Cassa's POV
Three weeks had passed, and I was slowly recovering. In just three days, I'd be able to walk without these damn crutches. Sabrina had been incredibly attentive, constantly by my side, offering words of encouragement even when I couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel. But despite her efforts, the monotony of being confined to this room was driving me insane. Staring out of the window, unable to move freely, it felt like a prison.
I had met Doctor Adam, expecting some old geezer, but to my surprise, he was a good-looking man just a few years older than me. Every week, he'd visit, checking up on my progress and occasionally mentioning my grandfather, Daniel Sullivan. Apparently, my grandfather was one of the investors of the hospital where Adam worked, and Doctor Adam couldn't sing his praises enough. Not that I cared much; I barely knew my grandparents, having left their strict household to pursue my dreams in Los Angeles after secondary.
"How are you feeling, Ali?" Sabrina's voice interrupted my thoughts as she placed my lunch on the table near the window.
"Getting better every day," I replied, not bothering to turn around. "Thought you were coming tomorrow?"
"It ended early. Had a chat with Aviona; she was worried sick about you not answering her calls," Sabrina explained, arranging the food on the table.
"What did you tell her?" I asked, finally tearing my gaze away from the window to look at her.
"Nothing much. Nathan told me to keep your condition under wraps, so I just said you were busy," Sabrina replied, her voice heavy with conflict.
Over the past few weeks, I had grown closer to Sabrina. She was mortal, working for an immortal, blissfully unaware of the secrets her beloved Mayor was hiding. Speaking of whom, I had only seen him once since our kast conversation. Sabrina hadn't mentioned anything about his whereabouts or when he'd be back. The whole house felt eerily quiet, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
"Thanks for bringing this," I said, mustering a smile at her.
"As my duty. So what did you eat yesterday when I wasn't here? Did Nathan give you food?” Sabrina's questioning look pierced through me.
"A man in a suit knocked on my door, handed me the food inside a paper bag," I recalled, the memory of the grumpy delivery man still fresh in my mind. Without a word, he had handed me the bag and left, his deep brown eyes distant and indifferent.
“Oh, it's Leo, Nathan's driver. He is not much of a talker, and does what he's ordered," Sabrina explained with a smile. "Why don't you eat? The soup I prepared for you is still hot."
"Maybe later. I want to enjoy this breathtaking view," I deflected, taking in the stunning scenery outside. It struck me as odd that Sabrina seemed to know everyone around the Mayor, but I pushed the thought aside. Maybe that was just how things were in a small town like this.
"It's lunch, and you need to eat. Is something bothering you?” Sabrina's gaze bore into mine, her concern palpable.
"No, I'm just not hungry yet," I replied, trying to brush off her questions.
Sabrina handed me a bowl of chicken soup, urging me to eat. The aroma was tantalizing, and my mouth watered at the sight of it. “Okay,” I agreed, reaching for the spoon.
But before I could take a bite, the door burst open, and my attention snapped to the newcomer.
It's Julius, wearing a simple skirt and khaki pants, stroding in, his expression furious as he snatched the bowl from Sabrina's hands. "What are you doing?" he demanded, his voice dripping with anger.
Sabrina's face broke into a grin, but to my shock, she shifted into that of an unfamiliar woman. Her appearance was striking, with black eyeliner accentuating her black as night eyes and black lipstick adorning her lips. Her white hair cascaded like snow, and she wore a black corset dress that added to her enigmatic allure. Her nails, sharp and black, seemed to gleam with menace.
I stared in disbelief as the woman's voice rang out, filled with madness. "Oh, Julius, Julius. If I can't have you then all the women that get close to you die," she proclaimed, her pitch-black eyes boring into me. "Who is this woman in your house? A mortal? You choose her over me?"
Julius's expression hardened, his lips flattening into a thin line as he crushed the bowl in his hand. "You're crazy!" he spat, his grip tightening around the woman's neck. But instead of fear, she grinned foolishly. "Where is Sabrina? I won't hesitate to kill you," he warned.
