Chapter 10 - Bloodline ability

When Cassy woke up again, she almost wished she hadn’t. Everything ached. Everything. So much so that not even the silken feather-like covers surrounding her did anything to lessen the pain. Though they did make her feel safe. She had stayed in Alex’s room enough times to recognise the luxury that came with the packhouse and was quickly surrounded by her friend’s comforting scent. It eased her from her sleep, but she abandoned the idea of sitting up when her whole body protested the movement. She was sure then that she hadn’t been out for long and her mother hadn’t treated her yet. Otherwise, she’d feel back to normal.

“Try to stay still, will you?” Alex grunted from the chair beside her. “Or you’ll give me another heart attack.”

“And here I thought you were too much of a warrior to have a heart.” Cassy smiles, but her voice was hoarse. 

“Shut up. Warriors have the biggest hearts.” Alex said, but there was no bite to the words. She leaned forward, offering Cassy a glass of water and stayed close as she drank as if she thought the water could somehow hurt her too. “So, what happened? Did you suddenly think you could fly?” 

“Something like that.” The cool liquid soothed her throat, a blessing after hours of running and carrying injured wolves and falling and being carried and.... It had been a long morning. Cassy spotted the sun had only just past its peak out the window and groaned. “Katie pushed me.”

“What?” Alex tore to her feet, but Cassy stopped her with a hand on her arm.

“Don’t... Don’t do anything. It’ll only make me a bigger target for the pure Ash Mount wolves.”

“Pure my ass. If you are accepted into the pack, you are pack. ‘nough said.” She sniffed, though they both knew that wasn’t the general consensus of the Ash Mount wolves. A pack that rarely allowed in outsiders unless mated pairs found each other, or the wolf came with a skill. Cassy was lucky her mum was a doctor, or they’d probably been turned away, even though she was only a pup at the time. 

“Where’s Zac?”

“He stayed until the emergency doctor gave you the all clear and said your mum would get to you soon. But you know, Beta duties called.”

A swell of disappointment bloomed within her, but it was dampened by the furrow of anger playing on her friend’s brow. It was probably in part to do with not being the one having to perform the Beta duties, but Cassy knew one other thing would be bothering her.

“Look, about your brother, he was only trying...”

“To waste time.” Alex interrupted. “What, was he too tired from saving you to actually finish the job?”

“I...” Cassy trailed off. She knew what he had done for her at the base of the mountain, but to explain it felt... Weird. He had chosen to comfort her over rushing her to the medics. Either path would’ve helped her, but the one he chose was somehow what she needed in that moment. Would Alex understand that? Hell, did she even understand why he did what he did? Maybe he was just tired and relaxing for a moment before lugging her ass back up the mountain. No, Cassy knew that wasn’t true.

Fortunately, a knock at the door saved her from a fumbled response of excuses she wasn’t sure either of them would believe. When her mum’s head poked into the room, Cassy couldn’t help but smile. 

“Hey, Sweetie. How are you feeling?” 

“I’m alright, thanks, Doc, but what a day.” Alex was smiling too, sauntering over to Cassy’s mum with a huge grin. She drew the door open and gestured for her to come inside. “And might I say, you look as lovely as always.” 

Claudia struck a pose, medical bag in hand. “Thanks, Hun. I call it, blood and herbs.”

“I’m fine, too.” Cassy coughed from the bed, pulling a face at the two. Her mum laughed and continued into the room, dropping the bag on the bed.

“Alexia, Dear, would you mind giving us some privacy? Maybe you could go and look in on Emily, the poor girl is a little shaken.” When Alex hesitated to leave, she added, “Don’t worry, you can have Cass back for the party tonight, provides she promises she won’t cliff jump again.”

“Mum!”

“Of course, Doc.” Alex gave her a mini salute, then winked at Cassy’s scowl. “There’s a little something for you in the side draw, Cass. Maybe keep it on you from now on.”

