Chapter 2

Cassandra’s POV

Suddenly, a roar erupted from deep in the forest, followed by Ethan's blood-curdling scream.

The sound tore through me like a blade straight to the heart.

I scrambled to my feet and stumbled toward the forest, but the Alpha guards grabbed me and held me back.

Asher said he'd set up a barrier—so why was this happening?

My phone buzzed. A text from Vivian lit up the screen: [Cassandra, surprise! I hid heat scent in your brother's clothes. Those feral wolves can smell it from miles away, and an Alpha's scent won't stop them. They'll rip through anything for mating rights. This is what you get for crossing me.]

My blood turned to ice.

The phone slipped from my fingers and shattered against the ground, the screen splintering like a spiderweb—just like my heart.

Thirty minutes later, the search team dragged Ethan back. Blood poured from a gash on his head, and his body was covered in wounds.

"Sandra..." His voice was barely a whisper. "I'm cold..."

I hauled him to the pack hospital with everything I had left. The ER lights burned my eyes, but the nurse's expression was even colder than the fluorescents.

"Sorry, all the healer got pulled away." The young nurse lowered her voice, sympathy flickering in her eyes. "They're treating a kitty."

"What?" I thought I'd heard wrong.

"Alpha Asher's girlfriend's kitty went missing and needs a checkup," another nurse chimed in, sarcasm dripping from every word. "So they called in our best surgeon."

"Hey! Keep it down! That's the Alpha—"

I didn't wait to hear the rest. I bolted from the ER.

Ethan was hanging on by a thread, and if we waited any longer, he'd die.

The VIP room was just upstairs. I shoved the door open and found Vivian perched on Asher's lap, the two of them wrapped up in each other. Her fingers traced lazy circles over the Alpha mark on his chest.

Any other time, seeing them like that would've gutted me, but right now I was too empty to feel anything. I didn't have the energy left for jealousy.

I rushed over and grabbed Asher's arm. "Something happened to Ethan. He's dying. Please, you have to help him."

Asher shook me off, irritation flashing in his amber eyes. "I already told you he'll be fine."

The seconds kept ticking by, and tears started streaming down my face. I felt so helpless.

"I'm not lying to you. Ethan's really hurt. Vivian hid heat scent in my brother's clothes, and he just got attacked by feral wolves. He's barely holding on right now—he's at the pack hospital. Please, just send the doctors to check on him!"

"Cassandra, what are you trying to say?" Vivian's voice cut in, trembling with fake hurt. "How could I possibly hurt your brother? You tried to kill my kitty and I let it go, but now you're making up lies about me?"

Asher's expression darkened the moment he saw what had happened. Those eyes that had been so gentle when looking at Vivian turned ice-cold when they landed on me.

"Apologize." His voice dropped low, and I could feel the Alpha command pressing down on me.

Ethan was still fighting for his life, so I had no choice but to swallow my pride.

"I'm sorry, Vivian. This is all my fault. Please, Ethan's just a kid—please save him!"

Something smug flickered in Vivian's eyes, but before she could say anything, Asher cut in with that same cold tone. "Good. Now the wolf cub."

He pointed at the kitty behind him and said mockingly, "You almost killed it, so I think it's fair you apologize to it too, don't you?"

The blood drained from my face, and I stared at him in disbelief.

"You want me to apologize to a kitty?"

Asher actually looked amused. "What, feeling wronged? You want me to send people to save your brother, right? Just apologize to it, and I'll do it."

I thought of Ethan's deathly pale face and the mark spreading across his neck. I realized I didn't even dare to choose death.

I stared at Asher in silence for a long moment, and then I gave in.

I walked over to the kitty and left my dignity on the ground where I stood.

I closed my eyes in despair. "I'm sorry."