Cassa's POV
Julius's gaze shifted to me momentarily before returning to Astallia. "None of your business, or Catharine's. Tell my sister she'll regret what she's done.""Catharine won't be intimidated, just like her brother. But she did pay me handsomely for the chokehold you gave me. I almost died," she snarled."Lucky for you, I didn't kill you. Now leave, and tell Catharine to bring Sabrina here. I'll deal with her soon enough.”"You didn't change, Julius. So rude.” And with those words, she vanished into a cloud of purple smoke.I gasped, blinking rapidly in disbelief. Was that real? How did she just disappear like that?Julius simply glanced at me before striding away, his footsteps echoing with a solemn promise. I was left standing there, bewildered and without answers, trying to make sense of what had just transpired.I gathered my courage and hurried out of the room, calling after Mr. Montalvo as I walked down the hallway. He was about to turn when I caught up to him."Can I go home to my father's house? Just for a visit," I pleaded, hoping he would understand my longing to see my father.He refused without hesitation, his back still facing me. "No.""It's just a visit. I miss my father. You can trust me not to leave," I implored, desperation creeping into my voice."You can't change my mind. It's better if you stay here," he stated firmly before turning and walking away. I watched him go, feeling defeated and trapped.Looking around, I noticed a wall to my right, painted in dull gray, facing five doors. His room was in the middle, and a hallway led to the right, the direction Julius had taken.I followed his path and found a staircase leading down to the lower floor. The marble-tiled floors and lifeless ambiance cast a somber tone over the place. The stairs were carpeted in a muted gray, while the railings were painted a deep shade of the same color.Entering the spacious living room, I marveled at its size, dwarfing the room I had been confined to. A divan sat near a rectangular glass window draped with lilac curtains. In the center of the room stood a round glass coffee table, an empty mug left abandoned on its surface. Paintings adorned the walls, adding a touch of color to the otherwise dreary space.As I reached the bottom of the stairs, a gust of fresh air greeted me, beckoning me outside. I stepped onto the porch, gazing out at the wide courtyard surrounded by trees of various sizes. The dirt road stretched ahead, inviting yet intimidating."Are you planning to escape?" Julius's voice startled me, and I turned to see him leaning against the doorway, holding a cup of coffee."I...I'm just exploring," I stammered, meeting his gaze. "Where in town are we?"Julius took a sip of his coffee before replying cryptically, "Somewhere you can't leave.""Right," I muttered under my breath. "So I'll just be stuck here until my last breath? Why don't you just end it now and kill me?""What you wish for will not happen," Julius replied calmly, moving towards the divan and taking a seat, placing his half-empty mug on the table.I narrowed my eyes, frustration bubbling inside me at his nonchalant response."Why? Who benefits from this? I'd rather be in jail than trapped like this," I complained, sinking into the seat across from him. "This is inhumane!""Hmm, inhumane. It may seem that way," he conceded, a hint of amusement playing in his expression as he leaned back in his seat, his gaze fixed on me.He continued, "You should be grateful that I saved you from death. I don't understand why mortals are so ungrateful. This town wouldn't exist without our protection against other immortals or even rogue ones. We must conceal our existence for the sake of peace. Immortals looking out for mortals because you're all weak.""Did we ask for that?" I countered, frustration evident in my tone.Julius chuckled. "Not you, but your ancestors did. We're only mentioned in books, regarded as fables, fiction, legends. People believe we don't exist. If not for us, humanity would have perished long ago or become prey to other immortals. Sacrifices are necessary."I was left speechless. He was right in a way—people believed creatures like him were mere myths. But what I had witnessed proved otherwise."Is it true that you eat humans, as the legend of this town suggests?" I questioned, my voice trembling slightly.He crossed his legs and rested his arm on the armrest, amusement still evident in his demeanor. "Yes, we did consume humans in the past. And even now, some rogue werewolves still do.""Are you one of them?" I asked cautiously, my voice barely above a whisper."Don't you know human flesh