"Sabrina. That innocent woman who fell into my trap. Poor she wolf. Did you miss me?" The woman's finger traced his jawline, her nails leaving a trail of wounds in their wake.
Sabrina a werewolf? But I thought she's human.
Julius's grip tightened, silencing her groans of pain. “Damn it, Nathan. That hurts!” she gasped, her face paling.
"Tell me where she is, and who ordered you to do this?" Julius's gray eyes darkened, his jaw clenching with rage.
The woman held onto Julius's hand on her neck, her smile never faltering. Who's this woman? Is she a werwolf like him?
“Fine!” the woman relented softly, and Julius released his grip. She gasped for air, wiping the blood from her mouth. "Your sister asked me to do this whole drama. Sabrina is safe at the ranch.”
"Catharine..." Julius growled, his anger simmering. "What did you put in the soup you gave her?"
Astallia tucked her long white hair behind her ear, a smirk playing on her lips. “It was poisoned. I know you've been suspicious of me for a week now. It's not easy for you to believe I am Sabrina. Didn't I smell like a she-wolf like her?”
"You're not very convincing. I thought you were still in Mexico. Is your witchcraft still working?” Julius inspected the wound on his jaw, watching as it slowly healed. "Did you use poison on me too?"
Astallia crossed her arms, chuckling. "I wouldn't harm you, Julius. But what's a mortal doing here?" Her eyes flicked to me. I was leaning against the windowsill dumbfounded of what's was happening.
Cassa's POVJulius's gaze shifted to me momentarily before returning to Astallia. "None of your business, or Catharine's. Tell my sister she'll regret what she's done.""Catharine won't be intimidated, just like her brother. But she did pay me handsomely for the chokehold you gave me. I almost died," she snarled."Lucky for you, I didn't kill you. Now leave, and tell Catharine to bring Sabrina here. I'll deal with her soon enough.”"You didn't change, Julius. So rude.” And with those words, she vanished into a cloud of purple smoke.I gasped, blinking rapidly in disbelief. Was that real? How did she just disappear like that?Julius simply glanced at me before striding away, his footsteps echoing with a solemn promise. I was left standing there, bewildered and without answers, trying to make sense of what had just transpired.I gathered my courage and hurried out of the room, calling after Mr. Montalvo as I walked down the hallway. He was about to turn when I caught up to him."Can I go
Cassa's POVMy eyes narrowed as I scanned the list of tasks I was expected to perform. They were duties I had never imagined myself doing, akin to that of a servant, or worse, a prisoner serving her captor! I fought the urge to crumple the paper in my hand, my nails digging into my palm as I suppressed my frustration.The Mayor had departed for town, leaving two men to guard me. At the bottom of the smooth, finely printed paper, it stated that the rules would take effect once I was fully recovered. Bitterness welled up inside me, and I let out an exaggerated sigh.Pushing myself up from the divan, I approached the stairs but hesitated. An idea struck me—I would explore the house to familiarize myself with my surroundings.It was already noon when I had entered the room, my legs aching from the walk. The house was sprawling, second only to a mansion, and I nearly lost my way if not for Carter, one of the guards, accompanying me. I carried a paper bag delivered by the Mayor's driver ten
"I don't think you understand, this isn't fair," I reasoned, my voice tinged with frustration. "What about my freedom? Why should it be stripped away from me? Just because Montalvo and Sullivan are close doesn't justify taking away my freedom. Saving me shouldn't mean locking me up in here." I gestured with my hands, gesturing at the room around us as if it were the cage I spoke of. His brows furrowed, eyes narrowing as he bore into me. "That's life, Cassa. We make sacrifices for our actions." "A sacrifice? You've turned me into a servant in this house. I wouldn't complain if I still had my freedom. I'll accept the consequences of my actions, but I won't surrender my freedom!" I exclaimed, my fists clenched tightly, trembling with anger. I refused to agree to his terms. Julius let out a sarcastic laugh, which only served to irritate me further. "Your life is paid for with your freedom, Cassa," he emphasized each word, sending a shiver down my spine as he spoke my name. "You can't d
