As Cassy followed Eleanor through the forest, she stole glances at the woman. Her posture was stiff and she didn't so much as spare Cassy a glance. "You don't like me much, do you?" Eleanor smiled. "I'm sure we can set aside our differences for the better of the pack. For the Alpha's child in your womb." Cassy's shoulders caved. "I'm really sorry, about all of this. I really didn't want any of it." Cassy meant it. She felt for Eleanor and she was going to give Lino a piece of her mind when they returned. "It's alright. I understand," Eleanor answered and flashed her another bright smile before inclining her head to a different path. "This way. People rarely come here. Only Lunas can walk here. " Cassy nodded, following her deeper into the forest. The walk was refreshing and the chirping of birds filled the air. She felt the slight change in the aura when they stepped foot into it. The serenity of it. The strength in the air. The way time seemed to sti
The rain poured down relentlessly, beating down on the wolves who tried and failed to pick up on Cassy's scent. "Cassy!" Alpha Lino bellowed and a roar of outrage followed. He'd never been so scared in his entire left. So helpless. He would've picked up on her trail, had the rain not washed it away by the time he noticed she was gone. He had searched everywhere he thought she would be, her hiding spots every time she didn't want to be found gobbling down more food. To keep the baby happy, she'd said. He'd searched the gardens, and her chambers, he'd torn apart the castle in search of her. He'd found nothing. All of her things were accounted for. He'd made sure to ask the maids, just to be sure she hadn't run-- though he'd seen no reason why she would. Yes. He should've spoken to her about naming her Luna before announcing it to the whole world. She had been furious and he would never forget the anger that shone in her eyes when he had made the announcement. But th
The moon goddess watched the woman on the floor, angling her head with the grace only an immortal could attain. The woman was already dead, and the baby in her belly dead long before she did. The goddess would have struck the woman who had dared to spill innocent blood on her sacred grounds without mercy dead but it the woman's life was not hers to claim anymore. Eleanor Badminton's life was Cassy Benson's to claim. The Moon Goddess frowned as she mulled over a thought. The dead woman's last moments surfaced. Blue eyes filled with pain had looked to the skies and to her and the woman had pleaded. For once chance. To live again. To make it right. To avenge the life of the child she had loved so much. The Moon Goddess wasn't prone to violence. She detested it. However, she could see the lines of the future falling into place. She had blessed Cassy with the child, therefore blessing her favored Alpha, Lino. What had occurred was a fluke that needed to be corrected and th
Cassy threaded the halls in her plain white robe. The sentries at the gate had taken one look at her face, her garments, and the ice in her eyes and they let her in, gaping at her in awe. The castle seemed the same. Smelled the same. The maids loitered about, gossiping about things that piqued their interest, the sentries and wolves trained on the grounds, and overly dressed females wandered the halls, hoping to catch the eyes of the unmated males of the pack. It was just like it had been a month before. Before she died. It was the same, but Cassy was not. And they noticed it. The moment they noticed Cassy, a hush fell over them. Then they started to whisper and point at her. She recognized her handmaidens amongst them. They stared at her with surprise but she didn't spare them a second glance as she walked past, that stoic expression glued to her face. "Lady Cassy?" Cassy paused and tilted her head slightly. She noted the maid, Jessica. Jessica
Cassy ignored the Alpha's roar of fury and crossed the hall, gown trailing the ground before her as she neared the council. Someone blocked her path, deeming her a threat to the Alpha and her eyes narrowed at the Beta as he fell into a defensive pose in front of her. His eyes widened with glaring intensity and his nostrils flared as he realized the same thing she'd noted for months. That she no longer bore the scent of a lowly Omega. She had the scent of a Luna. An Alpha in her own right. "Impossible," Beta Kayden breathed, tossing furtive glances toward Eleanor's standing form. "The power didn't shift to her. It chose you." Cassy didn't bother to rid him of his ridiculous theory. Her being alive, the change in her body and her soul, it was all the Moon Goddess's gift. One she planned to use to her advantage and take her revenge on those who brought her pain. She had a life to claim. And she would make Eleanor suffer before she made her claim. She would
Cassy was dreaming. She knew it was a dream but she couldn't escape the claws that slashed at her chest over and over again. She couldn't run from the woman clawing her child out of her womb. She begged, pleaded, for someone, anyone to wake her from the nightmare, but no one came. She was dying again, like she did every night. The vile woman was killing her again and no one came for her. Pain exploded in her chest as the claws dug further in, diving past her ribcage, and further until they circled around her beating heart. And when she looked up, she saw her own face, peering down at her. Cold and merciless. "Do not forget," Her cold counterpart seemed to say. Right before she yanked her heart out of her chest. ******** Cassy lurched out of her bed and ran for the bathroom, emptying the contents of her stomach into the chamberpot. Tears ran down her cheeks as she vomited over and over again until all she could do was gag. She'd
The next day, the castle was crowded and busy. Maidens from far and wide graced the castle walls as the news had spread like wildfire that unmated Alphas from all around would be in attendance to woo the Lady Cassy. The day had only begun and Alpha Lino hated it. Already wanted it to end. This was a bad idea. A very terrible idea. He didn't want any male breathing near Cassy. Or touching her. He'd waited all night for her to come to him, begging him to change his mind, pleading with him to not give her away to some random Alpha. He had thought doing this would break her enough to realize just who she was standing up against. She might be a match for him now, but she wasn't stronger than him. He had the power, the wits, and the influence. She couldn't live or breathe without him. Or at least, he had thought he would make her realize that she couldn't live without him. But Cassy hadn't come to him and he had spent the entire night destroying his study. She was arr
But Cassy didn't understand why he had done all of it. Why he had wanted a child so badly. Why he would have had to take their child from her the moment it was born. She did not understand that with the child dead, there was little hope left and time was running out. Perhaps, he should have told her the truth back then, on the night they had first met. She might have agreed to it. Trusted him. And none of this would have happened. But women went wild when it came to their children. They acted on pure instinct and they would go into a death rage if their child was taken from them. He felt she would never have agreed to it. Cassy might have been docile and kind but he had seen her love for their unborn child in her eyes. He had seen the fierceness with which she had protected the image of their child from abuse. She would've fought to the death to protect and raise her child. How could he tell her that he would take him from her before she even got to see his face?