Alpha Twins 3

This was the first time Cassandra had stood this close to the Alpha Twins. Previously, she had only ever seen them from afar, either through the crowds at official events or in photographs circulated in the media. Other than that, she knew them only through stories passed from person to person.

Two different lives. One in the business world and the other in academia. They were different, but whenever they returned to the Palace, they stood in the same place.

Cassandra knew it was too soon to judge people based on a first meeting alone. Yet a first impression was still a first impression, and that was what she was experiencing now.

When an unexpected situation arose, Valerian moved quickly to ensure Cassandra's safety. Meanwhile, Vaughn immediately took action to regain control of the situation.

Two different approaches, but with the same goal. At the same time, the chaos was brought under control.

That was, Cassandra thought as she slowly exhaled, truly unexpected.

Cassandra had never expected her first meeting with the Alpha Twins to be marred by an incident like that. Everything had happened so quickly and unexpectedly that she still could not quite believe it. In fact, she had barely realised that she had just been helped by the two men she had only ever heard about through rumours and news reports.

The first thing that caught her attention was how similar Valerian and Vaughn looked. They looked so identical that it was hard to believe they were two different people. She had to look at them separately just to make sure she wasn't confusing one for the other.

Cassandra might have had difficulty telling them apart if it were not for their different hair and eye colours. Their facial features, height and build were almost identical. Even when standing in silence, they looked so similar that it was slightly intimidating.

Fortunately, Cassandra was observant enough. It did not take her long to spot the differences between Valerian and Vaughn.

Valerian gave off a more approachable impression. He smiled more often. Even the way he spoke seemed lighter, as though he wanted to make others feel comfortable around him.

Vaughn, on the other hand, was Valerian's opposite. He didn't talk much. His face almost always held a calm, unreadable expression.

Cassandra could not explain it, but she felt that Vaughn made her want to be on her best behaviour around him. She felt that Vaughn could lower the temperature of a room by several degrees simply by standing there.

Cassandra's brows furrowed slightly. They—

Suddenly, both of Cassandra's hands were stung by pain. Her body jerked instinctively. A muffled groan escaped her throat.

“I'm sorry, Lady.” Grayson Tanner's voice drew Cassandra's attention. “I'll be more careful,” he said.

Cassandra blinked. The focus in her eyes, which had been lost in thought, returned. In front of her, Grayson was carefully examining her hands.

It was only then that Cassandra realised that she had been so preoccupied with what had happened earlier that she had failed to notice the injuries on her hands over the past few minutes. She had only just noticed the several red scratches on her skin—the woman's nails had left fairly deep wounds.

Cassandra smiled. “Thank you.”

Grayson cleaned the wounds before applying some medication. “They're not too serious, but you may experience some soreness for a few hours,” he said, handing Darlena several medications. “Don't forget to take your medicine, Lady. I recommend that you get plenty of rest.”

Cassandra nodded. “Thank you, Doctor.”

Grayson smiled and then excused himself. He left, and Darlena immediately approached Cassandra.

“Lady,” Darlena said apologetically. “I'm sorry about what happened today. It was truly unexpected.”

Cassandra turned to her. “It's all right,” she replied, smiling slightly. “I know it wasn't your fault.”

Darlena looked slightly relieved. “Thank you for your understanding, Lady.”

Cassandra nodded slightly, though she had no intention of ending the conversation. As it happened, Darlena had given her an opportunity to bring up the subject. “Could you explain something to me?” she asked, looking at Darlena. “Who was that woman? It seems the Alpha Twins and all of you know her.”

Darlena smiled professionally. “She used to be one of the palace staff.”

Cassandra's eyes narrowed slightly. That one word stirred something inside her. “Used to?” she asked, wanting to confirm this. “Does she no longer work at the Palace?”

Darlena confirmed Cassandra's suspicions. “You're right, Lady.”

“Why? What was the reason for her dismissal?” Cassandra asked again, her gaze becoming more intent. “As far as I know, the Palace rarely hires or dismisses staff.”

Darlena remained silent for a moment, as though choosing her words carefully. “There was something wrong with her performance. She could no longer continue working here.”

Cassandra did not ask any further questions, not because she was satisfied with the answer, but because she knew when to stop. Darlena's answer had only served to strengthen her doubts. If that woman had already been dismissed, why was she still at the Palace?

