BFTA 34 Lino and Eleanor returned an hour later and Cassy picked up the smell of sex rolling off them. Eleanor’s cheeks were flushed and her eyes were bright and—Cassy hated them. Both of them. Lino wouldn’t meet her gaze. He would not even gaze in her direction. If she didn’t know better, she would have thought he felt guilty about whatever nonsense he and his mate had done in the forest—but somehow, Cassy understood why he had to do it. She hated that she did, but she understood. He mounted his horse without sparing them a glance and they resumed the journey after him. Eleanor winked at Cassy when no one else was looking and proceeded to lick the bottom of her lips in a way Cassy found beyond disgusting. Apparently, having sex with Lino was more than enough to change her mind about attending the procession. Perhaps, she’d thrown the tantrum just to make a point. A point that she had sway over Lino and the people. A point that she was Luna and Cassy would never be we
BFTA 35 Cassy stared after Lino for a while, feeling hot and cold at the same time. She hugged herself as the chilly wind whipped at her clothes and her hair. She finally noticed the world moving around them and the looks of contempt that kept being tossed her way. It didn’t hurt as much as Lino leaving her did. She felt cold and alone. She didn’t want to go into that tent alone, but she knew she had no choice. Shivering slightly from the cold and the enormity of what had just occurred with Lino, in front of the entire camp. She pushed through the flaps of the tents and went through. She paused upon seeing the bedroll and blankets neatly arranged for her. At the far end of it, there were wooden buckets and water for her to see to her needs. She had not noticed them arrange any of it, having been lost in her world of thoughts. However, when she sniffed in, she could only pick up on Lino’s scent. He had arranged this for her? Her heart did a strange flip but
BFTA 36 Cassy didn't know what to expect of the peaks but she had surely not expected another castle. Considering its size, it surpassed the size of a castle. It had countless wings and numerous rooms, all structured to house everyone. One Hundred Packs were converging at the Castle and it was big enough to house all of them and their members. Being Head Alpha, Lino and his pack were given the center wing. They were shown to their rooms by children acolytes and Cassy found the little girl who led her to her room extremely adorable. Lino and Eleanor would sleep separately for the night before the Hunt. Traditions of some sort. It didn't stop them from being touchy and sneaking in a few kisses as they walked through the halls of the castle. Cassy found it irritating and annoying and had she been up to it, she would find Eleanor and tie her to her bedpost for the entire night. Or forever. As long as she didn't have to see her cooing and kissing Lino everywhere.
BFTA 37. At midnight, someone knocked on Cassy's door, rousing her from her deep sleep. Rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand, she slipped out of the soft bed and shuffled barefoot to the door. It was late. So late. Who could it be? She pulled the door open and Lino staggered into her, nearly toppling them over. Cassy held his arm to keep him from falling and she was instantly awake. "Li--lino," she said when he laughed and put his arms around her, pulling her into his warm embrace. Her ears perked at the scuffling of boots and the voices of passing men and she shut the door quickly before anyone would see them. "You can't be here, Lino," Cassy said, pulling at his tunic to get him away from her, but Lino nuzzled her neck and murmured against it, "Let me stay with you, Cassy. Please." He was drunk again, Cassy realized when the smell of strong liquor tickled her nostrils. She stopped pulling at his shirt and her hands circled his waist inste
BFTA 38 The Hunt was an hour away and Cassy found herself on the verge of a nervous breakdown. A faint feeling of deja vu gripped her as she stood in a straight line of maidens, who were awaiting the Moon Goddess's blessings before venturing into the peaks beyond the Castle. Months ago, she had stood in a similar line, confused. Her life had changed so much since then. She had gone from that woman to who she was now. But who was she now? She was still a very confused Cassy who was waiting in line to be chosen by an Alpha. How utterly hilarious. Where Lino had stood months ago, the priestess stood, raising a silver bowl to the sky and chanting to the Goddess and muttering prayers to her. Simultaneously, an Elder was walking along the length of the line, giving instructions to them on what was to be done in the peaks. He was halfway in and Cassy wondered when he would stop talking already. She'd gotten the hang of it. Or some of it at least. The Hu
BFTA 39 Cassy burst through the woods smoothly and quickly. Having had enough practice in the last month with running in the wild at the Goddess’s shelter, she was fit and her body was in shape. Swerving and ducking tree branches had become muscle memory and she glided through with ease. The sound of harsh breathing and foot hitting grass filled the air. She spared a glance backward, watching the rest running as well. They all sprinted in different directions and Cassy couldn’t keep up with where they all ran into. She lost sight of Eleanor as well as the woman dashed for an already paved path. Good. Perhaps she’d meet something deadly on that path and do the world a favor by dying. The woman sprinting closest to her seemed slightly familiar and when she looked more closely she recognized her as the Luna of Alpha Fridolf. The pregnant Luna from dinner last night. Her cheeks were flushed and she was panting and sweating profusely, though she had a determined express
BFTA 40 Cassy breathed heavily. "Why don't you just do it?" Eleanor laughed maniacally. "Oh, but I can't let you die quickly, Cassy. You've cost me enough already. I have but a few questions. After that, I promise I'll let you join your child in the great beyond." Cassy hissed, shifting underneath Eleanor but the blade against her throat was a hair's breadth away from tearing her skin. She couldn't move much. "How did you do it? I could've sworn I heard you die. How did you survive? You came back different. Tell me why!" Cassy smiled. "Say please." Eleanor's eyes darkened with rage and her fist slammed into Cassy's face, causing Cassy's vision to blur temporarily. Pain shot through her nose, straight to her head. Cassy groaned, blinking furiously as tears flooded her eyes. The taste of metal and iron filled her mouth and she turned to the side, spitting out the blood that flooded her mouth. "Does it vex you so? That I survived? Or is it Lino? That you ca
BFTA 41 He was majestic, beautiful, daring, and deadly. Cassy couldn’t look away from him as he stalked forward. His fur was red. She had never heard of or seen a wolf with red fur, but Lino. . .his wolf was divine. In the face of Alpha Lino, the other wolves cowered away. Even the black wolf retreated a step away from Cassy, noting the threat that stood before him. Lino was bigger and stronger. More than twice the black wolf’s size. He would devour him and shred him to pieces if he wished to. Lino growled, and the sound of it made Cassy purr. Not Cassy. Pax. Pax was closer to the surface than ever before. The moon. . .Cassy glanced at the sky. The Lunar Eclipse was minutes away. The closer it drew, the lesser control she had over herself. It was the same for the rest of the wolves surrounding her. Even Lino. Though, she wondered why he had come here instead. Perhaps he was in search of Eleanor. It didn’t matter. What did matter, however, was that she was in the w