Chapter 16: Decision
Cassia
It has been the worst night of my life. All I want to do is go to my mother’s house and bury my head in my pillow. After pulling me close and letting me cry, my uncle Draco drops me off at home with the promise that things will get better. He must have called ahead because my mother meets me at the door. “Baby, your uncle told me what happened. I was so worried.” She wraps her arms around me, holding me tight like she used to do when I was a child. There’s nothing like the comforting touch of my mother’s embrace.
“I’m okay, mom. Can we talk about this later?” My mother releases me and inspects my rumpled dress. “Okay, how about you go upstairs, take a hot bath, and relax. But don’t think that you can avoid this conversation. We will talk tomorrow. Now, I placed a fresh sketchbook on your bed, and the bath is stocked with your favorite salts and oils. Go ahead, baby.” I
Chapter 17: SteadyMathiasEverything went very well today. I thought that I wouldn’t handle loving Cassia, but she makes it so easy. Touching her is like an out-of-body experience. She makes everything better. There still hasn’t been any news in regards to Lukan, which makes me wary. All I know is that whatever Lukan is doing, it’s not going to be good for the rest of us.I pull Cassia close as we relax in the balcony’s lounge chair. My wings are straining to be let loose, but I have to wait until nightfall. Sometimes Cassia and I fly over the skies together and enjoy the rush of the air in our wings. I kiss Cassia’s head, pull her closer to my chest, and run my fingers through her hair while she caresses my hand.We’re both locked in a bubble of contentment and basking in our closeness when my cell phone rings. It’s Mikhail. “Mikhail?” I answer.“Mathias, you have to come here right now.
Chapter 18: Sad endings?CassiaI burst through the rooftop door with Nevaeh following behind me. “Cassia, wait!” Nevaeh calls out. I turn to her as my tears pour down my face. “I’m sorry, Nevaeh, I need to go. I…I can’t do this right now.” I croak out. Nevaeh’s face pales with sadness.“Please, Cassia, you can’t do this. I know Mathias loves you.”“No, Nevaeh, he doesn't love me. If he did, he wouldn’t have stood in front of the woman he really loved without giving me a second thought. I’m done with this. He has hurt me for the last time.”Nevaeh moves back with tears gleaming in her eyes and enfolds me in her embrace. Tightening my arms around her, I nod to Mikhail. “I know you mean well, Nevaeh, but Mathias and I are over.”I’m about to leap from the roof’s edge when a large form rams my body and tackles me to the groun
Chapter 19: Dead soulMathiasMy body strains as I run closer to the wailing cries. It takes us a few minutes to reach the cries. Have you ever felt your heart shatter? At first, you’ll feel a heavy pressure in your chest, then a painful ripping feeling in the pit of your stomach until you can’t breathe. That’s how I feel the moment I see my daughter, Nevaeh, covered in blood with my unconscious mate in her arms. Nevaeh’s cries echo through the barren grounds as she grips Cassia tightly to her chest. Falling to my knees, I swallow down my grief. Mikhail and Azazel reach Nevaeh and wrap their arms around her, their faces contorted with sorrow.“Nevaeh baby, oh my god.” I hear Azazel and Mikhail call out with a horrified cry. As if in a trance, Nevaeh finally looks at Mikhail, a sad, shocked look in her tearful eyes. Holding her bloody palms out, she robotically mutters. “She did it for me. She’s dead because o
Chapter 20: Happily Ever AfterEpilogueCassiaThe stars look so beautiful at this time of night. Mathias and I fly side-by-side, letting the wind take us. We had just come from visiting Nevaeh and Mikhail. They now live in a loft near the school, along with his brothers. After I was brought back, we found out that Nevaeh was not really pregnant. That bastard, Lukan, had actually given her a potion that made it look like she was pregnant. Another surprise that came was Nevaeh’s mother. She and Nevaeh had a talk. Sadly, her mother is dying of cancer.She was also shocked to see Mathias after so many years. Especially considering that he still looks like he’s in his twenties. She was amazed when we explained why he was still so young. They made their peace, which made it a happy reunion. Unfortunately, Marael disappeared without a trace during the battle. Mathias isn’t too worried. But from what Nevaeh and Mikhail told me about her plans f
Chapter 21: Next CaseMathias “Now that Lukan’s dead and the Institute is no longer a threat thanks to our new alpha werewolf friend, Traeger, we have to focus on the ritual murders.” I nod at Traeger, sitting to my left at the conference table, and Azazel and Mikhail are sitting to my right.One of the Council witches raises her hand and shows us the evidence we compiled on the rituals. “We have at least two girls who were stabbed through the heart by a sacred knife. According to the file, each girl was supernatural. Some evidence points to witches being the culprits, but all of the covens in the area deny being involved. However, some of the evidence we’ve gathered points to my former wife, Marael, being the culprit. I sent several scouts to search for her and hope tha
Chapter 1: RevealedMathiasShe’s so soft; her skin is perfect. I run my hand over her arm. Her mouth moves closer over mine. I run my hand over her long silky hair. “I need you. Come and find me. It has been so long” Surprised by her voice, I pull back in surprise. This woman is not Marael. Then the scene changes. I’m in front of the house Marael and I lived in. “Marael,” I call my wife as I enter through the door. I’m surprised to find that the door is wide open. “Marael,” I say again. I walk toward the living room, but she’s not there. Suddenly, I hear a noise as if a shoe fell from up the stairs. “Marael,” I repeat again, making my way to our bedroom. I can hear the bath running from our en-suite. “Love, I’m home.” There is still no response. I knock on the bathroom door, pushing it open. The lights are dim, and there are candles lit around the bathroom. I smile lovingly.
Chapter 2: FinallyCassiaIt’s him. He’s my mate. I would recognize him anywhere. I’ve been dreaming about him for five years. He has dark auburn hair, waves around his neck and forehead, and his golden eyes glow like amber. He’s gorgeous. He’s at least three inches over six feet. From what I can see, his body is strong, tanned, and muscled. His eyes appraised my body with curiosity and a spark of desire. Swallowing hard, I stand there stunned until my mother makes the introductions. My surprise turns into shock at the sound of his name. My mother waves her hand and gestures for me to take a seat. “Cassia, why don’t you have a seat and hear what Mathias has to say.” I move forward with a surprised sigh when the man pulls a chair out for me. “Thank you,” I whisper silently.The man…Mathias, nods his head before he turns back toward my mother. &l
Chapter 3: UnsettledMathiasIt has been two weeks since I’ve met Lukan Garron’s former mate and daughter. Yet, I still feel a little unsettled. My mind keeps returning to the vision of Cassia’s exquisite face. Why is she haunting me? I’m very confused by my reaction. Closing my eyes, I try to clear my mind of this strange fascination.I’m currently in the council chambers debriefing my enforcers, but my mind is miles away. “We need to continue looking further into Lukan Garron’s disappearance. There has to be something we’re missing. All of his assets were frozen, and we’ve locked down all of his properties. Right now, we’re guessing that someone he works with might have found his body. In the meantime, I want to continue to search.”Gadriel and Corbin nod their heads in agreement. “Yes, sir. What do you want to do?” I think for a moment. “I would like for you to