡¯s chest rise and fall, my eyelids grew


    heavy.


    I drifted off into dreamless sleep soon after.


    ***


    When I woke up, the sun was shining in the sky, and its rays made the room bright and warm. My


    vision took a moment to focus, and when it did, I realized Finnick wasn¡¯t in bed with me. I started to sit


    up, but then I spotted someone beside me.


    ¡°Asher?¡± I asked in surprise.


    The Alpha King was lying on his side, propping his head up with his hand. He gave me a soft smile.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± he greeted me quietly.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± I replied with a smirk. ¡°Where¡¯s Finnick?¡¯


    ¡°He¡¯s with L, ying outside¡± Asher answered. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful day, so Erika decided to go out with


    them. We wanted to make sure you got some rest.¡±


    After I nodded, I noticed all of Asher¡¯s wounds had been dressed and bandaged. Hisplexion was


    pale, but his eyes were bright. He was just as handsome as


    ever.


    Asher reached out and I leaned closer, allowing him to pull me close. He pressed his warm lips against


    mine, and a tingling feeling ran down my spine. His familiar scent flooded my senses, and a soft sigh


    escaped me when we parted.


    111


    Mon, 25 Mar


    ¡°It seems like we survived,¡± Iughed lightly.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Yes, we did,¡± Asher agreed.


    As I stared at him, I could still sense fear lingering in my heart. I had been so afraid of losing him, and


    part of me was still terrified.


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± he answered. ¡°The stiffness is surprisingly gone. All things considered, I¡¯m doing fine.¡±


    His lips grazed against my neck, indicating that he wanted to do something more than talk. I knew he


    wanted me as much as I wanted him, but there were a million other things on my mind.


    ¡°We need to get up,¡± I said reluctantly. ¡°What time is it now?¡±


    Rayden, Erika, and the Alpha of Red Stone were probably waiting for us.


    ¡°Let them wait,¡± Asher insisted, and his lips continued to travel down my neck.


    A giggle escaped me. I wanted to protest, but the nice warm morning with the sun shining on our


    bodies was irresistible. So, I kissed him back.


    Just as I did, I heard Finnick on the other side of the door calling my name. Before I could move or


    reply, the door opened. My lips were still on Asher¡¯s when L and Finnick ran in, and the children¡¯s


    cheeks turned red at the sight.


    We pulled apart and Asher chuckled.


    L reacted before Finnick did.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she apologized, and she shut the door hastily. Once it was closed, Asher and Iughed


    together.

 Chapter 285

    CASSANDRA


    One thing was certain. The view outside of the country house was indeed beautiful.


    Once Asher and I pulled ourselves out of bed, we stepped outside and took a look at the wildlife


    surrounding us. Beyond the house, a great stretch of open field seemed endless. Green nts covered


    the field and colorful wildflowers grew everywhere. They dotted the field like confetti, and their perfume


    filled the air with a pleasant aroma.


    For a moment, Ipletely forgot our circumstances and simply enjoyed the gorgeous sight. We


    hadn¡¯t had a moment of peace in so long. Life had been an endless string of battles, violence, and


    schemes, and it felt nice to breathe.


    Unfortunately, we couldn¡¯t rest for too long or enjoy the scenery for more than a few minutes. We had


    to think about what to do next.


    A meeting was called soon after. We all gathered around the backyard, save for Erika, Helene, and the


    children.


    Once we were all gathered, the Alpha of Red Stone began to speak. He told us that this house was


    located near the borders of Wega and Yurene. It was a forgotten ce and very few people lived out


    here. He assured us that the smells from the flowers and fruit trees would make it nearly impossible for


    outsiders to track tour scents, so we were safe here.


    He then exined that there was a channel only a few miles away through which we could leave the


    country. The sentry post that should have been filled with Yurenian soldiers had been abandoned long


    ago, so it would be easy for us to leave through the channel. But it would cost us more time.


    We took a moment to deliberate. We needed to get back to Wega as soon as possible but we had to


    do it strategically.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen in Vlokwell,¡± I said. ¡°Kaleb and Ronald sought to destroy each


    other and it¡¯s hard to say who would win. Regardless of the victor, they would surely consider this


    channel, so we¡¯d better not take this chance lightly.¡±


    Asher nodded. ¡°We should move out as soon as possible.¡±


    I knew he was right, but we needed time to get some rest and tend our wounds.


    O


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    <


    Rayden and a few of the men had been wounded pretty severely, and although Asher continued to


    im he was alright, he was still very pale.


    Admittedly, I was still exhausted too. My muscles ached and I had quite a few wounds that could use


    some care before we left.


    We went back and forth for a while until finally, we decided we would need to leave this ce in three


    days. That would be more than enough time to rest and ready ourselves for the next half of this


    mission.


    The Alpha of Red Stone rmended that we should go with him to his Pack. He assured us that we


    would be safe from any soldiers and invited us to stay as long as we wanted until we recovered.


    It was a tempting offer, but we knew we couldn¡¯t take it. We needed to go back to Wega and deal


    with the chaos there.


    Rayden insisted that he woulde with us, but Ashermanded him to go to Red Stone and


    remain there until he was fully recovered. Rayden seemed reluctant, but Asher reminded him that even


    if he took the three days to rest, his condition would be too poor for him to travel back to Wega, and


    Wild Crawler couldn¡¯t lose its Alpha.


    with


    After she was given the option to stay or go, Helene decided that she would go the Alpha of Red Stone.


    She didn¡¯t want to get herself in trouble and she wasn¡¯t a citizen of Wega.


    ¡°I have no ce there,¡± she mused. ¡°I need to figure out my next step, so Red Stone seems like the


    rational option.¡±


    She then presented the idea of taking L with her, which surprised me greatly. She exined that she


    liked the little girl very much and considered her to be a friend. She swore she would take care of her


    as if she were her own.


    While it was a surprise, when I saw the glittering twinkle in Helene¡¯s caramel brown eyes, I knew L


    would be in good hands.


    Once that was settled, I advised Erika to go with Helene. Anemond would be too dangerous and I didn¡¯t


    want to risk my dear friend to get hurt. Erika was like a mother to me. I couldn¡¯t lose her when things


    were so precarious.


    As for Finnick, I wasn¡¯t sure what to do. I couldn¡¯t make a decision. I knew I shouldn¡¯t leave him behind,


    but I was worried about what could happen if he came with us. Just as I feared Erika¡¯s safety, I feared


    my son¡¯s too, so I decided I needed to have a discussion with him. He was such a young boy, but he


    was mature


    O


    beyond his years, so I knew he would understand if I exined things to him.


    Once our meeting was over, one of Rayden¡¯s men came over and told me that Raven had woken up.


    The sorceress had apparently refused to eat, drink, or say anything aside from wanting to see me.


    I was annoyed at the interruption but decided to see her anyway. I wasn¡¯t too pleased with the young


    woman, but I had brought her with us for a reason.


    When I entered the room she¡¯d been ced in, Raven¡¯s eyes lit up and trailed over


    1. me.


    ¡°Cassandra!¡± she practically shouted. ¡°Look at you! You¡¯re a great sorceress now! How do you feel?


    I¡¯ve heard that great sorceresses can predict their own fates. I bet you feel amazing, huh? You should


    thank me for that, because without my brilliant idea, Kaleb would never have known how to cultivate


    your potential.¡±


    I stared at her coldly. ¡°Could that terrible fire really be called a brilliant idea?¡±


    She nodded manically. ¡°Without the fire, you never would have been able to connect with your past,


    your painful memories¡­ Your potential was linked to your bad memories, Cassandra. You needed to


    see them. The method may have been unorthodox, but it was brilliant nheless.¡±


    As irritation swelled within me, I fought the urge to hit her.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked her coldly. ¡°I was told you refuse to eat or drink. Do you want to die?¡±


    Raven tilted her head slightly. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be asking you that question? Why did you bring me here,


    Cassandra? Do you want to torture me like we did to the guinea pigs? Or do you n to dismember my


    body and see what a sorceress would be like on the inside? I know you¡¯re a healer, so the research


    could be-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have twisted interests like you,¡± I cut her off before she could continue and I stifled a snarl. ¡°I


    want you to tell me how tomand the magic within me. I haven¡¯t been able to control my newfound


    power freely and I want to learn how.¡±


    ¡°And why should I do that?¡± Raven wondered and she rolled her pretty eyes in


    annoyance.


    ¡°Because your life is in my hands,¡± I replied, and then I extended my nails into ws and narrowed my


    eyes at her. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, you¡¯d better cooperate. And you better not y any tricks or


    attempt to fool me, Raven. I can assure you that if you try to cross me, I¡¯ll slit your throat without


    hesitation.

 Chapter 286

    One thing was certain. The view outside of the country house was indeed beautiful.


    Once Asher and I pulled ourselves out of bed, we stepped outside and took a look at the wildlife


    surrounding us. Beyond the house, a great stretch of open field seemed endless. Green nts covered


    the field and colorful wildflowers grew everywhere. They dotted the field like confetti, and their perfume


    filled the air with a pleasant aroma.


    For a moment, Ipletely forgot our circumstances and simply enjoyed the gorgeous sight. We


    hadn¡¯t had a moment of peace in so long. Life had been an endless string of battles, violence, and


    schemes, and it felt nice to breathe.


    Unfortunately, we couldn¡¯t rest for too long or enjoy the scenery for more than a few minutes. We had


    to think about what to do next.


    A meeting was called soon after. We all gathered around the backyard, save for Erika, Helene, and the


    children.


    Once we were all gathered, the Alpha of Red Stone began to speak. He told us that this house was


    located near the borders of Wega and Yurene. It was a forgotten ce and very few people lived out


    here. He assured us that the smells from the flowers and fruit trees would make it nearly impossible for


    outsiders to track tour scents, so we were safe here.


    He then exined that there was a channel only a few miles away through which we could leave the


    country. The sentry post that should have been filled with Yurenian soldiers had been abandoned long


    ago, so it would be easy for us to leave through the channel. But it would cost us more time.


    We took a moment to deliberate. We needed to get back to Wega as soon as possible but we had to


    do it strategically.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen in Vlokwell,¡± I said. ¡°Kaleb and Ronald sought to destroy each


    other and it¡¯s hard to say who would win. Regardless of the victor, they would surely consider this


    channel, so we¡¯d better not take this chance lightly.¡±


    Asher nodded. ¡°We should move out as soon as possible.¡±


    I knew he was right, but we needed time to get some rest and tend our wounds. Rayden and a few of


    the men had been wounded pretty severely, and although Asher continued to im he was alright, he


    was still very pale.


    Admittedly, I was still exhausted too. My muscles ached and I had quite a few wounds that could use


    some care before we left.


    We went back and forth for a while until finally, we decided we would need to leave this ce in


    three days. That would be more than enough time to rest and ready ourselves for the next half of this


    mission.


    The Alpha of Red Stone rmended that we should go with him to his Pack. He assured us that we


    would be safe from any soldiers and invited us to stay as long as we wanted until we recovered.


    It was a tempting offer, but we knew we couldn¡¯t take it. We needed to go back to Wega and deal


    with the chaos there.


    Rayden insisted that he woulde with us, but Ashermanded him to go to Red Stone and


    remain there until he was fully recovered. Rayden seemed reluctant, but Asher reminded him that even


    if he took the three days to rest, his condition would be too poor for him to travel back to Wega, and


    Wild Crawler couldn¡¯t lose its Alpha.


    After she was given the option to stay or go, Helene decided that she would go with the Alpha of Red


    Stone. She didn¡¯t want to get herself in trouble and she wasn¡¯t a citizen of Wega.


    ¡°I have no ce there,¡± she mused. ¡°I need to figure out my next step, so Red Stone seems like the


    rational option.¡±


    She then presented the idea of taking L with her, which surprised me greatly. She exined that she


    liked the little girl very much and considered her to be a friend. She swore she would take care of her


    as if she were her own.


    While it was a surprise, when I saw the glittering tw inkle in Helene¡¯s caramel brown eyes, I knew L


    would be in good hands.


    Once that was settled, I advised Erika to go with Helene. Anemond would be too dangerous and I didn¡¯t


    want to risk my dear friend to get hurt. Erika was like a mother to me. I couldn¡¯t lose her when things


    were so precarious.


    As for Finnick, I wasn¡¯t sure what to do. I couldn¡¯t make a decision. I knew I shouldn¡¯t leave him behind,


    but I was worried about what could happen if he came with us. Just as I feared Erika¡¯s safety, I feared


    my son¡¯s too, so I decided I needed to have a discussion with him. He was such a young boy, but he


    was mature beyond his years, so I knew he would understand if I exined things to him.


    Once our meeting was over, one of Rayden¡¯s men came over and told me that Raven had woken up.


    The sorceress had apparently refused to eat, drink, or say anything aside from wanting to see


    me.


    I was annoyed at the interruption but decided to see her anyway. I wasn¡¯t too pleased with the young


    woman, but I had brought her with us for a reason.


    When I entered the room she¡¯d been ced in, Raven¡¯s eyes lit up and trailed over me,


    ¡°Cassandra!¡± she practically shouted. ¡°Look at you! You¡¯re a great sorceress now! How do you feel?


    I¡¯ve heard that great sorceresses can predict their own fates. I bet you feel amazing, hub? You should


    thank me for that, because without my brilliant idea, Kaleb would never have known how to cultivate


    your potential.¡±


    I stared at her coldly. ¡°Could that terrible fire really be called a brilliant idea?¡±


    She nodded manically, ¡°Without the fire, you never would have been able to connect with your past,


    your painful memories¡­ Your potential was linked to your bad memories, Cassandra. You needed to


    see them. The method may have been unorthodox, but it was brilliant nheless¡±


    As irritation swelled within me, I fought the urge to hit her.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked her coldly. ¡°I was told you refuse to eat or drink. Do you want to die?¡±


    Raven tilted her head slightly. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be asking you that question? Why did you bring me here,


    Cassandra? Do you want to torture me like we did to the gui nea pigs? Or do you n to dismember


    my body and see what a sorceress would be like on the inside? I know you¡¯re a healer, so the research


    could be-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have twisted interests like you,¡± I cut her off before she could continue and I stifled a suarl ¡°I


    want you to tell me how tomand the magic within me. I haven¡¯t been able to control my newfound


    power freely and I want to learn how


    ¡°And why should I do that?¡± Raven wondered and she rolled her pretty eyes in annoyance,


    ¡°Because your life is in my hands,¡± I replied, and then I extended my nails into ws and narrowed my


    eyes at her. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, you¡¯d better cooperate. And you better not y any tricks or


    attempt to fool me, Raven. I can assure you that if you try to cross me, I¡¯ll slit your throat without


    hesitation.


    I¡¯ve heard that great sorceresses can predict their own fates. I bet you feel amazing, huh? You should


    thank me for that, because without my brilliant idea, Kaleb would never have known how to cultivate


    your potential.¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    I stared at her coldly, ¡°Could that terrible fire really be called a brilliant idea?¡±¡¤


    She nodded manically. ¡°Without the fire, you never would have been able to connect with your past,


    your painful memories¡­ Your potential was linked to your bad memories, Cassandra. You needed to


    see them. The method may have been unorthodox, but it was brilliant nheless.¡±


    As irritation swelled within me, I fought the urge to hit her.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked her coldly. ¡°I was told you refuse to eat or drink. Do you want to die?¡±


    Raven tilted her head slightly. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be asking you that question? Why did you bring me here,


    Cassandra? Do you want to torture me like we did to the gui nea pigs? Or do you n to dismember


    my body and see what a sorceress would be like on the inside? I know you¡¯re a healer,


    so the research could be-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have twisted interests like you,¡± I cut her off before she could continue and I stifled a snarl. ¡°I


    want you to tell me how tomand the magic within me. I haven¡¯t been able to control my newfound


    power freely and I want to learn how.¡±


    ¡°And why should I do that?¡± Raven wondered and she rolled her pretty eyes in annoyance.


    ¡°Because your life is in my hands,¡± I replied, and then I extended my nails into ws and narrowed my


    eyes at her. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, you¡¯d better cooperate. And you better not y any tricks or


    attempt to fool me, Raven. I can assure you that if you try to cross me, I¡¯ll slit your throat without


    hesitation.

 Chapter 287

    Yesterday, during a Pack meeting, Darwin waited until we concluded with business to mention that he


    had heard that I was a famous womanizer back in Anemond. It was said in an almost mocking,


    condescending tone of voice.


    ¡°Nothing but a rumor,¡± I said evenly, though anger swelled within me. It was indeed a rumor, one I


    spread deliberately long ago in an attempt to stop Margaret from meddling with my love life. She had


    great enthusiasm when it came to the prospect of coupling me with a high-borndy from a prestigious


    family, so I fashioned myself a cad to keep the women at bay.


    Kiara seemed stunned by this information. Her hazel eyes nced away from me and she bit her full


    lower lip. Just her horror alone was enough to make me want to reach across the table and ce my


    hands around Darwin¡¯s throat.


    I didn¡¯t know what Kiara was thinking, but I suspected she might be wondering if I had proposed to


    many women easily without any sense of responsibility.


    It was infuriating. I had made mistakes in the past, but I didn¡¯t think I was making one here. Though we


    didn¡¯t know each other well, I didn¡¯t think of Kiara like that.]


    Darwin grinned at me coyly, and again I wanted to hit him.


    It was ironic that he had made such a specific dig at my character, especially after what I¡¯d heard from


    a group of ser vants just the other day. They had been in the far corner of the room, gossiping amongst


    themselves when they thought no one could hear them. I wasn¡¯t one to stick my nose where it didn¡¯t


    belong, but I heard them mention Darwin, so I couldn¡¯t resist.


    As it turned out, he was the son of a shameful mistress. ording to the se rvants, his mother was a


    shifty, calcted woman who manipted herself into a position of power. It was funny really, since my


    mother was the same sort of person.


    I considered bringing up Darwin¡¯s mother at the meeting but decided it was beneath me to administer


    such a low blow. I would hold onto that information and potentially use itter.


    Darwin¡¯s intentions were clear. He wanted to expel me and prove I didn¡¯t deserve to be the future ruler


    of Sky Pride.


    Of course, he couldn¡¯t act on his impulses, not when Alpha Arthur was still unconscious.


    2/4


    X


    Emergency calls only MO


    *


    092%


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    12:36


    The morning after the meeting, I caught the Alpha¡¯s healer outside of his room in the hallway and


    ushered him


    over.


    +5


    ¡°Lord Kane,¡± he greeted me politely. ¡°How may I help you?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to ask about the condition of the Alpha,¡± I said quietly as I nced around to make sure we


    were alone. ¡°How is he?¡±


    ¡±


    The healer¡¯s face grew solemn. ¡°His condition has deteriorated swiftly. He¡­ he likely won¡¯t survive past


    a week.¡±


    I nodded, shocked by the news, and I waited until the healer was gone to sigh. A week? That news was


    far more grim than I¡¯d hoped.


    I knew that if Arthur died, Darwin would get fullmand of the Pack and would sweep me out in no


    time. I also knew that Kiara would be condemned to live as Darwin¡¯s wife, and I couldn¡¯t decide which


    fact was worse.


    I decided to visit the Alpha to see his condition for myself, and when I opened the door, I was surprised


    to see Kiara. She was sitting in a chair beside the bed and she was crying so hard she didn¡¯t notice me


    at first. When she finally did, she cried even harder.


    I rushed to her side and swept her into my arms, pulling her close. Her ckberry perfume filled my


    nostrils with its pleasant aroma, and I stroked her long hair as she wrapped her arms around me. Her


    curls were incredibly soft.


    She cried against my shoulder, and the moist, warm feeling against my shirt left me speechless. Kiara


    loved her father dearly and it was clear she wasn¡¯t handling the news well.


    ¡°Why would the Moon Goddess take him away?¡± she whimpered, her voice underscored with hurt and


    anger. ¡°He¡¯s always been so strong and healthy, Kane. For him to suddenly be so sick¡­ it makes no


    sense to me. Even the healer couldn¡¯t figure out what happened. I¡­ I don¡¯t know what to do. I can¡¯t


    lose him.¡±


    She dissolved into sobs and I pulled her in tighter. We stood there for a while, locked in each other¡¯s


    embrace, and as Kiara continued to cry, I looked over at Alpha Arthur. His face had a strange sheen to


    it and his lips were deep purple.


    My eyebrows knitted together and I slowly pulled away from Kiara just enough to look into her eyes.


    ¡°When did this start?¡± I wondered. ¡°When did he get sick? And what do the healers know?¡±


    ¡°It started around a year ago,¡± Kiaramented. ¡°The healers said they couldn¡¯t identify what the cause


    was, but every part of my father¡¯s body started deteriorating quickly.¡±


    ¡°Had he been taking any medicine or drugs?¡± I wondered.


    Kiara stared back at me in confusion and then nodded. ¡°The healer prescribed some medicine and


    nutritional products, but they haven¡¯t been useful at all.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember the first symptom of the disease?¡± I asked as suspicion rose within me. Something


    about this seemed familiar.


    She nodded again. ¡°It started to appear after a hunting trip he went on with Darwin and a few soldiers.


    They were deep in the forest and he passed out all of a sudden. It was all so strange.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to scare Kiara, but her words stirred up a bold assumption.


    I didn¡¯t think the Alpha was ill because of a disease.

 Chapter 288

    KANE


    079% 11:05


    Though it was a bold theory I had yet to find evidence to support, I knew it was a stronger guess than


    anything


    else the Sky Pride healers made.


    Even though it had been many years since then, I could still remember what Asher¡¯s father looked like


    when he¡¯d died. His face had the same yellowish sheen as Alpha Arthur¡¯s and his lips were unusually


    purple. The two men had the same dryness in their skin, and the same frigid bodies.


    It was too much of a coincidence to not be true.


    If my assumption was correct, that would indicate that the head healer wasplicit in this scheme.


    But why?


    What were the motivations behind it all?


    ¡°Is the healer still administering medicine to your father?¡± I asked Kiara, my eyes still locked on the


    unconscious


    Alpha.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she replied. ¡°The treatments have been more frequenttely because the healer thinks the


    medicine will help him live longer.¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I knew at once that wasn¡¯t the truth. I could almost be sure that the ¡°medicine¡± Alpha Arthur was taking


    was in fact poison. The mastermind behind this n seemed impatient and couldn¡¯t wait any longer for


    the Alpha¡¯s death, so the frequency of the treatments had been increased.


    Kiara took notice of my expression and wiped the tears away from her face. Her eyebrows knitted


    together and


    she studied me closely.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she wondered suspiciously. ¡°You seem¡­ intrigued. Is something going on?¡±


    I parted my lips, unsure of what to say. I didn¡¯t want to rm her since she was in such a fragile state,


    but then again, I couldn¡¯t keep her in the dark. This was her father¡¯s life. She deserved to know my


    theory.


    ¡°I¡¯m wondering if there¡¯s something wrong with the medicine,¡± I said calmly.


    1/5


    1 X


    X079% 11:05


    +5


    Kiara¡¯s doe-like hazel eyes widened even further. ¡°What makes you say that?¡±


    ¡°There are¡­ signs,¡± I answered vaguely. ¡°Signs that there might be foul y involved-¡±


    ¡°Foul y?¡± she repeated back, interrupting me. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, Kane. The head healer has


    served my father for more than twenty years.¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s hard to believe,¡± I said, raising my hands up a little as if to calm her. ¡°But I¡¯ve known and


    seen someone who had been taking chronic poison under the guise of medicine before. He shared


    certain traits with your father, Kiara.¡±


    The Alpha¡¯s daughter fell silent. Without thinking, I reached out and took her hands in mine. They were


    deadly cold and she was trembling.


    I wished I could find a way to soothe her. It was an instinctual need, the desire to make her feel better.


    We didn¡¯t know each other well and yet¡­ it was almost as if I¡¯d known her spirit for a while. It was a


    strange feeling, one l wasn¡¯t used to. I wasn¡¯t known for my ability to connect with people but this girl


    was different. She was kind and had a good heart. The depths of herpassion felt endless.


    As my mind filled with thoughts of her, she gazed up at me through her thick darkshes. She seemed


    disoriented as if this news was too much to bear. Her lips parted a few times but then closed again as if


    she didn¡¯t wish to speak.


    Finally, she sighed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± she said as she continued to tremble. ¡°I¡¯ve always trusted the healer and I¡¯ve


    helped administer the medicine quite a few times. What if it¡¯s poison after all? That would mean that I


    helped someone kill my father-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± I interrupted her sternly. ¡°You mustn¡¯t me yourself. You had no reason to suspect


    otherwise, Kiara.¡±


    ¡°Who would have done this?¡± she wondered as she shook her head. ¡°My father has always been kind


    and generous to his people. Everyone loves and respects him.¡±


    Though I had a name in mind, I didn¡¯t tell Kiara my theory. It would be too much of a blow to her and


    she was too fragile to handle it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I lied and I shrugged to reinforce my unsureness.


    2/5


    X


    She released a sigh, clearly buying myme answer.


    ¡°What do we do next?¡± she wondered. ¡°We clearly can¡¯t keep letting the healer give my father poison.¡±


    O


    ¡°We need to confront the healer and force her to tell us the truth,¡± I replied. ¡°We can¡¯t let this go on any


    longer, not when your father¡¯s life is in the bnce.¡±


    Kiara nodded solemnly. ¡°The healer is supposed toe back in two hours. We can confront him


    then.¡±


    Though that seemed like the natural answer, I shook my head.


