CASSANDRAI 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, I laid 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 plagued 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 drenc

CASSANDRA 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 occasions 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 a

CASSANDRAI 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. Cassandra 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 Gamma wolf named Darrin Felix. I had been born into a prestigious werewolf family, exalted in the Wegalla Empire, and the Crescent Pack in particular.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

CASSANDRAMuch 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 exclaimed, 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.” “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 stra

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 explained what he meant by his words. Had Cassandra 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 servant leading me through the room. A long, rectangular table sat at the center of the wood-floored room, and around us, the light from the enormous red-brick fireplace flickered. The room itself was painted a rich dark red, and a smile fo