Cassy frowned at the quick serious flash in her friend’s expression, but, without explanation, she left the room, closing the door behind her. Cassy shared a look with her mum, then opened the side draw and retrieved a box, careful to not bang her sore hands. Inside was a neatly wrapped box with a note on top.

‘Happy birthday, Cass. I’ll get you a second one when you stab someone. Love you to the moon and back, Alex.’ 

A smile graced her lips, growing wider as she opened the box. Within it laid a quartz handled dagger, just like the ones Alex used. It was beautiful, its edge freshly sharpened and blade shiny enough to see her face in. Cassy wasn’t one for weapons, but after the day she had faced, maybe it’d be a good thing to carry on her. Could she stab Katie with it though... Yes, yes she could. 

“Well, that’s better than the dress I got you.”

“You got me a dress?”

“Yep, for tonight.”

“Oh. Mum, I don’t think I’m going to the opening ball.”

“Of course you are. You need to show that bitch what you’re made of.”

Cassy narrowed her eyes on her mum. “You saw that Katie would push me?”

“No. Emily told me what she did to her. Doesn’t take a big leap to know she did the same to you.” Her mum guided her to lie down as she spoke, then pulled the bed covers away. Alex had changed her out of her ripped and battered clothes and put her in a long t-shirt. “Alex is right. Keep that blade on you, Sweetie. I have a feeling these Trials are going to be rough.”

Cassy didn’t answer. Her life at the Ash Mount pack hadn’t exactly been easy and welcoming, but no one had ever made an attempt on her life before. She considered dropping out of the Trials, pretending the injuries were too severe, but she quickly dismissed that thought. Not only did she still have her goal, but she didn’t want Katie to win. Cassy would leave Ash Mount before she had to call that woman Luna. She didn’t want to admit it before, but her mum was right, the Trials were going to be gruelling. Thankfully, she only had to make the top ten, right? 

Her mum quickly turned into Doctor Claudia, assessing Cassy’s wounds, moving her body this way and that to catalogue everything. She gave some short instructions as she went and decided the healing process wouldn’t take more than a few minutes. Then, she hovered her hands over Cassy’s abdomen, a faint green light building in her palms. Immediately, Cassy relaxed as a familiar gentle hum spread through her body taking her aches and pains away. She sighed at the sweet relief but kept a close eye on her mum. She had healed a few big injuries already and didn’t want to push her too far. A bloodline ability was incredible, but it was also taxing.

“I think my bloodline ability manifested today.” 

“Really? Congratulations, Sweetie! What is it?” Her mum continued without pausing her healing.

Cassy frowned, it felt odd to say. “Slowing time... I think.” 

At the strange look her mum threw her, Cassy explained what happened during her fall, but when her mum asked her to demonstrate, she couldn’t get the same thing to happen again. 

“Maybe it’s linked to your fear? Or maybe you just need to hone the skill. At first, I could only heal my own abilities. It took me years to figure out how to heal others. Though I’ve never figured out my visions. I’m sure you will figure it out though, Sweetie.” 

“Yeah. Maybe.” Cassy wasn’t sure, but she was relieved however that ability presented, it’d be easy to hide. Unlike her mother, she wouldn’t have to live a certain way or do a certain job to hide her power. Well, until her second, and final, ability manifested anyway. 

“But for now.” Her mum pulled away, done with her work. “You need to focus on hiding all the healing I just did.”

“You healed everything this time?” Cassy inspected her hands, rolling them into fists and wiggling her fingers, marvelling that they were completely fine. The previously swollen, torn skin of her palms wasn’t even red anymore.

“Only for you. Everyone else, including Emily, just had a bit of a boost to heal them quicker. You need to be in best form for the Trials.” She pulled some gloves out of her bag. “Here, wear something to cover your hands for a few days, and go for a dip in the hot springs. That should avoid people looking too closely at your miraculous recovery.”

Only Alpha Jason had seen her injuries and, apart from her hands, they hadn’t looked too bad on the surface, well until the bruises had developed. She could explain them away with a good healing poultice from her mum and a dip in the hot springs though. Anyway, how could she resist the temptation of a soak?