    ¡°This ce is full of soldiers,¡± I remarked. ¡°The healer needs to be questioned by someone in a high


    position, someone she wouldn¡¯t dare go against. If we question him here, we might not get the truth. Do


    you know which road the healer usually takes to get home?¡±


    I knew that the healer didn¡¯t live within the castle, which was something we could use to our advantage.


    Kiara considered my question carefully and then nodded. She told me where the healer lived and the


    route they took to get to the pce.


    ¡°I will wait for him there then,¡± I remarked.


    ¡°I¡¯lle with you,¡± Kiara offered but I shook my head again.


    ¡°It will be too dangerous,¡± I stated firmly.


    ¡°I need toe,¡± she insisted. ¡°I would never forgive myself otherwise. Please, Kane. Besides, you


    have no helpers here. All of the Myriad soldiers left with the Alpha King and the Sky Pride soldiers


    aren¡¯t very loyal to you. You can¡¯t do this alone.¡±


    She had a point. I didn¡¯t have many allies here. Darwin had seen to that personally. I knew it would be


    tough to do this alone, so despite the voice in my head saying otherwise, I agreed to let here.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need to leave soon,¡± I advised. ¡°Be ready toe with me. We¡¯ll meet in the foyer.¡±


    An hour and a halfter, Kiara and I left the pce undetected and went to the road the healer usually


    traveled down.


    3/5


    X


    Emergency calls only


    079% 11:05


    O


    Sure enough, Kiara¡¯s intel had been spot-on, and after a while, the healer passed by without difficulty.


    They seemedpletely unworried, so I managed to sneak out and grab him immediately.


    Taking his cor, I pushed him against the wall of the building we¡¯d hidden behind and exposed my


    ws.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make a sound,¡± I threatened him. Thankfully, no one was around, but I wasn¡¯t taking any


    chances.


    The healer¡¯s face went pale and he looked both confused and scared.


    ¡°Kiara, please help-¡± he insisted, but the Alpha¡¯s daughter wasn¡¯t having it. Her pretty eyes shot


    daggers in his


    direction.


    ¡°Listen to Kane,¡± she said, her tone so fierce it was almost a growl.


    I was a little surprised by the ferocity of her voice and nearly smiled at the sound of it, but I managed to


    stay focused on the task at hand. I stared intensely at the healer and tightened my hold.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been trying to kill the Alpha,¡± I said clearly. ¡°Why?¡±


    The healer¡¯s eyes widened and he shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about-¡±


    My ws sharpened and dug into his skin.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t tell the truth, I¡¯ll kill you right here,¡± I threatened him again.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± the healer blurted boldly. ¡°That¡¯s not how things are done in Sky Pride-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± I sneered as my ws dug in further.


    ¡°Lord Darwin wouldn¡¯t let me-¡± the healer started to say but then he froze as if he hadn¡¯t meant to


    speak.


    I wasn¡¯t surprised to hear that Darwin was involved, but Kiara was stunned. A long silence lingered and


    then she took a step forward toward us.


    ¡°Was it Darwin who ordered you to poison my father?¡± she demanded. ¡°Why would he want you to do


    that?¡±

 Chapter 289

    The healer appeared dejected as the Alpha¡¯s daughter stared him down with a vicious expression on


    her beautiful face, but he seemed to know that it was toote for him to deny the truth.


    ¡°Please, forgive me, Kiara,¡± he pleaded pathetically. ¡°This all got out of hand and it didn¡¯t go the way


    you think. I didn¡¯t do this for revenge or to spite your father. Darwin forced me to administer the poison.


    He threatened to kill my wife and children if I disobeyed his orders.¡±


    Kiara softened slightly but I maintained my ferocity. As cruel as it sounded, I wasn¡¯t going to wilt just


    because the healer had an excuse. If he was telling the truth I would let up, but until I was certain, I


    wouldn¡¯t rx.


    ¡°What does Darwin want?¡± Kiara repeated herself.


    The healer simply nced at her without saying a word.


    The answer was self-evident. If the Alpha died without a proper heir, Darwin would be the one in power.


    Kiara would either have to marry him or suffer the same fate as her father. Something told me that


    Darwin had a preference but would ept either option to get what he wanted.


    Kiara seemed flustered as she started to put the pieces together, so I spoke to the healer instead.


    ¡°Can the Alpha be saved?¡± I wondered.


    The healer considered the question for a moment.


    ¡°It would be difficult, but I could try,¡± he said finally. ¡°I think if I had the proper herbs I could rouse him


    from hisa and then begin to treat the rest of the poison as I would anything else. It would take


    some time, and there¡¯s no guarantee, but I think I could try.¡±


    I nodded and then nced at Kiara. She snapped out of her daze and then nodded. Once I had her


    turned my attention back to the healer.


    approval, I


    ¡°You need to do your best to keep this between us,¡± I said firmly but not unkindly. ¡°If youply, we¡¯ll


    make sure your family is safe, If not, your life might be forfeit. It¡¯s all up to you.¡±


    The healer nodded quickly. ¡°Of course. You have my word.¡±


    I released my hold on his cor and the healer rubbed his neck and wiped the small droplets of blood


    away from his skin. My ws hadn¡¯t pressed in hard enough to inflict too much damage, but enough to


    still leave some marks.


    We decided to return to the pce to check the Alpha¡¯s condition together. Just as expected, the


    healer gave us a warning stare before we entered Arthur¡¯s room. He pressed a finger against his lips,


    indicating that we shouldn¡¯t discuss anything here within the castle.


    We did as instructed and allowed the healer to examine Arthur. Kiara maintained her distance, but her


    eyes remained locked on her father. She seemed fiercely determined to make sure he would be okay,


    and I admired her greatly for it.


    Once the healer was done, he gestured to the door. It took me a moment to realize he would only


    speak to us about the Alpha outside of the castle. It was risky to follow him out since we still didn¡¯t


    know if we could trust the healerpletely, but after Kiara and I exchanged a nce, we stepped out


    of the room.


    We followed the healer out of the castle and all the way to the side road again. After the healer nced


    around, he broke the silence and let out a soft sigh.


    ¡°The good news is that the Alpha is okay, he informed us. ¡°Darwin had instructed me to increase the


    strength of the poison the other day, but I didn¡¯t do it. I will stop the administration of the medicine at


    once and shift him over to normal nutritional pills that should improve his condition.¡±


    Kiara lit up at this news but I wasn¡¯tpletely convinced.


    ¡°You¡¯d better be telling the truth,¡± I warned the healer. ¡°And you better not be ying any tricks. I won¡¯t


    stand for any more harming to the Alpha. Do you understand?¡±


    The healer nodded seriously. ¡°Of course, Lord Kane. I don¡¯t want the Alpha to die. That¡¯s why I hadn¡¯t


    yet used the stronger poison. I don¡¯t want to take his life. He deserves to live on for many more years to


    come.¡±


    We exchanged a few more words and then the healer left to head back to his home. After he was gone,


    Kiara reached out and held on to the wall, as if trying not to copse to the ground. I rushed to her side


    and steadied her before she could fall.


    ¡°Kiara, are you alright?¡± I demanded as concern swelled within me.


    She didn¡¯t answer and instead muttered to herself. ¡°How could Darwin do this?¡±


    I stared into her eyes and offered her a sympathetic expression. ¡°I don¡¯t know, darling.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t meant to call her that, but the affectionate moniker slipped out before I could stop it. Kiara


    didn¡¯t seem to notice. She looked like a lost little girl.


    ¡°Darwin was always loyal to our family,¡± she remarked sadly. ¡°He¡¯s always been my father¡¯s right-hand


    man. He¡¯s never done anything without involving Darwin.¡±


    She took a breath and then continued. ¡°He saved my father quite a few times when they were in


    danger. Pack disputes. Though Darwin is much younger than my father, he considered Darwin to be his


    best friend. He¡¯s always been so kind to me. How¡­ how could he do this?¡±


    ¡°Werewolves areplicated,¡± I exined. ¡°Men areplicated.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I even considered marrying him,¡± Kiara murmured as she shook her head. ¡°How st upid


    am I? The rest of the Pack is right. I¡¯m an idiot indeed.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t an idiot,¡± I insisted firmly. ¡°Don¡¯t me yourself, Kiara. This isn¡¯t your fault. Darwin may


    have been loyal in the past. He was probably kind back then too. When you¡¯re close to someone, it can


    be hard to recognize a change right away. One also tends to trust those who have been loyal in the


    past. Believe me, I understand how you feel. The feeling of being deceived by one of the closest


    people you know is a nightmare.¡±


    She considered my words for a moment and then nodded.


    ¡°What do we do next?¡± she wondered. ¡°Darwin is very clever, Kane. If we confront him directly, he won¡¯t


    admit what he¡¯s done.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I said. ¡°We need to find another way.¡±


    Our biggest issue was the fact that Darwin had authority in the Pack. It would be hard to get others to


    go against him. And if the Alpha didn¡¯t wake up¡­ there was no way we could stop him.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    I felt a bit exhausted.


    If Darwin couldn¡¯t be defeated, there was no way I couldmand the army of Sky Pride. Our chances


    of Alpha Arthur awakening any time soon were slim, which meant we couldn¡¯t offer timely help if Asher


    and Cassandra were in need.


    Given, of course, that they had survived the fire in Yurene.


    I didn¡¯t know if they were even still alive, but I decided to operate as if they were.


    +5


    ¡°Darwin may have power but he isn¡¯t undefeatable,¡± Kiara interrupted my thoughts. ¡°Most of the Pack


    are loyal to my father. If we could find any solid evidence showing that Darwin wanted to murder the


    Alpha, the rest of the Pack would call for his execution.¡±


    A splendid theory.


    I nodded my head. ¡°In that case, we would need to get solid evidence.¡±


    The Packs wouldn¡¯t believe in a healer or me, an outsider. As for Kiara, thanks to the rumor Darwin had


    spread around the Pack, many believed she was spellbound by me, at least figuratively. They believed


    she would do anything for me, even lie.


    ¡°Solid evidence,¡± Kiara mumbled and then she brightened. ¡°If I want members to stand on my side, I


    need to convince a few important figures, people who have higher positions and are respected like


    Darwin. They need to witness how evil Darwin can be.¡±

 Chapter 290

    Kiara¡¯s n was far too risky, even by my standards.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I hadn¡¯t exactly been known for my self-preservation skills, but then again, I still knew when things were


    too dangerous to do.


    When Kiara finished speaking, I shook my head and frowned deeply.


    ¡°I can¡¯t let you do this,¡± I said sternly.


    ¡°I must,¡± she insisted, answering my frown with one of her own. ¡°You know I must, Kane.¡±


    She was incorrect. I didn¡¯t know such to be true. Kiara intended to offer herself as bait. She nned to


    seduce the truth out of Darwin¡¯s mouth. She would speak with the viin in private and try to irk him into


    making him confess his disloyalty to her father. Meanwhile, I would summon the key members of the


    Pack and lead them to the room, making sure they heard what Darwin said.


    Normally, it would have been a half-decent n, but the idea of Kiara putting herself in that position


    didn¡¯t sit right with me.


    ¡°I know how to protect myself,¡± she insisted when I fell silent. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t think Darwin would dare


    to kill me. And you¡¯ll arrive soon after the talk begins, so if anything happens, you could step in right


    away.¡±


    ¡°Just because you can doesn¡¯t mean you should,¡± I sighed and I pinched the bridge of my nose


    between my fingers. ¡°If we need to confront Darwin and force him to tell the truth, I should be the one to


    do the job. You shouldn¡¯t be the one shouldering all the risk. I know you said Darwin wouldn¡¯t kill you


    but-¡±


    Before I could finish my statement, Kiara stepped forward and ced her lips against mine. I was taken


    aback but didn¡¯t pull away. Her lips were warm and soft, and her perfume was intoxicating.


    We remained there, tightly pressed against one another until she finally pulled back and gazed up at


    me with warmth in her eyes.


    ¡°I understand the risk,¡± she said softly. ¡°But I¡¯m the best pick for the job, Kane. Darwin likes me he¡¯s


    always considered me naive. He would be defenseless.¡±


    I studied her for a moment, my


    I was a bit puzzled.


    It took me a second to gather myself and then I spoke.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this,¡± I said again. ¡°Alpha Arthur might wake up soon-¡±


    ¡°We both know that¡¯s unlikely,¡± she cut me off. ¡°And I know you can¡¯t wait, nor can the Alpha King.


    Besides, I can¡¯t bear it anymore. I can¡¯t see Darwin in power while my father is suffering from the


    poison he gave him. I¡¯ve made


    up my mind already and you can¡¯t stop me. If you aren¡¯t willing to help carry out the n, I¡¯ll just do it


    myself.¡±


    Kiara asked Darwin toe to her room before dinner because he was busy all day and that was the


    only time he could agree to, but it gave me quite a bit of difficulty in persuading the Pack members.


    They were suspicious because they didn¡¯t believe Kiara would ask them to have a meeting in her room


    at such a time. I couldn¡¯t me them. If I were in their position, I would not have followed me so easily


    either. An outsider asking them for favors would be strange enough but a meeting in the Alpha¡¯s


    daughter¡¯s room? It probably sounded so odd.


    Despite that, most of them had agreed to the request because they thought thedy might have


    something important to say. They had no reason to distrust Kiara.


    Most of them anyway.


    There was one elder who didn¡¯t want toply. He was an ancient man with a long, thick white beard


    and beady eyes. He seemed to see through our n immediately.


    ¡°He¡¯s trying to do something terrible to us!¡± the elder insisted to the others, among other things. With


    every utterance, my agitation grew. The longer he dragged, the more time he wasted, and I knew any


    dy might result in something terrible.


    I was worried about Kiara,


    In the end, I had to threaten the elder, which caused more suspicion and doubt from the others.


    Normally, I would have conducted myself more politely, but I couldn¡¯t just stand by when Kiara was in


    danger.


    ¡°I might not be an excellent fighterpared to the Myriad soldiers, but I could still deal with all of you


    in no time,¡± I warned. ¡°If anything happens to Kiara because of your dy, I¡¯ll kill you all, I promise.¡±


    The members seemed confused but intimidated by my threat. All nodded and then followed me down


    the hall.


    When we arrived at Kiara¡¯s room, I noticed that the door had been propped open just a hair. It wasn¡¯t


    enough to be detectable, but allowed us to hear what was being said immediately. When we arrived,


    we could hear Kiara and Darwin having an intense conversation.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± the elder who¡¯d given me trouble asked, and I held my finger to my lips to shush


    him. All seemed confused but obeyed my order to be quiet.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± Kiara¡¯s voice filtered out into the hall. ¡°I can¡¯t decide my future because my


    father is so controlling. He wanted me to marry the royal lord from Anemond-¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t marry that infamous womanizer,¡± Darwin interrupted her, and I felt all of the Pack


    members¡¯ eyes on me. ¡°I love you, Kiara, and I know you share the same feelings.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t say that,¡± Kiara insisted, and she began to sniffle. ¡°My father wouldn¡¯t agree.¡±


    ¡°The Alpha has no right to interfere with his daughter¡¯s marriage,¡± Darwin replied, his tone irritated.


    ¡°But he¡¯s the Alpha,¡± Kiara replied naively. ¡°He has the legal right to decide everything ording to his


    will. As long as he¡¯s alive and wears the crown, his decisions can never be changed.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true as long as he¡¯s alive,¡± Darwin remarked. ¡°But what if he died?¡±


    The Pack members frowned and I fought back a smirk. Perhaps this would work after all.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kiara wondered. ¡°The healer said my father might die in a week, but it isn¡¯t a


    solid fact.¡±


    The members all widened their eyes and exchanged nces.


    Sh t.


    I forgot this wasn¡¯tmon knowledge. Luckily, before they had too long to specte, Darwin spoke.


    3/5


    ¡°I know you love your father, but I¡¯m sure that the Alpha will die in a week,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe less than a


    wee


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kiara asked innocently. ¡°How are you so sure?¡±


    Darwinughed shortly. ¡°Because I made the healer do something, something that could change


    everything


    us.¡±


    The members were all stunned. They began to whisper amongst themselves, asking what Darwin was


    talking about but I shushed them before they could say too much.


    ¡°What do you mean, Darwin?¡± Kiara repeated.


    ¡°I nned it long ago so nothing would go wrong,¡± Darwin said. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know the details,


    Kiara. Yo just need to prepare to be my wife. Now,e here, darling, and kiss me. If you want, this


    could be our weddir night.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re about to have dinner,¡± she said worriedly. ¡°Please tell me what you meant Darwin. What was


    your n?


    He didn¡¯t reply and instead chuckled promiscuously. I heard the floors creak like he had taken a step


    forward.


    ¡°Darwin, please,¡± Kiara insisted. ¡°Tell me.¡±


    The room fell silent, but she hadn¡¯t broken the cup she¡¯d ced on the table. We¡¯d agreed that would


    be our signal, the one that would make me lead in the Pack members. I waited for a while, but when I


    heard a mu ffled whimper, I felt my blood freeze. I couldn¡¯t wait anymore.


    I broke into the room immediately and when I did, I saw Darwin pinning Kiara against the wall with his


    hand. His fingers were wrapped around her throat and he was trying to get her to expose her neck to


    ept his kiss.


    Kiara¡¯s hazel eyes were enormous as she tried to move away.


    The other members flooded into the room behind me, and once Darwin noticed us, he realized what


    happened. He began to move like he was going to hold Kiara hostage, but I was swifter than him.


    The moment I saw his hand on Kiara¡¯s body, I felt a me burning in my veins. How dare he touch her?


    I rushed at Darwin, ws extended, and shed his stomach. I began to see red and soon lost


    composure. I¡¯d never been so brutal nor had I ever felt this way. The feeling of possessiveness made


    me want to kill Darwin and rece the dirty smell he¡¯d left on Kiara¡¯s skin with mine.

 Chapter 291

    CASSANDRA


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    Outside of the scientific research I¡¯d conducted with Becky back in Anemond, I had known nothing


    about wielding magic before the fire in the main building at Vlokwell. When I cast the spell to put out the


    ze and control and deflect the bullets from Kaleb¡¯s soldiers, I actedpletely on instinct. There had


    been no incantations, no rituals, just pure adrenaline.


    I didn¡¯t know what to expect when I ordered Raven to show me how to use these new powers, but I


    hadn¡¯t realized it would be so difficult.


    As she taught me, using sorcery required willpower, physical energy, strong belief, and determination.


    To practice certain forms, one needed to believe in what would happen next and be determined to


    make it happen. It was all bizarre and for someone like me, who had always thought magic powers


    were merely a fabricated story, practicing sorcery was a challenge.


    After half a day of attempting different spells and techniques to no avail, I was ready to give up entirely.


    Still, Ravenworked insisted that since Emmett¡¯s soul contained both strong willpower and energy, I


    could use magic properly regardless.


    The dark-haired sorceress hadn¡¯t asked me why I needed to practice magic so urgently, but I assumed


    she already knew by the way she hinted around it. Raven made it a point to mention that she wasn¡¯t an


    expert in using magic for fighting, but Roxy was. She said if I wanted to get better at fighting, I¡¯d better


    look for her sister instead.


    At the mere mention of Roxy, Raven looked a bit dejected but refused to say outright that she missed


    her twin. In any other circumstance, I¡¯d have felt bad for her, but the sorceress twins had been a thorn


    in all of our sides for so long.


    During one of our lessons, I muttered something to myself quietly in frustration, and Raven¡¯s face went


    pale.


    ¡°So, what are you going to do to me?¡± she wondered, her face uncharacteristically serious. ¡°Burn me


    alive until I¡¯m nothing more than ashes? Like what I did to you?¡±


    ¡°You will be imprisoned in Wega,¡± I answered without missing a beat. ¡°I don¡¯t believe in sentencing a


    person to death, but you will be detained for your crimes, Raven.¡±


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    I expected her to react as solemnly as she did before but instead, she giggled and shook her head.


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    ¡°That¡¯s a fate even worse than death,¡± she said, and the glint in her bluish-green eyes was unnerving.


    On anyone else, it would have seemed like her humor and tendency to ramble as a coping mechanism,


    but I was fully convinced that Raven was utterly insane. There was no other exnation for her


    weirdness, and I longed for the day when I got to see her get put away in a Wegan jail cell.


    Until then, I had to endure her and learn all I could about sorcery.


    For all of her faults, I had to admit that Raven was a good teacher. Strangely, she was enthusiastic


    about inspiring my potential.


    The more I worked with her, the more I began to understand what kind of a person she was.


    I had once thought that Raven was just evil and cun ning but that wasn¡¯t the whole truth. It was true


    that she had a horrible personality. She saw others as her gu inea pigs and had no respect for life. But


    on the other hand, she was very pure.


    She cared nothing about power or politics. She was only passionate about magical research. She didn¡¯t


    care if Kaleb died or if Yurene was crushed. She was willing to work with anyone and stay anywhere as


    long as she had a chance to discover new things about magic. I supposed that was why she was so


    cooperative.


    Weirdly enough, I began to believe her more and more.


    So, one day, I decided to ask her about the method to remove poison from Asher¡¯s body. I mentioned


    what Emmett had told me, that mating would be the ultimate cure. I asked her if that was true.


    Raven waited for me to finish and then raised an eyebrow and giggled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see any reason why he would lie to you,¡± she remarked. ¡°After all, if you and your king are in


    love with each other, what would be lost if you mated?¡±


    Though she was blunt with her words, she was right. What could be lost?


    Asher was married but that was a long-forgotten fact. He¡¯d never mated with Adalyn and he made it


    clear that he had no intention to do so. She was a ghost, nothing to worry about given our current


    situation.


    I had already made up my mind long ago. Whatever the consequence was, Asher would be my only


    mate and lover.


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    That night, when Asher kissed me and said goodnight, I took his arm and pulled him in closer. He


    seemed surprised but didn¡¯t resist.


    ¡°Finnick is going to sleep with Erika tonight,¡± I whispered. ¡°I want you to stay.¡±


    I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my body against his. Asher studied me for a moment,


    blinking his gray eyes at me in confusion. To his credit, we hadn¡¯t been intimate since L and Finnick


    had seen us in the bedroom.


    #


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± he asked. ¡°Did something happen?¡±


    I took a moment to gather my courage and then gazed deeply into his eyes.


    ¡°I want you to im me,¡± I said softly but definitively.


    He didn¡¯t say anything, but I could see an array of emotions sh in his eyes and his breath grew


    heavy. I had no idea what it meant to a male wolf when his mate asked him to im her, but I could


    sense he was having a hard time controlling himself.


    He suddenly grabbed my shoulder tightly.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± he asked, his tone harsh.


    I nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Asher hesitated. ¡°Why? I don¡¯t want you to make a hasty decision. We can wait-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to wait,¡± I interrupted him. ¡°I think it¡¯s the only way to control the poison in your body,


    Asher.¡±


    Disappointment shed in his eyes and he smiled bitterly. ¡°Is that why you want me to im you? So


    you can save my life?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean,¡± I insisted. ¡°I love you, Asher. You¡¯re the only man I¡¯ve ever loved and the only


    man I want to love. That¡¯s why I want you to im me. I want to be yours forever- body, mind, and


    soul.¡±


    Silence hung in the air for a moment, and he raised his hand to cup my cheek. His skin was cold


    against mine but I didn¡¯t mind. His scent was consuming me and all I wanted was to bridge the distance


    between us.


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    ¡°Do you know what mate means?¡± Asher asked me gently as he gazed into my eyes. ¡°There would be


    no way back. This is a permanent connection-¡±


    +5


    ¡°I know what it means,¡± I insisted as I leaned into his touch. ¡°I don¡¯t make this decision lightly, Asher


    Collins.


    Being mates means nothing can pull us apart, not even death. I would be yours, forever. And that¡¯s


    what I want. To be yours, forever.¡±

 Chapter 292

    CASSANDRA


    055% 11.05


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    The next morning, when I walked into the bathroom, I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror and my


    heart sk ipped a beat.


    It was real.


    I mated with Asherst night.


    He had imed me as his under the light of the moon. We had opened the windows and let the cool


    night air


    filter into our room as we mated and made love. It had been a special night, one I would never forget.


    The love within my heart was stronger than it had ever been and I felt like I was finally thawing. I was


    bing myself


    again, the version of myself that had been lost in the inferno. I was healing from my trauma and


    learning to be alive again.


    I smiled at my reflection and admired the rosy color of my cheeks. They didn¡¯t look as hollow as they


    once had and there was a sparkle in my emerald eyes again.


    As I brushed my long copper hair and braided it, I remembered the other discussion we¡¯d sharedst


    night. We¡¯d reached an agreement that it was time to tell Finnick the truth.


    He deserved to know that Asher was his father.


    Asher thought it might not be the right time to do so. He was worried Finnick might be too emotionally


    vulnerable after all he¡¯d seen in Vlokwell.


    But I assured him that it would be fine and there would never be an ideal time to tell him. Finnick was a


    strong boy. He could handle much more than other children his age, even something as intense as this.


    Besides, we needed to decide if we were going to take him back to Anemond with us or if we were


    going to let him stay with Erika and Helene while we got things sorted out. We could only make the


    decision after Finnick was informed of the fact that his father was alive and with him.


    After some convincing, Asher agreed with me.