“Lady,” Darlena said afterwards. This time, her smile looked more relaxed. “You should get some rest now. Tomorrow, you'll undergo various preparations before the blessing ceremony.”

Cassandra was startled. She had almost forgotten the most important thing. “Ah, of course,” she murmured to herself. “I need to study palace protocol and Luna training.”

“That's right, Lady,” Darlena added. “Elder Ottilie will guide you.”

“I understand,” said Cassandra.

“One more thing,” Darlena continued, turning around. “All your needs will be taken care of by Yona Garcia.”

Yona stepped forward. She was perhaps not much older than Cassandra. Her hair was neatly styled. She wore a simple yet elegant maid's uniform. "Lady," she said, giving a polite bow. “I am your personal maid, Yona Garcia.”

Cassandra replied, “It's a pleasure to meet you, Yona.”

Yona lifted her head slightly. “It is an honour to serve you, Lady.”

“If you need anything, please call for her,” Darlena said afterwards. “I'll take my leave. Please get some rest.”

Cassandra nodded. “Good night.”

The bedroom door closed again as Darlena left. Silence descended, but it was not yet time for rest.

Cassandra sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly ahead. Resting turned out to be much harder than she had imagined. Her thoughts were still fixed on the woman from earlier.

“Get out of here! You'll die! They're dead! You'll die too!”

The woman had looked so frightened. She didn't seem like someone who was just spreading gossip; she seemed absolutely certain that Cassandra was in danger.

Cassandra clutched the blanket. Had she witnessed the deaths of previous prospective Lunas herself?

Unease crept into Cassandra's mind. Her heart began to beat uncomfortably.

She could not simply ask the people at the Palace outright. She was certain that they would not answer her, though she was sure that they all clearly knew something.

They're hiding something from me, Cassandra thought, almost completely convinced. Then does that mean the rumour is actually true?

Cassandra rose from the bed and began pacing around the room. “If that's the case, what am I supposed to do now?”

Her steps stopped in front of the window. Her gaze immediately flew outside towards the palace courtyard, which was illuminated by lights.

The night looked calm and safe. Yet, after everything that had happened, this was nothing more than camouflage.

Cassandra could no longer see the palace in the same way. “Does that mean I'll be joining them soon?”

Cassandra lowered her head, her thoughts turning back to what had happened. If the rumours about the Alpha Twins curse were true, then Soraya's concerns had been entirely justified. She had escaped one problem, only to walk straight into another.

“Unfortunately, I can't back out now,” Cassandra murmured, laughing hollowly. She rubbed her face. “I'm truly caught between a rock and a hard place. I don't know which is worse: starving or eating a poisonous fruit.” She moved slowly before sitting back down on the edge of the bed. “Either one could kill me.”

Cassandra fell silent for a moment. In the quiet, she tried to think. She racked her brains, but still could not find a single opening that might work in her favour.

'The Palace really is the safest place for me.” Cassandra bit her lower lip. Her hands began to clench unconsciously as she spoke. “I only have one year to hide. After that...”

Cassandra closed her eyes, unable to continue. A fear more terrifying than the Alpha Twins curse rendered her speechless.

A curse? Cassandra asked herself. Is it really a curse, or is it the opposite?

A knock on the door scattered everything in Cassandra's head. Opening her eyes, she turned towards it and gave the person permission to enter.

Yona entered, pushing a small cart. “Lady, I'll assist you with your bath.”

Cassandra looked at the cart. On top of it were various flowers and leaves, as well as several containers filled with clear liquid. “Those flowers?”

“That's right, Lady,” Yona replied with a smile. “Before the blessing ceremony, you'll undergo a herbal bathing ritual.”

Cassandra stood up. “According to tradition, it's meant to bring out the prospective Luna's aura.”

Yona nodded. “You know quite a lot about it, Lady.”

Cassandra smiled faintly. “It's already part of a noble family's education,” she said. “Although I'm sure the ingredients, fragrances and procedures used by the palace are different from what we're used to.”

A moment later, Cassandra was in the bathroom. She soaked in the bath and realised that the herbal bathing ritual was far more pleasant than she had imagined.

Warm water filled a large bathtub made of white stone. Flower petals floated on the surface of the water, releasing a gentle fragrance that slowly filled the entire room.

Cassandra leaned back and let out a long breath. “No wonder this became a tradition,” she said, closing her eyes. “I can see why this ritual is considered relaxing and refreshing.”

