35

ALEXANDER

Cassandra’s fingers trailed down my arm in a slow, winding motion, her intent as vivid as daylight shining in those piercing green eyes of hers.

A few paces ahead, I could make out Claude, clearly amused by the scene unfolding behind him. Cassandra probably believed she was being inconspicuous or maybe she just didn’t care enough to pretend. Knowing her, I’d put my money on the latter. She was far too calculated to act without purpose.

Her mere presence here was loaded with intent. And the last thing I wanted was her anywhere near Alina. That woman was nothing but a storm waiting to be unleashed.

Keisha never hid her wants. But Cassandra cloaked her manipulation in charm, weaving her words so precisely that it felt like being coiled into submission just like a serpent luring in its prey. Before you even realized it, she’d have your hands tied without lifting a finger.

We had crossed paths many times. Sometimes, she’d come out ahead, not by much, but just enough to keep me on edge. She was the embodiment of a snake. In fact, some believed she actually was one, which earned her the name “Viper.”

She used to say we made an ideal duo. The Wolf Slayer and the infamous Viper.

“We’d make quite the match, Alexander. Ever considered making it official?”

I’d always taken it as playful banter, nothing more. Because truthfully, it could never be more than that. We’d be a disaster. Both impulsive, both relentless in getting our way. Any relationship between us would be a game and my kingdom would become a playground.

And that was my boundary. My people, my home.

“I still dream about this fountain,” Cassandra’s smoky voice wrapped around my ears like silk laced with thorns.

Her voice. Yes, it was lovely. The first few times I met her, I’d thought it was almost melodic. It had a pull to it, drawing people in, captivating them. Soon enough, you’d be nodding along, responding to her like a well-trained puppet.

It didn’t bother me back then. But right now? It grated against my nerves. What I wanted was something softer. A gentler voice whispering broken sighs and breathy moans as I explored her delicate body. Sweet and innocent in her demeanor, but sculpted like temptation itself. A vision that could make even Lucifer lose his crown.

She was angelic in appearance, wrapped in a sinful package. An angel in a demon’s body. And I longed to teach her how the demons dance.

“I want one in my villa,” Cassandra added, referring to the fountain. “An identical one. To keep the joyful memories close.”

She turned her gaze on me then, those fierce green eyes gleaming with something deeper. It wasn’t the sharpness that held me, it was the shadow behind it. The buried secret I knew I’d find if I stared long enough. Her true feelings were always there, just beneath the surface.

She knew I could see through her, which was why she broke eye contact so quickly, abandoning her double-edged sentence halfway.

I knew exactly which “happy memory” she meant. That night, years ago, when I’d been reckless and young. We’d ended up right here, tangled against the fountain, not giving a damn about who might be watching. I made her cry out my name over and over, silencing any resistance with the kind of pleasure that left her clinging to me. She swore she loved the danger. And I gave her the wildest ride of her life. Over and over again until she got hooked.

If I’m being honest, out of all the lovers I’ve had, she might’ve been the one I enjoyed most. Keisha followed closely behind.

But Cassandra? She stood out because of her sharp mind and relentless drive. You couldn’t trap me in a deep conversation with Keisha; she was more of a listener than a thinker. Good in bed, obedient even but that was where it ended.

Cassandra, with all her resistance and commanding presence, transformed into the perfect submissive when brought to her knees, literally and metaphorically. Strip away the ego, and she was yours to command.

But Lisa… she made me wonder. So quiet, so seemingly pure but there was a darkness buried in her. I’d glimpsed it only once, but I couldn’t stop chasing that memory.

Her innocence was untouched. But I had a hunch her darkness was equally intense.

“Are you paying attention to me?” Cassandra’s voice broke through my thoughts.

“No,” I answered flatly. We never played the game of sugar-coating things between us. She liked the truth, and I didn’t mind delivering it.

She might’ve had a point about us making an exceptional team but not in love. Maybe in bed, maybe in politics. But take away the manipulation, the strategy, the performance? We would combust.

And right now? My thoughts were consumed by one thing.

One person.

I needed to get her out of my system. Maybe sleeping with her again would be enough. Maybe that would cleanse me of this obsession.

I laughed quietly at the thought. Trying to screw her out of my head might just be the most disastrous choice I could make.

I’d barely had a taste, and already, I was consumed. What would happen if I ever indulged fully? If the appetizer shook me this badly, I could only imagine what the main course would do.

That was the hardest part.

“Or maybe the whispers about the whole Lycan-werewolf thing are true,” Cassandra said with a taunting lilt. “Your mind’s clearly elsewhere.”

I turned to look at her but she didn’t have my focus.

My attention had drifted upwards, to the figure peeking at us from the fourth-floor window. I didn’t move my eyes. Cassandra, ever perceptive, must’ve sensed the weight of the stare. She followed the invisible line of tension and let out a knowing hum.

“Well, well,” she murmured. “So the rumors were right after all.”