    ¡°I believe in you,¡± he said. ¡°I want to be with you when you talk to him. I¡¯m worried Finnick might find it


    hard to believe, and if he¡¯s angry, I want to be there to take it. I¡¯ll be sure to let him know that none of


    this is your fault,


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    ¡­


    it¡¯s mine.¡±


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    I shook my head and told him I needed to handle it alone. Finnick was a sensitive boy. Asher¡¯s


    presence might


    cause extra unnecessary pressure and I didn¡¯t want to scare him off. My mate agreed to these terms


    but decided he would be nearby just in case.


    So, after I finished dressing, we left our room and then headed downstairs. After we exchanged a


    nce, we went our separate ways and I called out for Finnick. He appeared momentster with a


    surprised look on his face.


    ¡°Yes, Mommy?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I need to talk to you, honey,¡± I said gently as I approached him. ¡°Will youe with me outside?¡±


    Finnick nodded and then reached out and took my hand. I led him outside and over to a chair on the


    porch. The sun was high in the sky already and it was a clear, warm day. We sat there in silence for a


    moment, staring out at the flower fields beyond us until finally, I spoke.


    ¡°How has your day been?¡± I wondered. ¡°Did you have a good time ying with Helene and L?¡±


    He nodded happily. ¡°We have a lot of fun together. I like them both, Mommy. I missed having fun in


    Yurene.¡±


    ¡°I understandpletely,¡± I assured him with a smile.


    We chatted for a while and then finally, I knew it was time to talk. As I looked at Finnick¡¯s innocent eyes,


    I began to feel guilty. Why hadn¡¯t I told him the truth long ago? What if he didn¡¯t believe me? He could


    break down into so bs, he could be angry¡­ there was no telling how he would react.


    But I couldn¡¯t keep this secret any longer.


    ¡°Honey, I have something serious to say,¡± I said finally, ¡°It¡¯s difficult, but you need to know.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Finnick prompted me.


    I let out a soft sigh. ¡°Your father is still alive, Finnick.¡±


    He was stunned for a moment but didn¡¯t look shocked or surprised. Instead, he seemed confused.


    ¡°Do you mean Emmett?¡± he asked after a second of silence.


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    I shook my head. ¡°No, baby, I mean your biological father.¡±


    The confusion left his expression and his lips parted.


    ¡°I already know that,¡± he said, much to my surprise. ¡°The Alpha King is my father.¡±


    I stared at him inplete shock. My heart pounded wildly in my chest and my hands instantly felt


    mmy. How long ago had he learned the truth? Had he put it back together in Anemond? Or some


    other time? How long had we pretended the other didn¡¯t know?


    I began to panic but quickly reminded myself that it was unnecessary to do so. It didn¡¯t matter when he


    found out. What mattered now was that we discussed this as a family.


    ?


    ¡°How¡­ how did you know?¡± I asked.


    ¡°L told me,¡± he revealed matter-of-factly. ¡°She read the king¡¯s mind.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. That made sense. I wished he¡¯d found out from me but I couldn¡¯t fault L. They


    were children, after all.


    ¡°Mommy, do you want me to call him ¡®Daddy¡¯?¡± Finnick spoke again and when I didn¡¯t answer, he


    sighed. ¡°I still dislike the king. I don¡¯t want to call him ¡®Daddy¡¯ because he abandoned us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± I finally found my voice. ¡°Asher didn¡¯t abandon us. It¡¯s moreplicated than that,


    Finnick¡±


    He shook his head like a little adult. ¡°But your suffering was real. You hurt, Mommy. The king brought


    bad things to you, so I dislike him. I prefer Emmett. He wasn¡¯t close to me but he was nicer to you.¡±


    When I told everything to Asherter that day, he smiled bitterly at me.


    ¡°I expected this,¡± he replied with a touch of sadness in his tone. ¡°I knew Finnick wouldn¡¯t easily ept


    me. You both went through so much without me. But I intend on spending the rest of my life making it


    up to you two.¡±


    He kissed my forehead and drew me close. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Cassandra. I understand that Finnick


    dislikes me. I suppose I¡¯m grateful that he made it a point to say ¡®dislike¡¯ rather than ¡®hate¡¯. We¡¯d be in


    much more trouble if he said he hates me.¡±


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    I gave him a small smile and nodded.


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    As he wrapped his arm around me, I wanted to ask how he felt today, but I knew he would give me the


    same answer as always. Regardless of the truth, he always told me he was fine.


    But I noticed today that the ck marks had faded a bit. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I swore I


    saw a difference. Had our mating helped his disease?


    Either way, I appreciated this moment. Despite what I was going to face and all of the uncertainty


    before us, I felt peaceful and blessed in Asher¡¯s arms.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    It was the first time I¡¯d felt like this in years.


    4/4

 Chapter 293

    Chapter 293 Chaser CASSANDRA ; Unfortunately, our moment of bliss didn¡¯tst long.


    The night before we were set to leave the Alpha of Red Stone¡¯s home and head toward Wega, an


    ident happened.


    We were packing up some of our belongings when we heard a short screech. It was a haunting, terrible


    sound that stood out in this silent ce. It was the kind of noise that made the hairs on the back of my


    neck stand straight up, and a shiver traveled down my spine.


    I braced for something horrible, but when we rushed to the window and


    nced outside, there was nothing to be seen. I nced around, waiting for a second utterance, and


    when it didn¡¯t ¡ª happen, I thought maybe it had been my imagination.


    Just as we turned around to get back to packing, a second screech was heard, short but clear.


    Asher and I rushed out of the room and met the others in the hallway.


    Everyone else had heard the sound as well. We did a headcount to make sure all were present, but to


    our surprise, two soldiers of Red Stone were missing.


    The Alpha ordered his remaining men to search the perimeter and find the missing soldiers. He joined


    them outside and they were gone for a good amount of time, but when they


    returned, they revealed they hadn¡¯t found the missing soldiers.


    ¡°It¡¯s like they vanishedpletely,¡± the Alpha remarked with a shake of his head. ¡°It¡¯s like they were


    taken by ghosts.¡± It was a metaphor, but we all knew it couldn¡¯t be a ghost.


    There was a logical answer, but all seemed unwilling to say it. Finally, the Alpha spoke again.


    ¡°It was likely someone from Yurene,¡± he sighed. ¡°They finally found this ce.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why


    would they take two soldiers?¡± Asher pointed o ¡°Wouldn''t they go straight for Cassandra?¡± ¡°That would


    mean that Cassandra i


    their target,¡± Helene chimed in, her caramel eyes regarding me seriously.


    I remained silent as they spoke, but Helene¡¯s words ushered in a realization. If the target wasn¡¯t me,


    who would be the one worth chasing? There was only one answer that made sense to me.


    Raven.


    I immediately turned on my heels and rushed wordlessly down the hall to the room we¡¯d locked the


    sorceress in. I opened the door, and just as expected, someone was kneeling down in front of Raven


    trying to open her chain.


    Asher appeared behind me a secondter and we recognized the intruder at


    once.


    It was Roxy. = Raven''s fearsome twin sister reacted swiftly and jumped out through the window.


    Ravenughed like a maniac at the spectacle, meanwhile, the rest of us chased after Roxy. I raced as


    fast as I could, half expecting her to get away, but much to my surprise, Roxy hadn¡¯t gotten away. She


    was waiting for us in the yard, her eyes fierce as they stared back at us.


    I''was surprised she hadn¡¯t fled. I''d expected her to vanish into the night but she was clearly here to


    save her sister. Determination painted her expression and even from my vantage, I could see her nails


    extend into ws.


    The Alpha of Red Stone ordered his soldiers to attack, but as his men lept in her direction, it was clear


    that they were no match for the dark-haired warrior. Roxy was so swift that she was like a shadow. She


    maneuvered around the soldiers and attacked them so deftly that they didn¡¯t even have a chance to


    shield themselves. They fell prey to her attacks and died immediately when she ripped apart their


    necks in one easy motion.


    It was simultaneously a terrifying and amazing sight. She was fluid and graceful while still being


    powerful.


    Watching her, I could understand why Raven had rmended that I ask her sister for guidance on


    fighting. Roxy was like a killing machine. She ran on pure instinct, seemingly guessing her opponent¡¯s


    moves before they


    happened. It was a gift.


    Not for us, of course. / She was an enemy, not just someone to marvel at.


    ¡°We can¡¯t defeat her,¡± Helene uttered behind me. ¡°Roxy is too powerful. We need to run.¡± The Alpha of


    Red Stone released an agitated growl. ¡°No. We can¡¯t run. I watched two of my soldiers die at her


    hands.¡± He rushed forward, ignoring Helene¡¯s suggestion, andunched an attack on Roxy. Despite his


    age, he was a good fighter. The Alpha was swift on his feet and managed to hold his own.


    Roxy managed to avoid his attacks, but she was unable tond a single blow.


    She was forced to move backward into


    the shadow of the trees.


    The Alphaughed, the sound mocking and crueler than expected. eT ¡°I''ll take your life yet, girl,¡± he


    called out to her. ¡°My men will be avenged!¡± His words had been brave but he had underestimated


    Roxy''s abilities.


    Up until now, she hadn¡¯t used magic, but that changed quickly. Sparks formed around her hands,


    setting her blue-green eyes aze.


    She flew forward. One moment she was in front of the Alpha of Red Stone, but in the sh of a second,


    she was behind him and her ws dug into his back. As a deep cry of pain escaped him, he sank to his


    knees on the ground.


    Seeing this, we all lept forward. I


    | hadn''t intended to fight, but I wasn¡¯t going to let the Alpha who had done so much for us get hurt. Ne


    Just as Roxy raised her ws to deliver another blow, we rushed at her. Asher managed to knock her


    to the ground and a pair of soldiers quickly nked their Alpha.


    Helene was right. Roxy¡¯s power was horrible.


    She dealt with the rest of the soldiers in no time. All became a flurry of movement, and Asher and I


    could barely keep her under control.


    Rayden tried to join in, but I heard Helene stop him.


    ¡°You''ll die if you move forward,¡± she said firmly. ¡°You''re already injured, Rayden, and besides, Wild


    Crawler


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    | needs their Alpha. Stand back.¡± Roxy stared me down as this exchange took ce. opr ¡°If you keep


    getting in my way, I¡¯11 kill you,¡± she threatened with a growl.


    ¡°If you were capable of that, you''d have done it already,¡± I fired back angrily.


    She growled again and nced between Asher and me. She seemed to realize we were too difficult to


    deal with and suddenly changed her direction. She rushed toward Helene and Rayden, and just as she


    moved, I realized they weren¡¯t alone.


    Erika and Finnick stood right beside Helene.


    Panic flooded through me. I couldn¡¯t move as fast as Roxy. Desperation


    coursed through me, and suddenly a shout escaped my lips.


    ¡°No!¡± pe Roxy suddenly froze in ce as everyone stared in disbelief. The sorceress then fell to the


    ground and stared at me in shock.


    I realized at once that I had somehow controlled Roxy¡¯s movements with my magic.


    She red at me with hatred, and while she stared at me, the Alpha of Red Stone moved quickly and


    launched his attack against Roxy. Unlikest time, she didn¡¯t expect it, and his ws were about to rip


    her chest open, but before they made contact, someone | rushed out and got between them and Roxy.


    It was Raven.


    The Alpha¡¯s ws pierced her chest instead. SE Shocked silence hung in the air and blood soaked


    Raven¡¯s clothes immediately. The Alpha retreated in surprise, removing his ws from the sorceress,


    and when he stepped back, Roxy broke out of her paralysis and took Raven into her arms.


    ¡°Raven!¡± she sobbed as she held her sister close.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Raven apologized weakly as she coughed up blood. ¡°I was always a disobedient sister. I


    hope you¡¯ll forgive me this onest time-" Her sentence trailed off and then she grew limp.


    Just as her heart stopped beating, Roxy


    let out a wail of despair.


    Raven was dead.

 Chapter 294

    Chapter 294 Debt of Blood CASSANDRA 8 Roxy let out a terrible roar.


    It was the most horrible sound I''d ever heard from a werewolf and it made the hairs on the back of my


    neck stand up.


    The dark-haired warrior sorceress didn¡¯t cry and no tears spilled onto her cheeks, but her sea-green


    eyes were wide and bloodshot.


    ¡°No,¡± she uttered as her full, lower lip trembled. ¡°No, no, no.¡± She cradled her twin sister¡¯s lifeless |


    body close and supported her neck.


    When she was bnced in herp, she raised her fingers and sparks began to fly from the tips. She


    whispered to


    herself using words I didn¡¯t recognize.


    It appeared as if she were trying to cast some sort of spell on Raven. But as the minutes went by, her


    efforts seemed to be in vain.


    She was gone.


    All of us were stunned. None of us had expected Raven to stand in the way of her sister. Everything


    had happened so quickly that it hardly felt real. Though I hadn¡¯t been Raven¡¯s friend by any stretch of


    the imagination, I hadn¡¯t wanted her dead. She had put a great amount of people through anguish in


    the name of science, but my feelings toward her weren¡¯t malicious. Upon our return to Wega, she


    would have been imprisoned for her crimes.


    But I had never wanted her dead.


    Just as my eyes began to well up at the


    gruesome sight of her dead on the wet ground, I heard someone shift their body weight and when I


    turned, I was surprised to see the Alpha of Red Stone spring into action andunch an attack against


    Roxy.


    I wanted to stop him but it was toote.


    Though he was older, he was swifter than expected and I was too shocked to react quickly.


    Despite her deep sorrow, Roxy reacted instinctively. All was a blur and then, in the sh of a second,


    the Alpha of Red Stone fell to the ground and groaned.


    My jaw dropped in shock at the gruesome sight.


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    His left arm had been cut so deeply that his bone was exposed.


    As he breathed heavily, Roxy growled at us.


    ¡°I only wanted to take my sister back!¡± she shouted at us spitefully. ¡°I came here for her and her alone.


    Youall deserve to die. I''ll kill you all one by one and enjoy it!¡± She gentlyid her sister onto the ground


    and then rose to her feet. Her expression hardened and then she ran toward the house.


    My heart nearly stopped.


    Erika, Finnick, Helene, and L were all on the porch.


    My feet carried me before my mind knew what was happening. I couldn¡¯t let Roxy get to the children.


    She was too lethal and had revenge on the brain. She would stop at nothing to kill everyone we loved


    in retaliation for the death of her twin.


    My ws extended and I shed at Roxy in an attempt to stop her. I used all of my strength but it


    wasn¡¯tany use. I managed to stop her from reaching the children, but I couldn¡¯t knock her to the ground


    as I intended.


    Helene joined the fray in an attempt to protect L. The little girl had been in her arms, and as Roxy


    advanced like lightning, Helene urged her to run back into the house.


    L didn¡¯t hesitate. She grabbed Finnick¡¯s hand and pulled him away with her, which I was infinitely


    thankful for. It had been a narrow escape, but just as the front door closed behind the children, Roxy


    lunged toward the porch and Helene jumped in the way.


    In the process, Roxy¡¯s razor-sharp ws shed Helen¡¯s back. They dug


    in deeply and Helene let out a pained cry.


    I shed Roxy¡¯s cheek with my own ws to keep her from harming Helene further. The sorceress


    shouted in pain as blood spilled from her new wounds and retracted her nails.


    As Helene was pulled away from the fight, I gathered my strength and focused my mind. Every one of


    my muscles tensed as I summoned the magic power within me but when I tried to use it as I had before


    to restrain Roxy, it didn¡¯t work.


    Frustration swelled within me.


    Raven was likely correct. I probably needed to practice sorcery more to get a proper handle on the


    power.


    Roxy turned her focus on the others |


    and as the soldiers jumped in to stop her, it became a bloodbath. The warrior sorceress was formidable


    on most asions. Now that she was angry and mournful, she was downright lethal.


    As the minutes went by, more and more soldiers fell dead and it seemed less and less likely that we


    were going to survive this fight. Though she was just one person, Roxy was too powerful.


    We couldn¡¯t stay here anymore. We n


    eeded to run before the sorceress destroyed us all in her rage.


    ¡°Everyone needs to get out of here,¡± | urged as Roxy retreated into the woods.


    The Alpha of Red Stone shook his head.


    ¡°You all can leave and should do so at


    nce, but not me. I''ll deal with this sorceress. I want blood for blood, | revenge for my dead soldiers.¡± ~~


    ¡°We can¡¯t leave without you,¡± I insisted.


    ¡°If he wants to stay, I¡¯ll remain here with him,¡± Rayden spoke up.


    The Alphaughed. ¡°You all would be a burden, especially you, considering your condition. You all


    have too many vulnerable poibnts that the sorceress can easily attack so you¡¯d better leave now.¡±


    There was a second of silence and then the Alpha addressed Rayden again.


    ¡°Since I am staying, I need you to go to Red Stone,¡± he said. ¡°Help my son, who is ttooo young to take


    on the crown himself. He will need guidance.¡±


    Before Rayden could speak a word, the _ Alpha ran back out toward the forest to | join the fight that


    had resumed. I heard him tell the remaining soldiers to get their guns and then his words grew muffled.


    Despite all of our concerns about leaving, we had to get out of here.


    Helene was in bad condition and needed medical treatment.


    So, we vowed to get out of there while Roxy was upied, but when we got to the cars, we were


    shocked to see the tires had been shed. She had to have destroyed them before the fight.


    We had to run.


    Asher grabbed the children from inside the house and as we ran away, we


    heard Roxy call out to us. She taunted us and said she would kill us one by one, but soon, her voice


    was drowned out by the sound of gunfire.


    We continued all the way out to the wide in. I ran with Finnick in my arms and when we stopped, I


    cradled him tightly. His body shook and his gray eyes were filled with fear.


    ¡°I owe the Alpha of Red Stone | everything,¡± Rayden announced. ¡°So, I''m going to Red Stone to get


    more soldiers here. It isn¡¯t far away but the rest of you shouldn¡¯te with me.


    Even though I don¡¯t want to say it, the Alpha might die. If he does, the others in Red Stone might me


    the Alpha King and Cassandra.¡± Asher and I exchanged a nce. He was right. If we hadn¡¯t kidnapped


    Raven, |


    Roxy would never havee here.


    ¡°You¡¯d better go to Wild Crawler,¡± Rayden urged me. ¡°My father will help you.¡± ¡°We owe the Alpha too,¡±


    Asher spoke up. ¡°We should go with you to exin everything. The members of the Red Stone Pack


    will understand-" ¡°No,¡± Rayden said firmly. ¡°It will cost too much time and the dispute in Wega can¡¯t


    wait. Oliver can¡¯t have the crown.¡± We parted there and Rayden disappeared into the night. I knew it


    would take at least a night for him to gather soldiers ande back to help the Alpha. Considering


    Roxy¡¯s power, the situation would be harsh if the Alpha still didn¡¯t want to run. But Rayden was right.


    We had our


    responsibilities. We needed to go back to the ce of all of our nightmares and face our fates. a

 Chapter 295

    Chapter 295 Sneak into the House of Moses Za BECKY This was the boldest thing I''d ever done in my


    life.


    I had always been a good girl. I rarely lied and rarely got myself into any sort of trouble. I obeyed the


    wishes of my mother and everyone else without anyint.


    But things had changed. This time, I had lied more than I¡¯d ever done in total over all these years.


    I''had assumed the identity of a royal healer and used my invented position to sneak into the House of


    Moses.


    Cassandra had left her official badge in the clinic and I saw no other option


    than to pretend. So, I did all I could to disguise both myself and my scent. I changed my usual style of


    clothing to one that was more professional. I switched out my sses and made sure that my hair was


    neat and orderly. I had to pass as a royal healer and they often appeared very well-dressed and put


    together.


    Dickson had been against the idea when I had proposed it to him. He didn¡¯t like the n of sneaking in


    to infiltrate the House of Moses and insisted I could do nothing to help Ss.


    ¡°It¡¯s toote for him,¡± he insisted.


    ¡°He¡¯s too close in proximity to his family and there¡¯s no way you can take care of him without them


    noticing. The second they see you together, it¡¯s over, Becky. It¡¯s too dangerous to go there.¡±


    ¡°I have to try, Dickson,¡± I pressed despite his protestations. ¡°I have to try.¡± ¡°Do you want to mate with


    Ss?¡± Dickson blurted out and my cheeks grew hot. It was a very personal question to ask, especially


    considering our shared history.


    ¡°This has nothing to do with romance,¡± I replied sharply as irritation swelled in my belly. ¡°I can¡¯t just wait


    here while he¡¯s in there dying.


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    I''was the one who told him to help his Alpha rather than stay here in Anemond. If he¡¯s in danger then


    it¡¯s partially my fault.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true and you know it,¡± Dickson replied and his sky-blue eyes locked


    on mine with intensity. He


    pushed his dark-rimmed sses up the bridge of his nose and took a step forward. ¡°It isn¡¯t your fault


    and you shouldn¡¯t hold yourself responsible.


    Ss is the Beta. His duties should have been with the Alpha King regardless.


    You need to stay out of this.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± I fired back and I turned away from him before I could shed a


    tear. ¡°I''m a healer, Dickson. I can¡¯t just stay here and act like this isn¡¯t happening.¡± He exhaled heavily.


    ¡°You might be a healer but you can¡¯t save everyone in danger-" ¡°I¡¯m going to save this one,¡± I


    interrupted him, and before he could utter another word, I grabbed the badge and left the clinic.


    Even though my heart pounded in my


    chest and my hands shook at my sides, I walked straight toward the House of Moses with my head


    held high.


    Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t very difficult to sneak in. All T had to do was sh my badge at the entrance and


    an armed guard allowed me to pass through. He didn¡¯t ask for any additional information from me at all.


    It was a little funny how easy it was but I thanked the Moon Goddess for giving me a bit of good luck.


    At first, I thought Oliver or Adalyn might recognize me straight away, but they were nowhere to be


    found. I roamed the halls and peeked around, but there was no sign of the former Beta and his awful


    daughter. They were likely busy with whatever scheme they had hatched up next, so I decided to use


    that to my advantage.


    When I arrived in Ss¡¯ chamber, I was sadly surprised to discover that Dickson had been right. = It


    seemed like there was nothing I could do.


    Ss was lying in bed, tucked into some sterile-looking white sheets. His skin was ashen and there was


    a sheen of sweat on his forehead. He was unconscious and when I spoke with the healer present, he


    informed me that the Beta of the Pack had been in a deepa since he arrived.


    There wasn¡¯t anything any of the royal healers could do. After I made up a name for myself and


    exined vaguely that I was a new healer, I came to learn that they had tried everything in their power


    to make him better. Medicines, balms, serums, all had been used to


    heal him but only the wounds on his skin had started to heal. He was still fast asleep and showed no


    signs of rousing any time soon.


    He was emaciated and appeared almost frail. Ss had always been a lean man, but he was so thin


    and sick-looking. It was a horrid thing to see and it made my heart ache so badly I thought I would


    perish.


    For the first time, I began to regret that I had said all of those words to Ss back in Wild Crawler. I


    knew he would want to be a loyal Beta. I knew he was different than his father. And for the first time, I


    thought he wasn¡¯t asrge and strengthful. Here in this bed, he appeared like a child, a pitiful little boy


    suffering from something he never should have been suffering from.


    I spent that whole day in Ss¡¯ room. I stayed with the other healers, doing what we could and


    spending the rest of the time praying for his health. It seemed that all we could do was pray to the


    Moon Goddess for his fast recovery.


    After a while, I began to wonder if I should stay. It was dangerous for me to be there alone, pretending


    to be someone I wasn¡¯t. Yet, I remained.


    Sometime in the evening, the head servant stepped into the room and informed everyone that Lord


    Oliver and Lady Adalyn would being to visit. This message caused quite a stir among the healers.


    Though they didn¡¯t dare to speak loudly, they whispered and appeared restless.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked one of the


    healers closest to me.


    ¡°Lord Oliver will be angry if he finds that Ss¡¯ condition hasn¡¯t improved,¡± he replied quietly. ¡°He has


    been this way for the past few days. You should remain silent and keep your head lowered. If you''re


    lucky and y it safe, you should be alright. But there¡¯s a chance Lord Oliver will take his anger out on


    you. Since you''re the newest among us, you''ll likely get picked.¡± I suddenly felt chilled to the bone. I


    knew if Oliver Moses recognized me, I was doomed. I wanted to leave but the healer told me no one


    was able to leave at this point, even if their house was on fire.


    Just as he finished speaking, the door to Ss¡¯ chamber opened again and Oliver and Adalyn walked


    in.


    All the healers bowed their heads as they entered and I managed to get behind everyone. I tried to


    hide. myself in the corner, far away from the Moseses, and my heart raced.


    Just like the healer said he would be, Oliver was extremely angry. His voice was very coarse and


    sounded tired. He first scolded the head of the royal healers and then searched the room for someone


    else. I could feel his gaze as it traveled around and braced myself to get chosen.


    But before he could say anything, Adalyn started to speak. She sounded equally tired, but there was


    almost an expression of contentment on her face.


    ¡°It¡¯s meaningless to vent your anger on these poor healers,¡± she remarked.


    ¡°They¡¯ve done all they can to heal Ss. I''m sure he will be just fine, Father. He has always been


    blessed by the Moon Goddess. Besides, we have more important issues to discuss. We still haven¡¯t


    found our king and we need a n to stabilize the country.¡±

 Chapter 296

    Chapter 296 Adalyn''s n BECKY Though I was no stranger to witnessing Adalyn¡¯s awful behavior,


    this was something else entirely. When she had ransacked ourb and gotten into altercations with


    Cassandra, she had been whiny, childish, and bratty.


    But here in Ss¡¯ room, she was acting differently. It was awful and infuriating to see her acting as if


    she cared about her brother or all of these healers.