is more tasty than any animal?" Julius responded seriously."So you are..." I trailed off, my words barely audible."What do you think? Am I?" He stared at me, waiting for my answer.I swallowed hard, unable to meet his gaze directly. How many humans had he consumed? The thought made me shudder. His laughter only added to my discomfort, as if he found something amusing in my reaction."Goodness, you're quick to jump to conclusions, aren't you? Do I look like a rogue to you? The mayor doesn't feast on his own people. If that were true, this town would be littered with missing victims," he remarked with a hint of amusement. "Though, there are some humans who indulge in such acts.""So, there are good werewolves and bad ones?" I probed further."Many questions," he remarked. "Remember, werewolves don't trust humans unless they prove themselves trustworthy. As for me, I don't place much trust in them.""Anyway, I'm not as harsh on mortals as some might think. But I'm not as benevolent as my father either. You're not living here like a princess under my care," he added, retrieving a folded paper from his pants pocket and placing it on the table. "Here are some things you must do while you are in my hand. It's not hard, I think you'll do it. You are not pampered like princess, have you?”Cassa's POVMy eyes narrowed as I scanned the list of tasks I was expected to perform. They were duties I had never imagined myself doing, akin to that of a servant, or worse, a prisoner serving her captor! I fought the urge to crumple the paper in my hand, my nails digging into my palm as I suppressed my frustration.The Mayor had departed for town, leaving two men to guard me. At the bottom of the smooth, finely printed paper, it stated that the rules would take effect once I was fully recovered. Bitterness welled up inside me, and I let out an exaggerated sigh.Pushing myself up from the divan, I approached the stairs but hesitated. An idea struck me—I would explore the house to familiarize myself with my surroundings.It was already noon when I had entered the room, my legs aching from the walk. The house was sprawling, second only to a mansion, and I nearly lost my way if not for Carter, one of the guards, accompanying me. I carried a paper bag delivered by the Mayor's driver ten
"I don't think you understand, this isn't fair," I reasoned, my voice tinged with frustration. "What about my freedom? Why should it be stripped away from me? Just because Montalvo and Sullivan are close doesn't justify taking away my freedom. Saving me shouldn't mean locking me up in here." I gestured with my hands, gesturing at the room around us as if it were the cage I spoke of. His brows furrowed, eyes narrowing as he bore into me. "That's life, Cassa. We make sacrifices for our actions." "A sacrifice? You've turned me into a servant in this house. I wouldn't complain if I still had my freedom. I'll accept the consequences of my actions, but I won't surrender my freedom!" I exclaimed, my fists clenched tightly, trembling with anger. I refused to agree to his terms. Julius let out a sarcastic laugh, which only served to irritate me further. "Your life is paid for with your freedom, Cassa," he emphasized each word, sending a shiver down my spine as he spoke my name. "You can't d
I observed Cassa ascend the stairs, her light footsteps echoing until she reached the room, marked by the clicking lock of the door.Silence enveloped the house, an unexpected occurrence at this hour, signaling my mother's visit. Such an occurrence must hold significance. Yesterday, I conversed with Paps, discussing my cousin Theodore's predicament. He sought assistance regarding a case he found himself entangled in. Paps relayed that Theodore's actions were in self-defense; however, the victim was not a werewolf but a fellow human—the son of a senator.Theodore was familiar to me—a decent lad, loyal to family and pack. His involvement in such a grave matter was unforeseen. At twelve, he was still in his human form, lacking the strength of his wolf until the age of fourteen. With the senator's influential connections, Theodore faced a high probability of imprisonment. The Ganther family's plea for aid, channeled through Paps, seemed logical given our Montalvo's ties to politics.Perha
