‘What the hell is going on?’ Katie growled after Cassy paused for too long.
She was stunned to silence at the presence of Katie’s voice in her mind. It was like a mindlink, but she couldn’t feel the thread of connection between them. Nor had she opened a mindlink but Katie had heard what she thought. It was bizarrely intrusive and set her on edge. Though maybe that was the start of her secret being wretched out of her control.
‘This isn’t the time to clam up, Cassy. They’re coming. Or are they not? What have you done to me?’
‘Me? Why do you think this is me?’
“Are you sure we’re allowed to do this?” Cassy asked for a second time, unable to help but notice that Jace had cleared the entire training field for their training session again the next day. After the way he unapologetically gave her his pin in front of the High Guard and their families, and happily sat with her before the survival trial, she didn't think he was embarrassed of being with her, so she could only assume he was trying to avoid people seeing that they were training together. “Isn’t this cheating or favouritism or something?” “Cheating, no, favouritism, maybe.” He shrugged but there was that small smile again that made her heart flutter. “Almost every High Guard wolf has his eye on a woman or two in the contest and tries to get them to the Top 10. A little favouritism is allowed.” “Is that why you gave me your pin?” She teased, while handing him a water bottle as they took a breather after their warmup. He took it from her, hooking his hand over hers to keep her from p
The training field felt large with only the two of them on it. The last time Cassy had been there was during the strength trial when most of the pack had turned up to watch, flooding the field with spectators. She hadn’t realised how big and isolated the area was until she was stood at its centre opposite Jace. A shiver traced her spine. She hadn’t been fully alone with him since that time in the hot springs when he had unabashedly watched her get out of the waters and she had liked it. Cassy hadn’t thought about that night since it happened, but Katie and Alex’s teasings about Jace had made it replay in her mind, alongside all the other interactions she’d had with the Alpha in the past week. Dancing together at the ball, where he gave her the pin she still wore. Him gifting her the obsidian-handled blade, now tucked against her thigh, that had saved her life. The way he had carried her home after the attack and let her nuzzle into him. Cassy’s cheeks burned, her heart kicking into
Dread pooled in Cassy’s stomach at Alex’s words even as her and Katie began discussing her options. King William, Alpha of the Silver Spear pack, and her father, would be coming to Ash Mount. Of course, Cassy had always known that would be the case, but originally she had planned to drop out of the running after the Top 10. Maybe a few allies or nearby packs would come to spectate the Top 10, but the King wouldn’t bother himself until the Trials reached the Top 5. Maybe not even until the final. Whenever he decided to come, he was coming. That wasn’t in question, it would be a slight to his ally pack and Alpha Jason if he didn’t. In her original plan, she would’ve hidden herself away after Zac claimed her. Said she was ill or injured to avoid the King, or at the very least stayed unnoticed. Now she would be front and centre, in line with the other contestants as he watched the Trials alongside Jace. Unless she dropped out beforehand, but doing that without a plan would mean being stu
“Do you want me here, Sweetie?” Cassy’s mum gave her a cup of tea and laid a fresh batch of cookies on the table between the three of them. She seemed quietly pleased Cassy was finally talking to Alex, but her eyes kept shifting to Katie, scrutinising the woman. Not that Cassy could blame her. “I’ll be okay.” Her voice was strained, speaking about a thick lump of apprehension.“Okay. I’ll be outside making sure no one comes close enough to hear.”“Bye, Dr Claudia.” Alex grinned, a cookie already in her mouth as she waved Cassy’s mum out of the kitchen.&ldquo
“Why are you here again?”“Didn't you hear, Cassy and I are best friends now. We faced death together and survived, our bond is unbreakable. Give me another day and you’ll be out of the picture entirely, Briggs.”“Right... I’m still not convinced that you didn't send those wolves yesterday.”“Do you see how messed up my arm is? No more sleeveless tops for me, and I love sleeveless tops.”“Then wear them. Fuck what other people think. Show off your scars and everyone will know you’re badass and beautiful.”“I thought they already knew I was badass.”
The next hour was a whirlwind of activity. After Jace confirmed she was okay, he sprang into action, ordering around his warriors with practised ease, becoming the Alpha role and leading his wolves after the breech. The grey wolf was forced to shift to its human form and the woman it revealed was handcuffed with silver and taken to the packhouse basement to be interrogated later. The brown wolf was confirmed dead and taken away to be cremated outside of the pack’s borders. Neither were identifiable to any Ash Mount wolf, nor did the tracking team find where they had come from. Their scent began on the outer edge of the pack, just shy of where Katie had first spotted them, as if they had appeared from nowhere. Cassy’s mum joined the warriors quickly after the event, looking over Cassy’s few wounds with a glint in her eye that promised she’d heal them later, but Cassy redirected her to Katie. With gashes and bite marks over her body, it was hard to tell what blood was hers and what was