Cassy didn’t think she had ever run so fast in her life. Not even when the time was running out on the first game of the Luna Trials and she was far behind everyone else. She wondered if this was how fast her mum had run when she was escaping the King all those years ago. Running like her life and the life of her daughter were on the line but never feeling fast enough as danger nipped at her heels. Cassy felt like she was moving through sludge. Though they were speeding through the pack it felt like they were progressing too slow, but her legs moved as fast as they could. Her muscles burned with the effort but couldn’t work any harder. Her only consolidation was that Alex and Katie were flanking her, keeping pace and following her lead. ‘I can’t get through to Jace, can you?’ Cassy asked for the third time, hoping for good news. ‘No. Nothing. I can feel him there, but he won’t answer me.’ Alex answered with a grunt that barely hid the note of worry in her voice. ‘Perhaps he is dist
“I’m never going to make the mistake of trusting you again.” Cassy eyed Zac, but curiosity outweighed her unease. She’d never love him again, but she wasn’t lying when she said she thought he wasn’t evil. He was just a man whose loyalty wavered when a pack of women were suddenly competing to be his mate. An asshole but harmless. “But, you can tell me what’s going on.”Relief crossed the Beta wolf’s expression, before his eyes turned to the scenery. “It feels too exposed here. We should go somewhere else.”
As soon as the official part of the choosing ceremony was over, Cassy fled. The pack cheered for the newly agreed upon mates and wagered bets on who would be their next Luna; Roan or Sarah. Most wanted Sarah. She was a clear favourite among warriors and civilians alike, and with her ruthlessness Cassy was sure she would win. Then, she’d be Jace’s mate and the Ash Mount Luna. Cassy’s inside’s boiled with frustration, anger and betrayal. How could Jace cast her away like that? How could he stand by while Zac claimed her as his mate in front of the pack? How could he give into the King like that and kick her out of the Trials?She knew the answer of course. Because he was the King, with a Kingdom of wolves at his back. To anger him would be to put the pack in danger. Pushing to keep Cassy in the Trials also ran the risk of exposing her as his mateand
There was an odd feeling in the hall and Cassy couldn’t shake the notion that everyone kept glancing her way. Maybe it was the huge cast on her arm running from her bicep to her forearm, or maybe it was the blatant rule twisting that had her up on the stage alongside a pissed off Sarah that had them throwing doubt her way. Though Cassy was hopefully Jace could spin the results, so she progressed to the finals instead of Sarah, she didn’t see how that was possible. Sarah had beat her, there was no question she had. After Cheryl forfeited, it should’ve been a clear win for Sarah, and the pack were left confused why it wasn’t.Sweat beaded at her neck, her stomach rolling with every passing minute the King and Jace kept the room waiting. She felt like she was under a magnifying glass, each eye turned in her direction a beam of sunlight, scorching her throug
In a sea of black, Cassy’s mind replayed her match against Cheryl and Sarah again and again. Each time, though she strained to change her decision and warn herself of the warrior charging her down, she still didn’t notice Sarah until she was already on top of her and slashing her chances of remaining in the trial. Each time, white hot pain sparked down her arm, the snap of her elbow reverberated through her body and a thunderous growl joined her screams as everything faded to black. It was a relief when the dream finally stopped plaguing her. Finally, everything stayed black, letting her rest in her swell of self-pity, pain and grief.“She’s moving.” “She’s probably just dreami
Cassy didn’t dare look towards the stands at the King’s announcement. She could feel the stares of her mates and friends burrowing into her, but if she looked at them now, she knew she’d crumple. Jace’s plan to put her in the two-woman group with Jodie had been torn to shreds by her father’s intervention, leaving her to the mercy of Sarah and Cheryl – one of which hated her guts. Both were strong warriors, highly trained and determined. Against them, she had no hope. Hell, even if it had been Katie or Alex facing them instead, they would’ve struggled too.What the hell am I going to do? She asked herself, pushing away the probing mindlinks trying to connect to her.There was nothing her friends or mates could