CHAPTER FOUR

A loud groan rang out in the night air, waking everyone in the Red Mansion. It was the mistress, Caro. She had gone into labor. 

"Get me Cane. Bring me Cane." She shrieked and refused the help of the midwives that rallied around her. "I won't push until he comes."

Caro was ready to stay true to her words, too, but there was one little hitch: no one knew where the Alpha was. 

Eventually, she had no choice, or they would both be in danger. As she labored, she cried and cursed him and his philandering ways. 

"Relax, Lady Caro." The midwives urged her, but she couldn't, not when he was probably in the arms of another woman while she risked her life. What was she expecting?

Early in the morning, she managed to push out a baby boy before she passed out.

The next time she came to, Cane was bowed over her sleeping baby.

"Cane, where were you last night?" She demanded, to which he raised a brow.

"Since when do I have to report myself to you?" 

"Since..."

Cane leveled her with a hard glare. "Think twice before you complete that sentence."

Caro swallowed, then settled for, "What are you naming him?"

"Rhysand."

"It's a beautiful name." She agreed softly. "When do you want to go put his name in the books?"

He raised another brow. "I think you're getting yourself confused, Caro." With that, he left her alone in the room.

A week later, she went to Isabella. "Mother, don't you think it's time we registered your grandson? You didn't come to see him yet."

"I should come see your little bastard?"

"Mother, what?!" 

"Are you his wife?" Isabella asked her without even looking up.

"No, Mother, but he loves me." Even Caro doesn't believe the love part, Cane loves nobody but himself.

Isabella snorted. "Of course."

Caro narrowed her eyes. "What does that mean?"

"You're delusional, girl. You think my son will commit to only you? You're just a whore unfortunate enough to birth an illegitimate child. Now, get out of my sight." 

Caro got the message loud and clear. The only way her child would get registered was to get rid of Cassie and her useless child out of the way. She decided to take matters into her own hands. By the time she was done with Cassie, she would be begging to leave the mansion.

Cassie had no maid of her own even though she was the Luna. It was way too easy for her to mess with Cassie, and the maids only support who is strong. That's just the irony of things. She paid maids to drop dead animals in her bed while she was sleeping. She taunted her whenever she could. Her tricks ranged from childish to downright sinister. 

Once, she mocked her for giving birth to a retard. Cassie didn't react, only moved to pass her when suddenly she saw Cane coming. 

"Help, Cane, she pushed me and threatened our son, she's jealous of me giving birth to a boy." Cassie had barely opened her mouth to defend herself before Cane descended on her. He gave her the beating of her life. Which satisfies Caro, making her believe she's getting closer to her goal.

To continue with her shenanigans, she once ruined Cassie's dress for an event she was supposed to appear for, invoking Isabella's wrath. That day was the most humiliating experience of Cassie's life. Her mother-in-law gave her a thorough tongue-lashing in front of everyone.

Still, Cassie endured which greatly angered Caro. Her son would be three months soon. She didn't want to be a laughingstock.

"Time to bring out the big guns." Caro smirked to herself.

The next day, Cane and Cassie went to an event, and as usual, she couldn't take Maria with her. For some reason, Cassie couldn't bring herself to relax at all. She was so tense that Cane snapped at her.

"Fix that sour expression of yours before I fix it for you." He sneered. 

"I'm not feeling too well. I'm sorry." 

"Well, suck it up." She itched to text the maid she left her daughter with but she didn't dare to bring her phone out.

Fortunately, they left the event not too long after. The moment she entered the house, she saw the maids gathered by the stairs panicking.

“What happened?" They parted for the Luna and she saw her daughter laying there, unconscious with her legs bent at an unnatural angle. She screamed in agony, bringing Isabella's attention to the scene. 

"Who did this to my daughter?" No one said anything. 

"This is not the time for questions." Cane took her from Cassie and ran to the doctors.

While the doctor looked at her, Cane demanded what happened.

"I sent her on an errand, that's all." 

"Of all the maids at your disposal? You choose to send my daughter, a toddler, on an errand?" Caro was a little scared, if she was being honest. This was the first time she heard Cassie raise her voice. 

"Shut up, Cassie. Let her explain." Cane boomed, which only emboldened Caro. Cane was on her side. Cane preferred her to his Luna.

"I asked her to get something downstairs. She must have slipped. She's not dead, is she?" Caro said carelessly. Cassie lunged for her throat, but Cane easily held her back.

"Calm down, you heard her. It was an accident."  He glared at his wife. "There's no need to overreact."

"Overreact, you say." Cassie said with anger. "This is not the first time she's harming my daughter or me. The other time, she fed her nuts. She's allergic to nuts. She almost killed her." She stood her ground. 

"You heard her. She didn't know." Cane defended her.

"She didn't know she wasn't..." Cassie trailed off, suddenly lost for words. She suddenly had an epiphany. She knew what she was going to do.

"I didn't..."

Cassie took a deep breath and said. "I can't do this anymore, Cane."

"What the fuck did you just call me? Have you learned nothing? How many times do I have to tell you not to call me by my name?" Cane growled and took an intimidating step towards her.

"You're not hearing me, Cane." Cassie said again. "I want a divorce."

Caro smiled in victory. Cane stared at her like she was speaking a strange language.