    Strangely, I had the sense that Adalyn was trying to control her father. I thought it was the other way


    around, but Adalyn seemed to be pulling the strings sessfully.


    Oliver Moses scanned the room and


    then his son¡¯s lifeless form for a moment and then let out a heavy sigh.


    He ran his hand through his graying hair and then nodded his head. The pair left the chamber and once


    the door closed behind them, I shook my head and frowned.


    As the healers around me let out collective sighs of relief and talked amongst themselves, I thought


    about Adalyn¡¯s words.


    A n? What n? Mentioning the king and the country in front of us had been a bold move and I had


    a feeling they were going to take some new, drastic actions, ones that could have terrible


    consequences. I needed to find out what was happening and what they nned to do.


    So, after Adalyn and Oliver had been gone for five minutes or so, I made the excuse of needing to use


    the restroom.¡± The healers were so focused on the encounters with the Moseses to notice and I slipped


    out of the room easily.


    I had hoped to find where Oliver and Adalyn were going to talk but I hadn¡¯t expected that the House of


    Moses would be sorge andplicatingly structured.


    I'' walked along the corridor aimlessly and when I turned on my heels, I identally bumped into two


    young maids holding trays. They had been moving so quickly that we hit pretty hard.


    ¡°I''m so sorry,¡± I apologized with widened eyes and then I studied the


    pair. One was a young girl with a thick mass of red hair and the other, more sulky one was much, much


    older, The elderly woman¡¯s dark eyes shot daggers at me and she wore a sulky expression on her


    weathered face.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she demanded as the redheaded girl stepped back. ¡°This wing of the


    house is not open to all.¡± I thought fast on my feet for an exnation and then offered the best excuse I


    coulde up with.


    ¡°I¡¯m one of the royal healers,¡± I said.


    ¡°Iwas trying to find the restroom, but I¡¯m lost.¡± ¡°It¡¯s around the corner,¡± the older woman replied with a


    raised eyebrow and she gestured down the hall. ¡°Don¡¯t wander. Lord and Lady Moses do not


    take kindly to snooping.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I said with a nod and then I nced at their trays. ¡°Where are


    you going so quickly? You seemed tobe in a rush.¡± ¡°The Lord and Lady are using one of the meeting


    rooms to speak, so we were called to serve there,¡± the younger maid spoke up. ¡°It isn¡¯t normally our


    duty-" ¡°Enough,¡± the older woman cut her off. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to exin all of this to a healer.¡± The


    redheaded maid shrank back and nodded vigorously and then the older maid turned back to me.


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    ¡°Don¡¯t wander around,¡± she warned me again, and then she pulled the younger girl away.


    It was funny, really. I had intended to wander, but now that I knew their | intended destination, I


    decidedto follow the maids to the meeting room.


    The maids were in such a hurry they didn¡¯t realize someone was following them. I remained just out of


    sight, | hiding behind corners when necessary.


    When they stopped at a closed door, remained hidden and watched as they knocked firmly. The door


    opened, and after they entered and it closed again, I crossed the hall carefully. I crept toward the door


    and once I was sure I was in the clear, I held my ear against it. It was a bold move but I had to be brave


    if I wanted to discover whatever plot they were crafting.


    The voices were muffled.


    I heard the maids address Oliver and Adalyn respectfully and fearfully but I couldn¡¯t hear what either of


    the Moseses were saying in return. There was a minute of pause and then I heard Adalyn¡¯s voice


    loudly dismissing the maids.


    Secondster, I could hear footsteps walking toward me, probably some servants. I thought fast on my


    feet and opened the door to the room next door.


    When I noticed it was empty, I entered and closed the door quietly behind me.


    I let out a soft exhale.


    I''had half-expected to get caught so it was a relief to get here undetected. Of course, I wasn¡¯t safe yet. [


    was still in a precarious position but at least I could hear their voices clearer from this


    room.


    Adalyn started to speak, her voice filled with confidence. ¡°I don¡¯t see any problems with it. It¡¯s the


    perfect time to carry out our n, Father.¡± ¡°It might be too soon to announce the next council meeting,¡±


    Oliver replied after a sigh. He didn¡¯t sound nearly as convinced as his daughter did. ¡°The councilors


    who were on Asher¡¯s side won''t buy it. Besides, no one knows where Asher is, including us. What if he


    suddenly appeared?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been too timid these days,¡± Adalyn groaned. ¡°Even if they wanted to, the


    councilors can¡¯t do anything, Father. They don¡¯t have an army and they''re either cowards or idiots.


    They would lose their direction if they knew the king had died and they would


    certainly look for another master who could guarantee their status and fortune.¡± ¡ª My eyebrows knitted


    together in confusion. What did Adalyn mean by ¡°the king had died¡±? Were the Moseses going to


    announce the death of the Alpha King? I gulped heavily and pressed my ear tightly against the wall, not


    wanting to miss a single word.


    Adalynughed. ¡°If Asher suddenly appeared that would be even better. We would just need to say the


    corpse we found wasn¡¯t his. A mistake made by the forensic team. As for Asher... we could make him


    our puppet.¡± ¡°Puppet?¡± Oliver repeated back suspiciously.


    SERA AA AMA ¡°Some drugs would do,¡± his daughter replied casually. ¡°I would do just as I did before.


    Put some drugs into his water and let him sleep. A sleeping king is nothing to be afraid of.¡± Oliver


    snorted. ¡°I don¡¯t you would be able to do that, Adalyn. Asher would never get close to you after what


    you did to him, my dear daughter. I¡¯''m afraid that idea is not the best option.¡± Adalynughed again,


    only more lightly than before. ¡°True. He might not trust me... but what about Marco?¡± There was a brief


    silence and I nearly gasped. My eyes widened and I covered my mouth with my hand.


    Adalyn was going to use Prince Marco against the Alpha King?


    I shook my head slowly as I considered all she had spoken aloud and admitted to. Adalyn was


    definitely crazy, far more than I''d expected her to be.

 Chapter 297

    Chapter 297 Adalyn''s Plot BECKY i I knew Cassandra and the Alpha King needed to be informed of


    Adalyn¡¯s n before they returned to Anemond. If Adalyn really intended to use their son to manipte


    the king, they needed to be aware in advance so he wouldn''t fall for the ruse.


    Of course, I had no idea how to get this information to them. I hadn''t received any news about Rayden


    or Cassandra before I arrived in the House of Moses, nor had I''in a while. I phoned Wild Crawler every


    day in hopes of hearing about their whereabouts but there hadn¡¯t been any updates since Rayden had


    left for Yurene. There was no telling where they were or if they were


    safe.


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    I wanted to pull my hair out in ¡°> frustration but I managed to remain calm and level-headed. I needed


    to keep my wits about me here if I wanted to survive this mess of a situation.


    As their talk ended, I was about to get close to the door so I could peer out through the door crack. I


    needed to make sure no one would see me when I left the room, maids or otherwise.


    Before I could move an inch, Adalyn¡¯s voice suddenly grew louder. I stiffened and ced my hand over


    my mouth.


    She was just outside the room.


    Adalyn grumbled to herself and I couldn¡¯t make sense of what she was saying. It didn¡¯t matter. I was


    about to


    get caught if she entered the room, Just as I heard the door click, I slipped behind the thick curtains. A


    mere handful of secondster, Adalyn came in. Luckily, the whole room was dim and Adalun didn¡¯t tend


    to turn on lights, so I managed to steal a nce at her undetected.


    She took a seat on the couch with her back toward the curtains. She remained utterly still and seemed


    to be waiting for someone as she continued to look at the clock on the wall.


    Soon after, someone knocked on the door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Adalyn called out in a bored,zy sort of voice.


    A maid entered, followed by a man. I recognized him as the head of the royal


    healers, the one who had been scolded by Oliver Moses back in Ss¡¯ room. He bowed at Adalyn and


    the maid was.


    quickly dismissed.


    Confusion filled my mind. What was he doing here? And what was Adalyn going to talk to him about?


    She clearly wasn¡¯t worried about Ss¡¯ health, not in a real way, so what was happening here? I


    remained as still as possible.


    If I were to be discovered, all would be ruined.


    ¡°Sit down,¡± Adalyn ordered the healer.


    ¡°Of course, mydy,¡± he said in a fawning sort of way, and then heplied without hesitation. I could


    sense he was nervous and timid, as if


    he was greatly afraid of Adalyn. Not that I could me him, of course.


    Adalyn sensed it as well.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of,¡± she said smoothly. ¡°As long as you listen to me and do as I say.¡± ¡°I''


    have done everything you¡¯ve asked me to, Lady Adalyn,¡± he assured her quickly.


    ¡°I know,¡± she said and then sheughed lightly. The wicked sound of it sent a shiver down my spine.


    ¡°Without your help, Ss wouldn¡¯t be so quiet, would he?¡± My lips parted and I shoved my hand over


    my mouth. The realization of it all hit me hard but it was too horrible to be true. Was Adalyn truly so


    evil? The healers seemed utterly terrified of


    her.


    ¡°I''m afraid Lord Oliver might discover the truth,¡± he said, his voice quivering toward the end of his


    sentence.


    Adalynughed. ¡°How would he? My father knows nothing about medicine or medical treatments. He


    would have discovered the truth long ago if he did.


    My father would never expect something like this. He has always neglected and underestimated me


    because he could only ever see his son.¡± She paused and then let out a soft sigh.


    ¡°Rest assured, all will be fine. As long as youply, I''ll make sure your family will be lifted. Your son


    will be a noble and your daughter will be married to one of the prestigious heirs of the big families.


    You¡¯ll possess a


    countless fortune. You''ll get much further than any healer ever could.¡± This was all so unbelievable.


    The head healer had done all of this to remain in Adalyn Moses¡¯ favor? To have his children reap the


    benefits of nobility? It was strange to me that someone would do serious harm to Ss for all of that no


    matter how tempting it was. As someone who had grown up poor with no sort of title or power, I could


    never do what the healer had done. None of that mattered to me anyway, but as healers, it was our


    duty to take care of our patients. Harming them was a viinous act, one that under normal


    circumstances would have consequences like getting fired or asked to leave the profession.


    ¡°I''m grateful for your great mercy and rewards, Lady Adalyn,¡± the healer expressed obediently. ¡°What


    do you need from me today?¡± ¡°I know you''re an expert when ites to drugs,¡± Adalyn said. ¡°We can¡¯t


    always let Ss sleep like this. I don¡¯t want him to die, of course. After all, he is my dear little brother.


    A snort escaped her.


    ¡°I want him to wake up, but in a different way,¡± she continued.


    ¡°In a different way?¡± the head healer repeated, his tone confused. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, Lady Adalyn.¡±


    ¡°I''m sure you can figure it out,¡± Adalyn said in almost a mocking, sing- songy sort of way. ¡°It¡¯s not hard.


    Disable him, paralyze him... either one


    would do. I''ll let you take your pick.


    Just do it quickly. I need this to happen soon. Do you understand me?¡± It took all of my effort to keep


    from gasping or making any other kind of sound. I couldn¡¯t believe Adalyn was behind everything that


    was happening and now she wanted her own brother to be disabled or paralyzed? What kind of person


    would do that to her own family? It made no sense whatsoever.


    It was as if her wickedness knew no bounds.


    The healer seemed equally shocked by her request.


    ¡°It... it would be i-i-irreversible, mydy,¡± he stammered.


    ¡°Of course, I know it¡¯s irreversible,¡±


    Adalyn said with a short exhale. ¡°It¡¯s the only way to make Ss obedient.


    He''s always been too disobedient, f Prone to trouble. This should help with that.¡± Asilence hung in the


    room and then the healer spoke.


    ¡°When do you want me to do it?¡± he asked her quietly. ¡°The drugs needed for that will be very strong


    and will take effect in a day or two. I will administer them for you but I need an idea of when.¡± I could


    feel the dejection in his voice and for a moment, almost felt sorry for him. Surely, he had been


    manipted into this position, but then again, he was willingly going to harm the Beta of the kingdom.


    That was inexcusable in every way and couldn¡¯t be pardoned.


    Adalyn considered the idea for a moment and then spoke in an amused voice.


    ¡°Do it after the council meeting. My father could use a surprise.¡±

 Chapter 298

    Chapter 298 Back with old friends CASSANDRA We had disguised ourselves before returning to Wild


    Crawler.


    Heavily armed Wegan soldiers were patrolling the borders so there was no way that we could slip in


    undetected unless we were dressed as normal civilians. Asher was too noticeable of a person to just


    walk into the Pack and I was likely just as recognizable. We didn¡¯t want harm toe to us, especially


    when we weren¡¯t certain of which side the soldiers worked for.


    After we got dressed, we managed to look like normal Pack members.


    My stomach was in knots as we prepared to cross the forest but I


    managed to hold my own and remain brave on Finnick¡¯s behalf. It was so strange to think about all that


    time ago when I was going to take my son and flee these woods to get away from Asher and his order


    toe with him to Anemond. Back then, I''d seen Asher as this terrible viin, and here we were.


    He was not the same man I''d feared so much and vowed to escape from.


    He was my mate.


    Rayden had prepared passes for us quite some time ago, so we had no difficulty entering Wild Crawler.


    Once we were there, we traveled the streets discreetly. It was a strange thing to be back after being


    gone for so long. I studied the houses I''d seen for years and thought about how different I had


    been back then.


    Iwas Cassandra Keller, the vige healer who didn¡¯t have a wolf.


    Now, I wasn¡¯t sure who I was exactly, but I had my wolf and an inner source of magic I wasn¡¯t sure how


    to wield.


    It was all so strange. I still didn¡¯t know if I was Cassandra or Cora, but I pushed the thoughts from my


    mind. I would decide my identity one day. For now, we had a mission toplete.


    We went straight to the Pack House and met with Alpha Gareth.


    It was a happy reunion, and after he offered me a hug, he led us into a meeting room. We told him


    what happened and he nched at the news of Rayden. He was worried about his


    son, so he decided to send a troop of soldiers to the Red Stone Pack just in case anything happened. It


    was. | wonderful to see that though Gareth was only the Alpha in his son¡¯s absence, he hadn¡¯t lost his


    touch. He was still the strong and caring leader I had known him to be.


    The news that Vlokwell had suffered an inferno of its own hadn''t yet spread to Wild Crawler, so Gareth


    was deeply shocked.


    ¡°I¡¯m too old to understand what¡¯s going on in this world, Your Majesty,¡± he addressed Asher with full


    respect and courtesy. ¡°A few Packs started to think about being autonomous since your disappearance,


    which I don¡¯t understand. Since when are werewolves so disloyal and selfish?¡±


    WEA bd ¡°I can understand,¡± Asher replied with a thoughtful expression. ¡°I vanished.


    The Packs need to survive. I don¡¯t me them. I just wish it hadn¡¯te to this.¡± They spoke about


    that for a while and then shifted the subject to Oliver Moses.


    ¡°I''ve been sending someone to spy on Oliver,¡± Gareth informed us. ¡°He¡¯s been very quiet these days.


    Maybe it¡¯s because his son has been seriously ill.


    All of the royal healers live in their homes and attend to him day and night. Yet, he still hasn¡¯t woken


    up.¡± Asher¡¯s face darkened and when he faced me, there was sadness and rm in his sterling gray


    eyes.


    He exined to me what happened to


    Wy TY OUNUS Ss, but I hadn¡¯t expected the story to be so severe. As Asher told me everything, I


    could see that he had : been ming himself and that he felt terrible for Ss¡¯ condition.


    I reached out and took his hand in mine, squeezing it lightly.


    ¡°What''s important is that Ss survived,¡± I assured him as I stared into my mate¡¯s eyes. ¡°Maybe I could


    use my magic like Raven taught me and help him.¡± ¡°Magic?¡± Gareth repeated back in surprise and he


    stared at me as if I''d lost my mind.


    I grimaced and then turned to face my old friend. ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡± # kk Marley was busy in the clinic,


    so I


    didn¡¯t see her when we stepped out of the meeting room and entered the main floor of the Pack House,


    ¡°I''sent a guard there to tell her you''re back,¡± Gareth assured me. ¡°She should be here soon.¡± ¡°Are there


    any updates about Becky in Anemond?¡± I wondered after I nodded my head at the former Alpha of Wild


    Crawler. ¡°Is she alright?¡± ¡°Becky calls every day to see if there¡¯s any news,¡± Gareth said and then he


    frowned. ¡°But she hasn¡¯t called yet today.¡± While waiting for Marley, I decided to call Becky in the clinic,


    but much to my surprise, my assistant didn¡¯t answer the phone. Instead, the voice on the other line


    belonged to Dickson, the healer she had told me about.


    He seemed restless as he spoke to me and revealed that Becky was missing.


    He said she had snuck into the House of Moses yesterday because she was worried about Ss but


    she hadn¡¯t yet returned. He theorized that something must have happened to her and dered that


    he¡¯d go there to look for her.


    ¡°Calm down,¡± I urged him gently.


    ¡°Becky is clever Dickson, and she knows how to protect herself. If she hasn¡¯t returned, she might have


    found something, or there''s some other exnation we¡¯re not thinking of. I''ll get to Anemond as soon


    as possible and we can figure out a n from there. For now, stay safe, lock the doors, and keep an


    eye out for her just in case.¡± Dickson agreed and once I hung up the


    Sr 719 BUNUS phone, I opened the door to see Marley waiting for me in the hallway.


    It should have been a nice reunion for us but we were all worried about Becky now.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go back to Anemond too soon,¡± Marley urged me as we sipped at some tea. ¡°Kellers is


    surely being spied on. You and the Alpha King will get caught the second you step foot into the clinic.¡±


    ¡°Idon¡¯t think so,¡± Jasper spoke up.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Oliver doesn¡¯t have the energy to care about other things. He''s too stressed about his son¡¯s condition.


    Besides, they wouldn¡¯t expect the Alpha King and Cassandra to return to Anemond right now. If they


    wear some kind of disguise, there should be no issue.¡±


    Marley¡¯s green eyes shot daggers in Jasper¡¯s direction. ¡°Shut up. You know nothing about danger.¡± = ¡°I


    know you¡¯re worried, but I think Jasper is right,¡± I spoke to my friend gently, and I reached out and took


    her hand in mine. ¡°Oliver Moses is distracted at this point and I could never leave Becky alone.¡±


    Marley¡¯s expression softened and then she let out a soft sigh. ¡°Cassy, you have to promise me you''ll be


    safe.¡± ¡°I''will,¡± T''assured her. ¡°I¡¯m stronger now that I have my wolf soul back.¡± My friend gasped. ¡°What?


    How?¡± ¡°A lot of things happened in Yurene,¡± I said vaguely. ¡°Good and bad. But the good news is I''m


    much more capable


    now.¡± She sighed after a moment, ¡°Okay. But | you need to tell me everything once this is all sorted


    out.¡± kk We decided to leave right after darkness fell.


    Finnick agreed to stay with Erika before I even had the chance to ask him, and before we left, we all


    shared dinner together. Marley and Jasper joined us at the Pack House and Marley told me all about


    the patients they¡¯d healed. She said most of them were doing better after taking the medicine Becky


    had created. All of them were getting stronger.


    She got sad as she spoke and then said that Becky was supposed to be with us


    | to share her happiness about the cured patients. | ¡°Becky will be all right,¡± I assured her.


    ¡°She¡¯s strong and determined.¡±

 Chapter 299

    Chapter 299 Hello, Kitten BECKY I hadn¡¯t expected that healers were forbidden to leave once they


    came to the House of Moses. After I had overheard the conversation between Adalyn and the head


    healer, I had waited until they had long been gone from the room and then slipped out. I headed right


    down the corridor I''de from and once I was near Ss¡¯ room, I traveled down the hallway and


    made an attempt to go. I needed to return to the clinic so I could tell Dickson all I had heard. I needed


    his intellect and opinion on how to proceed.


    I would return once I had a n, using Cassandra¡¯s badge to get back into the


    House of Moses. I had to find some way to stop Adalyn, and by extension, the healer, from carrying out


    their wicked n.


    Ss couldn¡¯t be paralyzed or disabled by whatever drugs they intended to use. I wouldn''t allow it.


    But when I tried to leave, the guards stopped me in my tracks and my n | began to fall apart. They


    exined that the Moseses had arranged rooms for the royal healers and if we wanted, the guards


    could bring our families here to keep uspany. But no one was permitted to leave the area once


    they''d checked in.


    If I couldn¡¯t leave the information I had was useless.


    The council meeting... if | remembered correctly, it happened twice a month.


    The next one should be arranged in two days.


    I had to find a way to get the news out.


    Adalyn had to be stopped.


    Despite my annoyance at the ordeal, I allowed the guards to escort me to my own room, and after a


    terrible night¡¯s sleep, I woke up and returned to Ss¡¯ room.


    The other healers filtered in soon after and as the day went by, I formed a n. Two healers would be


    arranged to look after Ss overnight, and I volunteered to be one of them.


    The healer I''d spoken to yesterday mentioned it was a tough job. Since we would have to check his


    temperature and pulse every hour for their records, I wasn¡¯t allowed to sleep at all.


    Though that sounded miserable, it also gave me ess to Ss, so I couldn¡¯tin at all. I agreed


    to those terms and offered the healer a smile, exining I was more than happy to care for the Beta of


    the Pack. It was my honor to take care of the unconscious lord.


    Night came quickly and the other healers went to their chambers for some rest. As the hours went by,


    the other healer assigned to watch Ss began to yawn. She was an elder healer with a great deal of


    experience.


    ¡°This is the strangest patient I¡¯ve ever seen in my entire life,¡± she said to me after a great deal of


    silence. ¡°He¡¯spletely fine but unable to wake up.


    It¡¯s so odd. None of us can do anything about it and there¡¯s no use to check his pulse or temperature.


    There''s no use


    for us healers to be here at all, really.¡± She wiped her eyes tiredly and I wondered if she took on the


    task of watching Ss often or if she was simply just exhausted from the experience of being trapped in


    the House of Moses. I couldn¡¯t me her either way. This situation was strange, after all. His wounds


    were healed and yet he could not wake.


    What had Adalyn drugged him with? ¡°Have you checked the medicine Beta Ss has been taking?¡± I


    wondered innocently.


    The elder healer shook her head. ¡°The medicine is administered by the head healer, who is the best of


    us all. He has served the royals for a long time and


    the Moses family trusts him the best.


    No one is allowed to even touch the medicine he¡¯s prescribed.¡± Inodded and resisted the urge to sigh.


    Of course, no one was allowed to see the medicine. If they did, they would likely deduce that this was a


    bad situation and that the Beta was being drugged and kept in aa.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the responsibility of recording,¡± I offered. ¡°You can rest for a while. Both of us don¡¯t need to be


    awake to do a simple job like this.¡± The healer considered the idea and then nodded. She sat on one of


    the chairs nearest the window, leaned back, and closed her eyes. She drifted off soon after, the sound


    of her soft snores filling the room. The other chair was upied by the only other person


    in the room besides us and Ss, a maid. She had fallen asleep long ago and snored just as the healer


    did.


    I recorded Ss¡¯ pulse and temperature, forcing down the sadness that swelled within me at this terrible


    circumstance. Once I was done writing them down, I waited to make sure the healer¡¯s breaths were


    slow and steady.


    Once I was sure, I snuck out of the room.


    As I walked down the corridor, I searched for the room I¡¯d hidden in yesterday. I remembered I had


    seen a phone on the desk, and while I didn¡¯t know if it was working or merely a decoration, I needed to


    find out.


    The corridor was silent. No servants were around at all. I supposed the area was used mainly for


    meetings orThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    working on paperwork, which meant no one would notice this ce sote at night. It was


    advantageous for certain, I just needed to be quick. If the other healer or maid woke up, things would


    go south quickly.


    When I managed to locate the room, I looked around and double-checked the corridor, making sure


    that no one was there. Once I was sure, I slipped into the room. I didn¡¯t dare turn on the light. It would


    tip off my presence too easily, so I waited until my eyes were used to the darkness and then walked


    toward the desk. Moonlight poured through the windows and I used it to find the phone.


    I picked it up and was surprised to find it was working. Excitement filled me. I dialed the number of the


    clinic and prayed that Dickson would pick it up


    right away.


    But before he could answer, the door suddenly flew open and then the lights were turned on. The


    brightness pierced my eyes and panic flooded through me as I saw the people standing in front of me.


    One of them was the maid I thought was fast asleep snoring against the wall.


    And the other was Adalyn Moses.


    Her golden, cat-like eyes, stared at me wickedly and her red-painted lips curled into an amused smile


    as she studied me.


    ¡°Well, well, well,¡± she remarked. ¡°The naughty kitten has finally been caught.¡± [ wanted to run but knew


    there was no


    escape. I began to sharpen my nails into ws but before I could get my free hand prepared to fight,


    Adalyn walked over and grabbed my neck. Her fingers tightened around my throat and she used her


    other hand to hang up the phone.


    She stared deeply into my eyes.


    ¡°I''m deeply interested in why you would want to use the phone sote at night,¡± she said. ¡°So you¡¯d


    better start talking, kitten.¡±

 Chapter 300

    Chapter 300 Confrontation BECKY After I was caught in the room by Adalyn, I was seized at once and


    tied up against my will. They shouted at me and forced my hands behind my back. I tried using my


    ws to escape the ties but it was no use. They were much stronger than me and besides, I was


    outnumbered. My heart beat heavily in my chest as I thought of Dickson. All I wanted was to tell him


    the news of Ss¡¯ drugging and let him know that while I was rattled here in the House of Moses, I


    would be just fine. All I needed was to keep my wits about me and try to uncover Adalyn and Oliver¡¯s


    secret plot.


