CHAPTER TWO

Like the sacrificial lamb that she was, Cassie was led to the altar by her father. The man she was marrying was on the other side of the altar . This was the first time she would be laying her eyes on the man. It was the things she knew about the man that scared her.

"Smile, Cassie." Her father said with an easy smile on his face. It was almost as if he hadn't locked her up in her room for the two weeks that led to this awful day. "If you ruin this for me, you will live to regret it. Your husband is not as merciful as I am." 

She fixed her face until it looked like she was enjoying this. She said nothing to her father, only choosing to focus on not tripping on the heavy silk gown she was in.

She let out a relieved breath when she reached the altar without any hitch. Cane examined her with cold blue eyes. The only thing Cane could think of was the million other things he could be doing today if not for this wedding.

Alpha Mane had insisted on giving away his daughter in an elegant ceremony the old fool didn't even offer to pay for. Left to him, he would have done the initiation ceremony with a few witnesses and be done with it.

"Stop shaking, will you?" He didn't bother to hide the anger and disdain in his voice. The girl in front of him looked as if she would rather run away from this unfortunate event. He slid a thick diamond ring on her finger with instructions to take care of it.

The ceremony was mercifully brief, a dry recitation of pack law and oaths from the couple to serve and respect each other until the other time. Then, came the painful part where Cassie was seared with hot branding iron to signify her position as the new Luna of the pack.

The moment the priestess declared them mated, Serena howled painfully but Cassie kept my face in check. This was not the time to show weakness, her father was watching.

Hours later, the ceremony had receded into a more intimate atmosphere. All the invited guests mingled and networked while uniformed servers went around with champagne and finger food. They had all forgotten about the wedding they were here for. 

Cassie sat alone in a corner, in pain from the scar on her neck. Her new husband was nowhere in sight. He stormed out of the hall the minute they were done with some of his men. She had no idea what she was supposed to do or where she would go.

As if her confusion sent out a wave, two men dressed similarly to the men that followed Cane out approached her. 

"Luna Marcom, we have come to take you to the Red Mansion. Please, follow us." She was led out outside where a big black car was waiting for her. 

The moment she climbed in, she could no longer see out. The whole ride to her new cage, she felt like she was being kidnapped. She didn't know how long the ride was but she was glad when the car pulled to a stop. 

The pack house was a huge mansion. "It is easily twice your father's mansion." Serena noted but she shut her down.

She couldn't get over the fact that she would be living in another mansion. This would merely be another cold place that she lived in, it would never be her home. The guard helped her out of the car so she didn't trip. She stared up at the house, with no idea what or where she was supposed to do or go.

"Please, follow me. Mother will be waiting for you." The guard told her. She had no idea they would be living with his mother. She wondered what this would mean.

She followed the men that hauled her suitcase and bags into the house. The interior was gorgeous with gold lining every decor. It wasn't the look she would have chosen, she noted.

She was almost at the stairs when she heard someone clear their throat. She turned around to find an older woman glaring at her. She was flanked by a bevy of maids with heads bowed in reverence. 

Isabella examined her with the same cold blue eyes as her son’s. For some reason, this girl grated on her nerves.

"Let's see how long it would take for me to break her." Isabella thought to herself. She walked towards Cassie slowly, her heels clicking against the wooden floor. She stopped inches away from my face with her head tilted, analyzing every detail of her smooth youthful face and her shiny silk dress. Cassie didn't need to be told that this woman was her new mother-in-law. 

"Were you not taught the proper etiquette on how to present yourself when you get to a new place?" Cassie was surprised by the sheer hatred in the woman's eyes. 

Nevertheless, she remained polite. "Good evening ma'am. I'm Cassie and it's nice to meet you, Mother!" She said as politely as she could muster. 

"Mother?" She scoffed. "What makes you think that I would ever give birth to a fat pig like you?" That was what made her step back. Her father hadn't allowed her to eat anything other than salad and water for this woman to call her a fat pig.

Cassie was the farthest thing from fat. She was small boned. Some would even call me petite. 

"I..." 

"Your father went on and on about his precious daughter and how beautiful she was and this was all he was bragging about."

"I'm sorry, Mother but..." 

"Shut it, I don't want to hear a word out of you. Listen to me, young lady, I run this house which includes you. If you dare go against me, I'm going to make your pathetic life even more miserable!"