I stepped out of the room but halted in my tracks when I noticed the mayor standing outside the door. There was no warmth in his expression, no hint of joy at seeing me. I swallowed hard, my heart pounding as I studied his handsome face, a question lingering in my mind. Why was he here?"My mother will be visiting you," he informed me.“Why?” I asked softly, furrowing my brow as I tried to comprehend the mayor’s unexpected announcement. Or perhaps I had misheard him. Why would his mother want to see me? What could be the reason? He leaned against the doorframe, his presence looming over me. His white polo shirt stretched against his muscular frame, accentuating his broad shoulders, while his neatly combed hair exuded a subtle scent of soap and aftershave."Act as though I'm a benevolent Samaritan," he instructed, sidestepping my question.A skeptical expression crossed my face. "You're not, and I won't pretend otherwise," I retorted, momentarily hardening his features before a mischie
Cassa's POVThe car came to a halt in front of a house, and as we passed through the town, I couldn't shake the feeling that the place wasn't too far away from civilization. We drove past a ranch just a few meters away from the house. It was a grand mansion, with a majestic fountain standing proudly in front. However, my mind couldn't let go of the memory of the wolves chasing us. Three of them had rushed towards us, and I could still hear their growls echoing in my ears. I felt like I was watching a scene unfold before my eyes, yet my voice was lost in the chaos of it all. I was confused, trying to make sense of what was happening around me. Mrs. Montalvo apologized for the incident, but she urged me to find a place where the pack warriors wouldn't be able to track us. "Why are those wolves after us?" I asked her, my voice filled with concern. "They're here to kill you," she replied matter-of-factly. "My son is too confident that the omegas guarding you will be enough to keep you
Cassa's POVI woke up to the sensation of a soft bed against my skin, inhaling the lingering scent of vanilla musk in the air. I felt the weight of a blanket being tucked around me before hearing the faint sound of receding footsteps and the closing of a door. Opening my eyes, I still felt the heaviness of my lids, realizing that I had fallen asleep in the car on the way to one of Julius' houses in town.I hadn't expected him to include me in the senator's meeting, claiming that I was his secretary. That was the reason he had given me the clothes in the paper bag, along with the torturous five-inch heels that had left my feet aching after a few hours. I was dumbfounded as to why I was doing this, but exhaustion had gotten the best of me, leaving me too tired to question him. Being in a crowd for an extended period always drained me easily.Taking a deep breath, I shifted onto my side, facing the right, and closed my eyes. Tomorrow, I would have a conversation with Julius about all of
I stared out of the window of Mayor’s office, my gaze fixed on the lively scene in the plaza below. I couldn't help but imagine myself there, capturing the moment with my camera. However, my daydreaming was abruptly interrupted when Mayor Montalvo placed file boxes on my table, just a few steps away."Sort these files by date and place them back on my desk when you're done," he instructed before retreating to his seat.I reached for the files stored in the organizer, my mind still half lost in my daydream. There were three files, and I couldn't deny the weariness that settled upon me. It seemed that whenever Julius didn't have appointments in town, he would keep me occupied with an endless stream of work.Resting my feet on the cold floor, I felt a slight relief from the pain that had been plaguing me. I began sorting the files, arranging them in chronological order from the latest date to the oldest. Every so often, I glanced at Julius, who was engrossed in his laptop, typing away. I
"Stop staring at me, Cassa, and finish your work," he grunted, his displeasure evident in his tone. His words struck me, causing a wave of embarrassment to wash over me. I quickly straightened up, my face turning red for the second time that day.Leaning my head against the cool glass of the window, I fought against the heavy drowsiness that had settled in. It was already late in the evening, and he had made it clear that we wouldn't be leaving until I completed my tasks. The growl of my empty stomach served as a reminder that I hadn't eaten anything all day.I couldn't help but wonder where we were headed. We had already passed the turnoff to his house, and the car continued to speed along. I sat up a little straighter, realizing that we were heading somewhere specific. Thankfully, the pain in my feet from wearing those uncomfortable heels had subsided after spending most of the day sitting."Should we go for a walk this time?" I tentatively asked the person sitting next to me, his h