    But all of that had been ruined and now


    -w ''V SViwae I was bound against a wooden chair, facing Adalyn.


    The Alpha King¡¯s wife walkednguidly, reminding me again of a jungle cat rather than a wolf. Her


    calcting gold eyes assessed me with a sharp gaze that made me want to avert contact. But I


    maintained my own gaze to show her she didn¡¯t scare me.


    ¡°Inoticed you yesterday,¡± Adalyn revealed. ¡°When you attempted to blend yourself in with those royal


    healers. It was a bold move but ultimately stupid. Did you think I was blind? That I wouldn¡¯t notice you?¡±


    Sheughed, a cruel sound that echoed in the room.


    ¡°If you didn¡¯t think you were as clever


    Wy 719 BUNUS as you do, I wouldn''t have caught you so easily,¡± she continued, and she examined


    her long nails as if she were bored by this interaction. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to make any fuss. But you thought


    you were smart enough to beat me so I took the opportunity to deal with you myself. And here we are.


    No one knows where you are and who took you.¡± I narrowed my eyes and red at her. I thought my


    expression would intimidate her but Adalyn merelyughed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that,¡± she said with a wave of her hand. ¡°This is all your fault. You shouldn¡¯t have


    snuck in here. Why would you want toe here anyway? I thought you would be less stupid than to


    come to the House of Moses.¡±


    L? J +15 BONUS My lips parted against my will as | thought of Ss sitting unconscious in his


    chamber. Ss... he didn¡¯t deserve any of this.


    Adalyn frowned at me and then she seemed to realize the truth.


    ¡°Oh, you came here for Ss,¡± she said and then she giggled with mockery.


    ¡°How moving. Ss¡¯ little matees to save the brave Beta from his awful family. So cute. But your


    mate can¡¯t be saved. No one can save him now.¡± ¡°Only because of your plot!¡± I blurted out boldly. ¡°Ss


    would have recovered if it weren''t for your intervention!¡± Adalyn raised a dark, arched eyebrow.


    She seemed to be surprised. Or maybe she just pretended to be shocked, as if being pretentious would


    add


    Wy "VY BUNGS something fun to this interrogation.


    Everything was a game to her so | wouldn¡¯t be too surprised if she was drawing this out for her own


    amusement.


    She shed me a vicious smile. ¡°It seems like you know everything, don¡¯t you? That¡¯s why you were


    here to use the phone It all makes sense now. Well, takefort in knowing you¡¯re right.


    Without me, Ss would still be my father¡¯s perfect heir, the Lord Beta, or even the future king of


    Wega. Who knows. But unfortunately, I''m the one with the actual power now.¡± Anger burnt in my


    chest.


    ¡°Ss is your brother!¡± I eximed.


    ¡°You grew up together. What kind of sister would want to harm her own brother?¡±


    ie ue me uo *15BONUS ¡°Sister and brother?¡± Adalynughed cruelly, tossing her dark hair back.


    ¡°What do you know about me, girl? ¡ª Yes, we grew up together, but Ss was never a good brother.


    He has always known that our father likes him more and used that to his advantage. Just like Father,


    he never treated me with any sort of respect-" ¡°And did you treat him like a brother?¡± I questioned. ¡°Did


    you truly care for him as an older sister? It sounds like you were merely jealous of him. It wasn¡¯t his


    fault that your father treated you both differently. If he showed Ss more love, that isn¡¯t Ss¡¯ fault. If


    anyone is to me, it¡¯s your father.¡± Adalyn appeared vexed. Her nostrils red and her hands balled


    into fists.


    ¡°You should shut the fuck up,¡± she practically growled at me. ¡°If Ss wasn¡¯t my brother, I would have


    killed him already. I¡¯ve been kind enough to keep him alive but that could change at any moment.¡±


    ¡°Your n won¡¯t work,¡± I fired back at her as my anger swelled. ¡°The Moon Goddess sees what you''re


    doing and she won''t let you get away with it.


    Justice will be served.¡± Adalynughed so hard that she nearly fell over. She braced herself and again,


    the mocking sound echoed in the room. It was enough to drive one mad and if my hands had been


    free, I would have ced them over my ears to drown out the awful, mocking sound.


    ¡°You¡¯re such an innocent kitten,¡± she


    Wy "VUNG chuckled as she wiped a tear from her cheek. ¡°I haven¡¯t believed in the Moon Goddess


    since Ss was born. If such an entity existed and was kind enough to bless me as she did with


    everyone else, she would have never allowed a fool like Ss to be born.¡± ~ IT''wanted to say more, but


    she seemed impatient and dissatisfied with my reactions. Maybe she had been expecting a horrified


    reaction or for me to beg to be let go. But I refused to give her the satisfaction. She wouldn¡¯t see me


    fold and I would never beg.


    Adalyn yawned and stretched her deeply tanned arms above her. ¡°I''m tired.¡± She motioned for her two


    guards to step forward. ¡°Lock her up.¡± Just as she turned on her heels to leave


    the room, I called out to her. ¡°What if your father discovered the truth?¡± She paused for a moment and


    turned to | face me. Her expression was amused.


    ¡°My father wouldn¡¯t. He¡¯s always considered me a fool and a piece of trash. A fool never would have


    had the wit toe up with such a n. My father has always had a low opinion of me, remember?¡±


    Adalyn then left without looking back.


    The guards removed the bonds that secured me to the chair but grasped my wrists and held me so I


    wouldn¡¯t escape. I kicked and shouted but it was no use and they pped a gag on my mouth.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    The guards took me out of the room and shoved me into a dark and dusty one in the basement. It was


    full of |


    Wy TO BONUS random belongings and discarded things. I would never be found here.


    They tightened my bonds and then left.


    When I waspletely alone, sadness and regret swept over me. I probably should have listened to


    Dickson. But at the same time, I knew my choice toe here was right. If I hadn¡¯t snuck into the


    House of Moses, I wouldn''t have uncovered Adalyn¡¯s conspiracy.


    Poor Ss.


    I sat down on the ground and tried to getfortable, though it was hard. I was worn out from this


    ordeal.


    Time went by and I wasn¡¯t sure how long I had been in the room until I heard some footsteps. They


    didn¡¯te from the staircase but instead


    sounded like they were outside the half-window.


    I stared for a moment, waiting, and then suddenly, there was a face outside.


    For a moment, I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes.


    The man squatting down and peering though was Dickson.

 Chapter 301

    Chapter 301 Her brother CASSANDRA HB When Asher and I and a few Wild Crawler soldiers arrived


    at Keller¡¯s, we were surprised to find that Dickson wasn¡¯t there.


    Instead, there was another younger man looking after the clinic, onel didn¡¯t recognize. He had a gloomy


    expression on his bored face and his brown eyes rolled at us when we entered the clinic.


    ¡°I thought you were Dickson,¡± he remarked, then sighed as he shook his head in annoyance.


    ¡°Sorry to disappoint,¡± I apologized, though I barely meant it.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Who are


    | you?¡± ¡°We''re friends of Dickson,¡± I replied vaguely, unsure of how much ~~ information to provide to a


    total stranger. ¡°And you are?¡± He sighed, as if my questions were inconveniencing him, and then he .


    straightened his posture and began to speak. ¡°Max. I¡¯m Dickson¡¯s friend. He asked me to do him a


    favor, which normally wouldn¡¯t be an issue, but I didn¡¯t expect to be babysitting a clinic like this. I


    haven¡¯t worked as a healer in a long time. How am I supposed to look after patients?¡± He continued


    filling me in on all of the details I had missed during my absence from Anemond. Dickson had told him


    that the clinic hadn¡¯t received any new patients and several others left the


    clinic given the current situation in Wega. Despite so, there were still a few patients who needed daily


    checks.


    Finally, I cut him off.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Where did Dickson go?¡± I wondered as I forced down my rising irritation.


    Much to my dismay, Max only offered me a shrug. ¡°I don¡¯t know. He only told me toe here and look


    after the ce. But if you¡¯re friends of Becky, he left you a note.¡± My heart dropped at the mention of


    Becky and my eyes went wide. I exchanged a nce with Asher and then turned back to face Max.


    The young man wordlessly pointed ahead at the reception table, and I followed the direction of his


    gesture until I


    spotted a piece of paper.


    rushed over and then unfurled the paper with my shaking hands. It took a deal of effort to keep from


    dropping the note entirely, but when I felt Asher¡¯s reassuring hand on my back, my nerves quelled at


    least a little.


    . Iread quickly and then turned to face my mate.


    ¡°Dickson didn¡¯t listen,¡± I sighed. ¡°He went to the House of Moses.¡± Asher¡¯s sterling eyes darkened and


    his jaw tensed. ¡°Of course he did. That¡¯s thest ce he should be.¡± I nodded in agreement and then


    reread the note. ¡°He said he ns to get Becky out of there safely. He ims he¡¯s thought it through


    carefully and going there himself was the only option. He


    couldn¡¯t let her be alone.¡± I passed the note to Asher and then pinched the bridge of my nose between


    my fingers as a headache bloomed within me.


    This was a foolish mistake on Dickson¡¯s part. It was absolutely thoughtless. If he could have waited, we


    may havee up with a better n together, but no. He had to rush into the most dangerous ce in


    the entire capital without waiting for backup.


    How could he have been so dumb? ¡°Don¡¯t be upset with him,¡± Asher spoke up and when I turned to


    face him, his expression was far more gentle than anticipated. ¡°I can understand why he did it. I would


    have done the same if it were you in there.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s reckless,¡± I countered but my mate shook his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s reckless love,¡± he said and then he reached out and brushed my cheek.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, Cassandra.¡± I leaned into his warm touch but had to force a smile. ¡°How could I


    not worry? Becky is in the House of Moses and we don¡¯t know if she¡¯s alive or dead.¡± ¡°Becky will be


    alright,¡± he assured me gently. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, she¡¯s still Ss¡¯ fated mate. The Moseses wouldn''t harm


    her.¡± Just as I realized he was right, I suddenly heard Max move behind us and when I turned around, I


    saw a confused look on his face.


    ¡°What''s going on?¡± he asked me, and his eyes darted between me and Asher.


    ¡°What did Dickson do? You''re acting like he¡¯s asking for his death or something.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± I tried to


    assure him, but he wasn¡¯t convinced.


    ¡°Something is up,¡± he insisted, and then his eyes narrowed at Asher. ¡°Do I know you? You look familiar


    somehow.¡± A nervous pang traveled through me and I decided at once that we couldn¡¯t be here for a


    minute more.


    ¡°Thank you for your help,¡± I said, evading his questions, and then I grabbed Asher¡¯s hand. ¡°We have


    some things to aplish but Dickson will be back soon enough.¡±


    [tried to tug Asher¡¯s arm but he resisted and stood in ce.


    ¡°Actually, before we leave, could you bring me the medical records?¡± he requested.


    Medical records? I frowned at him in confusion. ¡°What do you need records for?¡± My mate hesitated for


    a moment. He ran his hands through his thick brown hair and studied me cautiously.


    ¡°There¡¯s a patient I want to take you to,¡± he said. ¡°Before we leave.¡± My frown deepened. ¡°A patient?


    Who?¡± ¡°You''ll know when you see him,¡± he replied vaguely and then he turned to Max. ¡°Will you bring


    them?¡±


    Max didn¡¯t seem too keen to oblige but nodded his head anyway and then disappeared. He returned a


    whileter with a binder in his hands and passed it to Asher.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± my mate said gratefully.


    My heart pounded in my chest as I waited for an exnation. I wasn''t certain what was happening and


    I wasn¡¯t fond of surprises, especially when the situation with the House of Moses and our missing


    friends was so dire.


    Still, I trusted Asher, so I allowed hima moment to scan the records and waited patiently until he


    selected a sheet. He withdrew it from the folder and then | handed the records back to Max.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said again and then


    he turned to me. ¡°Come with me.


    There¡¯s someone you need to see.¡± Though I wanted to demand an answer, I simply nodded. Asher


    inclined his head forward and then I followed him down the hall. We continued past a few different


    rooms and once we reached the end of the hall, Asher stopped before the final door. Nervousness


    bloomed in my belly and a strange feeling came over me.


    Though my theory was unfounded, I could sense whoever was behind the door was important.


    Asher opened the door and after I took a breath, I followed him inside.


    The light was dim and the patient was sleeping. I could tell it was a man, but the lights were so low it


    was hard to


    make out any other features.


    We drew closer toward the bed and I noticed his long, golden hair. It was a beautiful shade, and as I


    stared at it, a thought crossed my mind.


    I had only known one man with hair that golden before, but there was no way.


    It would be impossible.


    I took another step closer and when I did my jaw dropped and I froze. My eyes welled up with tears and


    I began to tremble.


    I knew it in my heart to be true.


    The man lying in the bed was none other than my older brother, Ector Felix.

 Chapter 302

    Chapter 302 Memory of the past CASSANDRA b As my heart dropped in my chest, I felt paralyzed


    from sheer disbelief.


    I''wanted to reach out to touch his face or his hands. I wanted to tangibly feel that he was real, lying in


    this bed before me, but I couldn¡¯t move. For all of these years, I had believed that Ector was dead.


    When he had been exiled to the bordends, I had given up any hope of ever seeing him again. Those


    exiled from Wega were never seen again and after the undoing of our family name, Ector was no


    exception. A small part of me had wished we would reunite one day, but after the inferno, that part of


    me went silent. Though my | 11


    | heart ached for my dear brother, no one ever returned from the bordends unless they were soldiers


    specifically sent on a mission.


    But here he was, lying in this bed, breathing.


    For a moment, I felt like I was about to copse. My knees wavered but before I could fall, Asher


    reached out to stabilize me.


    ¡°Ss found him months ago out in the bordends,¡± my mate exined as he held me. ¡°But Ss


    wasn¡¯t sure if he was Ector or not since we all presumed him to be dead after being exiled all those


    years ago. So, I went out there with him to check.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you needed to leave Anemond,¡± I


    realized.


    He nodded. ¡°I''m sorry I didn¡¯t tell you then, but I didn¡¯t want you to be disappointed if it wasn¡¯t him. I


    needed to be absolutely certain it was Ector before I said anything. And then things got...plicated


    after that. So much has happened since that there wasn¡¯t an opportunity to tell you. I''m sorry,


    Cassandra.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry,¡± I assured him, and I offered him a small smile. ¡°I understand, Asher.


    Things have been difficult.¡± After he nodded in agreement, I turned back to Ector.


    ¡°He looks so thin,¡± I remarked as I noted his hollow cheeks, and my heart ached at the sight. Though


    his hair was as beautiful as ever, he was clearly very malnourished. Given his appearance, 1


    | could only imagine what his life had been like out in the bordends, and the thought of him having to


    survive out there for all of this time...


    Thest time I''d seen my brother was after the trial. Our father had been sentenced to the death


    penalty and Ector was going to be banished.


    In all honesty, I should have been banished like him, but back then, I had been the prince¡¯s mate, so


    things had been different for me.


    I was grounded and put on house arrest in Rosepetal, awaiting future trials.


    The day Ector was set to leave Anemond, I was inconsble. I wasn¡¯t allowed to leave so I wouldn''t be


    able to say goodbye.


    Thankfully, Asher snuck in and helped


    me quietly leave without being seen by the guards. We secretly met with Ector in the gardens. ¡ª |


    Back then, my brother had been strong and confident. He believed our family¡¯s name would be cleared


    and told me not to worry about him.


    But this Ector lookedpletely different. He looked fragile. Delicate.


    As if he could snap in half at any moment.


    Before I could stop myself, I began to cry. Tears spilled onto my cheeks and I reached out to touch my


    brother¡¯s face.


    ¡°He might not be emotionally stable, Cassandra,¡± Asher warned me gently.


    ¡°He tends to attack when he feels threatened. Trust me, we¡¯ve learned that from experience.¡±


    [nodded and then a thought crossed my mind. For Ector, I was like a stranger now. My face and voice


    had changed after the inferno, altered by Emmett¡¯s sorcery. I didn¡¯t look like I had back then, but


    beneath the dye I had used for so many years, my hair was just as golden as Ector¡¯s. Though my


    features were no longer the same, I somehow believed that he would recognize me.


    We were family.


    The moment my hand touched his cheek, Ector¡¯s eyes opened wide, revealing irises the same color as


    mine.


    He suddenly looked alert, like a | frightened animal, and his hands moved as if he intended to attack


    me.


    Behind me, Asher tensed, ready to step


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    in, but to both of our surprises, Ector didn¡¯t attack. Instead, he moved backward as if he were trying to


    protect himself, I couldn¡¯t tell how I felt at the sight of this. I couldn¡¯t imagine what Ector had been


    through after he¡¯d been banished.


    Just as I was about to open my mouth to say something, Ector began to yell and scream. He wasn¡¯t


    saying any understandable words, just loud noises, and I tried to soothe him before he could hurt


    himself.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you,¡± I assured him calmly. ¡° It¡¯s okay.¡± Despite his rising emotions, I stared deeply


    into his eyes. Asher started to step forward, but I shook my head to ry that I was alright and could


    handle this myself.


    [ took a step backward but continued to maintain eye contact with Ector.


    ¡°Do you recognize me?¡± I asked him softly.


    My brother frowned and stared for a second before he started bumping his head against the


    headboard. His movement was gentle at first, and then stronger, as if he were trying to physically jump-


    start his brain. Before he could hurt himself, I moved forward and caught his shoulder to stop him.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Ector,¡± I said gently, and then I summoned all of my bravery.


    ¡°It¡¯s Cora.¡± My brother froze and silence hung in the air. His emerald eyes studied me |


    for a moment, trailing over me multiple times as if I were an illusion.


    ¡°Cora?¡± he repeated back and I nodded.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied. ¡°I''m your sister, Cora.


    My face was changed by an ident, but it¡¯s me, Ector.¡± He didn¡¯t seem convinced but didn¡¯t push me


    away either. He continued to study me, as if searching for any trace of my former self.


    Suddenly, I remembered something and reached into my pocket. I pulled out my mother¡¯s amulet and


    held it up so it caught the light. I had been keeping it safe on my person ever since I got it back from


    Kaleb.


    The moonstone glinted and Ector¡¯s


    eyes welled up with tears. He began to cry at once, clearly remembering the pendant. Before I could


    say another word, he took it from me and ran his fingers over the shining stone. He began to tremble


    and then whispered a single word.


    ¡°Mother.¡± As tears spilled down his cheeks, I couldn¡¯t bear the sorrow any longer.


    I threw my arms around Ector and hugged him as tightly as I feltfortable with. I didn¡¯t want to injure


    him further, but I needed him to know that although I looked different, I was still his sister, and I loved


    him dearly.


    It was hard to tell if he understood the meaning of my having the amulet or


    not, but he didn¡¯t shy from the embrace. He allowed me to hold him and soon rxed his tensed


    muscles.


    I'' wasn¡¯t certain if he truly recognized me or not, but it didn¡¯t matter.


    We were reunited and safe.


    And that was all that mattered.

 Chapter 303

    Chapter 303 Supporters CASSANDRA My brother fell asleep a whileter, still holding our mother¡¯s


    amulet in his hands. He didn¡¯t want to give it back to me, so I allowed him to keep it for now.


    We left the room soon after, and once we stepped out into the hall, Asher took my hand in his.


    ¡°His physical condition seems like it¡¯s improved,¡± he informed me. ¡°He looks better than he did when I


    saw himst.


    But his mental condition is still very poor.¡± ¡°He must have been through a lot,¡± I said sadly.


    Asher nodded. ¡°The conditions out in


    the bordends are harsh. He was probably struggling to survive out there alone.¡± My lower lip


    trembled but I forced myself to remain strong. What mattered was that he was alive.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he''ll only continue to improve,¡± I said. ¡°Thank you for saving him, Asher.¡± He smiled at me


    warmly. ¡°We¡¯re mates now, Cassandra. You don¡¯t need to thank me for anything.¡± ¡°Still,¡± I insisted. ¡°It


    means the world to me.¡± Asher nodded and then his face grew serious and he let out a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s Ss


    who deserves the thanks. Had it not been for him, we never would have found him. I owe my Beta so


    much.¡±


    I considered what he had told me about Ss¡¯ injuries in Sky Pride and then my eyebrows knitted


    together. Though we hardly knew each other, Ss Moses had never been a weak man. It struck me as


    odd that he still hadn¡¯t recovered from his wounds and a thought crossed my mind.


    ¡°Was he really injured so badly that no healer in Anemond could save him?¡± I wondered.


    My mate seemed confused and frowned at me. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s strange,¡± I exined. ¡°IF the


    wound had been lethal, Ss would likely have perished on the road back here. But he didn¡¯t. And


    strong young werewolves like Ss should heal p


    quickly if the wound isn¡¯t lethal.¡± ¡°I"m not following,¡± Asher admitted.


    ¡°Do you remember when you were attacked by a bear during the hunting festival?¡± I reminded him.


    ¡°You were wounded so badly that I thought you would die, but luckily, it wasn¡¯t fatal, and you healed


    quickly. You recovered in a few hours.¡± Asher¡¯s frown deepened.


    ¡°Do you mean to suggest that Ss can¡¯t wake up because someone doesn¡¯t want him to?¡± he asked


    slowly.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a guess,¡± I admitted. ¡°I can¡¯t figure out why someone wouldn¡¯t want him to wake up. Who


    would dare do something like this to Ss in the


    House of Moses? Oliver? If it was him, what does he want? What''s the point of keeping him


    unconscious...¡± Before I could finish my sentence, Asher and I seemed toe to the same realization.


    If someone wanted Ss to be unconscious, then they wanted him to stay away from something,


    something he would want to stop. But what? What action were they about to take? ¡°Do you really think


    it¡¯s Oliver?¡± he wondered. ¡°Would he keep his son unconscious and deliberately arrange a farce? ¡°It


    could be,¡± I replied. ¡°It would raise people¡¯s empathy, at least. What would be better to the public than


    seeing a


    loving father who desperately wants to save his son? Not to mention the fact that the son is the well-


    respected Lord Beta. Oliver Moses seems like the type to pull this kind of treachery. What do you


    think?¡± Asher let out a heavy exhale. ¡°It¡¯s not a bad theory. I just can¡¯t imagine how a father could use


    his son¡¯s life for his own political plot. I would sacrifice anything for the life of my son. How could others


    think differently?¡± I wasn¡¯t sure if Asher thought of Finnick or Marco when he made his statement.


    Perhaps he was referring to histe father as well.


    I remembered that Emmett had told me in my dream that thest Alpha King wanted to use Asher to


    speak with his dead wife. How much of that did


    Asher remember or know? I squeezed Asher¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Unfortunately, people aren¡¯t all the same. But I think you''re going to be a better father than all of them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure Finnick would agree,¡± he said quietly.


    ¡°He will one day,¡± I assured him. ¡°You just have to give it time.¡± My mate nodded and we fell into silence


    as I considered our discussion.


    ¡°What do you think Oliver is nning?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I think there¡¯s a way to find out,¡± he replied, and when I blinked at him in confusion,


    he continued to speak. ¡°After Oliver imed the ¡®Alpha King was missing¡¯,


    he hosted meetings regrly as a regent. I would need to see the councilors, but I think they would


    help me understand what''s going on in this country and specte what Oliver is nning.¡± Our n


    had been to go straight to the House of Moses, but we decided our best course of action would be to


    call the councilors. The clinic would be the perfect ce to meet since it was just far away enough from


    Merliscire to give us privacy, so we ced the calls at once.


    We asked Max to keep watch on the clinic and then went into one of the private meeting rooms. Once


    we were sure we couldn¡¯t be overheard, I picked up the phone and dialed the numbers.


    Each time, I made sure to speak first : and ensured that the councilors themselves were on the other


    end before passing the phone to Asher.


    We invited two councilors to join us, Jacoby and Karsh. They were the only ones Asher trusted. There


    should have been three of them, but Karsh informed him that the third, Aremine, had passed away not


    too long ago.


    ¡°It¡¯s sad,¡± Asher remarked as we waited for the councilors toe to Keller''s. ¡°He was a good friend of


    Lancel¡¯s back in the day.¡± I blinked at him, suddenly realizing that his beloved guard hadn¡¯t been


    around for quite some time. I then remembered what he told me about the day Marco had been


    brought to him, when Adalyn had administered the


    poison.


    Asher released a sigh and shook his head before I could utter a word.


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected Lancel to do that,¡± he sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. ¡°I¡¯ve known him for


    so long. I know he never would have done that if he¡¯d known it was a trap, and it was exactly because


    he cared about my feelings that he brought Marco to me.


    But a mistake was made and Lancel broke his vow of absolute loyalty, so he couldn¡¯t be the king¡¯s


    guard anymore.¡± He sighed again. ¡°That¡¯s why I''ve started to understand my father. It¡¯s never an easy


    or pleasant thing to be king.¡± ?1 understand,¡± I assured him. ¡°You and Lancel are like Erika and I but


    moreplicated. just... T can¡¯t believe Adalyn did all that. Used Marco and then drugged you. She


    must really be crazy.¡± Asher nodded. ¡°She¡¯s dangerous, more than I ever expected. We can¡¯t


    underestimate her, Cassandra.¡± The councilors arrived not long after we made the calls and seemed


    agitated when they saw Asher.


