PTSD

Leon’s voice took another turn. “What did they do to you?” He was so taken aback as he continued to observe my scars, a reminder of how I had been through hell and survived. 

I was about to respond, to tell him that I had never been pretending, that it had all been real…I had truly suffered for the sake of this family, but then a voice came from behind us. 

It was Sage. “Leon…?” She called out a small voice. We had not even heard the door open or her walk in. 

His attention got taken away from me immediately as he walked towards her. “Why did you come out?” He asked with worry and concern. “Are you warm enough? I don’t want you to get sick.” 

Sage smiled gently. “I’m fine,” She replied, her eyes finding their way to me. “I just wanted to welcome Cassie home. I am so happy that she’s back.” Her smile widened, but I did not trust her one bit. Her eyes filled with tears quickly as she played the damel in distress. 

All because she was a sickly person, that did not mean that even the wind could end her. 

Leon glared at me as if it were my fault that his sister had come out. “Look at Sage. She is always thinking about you, even when it could harm her.” He shook his head. “She’s not even healthy, yet she still came out to welcome you. It shows her heart, you know?” 

A chill spread through my body. It was just like before. Nothing had changed. Ever since Sage had appeared three years ago, Leon had eyes only for her because she was his real sister, and I was just a fake. But I had already accepted that. There was not much I could do, could I?

I already decided to leave this place. But yet, it all still broke my heart. He had been the brother who had loved and protected her for more than ten years. 

Sage smiled again. “No, I’m not cold,” She said in her usual small voice. “See, Cassie looks even thinner than I do,” She pointed out, nodding my way. “If anything, she should wear my coat.” She flashed a smile my way, and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “Prison must have been so hard,” She added, making a small sound as she placed her hand on her chest. 

I could tell that she was mocking me. But I shut my mouth. It seemed like it was only I who could see the girl for who she really was. 

Leon jumped into the conversation again, stopping his sister. “No, no. She’s just acting,” He said. “She used to be the strongest female warrior in the pack, Sage. She does not need your care. You have a good heart, but put your coat back on.” 

“Are you sure?” The girl asked. Then she locked eyes with me. “Are you okay, Cassie?” 

I swallowed hard and gave her a small smile before weakly replying, “I’m good.” 

An hour later, Leon was doing some work on his laptop, not far from his sister, after she had convinced him that she wanted to make some food and tea for everyone. The guy had not wanted that, but he had given in eventually. 

I was not far from Leon, playing with my fingers nervously as I waited. I’d prefer making my own food, but I kept my thoughts to myself. I heard a small sniffle, and I looked up to see the Sage with a platter in her hand. On it was a cup of tea, and then a bowl of fried rice next to it. 

“Thank you,” I murmured as I stood up to receive the food, but then something happened. I froze, my heart suddenly thumping in my chest as if I were in a war zone. For the past three years, every meal I had received had been stolen from someone so I could survive, or I would just eat leftovers or food from the trash. 

Any other way of getting food in prison would have gotten me badly beaten. So I stepped away, tears filling my eyes as my breathing increased. And at that exact moment, Sage suddenly stumbled, falling to the ground. 

The cup and bowl shattered on the floor, making a loud sound. 

Leon jumped to his feet to rescue, and in that process, he shoved me out of the way. I was barefoot, so in seconds, I was already stepping directly onto the broken glass, pain filling me. Blood stained the floor, and I winced, but of course…no one noticed. 

When he had helped Sage off the floor and had made sure she was okay, he turned in my direction and shouted, “You see what you did? Can’t you do anything right?!” He was pissed. “You f*cking did that on purpose! You were always bullying Sage like this, even three freaking years ago!” 

The tears that were in my eyes fell freely as I sat on the floor with bleeding feet. 

Leon was about to say something else, but then stopped. He had a look on his face, and I knew that look very well. He was having a mind link. “It’s the Alpha King. He has sensed that his mate is inside this pack, and he’s coming to claim her in three days.” 

Nate’s POV

It has been years, and my wolf has yearned deeply for a mate. For years, I have wanted a she-wolf to mark…to make her my own. 

But it had just seemed impossible. I have searched everywhere, but I have never been able to find her, the one who was supposed to help me lead. It felt like maybe the Moon goddess was mocking me, giving me all this power and authority, and not giving me a Luna. 

Every Alpha King needed a Queen. I was not going to give up until I had a she-wolf to give me an heir to my throne. I wanted someone to be able to take over when I’d step down. 

But finally, after deciding to expand my search to other packs. I sensed my mate’s presence nearby. In a pack that I had overlooked all this time. 

“The BloodMoon Pack has always been eager to form an alliance through marriage,” My beta said to me. He was in the Royal Sanctuary with me as I sat on the throne with my staff in my hand. “Sage, the Alpha family’s daughter, has a noble bloodline,” He explained. “People say she’s kind. Maybe she will become our future Queen.” 

I scoffed, taking his words in. “I will enter the pack first. In disguise,” I replied to him. That was my plan. “I have a strong feeling that whoever is my mate in that pack isn’t in good condition. I have to find her as soon as possible.” I stood up to my feet and adjusted my robe. “I can not waste even a single second.”