I observed Cassa ascend the stairs, her light footsteps echoing until she reached the room, marked by the clicking lock of the door.Silence enveloped the house, an unexpected occurrence at this hour, signaling my mother's visit. Such an occurrence must hold significance. Yesterday, I conversed with Paps, discussing my cousin Theodore's predicament. He sought assistance regarding a case he found himself entangled in. Paps relayed that Theodore's actions were in self-defense; however, the victim was not a werewolf but a fellow human—the son of a senator.Theodore was familiar to me—a decent lad, loyal to family and pack. His involvement in such a grave matter was unforeseen. At twelve, he was still in his human form, lacking the strength of his wolf until the age of fourteen. With the senator's influential connections, Theodore faced a high probability of imprisonment. The Ganther family's plea for aid, channeled through Paps, seemed logical given our Montalvo's ties to politics.Perha
I stepped out of the room but halted in my tracks when I noticed the mayor standing outside the door. There was no warmth in his expression, no hint of joy at seeing me. I swallowed hard, my heart pounding as I studied his handsome face, a question lingering in my mind. Why was he here?"My mother will be visiting you," he informed me.“Why?” I asked softly, furrowing my brow as I tried to comprehend the mayor’s unexpected announcement. Or perhaps I had misheard him. Why would his mother want to see me? What could be the reason? He leaned against the doorframe, his presence looming over me. His white polo shirt stretched against his muscular frame, accentuating his broad shoulders, while his neatly combed hair exuded a subtle scent of soap and aftershave."Act as though I'm a benevolent Samaritan," he instructed, sidestepping my question.A skeptical expression crossed my face. "You're not, and I won't pretend otherwise," I retorted, momentarily hardening his features before a mischie
Cassa's POVThe car came to a halt in front of a house, and as we passed through the town, I couldn't shake the feeling that the place wasn't too far away from civilization. We drove past a ranch just a few meters away from the house. It was a grand mansion, with a majestic fountain standing proudly in front. However, my mind couldn't let go of the memory of the wolves chasing us. Three of them had rushed towards us, and I could still hear their growls echoing in my ears. I felt like I was watching a scene unfold before my eyes, yet my voice was lost in the chaos of it all. I was confused, trying to make sense of what was happening around me. Mrs. Montalvo apologized for the incident, but she urged me to find a place where the pack warriors wouldn't be able to track us. "Why are those wolves after us?" I asked her, my voice filled with concern. "They're here to kill you," she replied matter-of-factly. "My son is too confident that the omegas guarding you will be enough to keep you
Cassa's POVI woke up to the sensation of a soft bed against my skin, inhaling the lingering scent of vanilla musk in the air. I felt the weight of a blanket being tucked around me before hearing the faint sound of receding footsteps and the closing of a door. Opening my eyes, I still felt the heaviness of my lids, realizing that I had fallen asleep in the car on the way to one of Julius' houses in town.I hadn't expected him to include me in the senator's meeting, claiming that I was his secretary. That was the reason he had given me the clothes in the paper bag, along with the torturous five-inch heels that had left my feet aching after a few hours. I was dumbfounded as to why I was doing this, but exhaustion had gotten the best of me, leaving me too tired to question him. Being in a crowd for an extended period always drained me easily.Taking a deep breath, I shifted onto my side, facing the right, and closed my eyes. Tomorrow, I would have a conversation with Julius about all of
I stared out of the window of Mayor’s office, my gaze fixed on the lively scene in the plaza below. I couldn't help but imagine myself there, capturing the moment with my camera. However, my daydreaming was abruptly interrupted when Mayor Montalvo placed file boxes on my table, just a few steps away."Sort these files by date and place them back on my desk when you're done," he instructed before retreating to his seat.I reached for the files stored in the organizer, my mind still half lost in my daydream. There were three files, and I couldn't deny the weariness that settled upon me. It seemed that whenever Julius didn't have appointments in town, he would keep me occupied with an endless stream of work.Resting my feet on the cold floor, I felt a slight relief from the pain that had been plaguing me. I began sorting the files, arranging them in chronological order from the latest date to the oldest. Every so often, I glanced at Julius, who was engrossed in his laptop, typing away. I