Yona poured the herbal mixture into the water. “The aromatherapy and colourful flowers help you feel more relaxed. Isn't that right, Lady?”

Cassandra could not deny it. “Yes, you're right.”

For the first time since arriving at the palace, she found her mind feeling lighter. That night, she even managed to sleep soundly and deeply.

The following days passed without her truly noticing. Every morning, she underwent various training sessions. She learned palace protocol, studied the history of the pack and received lessons on the responsibilities of a Luna.

Ottilie Marina Everhart, the Sacred Elder of the Orvanthor Pack, taught her many things, including how a Luna should address the Palace Council. She ensured that Cassandra acquired sufficient knowledge of the hierarchy to enable her to act as a mediator and embody the dignity of the pack in the presence of other packs.

As time went on, Cassandra became increasingly accustomed to life at the Palace. She encountered no significant difficulty in following the protocols and lessons either. She handled everything well as the appointed day drew closer.

Cassandra sat before the vanity. She sat motionless, her blank gaze fixed on her reflection in the mirror.

“Lady,” Yona called softly. She was standing behind Cassandra, drying her hair. “Are you feeling nervous?”

Cassandra smiled faintly. “I really didn't expect time to pass this quickly.”

Yona smiled back. “Relax, Lady. Everything will go smoothly tomorrow,” she said reassuringly. “You'll be the most beautiful Luna in the world.”

Cassandra let out a small laugh. “I hope so.”

As she exhaled, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. She saw the same face and eyes, but felt that she had changed since arriving at the palace.

Tomorrow is the night of the blessing, Cassandra thought. I'm still fine so far. I suppose all those rumours really aren't true. The curse must not exist. Maybe there's another reason why the previous prospective Lunas were never heard from again.

This eased Cassandra's mind. A small glimmer of hope emerged within her.

Yona finished drying Cassandra's hair, then picked up a comb. “Lady, I'll comb your hair.”

The comb moved slowly through Cassandra's hair, untangling several messy strands until they were neat.

Cassandra felt relaxed. She was lulled into a near-sleep by the comfort, almost yawning if not for a sudden throb in her head.

Yona immediately stopped combing. “Lady? Did I hurt you?”

Cassandra frowned, then shook her head. “It's all right.”

Yona resumed combing Cassandra's hair. This time, she moved more slowly and carefully.

Cassandra felt that something was wrong. Suddenly, an uneasiness made her wolf spirit stir and tense.

A few seconds later, the pain returned. It returned repeatedly, each time stronger than before.

Cassandra immediately let out a muffled groan. Her face stiffened at once.

“Lady?” Yona stopped combing her hair. She stepped closer and looked at Cassandra. “What's wrong?”

Cassandra clenched her jaw tightly. “No, I'm just...”

Cassandra's sentence was cut short. Her words were drowned out by the throbbing pain that had become a pounding headache.

Cassandra gasped. She immediately gripped the edge of the vanity with her hands.

The pain spread from her head to the area behind her eyes. She was in agony, unlike anything she had ever experienced before.

She writhed in agony as the pain grew stronger, as though something were pounding against her head from the inside. She let out a long groan and raised both hands to clutch her head.

Cassandra's wolf spirit thrashed around. It raged in pain, mirroring her own suffering.

Cassandra screamed. Her shattered, torn voice tore through the night's silence.

Yona panicked, but acted immediately. She rushed to Cassandra's bedside. She pressed a button near the side of the bed.

“Lady,” Yona called, hurrying back to Cassandra. “Please hold on.”

Cassandra could barely hear Yona's voice. She was in so much pain that she could not think, stand or speak. She could do nothing but clutch her head.

Amid the pain, something else emerged. It smelled of rust, a sharp metallic scent that stung her nose.

Cassandra frowned. Her hand moved instinctively beneath her nose.

Her fingertips touched something. It felt warm and thick.

She lowered her gaze and her eyes immediately widened. There was blood on her fingers—fresh blood.

Yona froze. Her face grew even more panicked. “Lady?”

Cassandra could not answer. The pain intensified until she was completely helpless.

Her vision began to blur and Yona's voice sounded increasingly distant. She tried to hold on, but her body no longer obeyed her.

Her head felt unbearably heavy. Her eyes slowly closed. Her consciousness faded, leaving one final question in her mind:

Am I going to die?

*