ASHERI stared out the window and admired the way the light entered the room. Dusk here in the Wild Crawler Pack was far more tranquil here than it was all the way out in Anemond. Out in the capital, it was nearly impossible to see the horizon amidst the tall buildings and structures. Here, there was nothing but open sky for miles. I peered out at the front lawns. Here, the grass grew tall and was a plush, emerald green. The lawns of my palace in Anemond were nothing like this. They were broad and spacious but cut meticulously short by the team of gardeners. It was almost as if wildlife was forbidden. There was no smell of pine, no fresh air…I inhaled deeply. I’d never admit it to anyone, but I would miss the fresh air here. There was something to be said for this land beside the border. There was a wildness here that didn’t exist out in Anemond, no matter how much I yearned for it. Far out on the lawn, two boys were playing ball with one another. One of them, I assumed, was the
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
CASSANDRA After I concluded that the pendant wasn’t in the backpack, I discarded it and looked around the room I’d been confined to. There was a stack of boxes in the far corner I hadn’t noticed when I’d first arrived. I rushed over to them and wasted no time. I rummaged through the closest one, and once I finished rooting through it, I moved on to the next. I continued this way for nearly an hour. In the process of searching my belongings, a pair of servants took turns delivering more boxes. With every one, I prayed to the Moon Goddess that the pendant had just gotten misplaced in a pocket or bag, and when it wasn’t in any of the spots, my frustration grew. Finally, the servants stopped arriving, and I began to give up. My mother’s necklace wasn’t here. Thankfully, one thing was certain- the pendant hadn’t been found by the Alpha King’s guards. If it had, things wouldn’t be nearly as quiet as they were now. If my true identity had been revealed, Asher Collins would have been cr
CASSANDRARayden suddenly grabbed my hand, and when I whipped around to stare at him, his eyes bore into mine intensely, so much that my heart began to race.“Let me go with you, Cassy,” he insisted, and his eyes grew sorrowful, as if he was a young boy who’d lost something he couldn’t recover again. “Please.”My eyes widened as I tried to wrap my mind around what was happening.“Rayden…” I uttered.As Rayden stared at me with his large brown eyes, a feeling swept through me along with understanding. Asher’s earlier words in the meeting room played through my mind. The Alpha King had quipped that the prince of the Wild Crawlers fancied me. At the time, his words had been a massive shock, but as I stood here in the garden, I began to suspect that Asher may have been right.But I didn’t want to believe it.At the time, I never could have imagined that Rayden could see me like that. I’d always been something of a friend to him, as well as a healer. Just as I’d done with countless others
ASHER“You don’t understand!” Cassandra shouted, and then suddenly, she broke into a fit of heavy sobs. The healer’s knees buckled slightly as she cried, and her chest heaved as she fought to breathe. Her copper hair fell into her face and her cheeks flushed pink.I stood there, completely stunned and unsure of what to do.For the briefest of seconds, she reminded me of Cora.Cora had once said the exact same phrase to me once many years ago when she thought I’d lost a pendant she once gave me.It had been the first time I’d been allowed to join the Crescent Pack’s hunting group, and furthermore, the first time I’d been allowed to enter the hunting zone of the forest in Anemond. I’d admittedly been a little nervous, but Cora was absolutely terrified. She was always looking out for my well-being and cared so deeply for me, which meant the world.I remembered putting on a brave face, but that wasn’t enough for Cora. So, one day, she came over to my house and presented me with a pendant.
CASSANDRANight came and I couldn’t get any sleep. Too many thoughts plagued my mind, and no matter how many times I tried to settle in and get some rest, I just couldn’t. I tossed and turned like mad as images of smoke danced in my mind.My house was gone and along with it was my mother’s pendant.After a while, I glanced over at Finnick. I hadn’t told him about the fire. I didn’t want to worry him when there was already so much to deal with. His face was peaceful as he slept, and it brought a smile to my face. At the end of the day, we were mostly safe and sound. I was grateful to at least have my boy with me.“It’s us against the world, baby,” I whispered, and then I laid back down and closed my eyes.The next morning came faster than I wanted it to, and I awoke to the sound of a knock at the door. I pulled myself out of bed and carefully walked over to the door so I wouldn’t wake Finnick.I opened the door to find Amalia on the other side. The maid smiled at me and then I noticed
CASSANDRA The Alpha King’s tone told me all I needed to know. This was not a request, it was an order, and it was one I couldn’t refuse. “Oh,” I remarked quietly, and then I nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you.” Asher released his hold on my arm and then nodded back before gesturing to the luxury car. “Let’s go then, Mrs. Keller.” My name on his lips sounded so strange, but I couldn’t let myself freeze up now. I wanted nothing more than for him to call me by my true name, but that could never happen again. I followed the Alpha King to the car, and once we were there, a servant held the door open for us. Just as we were climbing in, I heard a familiar voice calling my name. “Cassy!” Marley yelled, and when I turned around, I saw her running toward me with great speed. Jasper wasn’t too far behind, and a smile broke out on my face. I met her halfway, and she threw her arms around me when we met. We hugged each other tightly, and once we parted, Jasper and I exchanged nods. “Oh,
CASSANDRAI peered up at the clock at the front of the car. The display read noon, and despite the ride being long, it seemed like it should have been much later.When I peered out the window, a strange feeling formed in the pit of my stomach.Merliscire Palace. It was just as magnificent as ever, with tall, pillars constructed of white marble that glinted with specks of gold, a surplus of long windows, and expansive balconies that gave a beautiful view of the perfectly-manicured grounds. The grass was a lustrous shade of emerald, and the driveways were paved in rich red brick.At the front of the palace was an enormous gold fountain. It was in the shape of a wolf with its head raised high toward the moon. It had been crafted centuries ago and was meant to pay tribute to the Moon Goddess. The water splashed high into the air and shimmered on its way down.Anemond may have been the source of my nightmares, but I couldn’t deny there was something beautiful and magical about the palace.