    Jacoby shed some tears while Karsh knelt down before him. They thanked the Moon Goddess


    dramatically for sending the Alpha King back to them, and then after a while, we all gathered around


    the table to talk.


    It was a long conversation. The councilors mentioned that Oliver was


    trying to take the power of Wega bit by bit. He was isting councilors who had clearly shown their


    loyalty to Asher and remained on his side. He weakened their power at once.


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    He had also announced the pce would stop providing financial support to Packs like Vanished


    Hunters and White Shadows, which had been receiving support ever since they became part of


    Wega.


    Aremine had protested strongly at the meeting but got spitefulments from Oliver and his


    aplices. The poor old man had suffered from a heart attack and died.


    ?liver wants the small Packs to go against the royal family,¡± Asher mused.


    ¡°1m afraid so, Jacoby said. ¡°And


    there''s more than that, sadly. Oliver has been quiet since Ss was ill, but yesterday, he called all the


    councilors for a meeting.¡± Asher frowned. ¡°What does he want?¡± Karsh and Jacoby shook their heads.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know,¡± Jacoby said. ¡°But Oliver wants every councilor to be at the next meeting. There must


    be no exception. No excuses.¡±

 Chapter 304

    Chapter 304 Turning Point BECKY pe As I stared out the basement window, I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes.


    How had Dickson known I was here? I was grateful to see him but I was confused at how he had


    gotten here without being spotted by the many guards stationed around the House of Moses. My


    colleague wasn¡¯t weak, but then again, I never would have taken him for a stealth operative.


    Dickson looked around before he attempted to move the window, but to both of our dismays, the


    windows were nailed down. His forehead tensed as he strained to move it, and then he looked


    at me and pointed at the door. His hand cupped his ear, gesturing for me to listen, and then he


    mouthed a sentence.


    Is anyone at the door? I thanked my lucky stars that I could read lips easily and then shook my head.


    Dickson nodded thoughtfully and then mouthed another sentence.


    I''ll get in through the door.


    My eyes widened and I shook my head as hard as I could to emphasize how bad of an idea that was. It


    was much too dangerous to get inside the building. If he tried to save me, he would surely be captured


    and then ced in the same position I was, if not worse.


    I wanted to mouth back, but the gag prevented me from speaking. Dickson didn¡¯t seem to understand


    the reasoning behind my head shakes and simply offered me a smile before disappearing into the


    darkness.


    I wanted to scream. Why had hee here? Was he truly convinced he could get me out of here? It


    was too impossible of a task even for the most seasoned fighters, and Dickson wasn¡¯t a fighter. He was


    a healer, one who should have been waiting for me back at Keller¡¯s as instructed.


    Just as my frustration swelled, I heard the locks on the door click, and my heart dropped in my chest.


    Surely, Adalyn or one of her guards was back to hurt me.


    Within a few seconds, the door opened,


    and on the other side, much to my shock, was Dickson. He seemed out of breath but moved quietly


    and quickly: He carefully closed the door and then walked over to me.


    He removed the cloth that had been ced in my mouth, and the moment I was able to speak, I


    questioned him a voice so low it was basically a whisper.


    ¡°Are you crazy, Dickson?¡± I hissed.


    ¡°Do you know how dangerous this ce is? What are you doing here?¡± He remained calm and didn¡¯t


    seem offended by my harsh tone. It was obvious he was happy to see me and he offered me a smile


    after his blue eyes scanned me.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± he wondered. ¡°You


    don¡¯t look injured but I want to be sure.¡± ¡°I''m fine,¡± I sighed. ¡°Adalyn won¡¯t harm me, at least not for


    now. But I¡¯m serious, Dickson, you need to leave before anyone finds you.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®at


    least for now¡¯?¡± Dickson said with a frown.


    I didn¡¯t dare answer him. Instead, my eyes locked on the door.


    ¡°you need to go,¡± I repeated myself.


    ¡°You can¡¯t get me out of here.¡± It was true. Though my gag had been removed, my ankles were still


    chained to the legs of the chair. The cuffs were made of steel, so there was no way to remove them.


    But Dickson didn¡¯t seem to be listening. Instead, he was studying the chains carefully.


    Irritation rose within me and my cheeks grew hot.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± I growled. ¡°You need to leave, Dickson!¡± I knew I should have been grateful that my friend


    had put himself in danger to rescue me but I was frustrated.


    Perhaps, more at myself than anything. My stubbornness and stupidity hadnded me here. He


    couldn¡¯t get himself hurt because of my mistake.


    Dickson stared into my eyes and then smiled. ¡°I won¡¯t leave.¡± He ced his hand on my ankle and I


    gasped as pain shot through me.


    ¡°Your ankle seems to be deeply bruised,¡± he assessed as I tried not to cry. ¡°I''ll try to be gentle.¡±


    I''was about to ask him how he intended to free me, but just as I did, a sharp pain ran through me again.


    I closed my eyes and clenched my teeth, and then suddenly felt coldness against my skin.


    The nging of chains rang out, and when I opened my eyes, I saw them fall to the floor.


    [ was free! ¡°How did you do that?¡± I demanded but Dickson shook his head.


    ¡°111 tell youter,¡± he assured me.


    ¡°We need to leave this ce first.¡± nodded my head and then rose to my feet. The pain in my ankle


    grew stronger when I put my full weight on it, but I knew time was of the essence.


    We needed to leave and we needed to


    leave quickly.


    So, once I was steady, Dickson helped me out of the basement. - Thankfully, the corridor was quiet and


    the front door wasn¡¯t too far away, but I couldn¡¯t move fast due to the pain in my ankle. I clenched my


    teeth in an attempt to subdue the hurt, and it worked a little, but unfortunately, my good luck didn¡¯tst.


    When we rounded the corner, we were caught by two guards.


    I instinctively sharpened my nails into ws, and when I nced over at Dickson, I saw that he had


    done the same, but it was no use. The guards were too strong and managed to grab hold of us.


    After some resisting, they pulled us


    into the hall, where we met with Oliver and Adalyn. The pair were in their night clothes and appeared


    annoyed to see us.


    Oliver Moses seemed particrly exhausted. He rolled his eyes and stifled a yawn as he addressed


    the guards. ¡°Who are they?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know,¡± the one holding Dickson admitted. ¡°They were sneaking


    around in the corridor. They could be thieves.¡± I frowned in surprise. The fact that Adalyn had caught


    and imprisoned me was clearly a secret, as the guards were unaware of my identity.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Adalyn, however, noticed me at once and stepped forward after giving me an angry expression.


    NY Shia ats oo ol ¡°They are thieves for sure,¡± she said and then she turned to Oliver. ¡°It¡¯ste and


    these two don¡¯t deserve your attention, Father. I''ll deal with them.¡± Oliver nodded but just as he turned


    to leave, I blurted out a sentence.


    ¡°I have something to say to Lord Oliver.¡± Oliver turned to face me with a look of surprise and Adalyn¡¯s


    expression darkened.


    ¡°The girl only wants to y tricks on you, Father,¡± she spat in my direction.


    ¡°There¡¯s no tricks I intend to y,¡± I countered boldly. ¡°I have something I wish to speak to Lord Oliver


    about.¡±


    vw Eta tiet.


    Oliver frowned at me, his eyes trailing over me as he tilted his head slightly to the side.


    ¡°Do I know you, girl?¡± he asked as his eyebrows knitted together.


    ¡°I''don¡¯t know that you would remember me,¡± I answered honestly as my heart pounded. ¡°We have met


    before, though.¡± He stepped closer to me and studied me closely. I could practically see his thoughts


    searching his memories and then suddenly, his expression hardened.


    Adalyn opened her mouth to speak but Oliver raised a hand to stop her. I fought the urge to cower from


    his fierce eyes and remained calm.


    I silently prayed.


    | Moon Goddess, protect me.

 Chapter 305

    Chapter 305 Telling the truth BECKY Much to my dismay, Adalyn didn¡¯t seem to be affected by Oliver¡¯s


    posture.


    Her golden eyes remained locked on mine, shooting daggers so intense I should have been frightened.


    But she didn¡¯t scare me.


    She was a child pretending to be someone powerful. A coward, hiding behind her family name.


    ¡°This girl is trying to kill Ss!¡± Adalyn cried as her hands balled into fists at her sides. ¡°I caught her


    before, Father. She escaped with the help of her aplice and now she intends to y some sort of


    trick on you, I just know it.¡±


    Oliver frowned and then fixed his gaze on his daughter.


    ¡°If you caught her before, Adalyn, why didn¡¯t you report it to me?¡± he asked her coldly, his lip curling


    into almost a snarl. It was a chilling look and I didn¡¯t envy Adalyn in the slightest.


    She took a moment to make up an exnation and then spoke. ¡°Because I knew the girl was cunning,


    so I wanted to deal with her carefully, Father.¡± Her excuse didn¡¯t seem to convince Oliver in the


    slightest. He rolled his hazel eyes in her direction and then shook his head in disappointment.


    ¡°You think too highly of yourself,¡± he said with a small snort, and then he turned to face me. His eyes


    grew sharp and his mouth tensed. ¡°If you, in fact, dared to kill my Ss, I''ll slit your


    throat personally.¡± Though Adalyn didn¡¯t scare me, Oliver | did a little bit. Unlike her, I knew he was


    keen to follow through on his threats, and I didn¡¯t dare to question if he would kill me. He was capable


    of murder, I could see it in his eyes.


    Still, managed to remain calm.


    ¡°I''would never do that,¡± I remarked, my tone as casual as I could make it, and then I drew my brows


    together slightly and pouted, as if I were too innocent for that. ¡°What good would it be for me to kill him?


    Besides, he¡¯s my fated mate after all. As much as we want to deny the fact, the mate bond would let us


    suffer if one wanted to kill the other.¡± Oliver lifted a brow and then the rest of his expression softened.


    He seemed to


    be touched by my words, or, at the very least, seemed to understand that my logic was sound. = I saw


    Dickson''s cheeks flush at the mention of the mate bond, but I couldn¡¯t worry about his feelings, not


    now. The stakes were too dire to care about his affection for me.


    ¡°What do you want to say to me?¡± he asked, and then his sharp jaw tensed.


    ¡°You''d better have a good reason for disrupting me at this time of night, girl, or else you will still pay the


    consequences.¡± I smiled back at him, fully knowing he was threatening to kill me again. ¡°I have a very


    good reason, Lord Oliver, and I don¡¯t think you could kill me. If you do, your son will die soon after, most


    likely. It¡¯s unclear what the mate


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    bond would do to him if I were killed.¡± Oliver seemed irritated by my attitude and his mouth drew into a


    thin line.


    Unfortunately for him, my statement was likely right again. If I were to die, Ss would likely die soon


    after, which clearly wasn¡¯t what he wanted.


    He turned to the guard holding me.


    ¡°Take the girl straight to my study.¡± Adalyn¡¯s golden eyes shed with shock and she growled.


    ¡°She¡¯s obviously lying, Father!¡± she insisted angrily. ¡°Why would you even listen to her? She needs to


    be executed immediately.¡± ¡°I could always tell you everything here, Lord Oliver,¡± I blurted out as |


    shed Adalyn a wicked expression.


    ¡°The guards judge who is lying between me and Lady Adalyn.¡± Adalyn¡¯s cheeks paled and her lower lip


    trembled, but she managed to remain calm.


    ¡°She¡¯s trying to cause a farce in the House of Moses,¡± she insisted. ¡°1¡¯11 expose her lies.¡± The guard


    holding Dickson spoke up for the first time since we¡¯d been brought to the corridor.


    ¡°How would you like the man to be dealt with, Lord Oliver?¡± he asked.


    I thought fast on my feet.


    ¡°It¡¯s true what Lady Adalyn said about him being my aplice, Lord Oliver,¡± I spoke up. ¡°He protected


    me so I would stay alive long enough to tell


    you the truth. He needs to be present or [won''t speak a word.¡± Oliver seemed annoyed but nodded his


    head.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he agreed, and then he turned to the guards. ¡°Bring them to my study at once.¡± kkk Oliver


    Moses¡¯ study was like a secret room. It was so dark within I felt suffocated upon entering the room. It


    was all dark wallpaper and furnishings.


    Cold and foreboding.


    The moment we were led into the center of the study and the door closed behind us, Oliver let out an


    annoyed sigh., ¡°Speak at once,¡± he ordered as his


    arms crossed.


    Iplied without hesitation.


    ¡°I¡¯m not the one who wants to kill your son,¡± I exined. ¡°Lady Adalyn is. She wants to harm her


    brother-" ¡°She¡¯s a liar!¡± Adalyn shouted and her eyes glowed angrily at me. ¡°YOu can¡¯t believe such a


    low-bornmoner like her.¡± Oliver¡¯s expression darkened but he only focused on me. ¡°What are you


    talking about?¡± ¡°I eavesdropped on a conversation between Lady Adalyn and the head healer,¡± I


    exined. ¡°With his help, Adalyn has been using special drugs on Ss, which is why he hasn¡¯t woken


    up yet.¡± Oliver¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°She even nned for Ss to be disabled or paralyzed permanently,¡± I continued. ¡°I heard her say so


    herself. 1 swear on the Moon Goddess.¡± Before her father could utter a word, Adalyn stepped toward


    me and raised her hand as if she intended to hit me.


    ¡°You nasty little bitch!¡± she hissed.


    ¡°You''re trying to destroy the Moses name because you¡¯re a friend of that evil healer, Cassandra Keller.¡±


    Before she could make contact, her father grasped her wrist and red at her. Adalyn retreated silently


    but continued to re at me.


    ¡°You have to trust me, father,¡± she pleaded. ¡°Why would I want to harm my own brother?¡±


    Oliver ignored her and uttered a sigh.


    He stepped toward me and frowned. | ¡°This sounds like quite a tall tale,¡± he assessed. ¡°How did you


    get into the house and why did youe here in the first ce, girl?¡± ¡°I got in by pretending to be one


    of the royal healers,¡± I replied truthfully. ¡°I did it because I was worried about Ss. He is my mate, after


    all, and I couldn¡¯t control my emotions toward him.¡± ¡°And how did you overhear this conversation


    between the head healer and Adalyn?¡± he questioned me without pause. ¡°If you were worried about


    Ss, shouldn¡¯t you have remained in his room?¡± I took a moment and then straightened


    my posture to show I wasn¡¯t afraid.


    ¡°At first, I wanted to eavesdrop on your and Adalyn¡¯s conversation because I wanted to know what you


    were nning-" I started to speak frankly, but Adalyn cut me off abruptly.


    ¡°See, Father!¡± she cried. ¡°She¡¯s exposed herself. She was trying to steal information for her friend.¡±


    ¡°Silence,¡± Oliver shushed her angrily and then he turned back to me.


    ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°I heard you wanted to announce something at the next council meeting,¡± I said boldly to


    show him I wasn¡¯t lying. ¡°I wanted to know what it was.¡± | It was a strong, reckless choice to


    admit to it, but I needed him to know I was telling the truth. I swallowed the lump in my throat and


    managed to remain calm.

 Chapter 306

    Chapter 306 Kill ADALYN El This girl was stupid and annoying, to say the least.


    Yet, despite these facts, I regretted that I had underestimated her. I should have dealt with the tiny


    redhead girl right after Cassandra Keller had disappeared. Now, she had be a big problem, one I


    wasn¡¯t sure how to handle.


    ¡°I was hiding in the room next to yours when you spoke,¡± Becky chimed in.


    Father¡¯s face changed when she mentioned the meeting. Hisplexion paled and his hazel eyes


    widened, but when he ran his hands through his graying hair, it was clear


    that he seemed convinced by her words.


    I had to hand it to her. 3 cing herself at the scene of the crime was a bold move, one I wasn¡¯t sure


    how to work around. This was damning to be certain but I had to remain collected if I wanted to make it


    out of this and continue my ns without interruption.


    Ss¡¯ little kitten was a true thorn in my side.


    Father studied the girl¡¯s expression like a fox studying its prey. ¡°I hope you acknowledge that you will


    be punished for your confession, girl. You heard something you weren''t meant to hear in a zone that


    was out of bounds to you.


    Not that you were meant to be in the House of Moses anyway. Do you


    understand that those actions will have consequences, even if you are my son¡¯s... mate?¡± St a She


    nodded, much to my agitation, and tucked a lock of her auburn hair behind her ear innocently. ¡°I


    understand it well, Lord Oliver, which is why I confessed. You wouldn''t trust me if I withheld any


    information. I can tell you don¡¯t like to be deceived, so I will do no such thing.¡± The moment Father fixed


    his gaze on me, I knew he believed the little bitch over me. I couldn¡¯t be all that surprised. He had


    always distrusted me. Why would today be any different? ¡°I¡¯ll have to figure this out for myself,¡± he said,


    and then he nced at the guards. ¡°Take the girl and her


    aplice away. Lock them up.¡± The guards nodded and before they left, Father pointed at Becky. i


    ¡°You better not be lying,¡± he warned her. ¡°If you are, I will see to it that you suffer.¡± She nodded and


    without another word, the guards led the pair from the room.


    They closed the door behind them, leaving only Father and I in the room.


    Father didn¡¯t speak for a few minutes and the silence was palpable. Silence could add to the pressure,


    especially in his presence. I used to fear this atmosphere because it always meant heavy punishment,


    but to my surprise, I didn¡¯t feel fear.


    I only felt hatred.


    At the situation, at Father, at Ss.


    Stupid, stupid, Ss, and his awful little bitch of a pet. How had I gotten so unlucky? I had the girl


    chained up for goodness sake! How had her aplice gotten in under my nose? ¡°Is what the girl said


    true?¡± Father finally spoke, clearly holding in his anger. He seemed on the verge of exploding into a


    blind rage. ¡°I¡¯m giving you a chance, Adalyn.¡± A chance? A chance? A chance to what? To admit I


    wanted to cripple his beloved son? Why would I do that? What was he expecting from me? A full


    confession? For me to beg for his forgiveness as I wept and whimpered for him?


    I wanted tough.


    His question brought old memories to my mind. Fa Father had said the same thing when Ss and I


    were very young.


    It was the first time he had brought us to the forest to hunt. Back then, Ss had only been five years


    old. All he knew was crying, especially out for my mother. He only ever sought her attention.


    Father wanted me to look after Ss, but I was fed up with him. I wanted to run into the forest and hunt


    with the other strong werewolves. I wanted to be like Cora, the beautiful golden- haired girl who was


    said to be better than any kids at our age.


    So, I''left Ss near an old tree trunk


    and warned him to stay there. I told him if he didn¡¯t remain there, a scary monster would drag him deep


    into the woods and tear the very flesh from his limbs.


    After he nodded fearfully at me, I ran deep into the forest and hunted a deer all on my own. I was


    ecstatic as I carried my kill back out from the woods. I wanted to show Father how good I was, how


    capable I was. Perhaps if he knew I was talented, he would speak to others in the Pack, and I would be


    talked of as highly as Cora.


    We could be the best of the best in the Pack one day if only I could get his praise.


    But instead of praise, Father was angry with me. It was the first time he whipped me, the old way of


    punishing disobedient werewolves that was rare,


    but not ouwed.


    All because Ss was wounded. p It wasn¡¯t my fault. If he hadn¡¯t left his spot, his legs never would


    have been cut by the sharp rock. But Father always med me. Every mistake was my mistake.


    To this day, I couldn¡¯t understand what I ever did to hurt him.


    I was his daughter. Why did he treat me so differently than he did his son? I stared at him now and


    shook my head in denial. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything, Father.


    I'' would never harm Ss. I''ve always loved him. He¡¯s my brother, after all.


    I''ll make you a vow-" ¡°A vow is of no value to me, Adalyn,¡± he interrupted me with a re.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one way to know the


    truth. I''ll call the head of healers here at once.¡± I knew the healer would confess everything. Father was


    great at interrogation and the head healer was weak. He would give in at once.


    ¡°This will be yourst chance,¡± Father continued. ¡°You know what the consequences would be if what


    the girl said is true.¡± The consequences. Would he ground me in the basement, not allowing anyone to


    talk to me, and giving me no food to eat for days until I had no strength to beg? Or would he whip me in


    front of all of the Moses soldiers? Perhaps he would kill me this time.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you trust me?¡± I blurted


    out.


    Father frowned. ¡°You''re avoiding the question.¡± = ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± I fired back. ¡°It¡¯s you who keeps avoiding


    the problem, Father.


    Why have you always loved Ss better? Why can¡¯t you be fair to me?¡± He stared at me with an


    expression of disgust and disdain. He didn¡¯t even bother to answer my questions.


    Instead, he walked toward the door, probably to find some guards to bring the head healer to the study.


    But I didn¡¯t give him the chance.


    Out of anger and desperation, I pulled a knife from my pocket. I had kept it on me since Asher went


    missing and Anemond became a mess. I had wanted


    to protect myself, as it was clear that there was only one person looking out for me. = Myself.


    Father didn¡¯t notice, so I took the opportunity and rushed over and stabbed the knife into his neck.


    He tried to struggle but it was toote.


    He didn¡¯t even make a sound before he copsed lifelessly to the floor.


    I dropped the knife in shock and then stared at my bloodied hand in shock.


    What had I just done?Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 307

    Chapter 307 Council Meeting CASSANDRA One thing was absolutely certain amongst Asher, the


    councilors he trusted, and I.


    Whatever Oliver Moses wanted to do at the council meeting, we needed to stop him. We were in


    complete agreement but knew we needed others to agree to our cause. We needed the support of


    other Packs in order to bring him down, and knew we wouldn¡¯t get far without it.


    ¡°Oliver Moses has quite a number of soldiers stationed in Anemond, especially around Merlisicre,¡±


    Karsh revealed solemnly. ¡°If we want to confront the Moseses, we will need a troop of good soldiers of


    our own.¡±


    Though I didn¡¯t want to admit it, the councilor was correct in his assessment. Despite having support


    from Alpha Gareth, Wild Crawler on its own couldn¡¯t provide enough soldiers.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    If we wanted to gather real numbers to stand against the Moses soldiers, we needed to contact other


    Packs and ask for their support.


    ¡°Your Majesty, it would be best for you to remain in the darkness before the meeting,¡± Jacoby advised


    after a moment of silence. ¡°We don¡¯t know which Packs areplicit with Moses and don¡¯t want to


    show our hand before we even get to the meeting.


    Karsh and I should make the calls ourselves. We can do so here while we¡¯re gathered, given that your


    phones are capable?¡± After I nodded, the councilors gathered


    alist of Packs and began to make their calls while Asher and I waited and listened quietly. I took notes


    after every call, writing down every Paack who supported the Alpha King and those who seemed to


    support Oliver Moses.


    Unfortunately for us, the calls did not go well.


    Most of the Alphas of Wega had an ambiguous attitude toward the running of the country, which


    frustrated Asher to no end.


    Many of them in favor of Asher¡¯s rule noted they wouldn''t want to go against Moses, the regent of


    Wega, and didn¡¯t have extra soldiers to send to the capital. They needed to protect their ownnds in


    case war broke out, so they couldn¡¯t spare their men even


    if it was in support of the Alpha King.


    Some were more straightforward than that. They said in a variety of ways that the Alpha King was


    missing and probably dead, so they had better listen to Oliver Moses, the former Beta who might be the


    next king.


    It was infuriating to say the least.


    I wasn¡¯t prone to anger, not like I used to be, but I was still hurt and annoyed that so many didn¡¯t seem


    to care about their Alpha King at all. Asher had stressed for years and worked hard to be a good king


    and they didn¡¯t care to help him in his time of need.


    Once the calls were through, Karsh and Jacoby left the clinic, warning us again before they left that


    Asher needed to lie low before the meeting.


    ¡°We will contact you if something changes,¡± Karsh swore to him. ¡°Stay strong, Your Majesty. We will get


    you through this if it¡¯s thest thing we do.


    Oliver Moses won''t be the next Alpha King of Wega, not if we have anything to say about it. We''ll


    stop him. I swear it.¡± kok ok The next two days passed quickly but there was almost no progress made


    in any direction.


    There was much to do and a lot of things to worry about, things that consumed my mind sopletely


    that sleep was impossible.


    First, Becky and Dickson still hadn¡¯t returned. A guard had been sent to the | House of Moses on our


    behalf to look for news, but when he returned, he was


    empty-handed. He told us that Oliver Moses had caught two people, who were possibly Becky and


    Dickson and locked them up, but he couldn¡¯t get ess to them no matter how hard he tried. The good


    news was that Oliver hadn¡¯t given any orders on how to deal with them, so if they were our friends, they


    were at least safe for now.


    Second, Asher couldn¡¯t get in touch with Kane, who was supposed to be in Sky Pride. He ced


    dozens of calls to the remote Pack but none of them were picked up. My mate was worried to death


    about his stepbrother and no amount of convincing was helping him rx.


    Third, and this was a strange one, no one had apparently seen Oliver Moses in two days. The guard


    had told us Oliver hadn¡¯t appeared after he


    allegedly interrogated Becky and Dickson and ordered them to be locked up. - Karsh and Jacoby were


    worried that he was out of Anemond and seeking more military support, but it was hard to say for


    certain. All we could do was focus on the tasks at hand and mentally prepare for the council meeting.


    Asher would get his crown and country back from those viins.


    I would do all in my power to see to it.


    My sorcery had a great deal of work to go before it would be mastered but I would stand by my mate¡¯s


    side no matter what danger came our way.


    * kk The day of the council meeting came swiftly.


    Asher and I disguised ourselves as Karsh and Jacoby¡¯s attendants and went to the meeting with them.


