Chapter eight

The fire in my room was dying, its embers glowing faint, casting long shadows that twisted on the walls.

I sat on the edge of the bed, my fingers tracing the hidden book beneath it, its words carved into my mind: Lycan blood. Bound to the Blackfur line. That warmth in my chest stirred again, a pulse like a beast waking, but it felt far away now, drowned by the weight of Sage Elara’s prophecy and Cassian’s sly taunts. I was the cursed wolf, she’d said—meant to save or destroy. But all I felt was trapped, caught in a web I didn’t understand.

Rex’s voice echoed in my head: They weren’t strong enough. The others, the girls before me. What had happened to them? The maids’ whispers, the sage’s warnings, the book’s secrets—they pressed against me, heavy as the manor’s stone walls. I wanted answers, but more than that, I wanted to know why Rex’s pain-filled eyes kept pulling at me, why my heart ached when he looked at me.

I hated him for bringing me here, for being so cold, but that warmth kept betraying me, tying me to him.

Morning light crept through the window, grey and cold, the forest outside still as death. I couldn’t stay in this room, not with my thoughts spinning, not with the book burning a hole in my mind.

I pulled on my faded dress from the traveling box, its patches rough but familiar, and slipped into the hallway. The portraits stared down, their eyes like the pack’s at dinner—judging, waiting. I moved quietly, my heart loud, needing to see more of this place, to find something that made sense.

The manor was a labyrinth, all dark wood and endless doors, the air thick with pine and iron. I wandered, my footsteps soft on the rugs, until I reached a balcony overlooking a courtyard. Below, servants moved like shadows, their heads down, their steps quick. I leaned against the railing, the stone cold under my hands, and tried to breathe.

The book’s words kept circling: The unawakened will rise. Was that me? Or was I just another girl who’d vanish, like the others?

A laugh floated up from below, low and warm, like honey poured over glass.

I looked down and froze.

A woman stood in the courtyard, her dark hair spilling over her shoulders, her red dress clinging to her like a second skin.

She was beautiful, sharp-edged, her green eyes glinting as she leaned close to a man. Rex. His broad frame was unmistakable, his dark hair catching the light. Her hand rested on his chest, her fingers tracing slow circles, and he didn’t pull away.

My heart stopped, a sharp pain slicing through me. I gripped the railing, my knuckles white, my breath shallow. She laughed again, her head tilting back, and Rex’s hand moved to her waist, steadying her. The sight burned, hotter than any lash, deeper than any wound.

He was supposed to be cold, distant, but with her, he was… different. Alive.

I turned away, my throat tight, my eyes burning. I didn’t want to see more, didn’t want to feel this—this jealousy, this hurt. I stumbled back into the hallway, my steps fast, my heart pounding. The warmth in my chest was gone, replaced by a cold ache, like something breaking. He’d brought me here, signed my name next to his, but now he was with her. Was I nothing to him? Just another debt to settle?

I didn’t know where I was going, only that I needed air, space, anything to stop the pain. My feet carried me to a garden, hidden behind stone walls, the air sharp with frost. I sank onto a bench, the cold biting through my dress, my hands shaking.

The moon was hidden, the sky grey, and I felt smaller than ever. I’d survived my father’s cruelty, Kael’s whips, but this—this was worse. It cut deeper, because I’d let myself hope, let myself feel that warmth near Rex.

Footsteps crunched on the gravel. I looked up, expecting a servant, but it was Cassian. His grey eyes gleamed in the dim light, his smile soft but sharp, like a blade waiting to cut.

“You look lost, Talia,” he said, sitting beside me, too close.

“What happened? Did my brother upset you already?”

I shifted away, my heart racing. “Leave me alone,” I said, my voice raw. “I don’t need you here.

He didn’t move. His eyes flicked over me, like he could see every crack in me. “I saw you on the balcony.

Nyla’s always been… special to Rex. It stings, doesn’t it? Seeing him with her.” His voice was gentle, but it twisted the knife in my chest.

I looked away, my hands clenching. “It doesn’t matter,” I lied, my voice shaking. “He can do what he wants.”

Cassian laughed, low and smooth. “Oh, Talia. You don’t believe that. I see the way you look at him. You want him, even if you hate yourself for it.” He leaned closer, his breath warm against my ear.

“You don’t have to hurt like this. I can make it stop.”

My skin crawled, but my heart was too raw, too broken. I wanted the pain to go away, just for a moment. He held out a glass, the liquid inside dark, smelling sweet and sharp.

“Drink,” he said, his voice soothing. “It’ll help.”

I didn’t trust him. I knew I shouldn’t. But my hands shook, my eyes burned, and the image of Nyla’s hand on Rex wouldn’t leave me.

I took the glass, my fingers cold, and drank. It burned down my throat, hot and bitter, but it dulled the ache, made the world soft. My head felt heavy, my thoughts slow, like I was sinking into water.

Cassian’s smile grew, his hand on my arm, guiding me up. “Come with me,” he said, his voice low, almost kind. “You need to rest.”

I tried to pull away, but my body wouldn’t listen. My legs were weak, my vision blurry. He led me back inside, through hallways that spun, up stairs that felt endless. His hand was steady, too steady, and his voice kept talking, soft and smooth, like a lullaby. “You’re safe with me,” he said, but it felt wrong, like a lie I couldn’t name.

He opened a door, his room, I thought. It was dark, the air thick with his scent—wood and spice, sharp and wrong.

“Lie down,” he said, his hands on my shoulders, guiding me to a bed. I tried to speak, to say no, but my voice was gone, my body heavy. His face was close, his smile sharp, triumphant.

“You’ll feel better,” he whispered, his fingers brushing my hair. I wanted to scream, to push him away, but my limbs were lead, my mind fog. The world tilted, and everything went black.