    It was held in the royal pce, and ording to the pair on our side, every councilor and important


    noble in Anemond had been invited to attend.


    Sure enough, when we entered therge room, I spotted many familiar faces. The seats were arranged


    beforehand with ornate name cards on the table.


    Karsh and Jacoby¡¯s seats were arranged on the far end of the table, opposite where Oliver Moses was


    meant to be seated.


    Where Asher should have been seated.


    Adalyn and Margaret were sitting on either side of the main seat. I noticed


    Asher¡¯s lips curling downward into a frown when he saw them. It was strange. The women should not


    have been at the council meeting because they had no concrete power. Adalyn had brought Prince


    Marco, who was sitting on herp with an anxious expression.


    But strangest of all, Oliver Moses wasn¡¯t anywhere in sight. All of the attendees soon filled their seats,


    but Oliver¡¯s was still empty. People began to chatter, wondering where he could be. It was unlike him to


    bete and absent from something so important.


    As everyone grew more baffled, Adalyn stood and walked toward the main seat. Her golden eyes


    glowed and she shed everyone a smile as all fell silent.


    ¡°My apologies everyone,¡± she remarked to the room. ¡°My father is very ill, so I will be speaking on-his.


    ¡ª behalf.¡± The councilors started to whisper in confusion. Apparently, none had heard he was sick.


    Asher and I exchanged a nce.


    Something was strange here.


    ¡°His illness stems from his great sorrow,¡± she continued to say. ¡°My dear brother Ss is still in aa,


    and my father is extremely worried.¡± ¡°Why would he suddenly be ill when he was the one who


    announced this meeting?¡± a councilor blurted out. ¡°If he is indeed that sick, shouldn''t the meeting be


    postponed?¡± ¡°This meeting was too important for


    him to call off,¡± Adalyn exined with a wave of her hand. ¡°He believes the matters to be discussed are


    for the best of this country so he doesn¡¯t want to put this meeting off.¡± The councilor seemed like he


    wanted to speak, but just as he opened his mouth, Adalyn snapped at him.


    ¡°Do you want to challenge the authority of Moses and the royal family?¡± she demanded.


    The councilor fell silent, as did the rest of the room.


    My heart pounded in my chest as Adalyn cleared her throat.


    ¡°As everyone is well aware, the Alpha King is missing,¡± she said in a formal, sorrowful sort of voice.


    ¡°And has been for a long time. The Moses family has


    done everything they could to search for him, especially my father.


    Unfortunately, days ago... we discovered the king''s corpse-" The room suddenly erupted in gasps,


    whispers, and exmations of shock.


    Asher and I exchanged a look of shock.


    His corpse? I couldn¡¯t believe my ears.


    What was she doing? ¡°1t¡¯s awful news to the whole country,¡± Adalynmented with a frown. ¡°I couldn¡¯t


    believe it until I read the forensic report myself.¡± She wiped a tear from her eyes and then raised her


    chin and changed her tone.


    ¡°Despite the terrible news, I believe


    the people of Wega need to stick together and move forward,¡± she continued. ¡°We need to get the


    country back to normal.¡± She gently pushed Prince Marco¡¯s shoulder, nudging him forward.


    ¡°My father believed a new king would cheer up the morale of the whole country,¡± Adalyn announced.


    ¡°And who better than the son of thete Alpha King?¡±

 Chapter 308

    | Chapter 308 Argument CASSANDRA Thankfully, Adalyn¡¯s proposal wasn¡¯t as convincing to the


    councilors as | she¡¯d expected. It was clear from the glint in her golden eyes and the proud expression


    on her beautiful face that she assumed all would ept the idea of Marco¡¯s ascension without


    comint, but that couldn¡¯t have been further from the truth. The room dissolved into whispers and


    gasps at once.


    One of the councilors I didn¡¯t know the name of cleared his throat and all fell quiet.


    ¡°Pardon me for my bluntness, Lady Adalyn, but it¡¯s absurd to announce a new Alpha King when there


    is no


    evidence showing that the king is dead,¡± he pointed out, his thick dark eyebrows furrowed at her. ¡°We


    have nothing of the sort before us-" ¡°The forensic report will exin everything-" Adalyn began to say


    but the councilor waved her off with his hand.


    ¡°A report means nothing,¡± he stated boldly, and then he nced around the room to garner attention


    from the other councilors. ¡°If the Alpha King is dead, we need to see his corpse for our own eyes. From


    there, he will need a proper funeral so that he can be buried here in thend of Wega, per the


    tradition of every king before him.


    Only after the burial can a new Alpha King be appointed.¡± A few other councilors nodded,


    emboldened by his words.


    ¡°If he is dead, the people must witness | and then mourn,¡± another spoke up.


    ¡°A new king matters not to us right now.¡± The room suddenly filled with the voices of the councilors, and


    then, another one I didn¡¯t recognize rose to his feet.


    ¡°I think Lady Adalyn is thinking about what¡¯s best for the country,¡± he said loftily, and I fought the urge to


    roll my eyes in his direction. ¡°Since the Alpha King¡¯s disappearance, the country has been in chaos,


    chaos that hassted for too long. Our people long for peace and prosperity-" Some disagreement


    interrupted him, but he simply spoke louder to drown out theints.


    ¡°As shocking as the proposal initially sounds, Prince Marco is old enough to take the throne,¡± he


    continued, and he pushed his spectacles up his hooked | nose. ¡°The youngest king in Wega¡¯s history


    was three years old, after all.


    He will need guidance to be certain, but this isn¡¯t unheard of.¡± I gritted my teeth and forced myself to


    remain as silent as I could manage.


    When I turned to Asher, Karsh, and Jacoby, it was clear they shared the same dilemma. This was


    insane. This councilor was on the side of the Moses family, and I wondered how much they had bribed


    him with to agree with this insane n.


    A couple of councilors sitting beside him chimed in and started to argue with the others in his favor.


    Their voices filled the room and the chaos


    was enough to make me want to throw my hands over my ears to drown it out.


    I''d known this wouldn¡¯t be an easy task, but I hadn¡¯t expected some of the councilors to be as


    captivated by the Moses family as they were. It was as if they were under some kind of spell.


    Finally, the first councilor who had spoken rose to his feet and spoke louder than the others, forcing the


    room to fallpletely silent as all turned to look at him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe this decision can be made without the presence of Lord Oliver of Lord Beta Ss,¡± he


    spoke clearly and concisely.


    Though he didn¡¯t point out directly that he thought Adalyn wasn¡¯t qualified to make this sort of


    announcement, his demeanor was


    clear enough, as was his facial expression.


    All remained silent and when I nced at Adalyn, I saw her face twist into a look of anger. It onlysted


    for the briefest of instances, but it was there all the same. She quickly recovered and her red-painted


    lips curled into a polite smile.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how else to say this,¡± she spoke evenly. ¡°And I don¡¯t want to say it twice, but I fear I must.


    My father wanted me to make this announcement on his behalf, which is exactly why I¡¯m here. As for


    my brother, I think it¡¯s rude to mention the need for his presence when he is currently fighting for his


    life. We have no idea when he will awaken, councilor.¡±


    Adalyn then gestured at Margaret.


    ?Besides, we have Lady Margaret here.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I do not know who else is needed with her present.¡± Margaret smiled and nodded. Clearly, she thought


    she was some sort of authority figure and believed in Adalyn¡¯s proposal. The truth of the matter,


    though, was that Margaret held no power here and she didn¡¯t mean a thing to the councilors. My theory


    was proven when they simply ignored the widow of thete king and began to talk amongst


    themselves.


    Margaret''s cheeks flushed in embarrassment, and I leaned in and whispered to Asher.


    ¡°The number of councilors on Adalyn¡¯s side equals the ones against her,¡± I remarked.


    Asher nodded. ¡°And the rest seem too afraid to speak up or get involved. They may not approve of this


    ridiculous idea, but they probably don¡¯t want to vex the Moses family.¡± It was my turn to nod, and then I


    nced around the room. It was an interesting observation since I had expected the Moseses would


    get more support. Perhaps this proposition was too radical even for them, too shocking. A boy king


    wasn¡¯t exactly a sane n.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Oliver would make this decision,¡± I whispered to Asher aftera moment. ¡°It seems crazy


    even for him.¡± ¡°I think so too,¡± Asher agreed, his gray eyes fixed on what should have been Oliver¡¯s


    seat at the table. ¡°I think


    something happened to Oliver Moses, something more than mere sickness.¡± When he turned to face


    me, I simply blinked at my mate in surprise.


    ¡°Are you suggesting he¡¯s... dead?¡± I whispered.


    ¡°Either dead or like Ss,¡± he whispered back solemnly.


    A lump formed in my throat as I pondered the idea. It made a good deal of sense, though I didn¡¯t want


    to ept that as truth. There was no love lost toward Oliver Moses, but who would have done


    something like that? It was hard to say. The man surely had his enemies.


    Adalyn raised her voice again, forcing


    Asher and me to pay attention once more.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame to see so many councilors having no sense of responsibility for the country,¡± she said, her


    lips pouting slightly. ¡°If you don¡¯t want toply, I¡¯m afraid the Moses family will have to teach you a


    lesson.¡± As she spoke, the soldiers behind her stepped forward as a threat. It was illegal to bring


    soldiers and other military members into a council meeting, but the Moseses had clearly taken enough


    power to ignore the rules.


    The room fell silent as all sat tensely in their chairs.


    After a minute or so, I was worried the councilors would cave and allow


    Adalyn to carry on with her proposal, but before all hope was lost, Karsh stood up.


    ¡°What if the king returned?¡± he blurted out boldly, and as all stared at him in confusion, he continued to


    speak. ¡°Since no one can prove the Alpha King is dead with any real certainty, there''s a chance this


    alleged report is false and the king might return at any time. What then?¡± Adalyn offered him a chilling


    smile.


    ¡°Hypothetically speaking, the Alpha King would still be king if he were to return before Prince Marco¡¯s


    18th birthday, but any time after that, he would have to forfeit the crown.¡± She let out a soft, dramatic


    sigh. ¡°But I¡¯m afraid this idea is merely a theory. I read the report carefully, councilor,


    and I can confirm it¡¯s real and true.¡± Karsh clenched his jaw and then gave her a small smirk.


    ¡°How can you confirm this information?¡± he asked her directly.


    ¡°Since you haven¡¯t yet been imed by the king?¡±

 Chapter 309

    Chapter 309 Hostage CASSANDRA Adalyn¡¯s face twisted again at Karsh¡¯s cold and daring question,


    only this time, she didn¡¯t recover and lost any sense of calm within her.


    ¡°How dare you demean the future king¡¯s mother?¡± she roared, her golden eyes shing with anger as


    she bared her teeth.


    Despite her outrage and fierce expression, the councilor remained as cool as ever and didn¡¯t even


    flinch. It was an impressive sight to behold and it made me respect Karsh even more.


    Adalyn had always been a brat but I had the sense that her ferocity wasn¡¯t something to take lightly, at


    least not today.


    ¡°I¡¯m just stating the truth, Lady Adalyn,¡± Karsh said with a slightly raised chin, his eyes locked on hers.


    ¡°The king is alive, I can assure you-" Before he could finish his statement, Adalyn motioned with her


    hand and gave a signal to the soldiers behind her.


    ¡°Seize that traitor!¡± she ordered, and her menunched into action at once.


    My heart raced in my chest as I saw the soldiers approach Karsh, but before they could get too close,


    Asher suddenly stood up and stepped forward. The fluid motion made the hooded cape that concealed


    his face fall aside, revealing his features to | everyone in the room.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Councilor Karsh has done anything to demean you, Adalyn,¡± he said, his voice radiating


    power.


    Everyone in the meeting room uttered gasps and stared at the Alpha King in shock, Adalyn especially.


    Her pretty face turned ghostly white and those catlike eyes of hers widened so much they appeared as


    if they were about to fall out of her skull.


    Though the moment was tense and the air was palpable, witnessing the expression on her face


    amused me greatly. I wasn¡¯t one who found satisfaction in other¡¯s misery, but she was so arrogant and


    full of herself that it was admittedly nice to see her so shocked.


    For a moment as Adalyn blinked at


    Asher, I thought she was happy that he was alive after all, but the tiny trace of happiness on her face


    faded quickly when she caught my eye. Her lips curled into a snarl and her nostrils red.


    ¡°This is some kind of trick,¡± she | growled at her soldiers. ¡°This king is a fake one, I can assure you.


    This evil healer is trying to pull off some sort of scheme!¡± As her soldiers nced between us and her, it


    was clear they weren¡¯t convinced by Adalyn¡¯s words. Asher remained silent but his stance was regal


    and unmistakeable. They recognized the Alpha King for who he was, which only agitated Adalyn


    further.


    ?geize him!¡± she demanded again, her


    volume louder and angrier than before. | The soldiers reluctantly moved forward, but suddenly, the


    councilor who had been firmly on Asher¡¯s seat rushed over and knelt before my mate.


    Karsh and Jacoby followed suit, pushing their chairs aside so they could approach him.


    My breath caught in my throat as I tried to predict what would happen next. It was no surprise that


    those councilors would know Asher for who he was, but the rest of the men in the room could be a


    different story. The Moses family had their fingers in everything and there was no telling who would fall


    for Adalyn¡¯s deception.


    Just as I whispered a prayer to the


    Moon Goddess, the sounds of shifting chairs filled the meeting room, and suddenly, the councilors rose


    to their feet and walked toward Asher. As they approached, they knelt on the ground and bowed their


    heads in respect to their Alpha King. None dared to support Adalyn anymore, not in the presence of the


    true king.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± I heard Prince Marco gasp, and my heart ached for the poor child.


    He had been misguided and used as a pawn for all of his life. All he¡¯d wanted was love and he certainly


    hadn¡¯t gotten that from Adalyn.


    She ignored her son¡¯s utterance and shouted at the soldiers.


    ¡°1 told you to seize him!¡± she cried, a vein in her forehead jutting out as she yelled at the men. ¡°He¡¯s


    not the real


    king. The Alpha King is dead!¡± But no matter what she said, the soldiers didn¡¯t dare move. Despite their


    loyalty to the Moses family, they wouldn¡¯t challenge their true king under any circumstance. They soon


    followed the lead of the councilors and bowed to Asher.


    Asher, meanwhile, fixed his gaze on Adalyn.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to stop, Adalyn,¡± he said calmly but firmly. ¡°Where is your father?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± she snarled back


    at him as her nails sharpened into ws at her side. I remained in ce to not escte the situation


    further, but I was prepared tounch myself at her if she tried to harm my mate.


    Adalyn suddenly red at me and then looked back at Asher.


    ¡°Why are you still with this nasty, vile woman?¡± she demanded. ¡°And why did youe back to


    Wega? Things would have been just fine if you¡¯d stayed away! We were doing just fine without you,


    Asher!¡± She sounded crazed, more so than usual, and I''d half-expected Asher to be more intense as


    he stood against her, but instead, he merely frowned and looked concerned for her.


    His lips parted to speak, but before they could utter a word, Marco sprang up from his chair and ran


    toward Asher.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± he called out again, his big eyes full of tears and confusion. He was clearly freaked out and


    upset at his


    father¡¯s return, and it seemed that all he wanted was a hug from Asher.


    Asher stepped forward to receive the little prince but Adalyn swooped in faster and grabbed Marco


    instantly.


    Her grip was strong enough to elicita gasp from Margaret.


    ¡°Adalyn, let him go-" she started to say but Adalyn hissed at her.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± she snarled and then she turned back to Asher. She ced both hands around Marco¡¯s neck


    as if she intended to strangle him.


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    Asher froze and his gray eyes widened at the same time mine did. I couldn¡¯t believe what I was seeing.


    How could a mother threaten to hurt her own son? Asher stopped and held his hands up as


    if in surrender. ¡°Adalyn, let Marco go.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what to do,¡± she hissed at him as Marco squirmed.


    She tightened her grip and the little prince began to weep.


    ¡°If you stop now, I''ll spare you and give you a chance to live,¡± Asher pleaded. ¡°Please, Adalyn. There''s


    no need to hurt our son.¡± Sheughed, a cruel sound that sent a chill down my spine. ¡°A chance to


    live? Oh please. That''s the kind of bullshit a captor tells their captee. I know the consequences of my


    surrender, Asher.


    There¡¯s no way back, not after everything I''ve done.¡± ¡°What did you do?¡± Asher asked her cautiously.


    ¡°What is so terrible that you can¡¯te back from it?¡±


    As he spoke, he slowly took a step closer, but Adalyn caught on quickly and tightened her grip on


    Marco¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Back up or I''ll do it,¡± she threatened as Marco whimpered.


    Asher¡¯s cheeks paled and he obediently retreated a few steps. The councilors in the room remained


    frozen, their expressions as nervous as mine likely was.


    ¡°I need to go back to the House of Moses,¡± Adalyn continued. ¡°If you want to talk, we''ll talk there.


    Otherwise, there¡¯s no way I''ll let him go. If you try to kill me, Marco will die with me.¡± My jaw tensed.


    This was a cunning proposition. If we went to the House of Moses, we would be surrounded by


    As he spoke, he slowly took a step closer, but Adalyn caught on quickly and tightened her grip on


    Marco¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Back up or I''ll do it,¡± she threatened as Marco whimpered.


    Asher¡¯s cheeks paled and he obediently retreated a few steps. The councilors in the room remained


    frozen, their expressions as nervous as mine likely was.


    ¡°I need to go back to the House of Moses,¡± Adalyn continued. ¡°If you want to talk, we''ll talk there.


    Otherwise, there¡¯s no way I''ll let him go. If you try to kill me, Marco will die with me.¡± My jaw tensed.


    This was a cunning proposition. If we went to the House of Moses, we would be surrounded by

 Chapter 310

    Chapter 310 Please stop, Ada CASSANDRA Adalyn¡¯s golden eyes narrowed and then locked on mine.


    ¡°Why would that wicked womane with us?¡± she demanded as she continued to shoot daggers in


    my direction.


    ¡°Those are my terms,¡± Asher insisted.


    ¡°You want an audience with me? Those are my requirements.¡± It was a bold assertation on his behalf.


    As long as Adalyn had Prince Marco in her grasp, she had the upper hand, but she was far too weak to


    realize her power. Asher was still the Alpha King, after all, so I supposed that subconsciously, she felt


    compelled to


    obey. ) Silence hung heavily in the air and then CARIES finally she sighed.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she huffed and then she shed me a sneer. ¡°Let here.


    Perhaps we¡¯ll have some fun with your little ything once we¡¯re there.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t harm her,¡± Asher


    growled.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Adalyn said with a shrug.


    ¡°Come. It¡¯s time we left this musty room.¡± Her big eyes scanned the room and then she addressed the


    councilors.


    ¡°The rest of you shalle as well.


    Might as well make an event of it.¡± kkk The distance between the royal pce


    and the House of Moses wasn¡¯t very far, but we would have to cross a street to get there. If Adalyn


    nned to continue threatening Marco''s life, she would surely be seen.


    But she seemed to know that and turned to face Asher with an icy smile as we stepped outside.


    ¡°If anyone raises suspicion or attention from passersby, I will snap Marco¡¯s neck,¡± she threatened as


    she dropped her hands from his throat. She smiled viciously as she picked her little son up and held


    him close against her.


    When Asher nodded, I noticed a sheen of sweat covered his forehead, and hisplexion was pale.


    He quivered a little and he swallowed heavily. It wasn¡¯t often that I saw him scared but


    it was clear he cared deeply for his child. : We began to walkand as I stared at the back of Adalyn¡¯s


    head, I had to push down the rising feelings of rage within me. I wanted to wring her neck myself but


    wouldn¡¯t dare intervene for fear of her hurting Marco.


    I was beyond angry. I didn¡¯t think she had ever treated Marco like a real son, and if she had once,


    things had surely changed. As a mother, I couldn¡¯t believe her actions. The thought of anyone


    threatening to harm Finnick made my stomach turn and my heart race. How could a parent treat their


    child this way? Poor Marco would likely carry the trauma of this day for the rest of his life, and he didn¡¯t


    deserve that kind of suffering.


    Our walk to the House of Moses was silent and once we reached the doors, Adalyn stopped and turned


    to look at me.


    ¡°T want to speak with Cassandra in private,¡± she suddenly dered and a lump formed in my throat as


    I nced at Asher in surprise. ¡°The rest of you can wait outside.¡± My mate frowned and shook his


    head.


    ¡°No, absolutely not. There¡¯s no way I | can allow you to speak with her alone.¡± Adalyn snorted. ¡°I wasn¡¯t


    asking your permission.¡± She raised her hand and sharpened her nails into ws before bringing them


    to Marco¡¯s neck. The little prince stiffened, horror overtaking him. He looked terrified and pitiful as tears


    flowed down his face.


    Just as before, there was no choice. I couldn¡¯t allow harm toe to the poor boy.


    So, I reached out and grabbed Asher¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I''ll do it,¡± I announced. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Adalyn won¡¯t be able to do anything to me.¡± Adalyn


    rolled her eyes and snorted again. She didn¡¯t wait to hear Asher¡¯s reply and instead, walked into the


    building with Marco in her arms. I hadn¡¯t expected her to be intimidated by me, but her lofty arrogance


    was a bit annoying. I didn¡¯t want to give in to her demands but I couldn¡¯t sit by and allow her to hurt


    Marco. Besides, if it came down to it, I knew I could handle myself. I wasn¡¯t as skilled of a sorcerer


    as Raven or Roxy, but I''d learned a thing or two. I wasn¡¯t mousy little Cassandra Keller anymore. My


    wolf ¡ª was back, as was my spirit.


    Asher studied me for a moment and then squeezed my hand and stared deeply into my eyes.


    ¡°Be careful,¡± he urged quietly. ¡°I¡¯ll be right out here.¡± I nodded my head and then Asher stepped back


    and walked toward the crowd of councilors. All were solemn and silent, and as I prepared to step into


    the House of Moses, a cluster of Adalyn¡¯s family soldiers appeared.


    Though they didn¡¯t immediately attack the councilors, I knew that if something were to go awry, they


    would likely swoop in to cause harm.


    A bunch of bullies.


    I took a deep breath. Should ite to that, Asher was more than capable of handling himself. I


    needed to stay focused on Adalyn.


    So, I followed her into the House of Moses.


    As we walked down the corridor, Adalyn was greeted by a few servants, and she smiled at them as if


    nothing was wrong. The servants had no idea that Adalyn¡¯s hand could snap Marco¡¯s neck at any


    moment, nor did they know what stunt she had tried to pull in front of the councilors. Hell, they likely


    didn¡¯t know what had really happened to Oliver to keep him from the meeting.


    I swallowed the lump in my throat and followed Adalyn into a room. It was simply decorated, with


    nothing more


    than a pair of sofas, some end tables, and argemp to illuminate the space. Se ¡°Take a seat,¡±


    Adalyn said calmly as she inclined her head forward. ¡°Do you want anything to drink?¡± My eyebrows


    shot up in bewilderment and I shook my head.


    ¡°No,¡± I said firmly. ¡°What do you want, Adalyn? There¡¯s no point in dragging your heels. What did you


    want to talk to me about so badly?¡± Adalyn uttered a shortugh and then smirked at me. ¡°Do you


    understand why I wanted to speak to you in private?¡± I blinked at her in confusion. Hadn¡¯t I just asked


    her about her intentions?


    When she didn¡¯t answer, she sighed.


    ¡°I wanted to watch you die,¡± she said calmly, and a chill ran through me.


    I stared back at her and fought the urge to part my lips in surprise. I suddenly felt numb. Adalyn had


    changed so much over the years. She had always been spoiled and jealous but she had never been


    evil. I thought I could understand her because jealousy was an instinct. Children experienced it


    naturally when they wanted something they couldn¡¯t have. But now... Adalyn¡¯s jealousy had shifted into


    something else.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to hurt me,¡± I managed to say through my nervousness and Adalynughed again.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what I''m capable of,¡± she scoffed. ¡°Do you know what I hate the most about you,


    Cassandra? You''re always so arrogant. I hate the way you look at me. That smug, pretentious look on


    your face reminds me so much of my father.¡± Her expression darkened and her lower lip trembled. I


    watched her demeanor change right before my eyes and anxiety swelled within me as it became clear


    how dangerous she had be.


    ¡°How dare you look at me like that?¡± she continued. ¡°Who do you think you are? You''re just a nobody, a


    commoner from a Pack no one cares about. You think you''re so interesting and beautiful? You think


    you''re better than me?¡±


    Her voice grew more frantic and suddenly she started fumbling in her pocket. Her entire body shook


    and she seemed lost in a state of hysteria as she searched around. My heart pounded in my chest in


    anticipation and then nearly stopped when she retrieved a knife.


    Asher¡¯s words in the meeting room suddenly reappeared in my mind.


    ¡°You killed your father,¡± I realized.


    Adalynughed again and she gave me a cold smile. ¡°Yes, I did. I killed the undefeatable Lord Oliver.


    It¡¯s so funny how everyone thought he was so unstoppable when in all reality, he was just as weak as


    the others. He didn¡¯t have the strength to fight against me.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    All T did was stab him once and then twist the knife. That¡¯s it. That¡¯s all it


    | took.¡± i Though sheughed, her golden ee EE ees clouded with tears that spilled onto her cheeks.


    I should have been horrified, but instead I felt bad for her. We had once been such great friends and


    here she was, standing before me a broken womarn.


    Every instinct fought against it, but I took a step forward.


    ¡°Ada,¡± I pleaded. ¡°Ada, please drop the knife. It¡¯s going to be okay.¡± My words felt as if they had fallen


    out of me. Ada had been the nickname I¡¯d called her back when I was Cora, back when there were no


    jealousies orpetitions between us.


    Back when we were best friends.


    Adalyn¡¯s face froze upon hearing it and she stared at me with a shocked expression. Vas

 Chapter 311

    Chapter 311 Doomed ADALYN Ada.


    How long had it been since I''d heard that name? My parents had never referred to me as Ada. They


    had never given me a single nickname or pet name. Mother had always said it was improper to call a


    child by anything other than their name and Father had never given me enough affection to bother.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    There were only two people in this world who had ever called me Ada.


    Asher.


    And Cora.


    [tensed as I tried to understand how


    Cassandra knew this. Had Asher told her about our close friendships when | we were young? No, there


    was no way.


    Suddenly, I was hit with a realization, one I couldn¡¯t ignore. I stared at Cassandra and studied her


    carefully. I searched her features, scrutinizing her nose, her mouth, the shape of her eyes.


    | None were familiar, but as I stared at her deep emerald green irises and recognized the hue of them,


    it all began to make sense.


    I''d never understood how Asher could fall in love with amon healer.


    Cassandra wasn¡¯t ugly by any means but to care so deeply about someone lowborn from a Pack on


    the border of the country had never made sense to me. Nor did the strange feeling in my stomach


    whenever [ was near her.


    But as I stared into her eyes, I realized that Cassandra Keller wasn¡¯t just an ordinary healer from Wild


    Crawler.


    ¡°I never expected this,¡± I uttered as I shook my head slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. How are you alive,


    Cora? Do you know how desperate Asher was after your death? He nearly killed himself out of grief.


    How did you survive the inferno?¡± ¡°Someone saved me,¡± she said softly.


    For a moment, I wanted to give up on my ns altogether. I wanted to drop my weapon, set Marco


    down, and hug my oldest, dearest friend. Tears clouded my vision as I remembered ying with her all


    those years ago, how I would braid wildflowers into her long golden hair and act out imaginary


    stories with her.


    But as I stared into those green eyes, all of my sadness at her loss vanished.


    We weren''t little girls anymore. She, along with Asher, had betrayed me time and time again.


    ¡°You were always lucky,¡± I remarked as anger swelled within me. ¡°But you won''t be so lucky this time.


    You stepped right into a trap. The House of Moses is full of soldiers and the councilors are old and


    useless. Asher is strong but he won''t be able to fight my men on his own. As for you... you were


    already dead the moment you followed me into this room.¡± Much to my annoyance, Cora didn¡¯t seem


    affected by my words at all. She didn¡¯t look scared or even nervous.


    Instead, she continued to stare into my


    eyes and regarded me as if I were some poor, pathetic little thing.


    ¡°You won''t kill me, Adalyn,¡± she repeated herself and my rage exploded.


    ¡°I''wouldn¡¯t be so certain,¡± I growled, and then I gestured at her with my weapon. ¡°This knife is soaked


    with poison. I would only need to break your skin to take your life.¡± I wanted to point it at her to further


    emphasize my point, but just as I went to do so, my wrist began to ache. It was as if the knife were a


    heavy hammer and I struggled under its weight. My brain spun in circles as I tried to figure out what


    was happening. I frowned and looked at my hand but nothing appeared to be wrong with it.


    I turned to look at Cora. Her chin was


    raised slightly, as if she knew something I didn¡¯t.


    ¡°You''re not going to hurt me with that,¡± she said firmly. ¡°You''re not going to do much of anything.¡± I


    nced down at her clenched hand and then frowned further.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± I demanded, and momentster, remembered her trip to Yurene. Thend of


    magic. ¡°Did...


    did you use magic on me? How do you know sorcery?¡± Cora didn¡¯t answer and when she stepped


    forward, I reacted quickly. I lengthened my nails and held them to Marco¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Take one more step and I''ll kill him!¡± I shouted, and Marco trembled in my arms in fear, but I didn¡¯t


    care.


    Cora stopped at once and held her arms up. ¡°You can¡¯t kill Marco, Ada. I won''t let you.¡± a | My nostrils


    red and I felt as if I had gone mad. I was tired, angry, and confused, and my thoughts were like a


    storm within me.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use magic on me when I took Marco in the first ce?¡± I wondered but my question


    answered itself. She wouldn¡¯t have done that, not in front of the councilors. If they¡¯d seen her use


    magic, she would have been named a witch and would be sentenced to death.


    My anger grew. Knowing she could use sorcery meant I couldn¡¯t use Marco as a bargaining chip


    anymore but I had another one ready.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too confident,¡± I warned her. |


    ¡°Becky is still in my grasp, in case you''ve forgotten. Your poor little assistant is in the House of Moses,


    If you make even one false move, I''ll see to it that she¡¯s brutally killed in the most painful, agonizing


    way possible.


    Trust me, I have plenty of methods in mind. That little redhead will pay for your mistakes, I''ll make sure


    of it.¡± Cora¡¯s lips parted and a smile formed on mine. It felt good to watch her squirm for once and I


    wasn¡¯t finished with my threats.


    ¡°And don¡¯t forget about Asher¡¯s beloved best friend, Ss,¡± I continued as her jaw tensed. ¡°My brother¡¯s


    life is in my hands, Cora. He only lives because I allow it, and you would do well to remember that. All it


    takes is a snap of my fingers and then poof. He''s


    | gone and in the ground. The Pack will be without a Beta and Asher will be crushed knowing his ally is


    gone for ¡ª¡ª | good. I don¡¯t care personally, but I know the country will mourn his loss.


    It will be your fault that he¡¯s gone. Do you want that on your conscience?¡± Finally, my words seemed to


    have some weight. Cora swallowed hard and blinked at me, clearly trying to find the right thing to say.


    Little did she know there was nothing that would soften the anger and emotions within me. I was too


    angry, so much so that my body began to shake.


    As I nced at the knife, I began to wonder if my trembling stemmed from fear instead, not that it


    mattered. 1 took a breath to steady myself and then concentrated on being calm. I had a |


    n. I had waited for this day for a long time. The soldiers in the House of Moses answered my orders.


    .


    Cora was doomed.


    Asher was doomed.


    Ss and everyone else who dared go against me were doomed.


    I would win this. I was more than capable of winning this.


    Just as I began to feel better, the door flew open, revealing Becky and the man who had tried to rescue


    her. Much to my dismay and shock, they weren''t alone.


    ¡°No,¡± I whispered. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± My fear increased tenfold.


    Ss stood behind them.

 Chapter 312

    Chapter 312 Ss BECKY After our conversation with Oliver Moses, Dickson and I had been seized by


    the Moses guards and taken into a room that appeared to be used for interrogation. The door was


    crafted from iron and there were no windows, so the room was dim and quiet. There were only a pair of


    chairs, each a little rickety and old-looking. It was a pathetic, deste sort of ce, which was surely


    on purpose.


    Time didn¡¯t make much sense in there and I soon couldn''t figure out how long we¡¯d been locked in. My


    body ached and my mind was spinning out with a million thoughts as I absorbed all of the information


    I''d heard in the past


    couple of days.


    I had thought Oliver Moses would quickly find out the truth or ask me to confront Adalyn again, but


    Dickson thought the opposite when I presented the idea to him.


    ¡°Look at this ce, Becky,¡± he said, his voice gloomy and negative. ¡°No one is going to visit us any


    time soon.¡± Sadly, he appeared to be correct, and his point was only proven as time went on. Though


    we had no clock or watch, or even sunlight to give us any indication, I had the sense we had been


    there for a while, and with every passing second, my resolve weakened.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    I didn¡¯t understand why Oliver Moses didn¡¯t act. I thought I had been


    convincing enough for him to let us ¡ê20 or at least let us out of there, We sat down for a bit to rest our


    aching legs but when I grew bored and tired of the silence, I went to the door and tried my hand at


    messing with the lock.


    Unfortunately for me, it was impossible to manage with the cuffs around my wrists.


    ¡°I thought you had a way to open the locks on these things,¡± I murmured in annoyance as I faced


    Dickson.


    He didn¡¯t say anything but his cheeks darkened a little. His blue eyes were fixated on the ground and I


    grew confused at his demeanor.


    ¡°How were you able to sneak into the House of Moses?¡± I asked him as my eyebrows creased


    together.


    wy CY SVnNvo I waited for an answer but it never came. I didn¡¯t understand why he was suddenly


    acting so silent and strange about things. I didn¡¯t want to be suspicious of him, but my curiosity was


    growing by the second and I needed to know why he was being so odd.


    ¡°Dickson?¡± I prompted him again.


    ¡°How were you able to sneak into the House of Moses?¡± The silence was heavy until finally, Dickson


    looked up at me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to exin,¡± he muttered, and then he let out a soft sigh. ¡°It¡¯s... it¡¯s a skill I guess.


    Comes from my past but I don¡¯t really wanna talk about it, okay?¡± I frowned and blinked at him a few


    times.


    A skill? And a past he didn¡¯t want to talk about? Had Dickson been a thief before he became a healer?


    If that was the truth, I could understand why he didn¡¯t want to talk about it, but still. That was heavy


    information and it was strange that it hadn¡¯te up in any of our prior conversations.


    Before I could think on it for too long, Dickson quickly shifted the subject.


    ¡°How is Ss?¡± he wondered.


    A small sigh escaped me as | remembered Ss. The very reason we were in this mess in the first


    ce.


    ¡°1 didn¡¯t lie to Oliver,¡± I said as I met Dickson¡¯s gaze. ¡°Adalyn bribed the head of healers to give him


    medicine to


    keep him unconscious.¡± Dickson nodded and after a pause, spoke again. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.


    I figured you weren¡¯t lying. I guess I wanted to know if you knew something more since there¡¯s the mate


    bond.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± I uttered and suddenly heat came to my cheeks.


    ¡°Is it indeed as unbreakable as Oliver said?¡± he wondered.


    I shrugged as the heat deepened further. ¡°I don¡¯t know, honestly. Mate bonds are so rare. I don¡¯t know


    how they work.¡± He nodded again.


    We fell quiet and then Dickson approached me. He wore a strange expression and his cheeks


    appeared to be as flushed as mine felt. There was


    something on his mind and I wasn¡¯t sure what.


    He cleared his throat finally. ¡°Becky, if we were able to escape and survive this time, would you be


    willing to leave the country with me?¡± My jaw dropped and I stared at him in shock. I didn¡¯t understand


    what he meant by that. Why would he want to leave Wega? Just as I was about to speak and ask


    him as much, we heard the sound of the lock click, and I stiffened, prepared for a guard to enter. But


    much to my surprise, when the door opened, light flooded in, and it wasn¡¯t a guard of a soldier.


    It was Ss.


    For a second, I thought I was dreaming


    or hallucinating, but when I caught his scent, I knew I wasn¡¯t. Ss Moses was in the room with us. His


    complexion was pale, but he was alive and conscious.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to leave,¡± he said clearly as his golden eyes stared into mine.


    sok ok Ss didn¡¯t exin much about his condition. He only told us that he had known Adalyn¡¯s n


    long ago. The medicine had worked for a bit, but as his body got used to it, it became less effective,


    and soon, he was able to stay awake. So, to keep Adalyn from having the healer up the dosage, he


    merely pretended to be asleep to find out what she wanted.


    Though I was d he was alive and mostly well, irritation bloomed within


    me. I had been so worried about him and risked my life to see if he was still alive or not and he had just


    pretended to be unconscious? Ss seemed to sense my annoyance and nced down at me with a


    strange look on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you were worried about me,¡± he said softly, just low enough for only me to hear.


    I sighed and tried to shove away my agitation.


    ¡°Why did you decide to wake up now?¡± I wondered.


    ¡°Because it was the right time,¡± he said vaguely.


    The right time? The right time for what?


    We suddenly stopped walking and stood in front of the room, I heard amotion inside and without


    hesitation, opened the door to reveal Adalyn and Cassandra. Before the excitement and happiness of


    reuniting with my dear friend engulfed me, I noticed that Adalyn¡¯s ws were sharpened and aimed at


    Marco.


    Was she holding the prince hostage? Adalyn¡¯s eyes widened as she noticed us and grew wider when


    she saw Ss.


    ¡°Sister,¡± Ss spoke up and Adalyn shivered She shoved Marco''s shoulder, pushing him onto the floor,


    and then began tough like a crazy person. She waved a


    knife in the air and muttered to herself, Ss stepped forward and tried to plead with her.


    ¡°Sister,¡± he said in a softer voice.


    But Adalyn didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Step back!¡± she snarled as she waved the knife in his direction. ¡°I''ll kill you.


    I''ll kill all of you!¡± She red at us and then suddenly ran, pushing past us and then taking off down the


    corridor.

 Chapter 313

    Chapter 313 Goodbye ASHER It had been a while since Cassandra entered the building, and with


    every passing minute, my nervousness and anxiety grew stronger. While I knew she was capable of


    handling herself, I didn¡¯t like the idea of her being in the House of Moses without me.


    I began to feel restless. It was a mistake to let her leave with Adalyn alone.


    I pondered my options for a minute and then decided I couldn¡¯t wait out on the grounds any longer, not


    when my mate could be in danger. I started to walk toward the building, but before I could get too far,


    the soldiers guarding us stopped me.


    At first, they were polite but quickly, they became rude. They shouted and told me to back up. I wasn¡¯t


    allowed in; not until Lady Adalyn said so.


    I considered pushing past them but didn¡¯t want to escte the situation, so I nodded and retreated ever


    so slightly.


    All around me, the councilors grew restless. They too, wanted to leave, only they desired to go back to


    Merliscire. However, when a group of them tried to turn around and go back in the direction we came


    from the soldiers stepped in and wouldn''t allow them to leave.


    The councilors and soldiers argued and that soon escted to physical blows.


    Shovingmenced and then angry cries. The soldiers were armed but no one wanted to ept


    defeat, myself included.


    ¡°Ineed to get inside,¡± I dered again.


    The leading soldier showed his gun and bared his teeth at me. ¡°No one can enter without Lord or Lady


    Moses¡¯mand. Step aside.¡± Karsh was indignant upon hearing his words. His face reddened and


    his eyes shed.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°How dare you go against the king?¡± he demanded. ¡°Is your lord nning an usurpation?¡± The leading


    soldier¡¯s lips drew into a thin line and he rolled his dark eyes. ¡°I serve the Lords of Moses alone and


    report to them directly. If the king wants something, he needs to speak directly to Lord or Lady Moses.¡±


    ¡°You''re nothing more than a dog of


    Moses,¡± Karsh murmured. ¡°A pathetic, disloyal mutt.¡± The soldier was vexed at once. He ce his gun


    against Karsh¡¯s forehead with no hesitation and the soldiers behind him raised their guns as well.


    Despite the threat, Karsh snarled and bared his fangs to the soldier. Some of the other, younger


    councilors snarled with him, and as their growls filled the air, it seemed like a fight was about to break


    out, one that would end in bloodshed.


    Suddenly, noise broke out all around us. It sounded like footsteps, the steps of a lot of people. Perhaps


    a troop.


    The soldiers seemed surprised and agitated by this influx of noise. They gripped their weapons in their


    hands and nced around before fixing their


    gazes on the front gate. None of them seemed to know whose reinforcement it was.


    Suddenly, the gate burst open, and hundreds of soldiers flooded in, following a man and a woman. I


    couldn¡¯t tell who they were at first, but momentster, my vision cleared and a smile formed on my lips.


    It was Kane and Kiara.


    The soldiers stepped back enough for me to move past them and I strode right over to my stepbrother.


    ¡°Sorry I''mte, dear brother,¡± Kane said when I approached. His violet eyes were tired but glinted with


    their usual amusement. ¡°I was dyed a little but I have the soldiers of Sky Pride along with the Myriad


    behind me.¡±


    I wanted tough. These new soldiers were much stronger than the Moses¡¯ and with them on our side,


    we finally stood a chance.


    ¡°d to see you, Kane,¡± I said and then I nodded at Kiara. ¡°And you Kiara.


    I need to get inside the building.


    Cassandra is in there with Adalyn.¡± Kane blinked at me. ¡°Why is she in there?¡± ¡°Adalyn took Marco


    hostage,¡± I exined vaguely. ¡°Those were her terms.¡± My stepbrother shook his head. ¡°She¡¯s insane.¡±


    I nodded in agreement. ¡°We need to get in there.¡± Just as I uttered the words, Kane¡¯s soldiers caught


    up and the courtyard


    descended into chaos. It became a massive battle and despite the huge gap in their strength, the


    Moses soldiers decided to fight.


    ¡°We''ll get you there,¡± Kane announced, and he took Kiara¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± We moved forward and a handful of Sky Pride¡¯s soldiers rushed over to us.


    With their help, I was able to move through the yard and then made it to the doors of the House of


    Moses.


    ¡°Good luck, brother!¡± Kane called out and then he rejoined the madness with Kiara.


    I wanted to tell him the same but there was no time. I rushed into the House of Moses and began to


    search for Cassandra.


    I ran quickly through the corridors but couldn¡¯t find anyone other than some scared servants. They


    seemed to have no idea what was going on and were rightfully fearful of all of the noise. I wanted to


    comfort them but there was no time.


    I continued to search the halls until suddenly, I bumped into someone else.


    It was Adalyn.


    Her golden eyes were crazed and I realized that she didn¡¯t seem to recognize me at all. She muttered


    over and over to herself and then stumbled before running toward the door.


    Suddenly, a group ran toward me, headed by Cassandra, and relief ran through me.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I demanded as she reached me.


    1 ¡°Tam,¡± she assured me. She held Marco tightly in her arms. ¡°Adalyn has a knife that¡¯s soaked with


    poison. We need to get to her.¡± My eyes widened and I nodded.


    There was no telling what someone in her state of mind would do with such a weapon.


    We ran down the corridor and caught up with Adalyn on the porch. She stared out at the fighting


    soldiers fora second and then whipped around to face us.


    I stood in front of Cassandra to protect her and Adalynughed.


    ¡°you''re a fool, Asher,¡± she managed to say through herughter. ¡°Thal healer


    is a witch. She should have been burnt in the inferno.¡± A few Myriad soldiers approached the porch and


    I held my hands up to get them to stop.


    ¡°She has a poisoned knife,¡± I called out to them, causing Adalyn tough again.


    ¡°No one can stop me!¡± she cackled as she waved the de around. She suddenly stopped and stared


    at Marco, who was tightly clenched against Cassandra.


    Adalyn stepped forward. ¡°Come to Mommy, Marco.¡± Marco shook his head. ¡°No, Mommy.¡± She red


    at Cassandra venomously.


    ¡°Now you''ve taken my son from me


    too!¡± ¡°Stop it Adalyn!¡± I shouted at her.


    ¡°This is your final chanceto surrender.¡± Adalyn stopped in her tracks and turned to face me. Her


    expression grew solemn and she shook her head.


    ¡°There is nost chance for me,¡± she said.


    ¡°Ada, please,¡± Cassandra pleaded, and my lips parted in surprise. It had been a long time since I''d


    heard her use Adalyn¡¯s nickname and it was a little jarring. Did she know that Cassandra was really


    Cora? For a moment, Adalyn seemed like she was going to drop the knife but then she shook her head


    and ced the knife against her own throat. My heart


    dropped as she smiled.


    ¡°Goodbye Asher,¡± she whispered, and { then she smiled at Cassandra.


    ¡°Goodbye Cora.¡± Then, before I could stop her, she slit her throat.

 Chapter 314

    Chapter 314 Epilogue CASSANDRA It was a sunny day, the first one in a long time.


    After the long winter and cold spring, summer eventually came, and it was hotter than it had been in


    forever.


    Sunlight streamed in through the clinic window, and I was a little distracted as I stared out at the


    window at the kids in the yard.


    Finnick, L, Marley¡¯s boys Eric and Adrian, and Dominic were all chasing each other, ying a game


    of tag with one another. Marco was out there with them too, but he was sitting on a bench alone,


    meters away from the rest of the kids. He looked lonely and didn¡¯t move


    as the others yed around him.


    It had been a month since the chaos in Merliscire and Adalyn¡¯s death.


    supposed it was still hard for Marco to ept the fact that his mother was gone. She had killed herself


    right in front of him after holding him hostage and threatening to hurt him. The poor little boy had


    endured so much trauma in such a short amount of time.


    He wasn¡¯t a bad kid. He had a mean disposition at times, but he wasn¡¯t cursed to be a bad person. He


    had been mistreated by Adalyn just as she had been mistreated by Oliver. Hatred had grown in his little


    heart but it wasn¡¯t toote for him to change.


    Adalyn and Oliver''s deaths had caused a stir in Anemond. The Moses family had their status revoked


    and lost all of


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    wy TV BVnNUS their power, Rumors and gossip spread everywhere and people started to point out


    that the Moses family had always been corrupt. It came to light that they had plotted the fall of the Felix


    family and had murdered the old king, as well as conspired with the North. There were other rumors


    too, some true, some not. I didn¡¯t care too much about it all.


    All that was important to me was rebuilding the family I still had.


    Ector had been transferred to the clinic in Wild Crawler. The quietness was good for his condition, as


    was the nice weather. He wasn¡¯t yet ready to return to a bustling life after all he¡¯d endured in the


    bordends, but he was getting stronger and stronger every day.


    Asher had proposed to clear my


    wy TY Bure family¡¯s name but | rejected that n. | didn¡¯t want my family to be spoken of again since


    there was no way to.prove anything. Besides, nothing would change. My father was gone and Ector


    would never be a warrior again. My identity was a problem as well, one I didn¡¯t know how to solve.


    Asher said he¡¯d make an announcement telling everyone I was his queen, but I shot that down too. I


    didn''t want to be a queen. I was tired of society, conspiracies, and politics. I wanted to continue being a


    healer. It was one of the few things that gave me joy and a sense of purpose.


    So, once the chaos settled, I returned with my brother to Wild Crawler. I needed to make sure that all of


    our patients had recovered and the once- mysterious illness was gone for good.


    Asher was unhappy with my decision to leave Anemond, but I assured him that no matter what, we


    would always be together. We were bonded.


    Nothing could force us apart.


    I''was pulled back into reality when Marley cleared her throat and set her papers down.


    ¡°Thest batch of patients passed their health tests,¡± she remarked. ¡°They¡¯re ready to leave the clinic


    next week.¡± ~ Ibreathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank goodness.¡± ¡°Finally this is going to end,¡± she sighed as


    well. She came and joined me on the window bench and stared out at the children.


    Silence lingered and then she spoke,


    ¡°How are you going to deal with this thing between you and the king?¡± she wondered.


    ¡°What thing?¡± I wondered as I frowned at her.


    ¡°Marriage?¡± Marley said with a roll of her eyes.


    I sighed and shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe it¡¯s too early to get married.¡± ¡°Anyone with eyes can


    see you''re the only one he wants,¡± she remarked with a small smile. ¡°He can¡¯t wait to marry you. ?n


    ¡°The love between us is more than just love,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s deeper than that. We don¡¯t need to marry to


    show we love each other,¡± )


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, girl,¡± Marley sighed.


    ¡°Men are surprising. Sometimes they want a wedding as much as women | do.¡± ¡°Are you talking about


    Jasper?¡± I said with a smallugh of my own.


    She rolled her pale green eyes again and then groaned. She tugged at her dark hair absently and said


    nothing for amoment.


    Jasper had proposed to Marley a couple of days ago and she had yet to give him an answer.


    ¡°I care about him, but I think I need to wait,¡± she said. ¡°I want to enjoy life on my own for a little while. I


    think you have the right idea, Cassy. It¡¯s too early to get married.¡± We shared augh and then she


    turned


    to face me. I ¡°I''miss Becky,¡± she said. ¡°She should be hereughing with us about men.¡± ¡°I''miss her


    too,¡± I agreed.


    After the chaos and fighting, Becky left Anemond alone. She decided she wanted to go on a journey,


    an adventure of her own. She wanted to see the wider world and practice her healing skills. There was


    more she wanted to learn and she needed some space to breathe.


    To our surprise, she didn¡¯t go with Dickson or Ss. I didn¡¯t know what happened between the three of


    them, but there was a conversation after the chaos. A bad one, I supposed. Becky wouldn¡¯t tell me


    about it but the next day, she decided to leave, -


    I'' was sad that she was gone, but I knew that she needed this adventure, She wrote to us every couple


    of weeks, telling us about her experiences.


    ¡°I''envy Becky,¡± Marley sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t go anywhere with the kids. But then again... It¡¯s going to be nice


    to find some quietness again. It¡¯s all been so chaotic and awful that maybe some peace is exactly what


    we need.¡± I smiled at her and nodded in agreement.


    A breeze blew through the open window and the room filled with the scent of herbs and flowers. I


    closed my eyes and enjoyed the pleasant smell and warm sunlight. She was right. It was nice to find


    some peace after all we''d been through. Between Anemond and Yurene, I was ready for some


    tranquility and rxation with my friends and family.


    Marley suddenly nudged me awake.


    ¡°Cassy... Your lover ising.¡± I sat up straight and nced out the window. Sure enough, I could see


    Asher at the end of the street. Sunlight poured over him and even from my vantage, I could see a


    glimmer in his beautiful gray eyes.


    The image of him paired with our children and the beautiful scenery was enough to make me well up


    with tears of joy. This was the prettiest picture in all of the world, and I felt like the luckiest woman alive.


    Asher Collins.


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