Cassy stiffened at the voice behind her. Not because of who it belonged to but because she hadn’t sensed another wolf coming. Even a full trained warrior like Jace would be heard when he got close enough. Even with the lightest footsteps in the Kingdom, he couldn't mask his scent nor his breathing, and yet it took him speaking directly behind her for Cassy to notice. Too much of her concentration was being used to keep her altered appearance in place. It stole her attention from her surroundings, making her an easy target. Though she still trusted Jace deep within her, his recent behaviour couldn’t help but make her wonder if he was targeting her too. However, with the Silver Spear guard watching them, she was cornered into behaving as any Ash Mount wolf would. She stepped to the side and allowed Jace to walk past her and approach the guard. She dipped her head in deference to her Alpha but was quick to pin her gaze back on the guard when he had passed. Jace didn’t spare her a glance
When Cassy was back in her room, all she could think about was her mum’s hint and what she could do with her ability. With the Trials, the King and finding both her mates, Cassy hadn’t had much time to practise her bloodline abilities, especially not the one that could alter her appearance. She knew she was limited to changing her personal features and it extended beyond her eyes, but apart from that, it was a mystery. How far could she push her unpractised ability without wearing herself out? And could she really change herself enough to not be recognised? All of that was secondary to actually getting out of the room though. The two guards that had escorted her to and from the cells below, still stood outside her door, talking amongst themselves. “... tonight? I thought Bethany was on shift tonight?” “Well apparently the King has a special job for Bethany this evening.” The second guard drawled. “So now I have to do it.” “Better you than me, Giles. I hate it down there, it’s so
“You cheated on the King?” Cassy folded her arms over her chest, mainly to hide their shake as she looked down at her mother who was sat in the prison cell, looking up at her with wide, confused eyes. Cassy very slowly looked to the door and then back at her mother, hoping she’d understand that two Silver Spears guards were listening on the other side. By her small nod, it seems she did. Cassy breathed a sigh. “How could you cheat on your mate?” Her mother came to the bars of her cell, and reached through the gaps, letting her fingers brush over Cassy’s cheek. At once, she felt the hum of her mother’s ability, checking her for injuries to heal, but she was okay. Cassy just wished she could use the ability on herself. There was a bruise purpling her cheek and her lip was split. She gestured to the small wounds and made an ‘okay’ sign with her right hand. Her mum nodded and waved away her worry. “You don’t know the pull of a fated mate bond yet.” She winked at Cassy before continuing.
The calm after the King said he wasn’t her father was more chilling than if he had exploded in a fit of anger and cursed her mum out for making a child with her affair partner. Instead, William asked for Cassy to be taken to a secure room and did little more that wish her a good sleep before she was all but dragged from the hall by two warriors. With the revelation that the King wasn’t her father and still not knowing where her mum was, Cassy couldn’t sleep. Even if she was tired, she wouldn’t want to. She had convinced the Silver Spear wolves to let her stay in Alex’s room, knowing about the hidden stash of weapons inside, but they searched and cleared them all before leaving her alone in there. Still, her friend’s scent being all around her helped calm her shot nerves as more and more questions built up in her mind, tormenting her with the danger beyond the bedroom doors and the situation she was in. In amongst the storm of fear and uncertainty, a small glimmer of happiness preva
The path to the packhouse was flooded with warriors. It was disheartening to see both Ash Mount and Silver Spear wolves standing side by side on guard, all watching her as she approached the packhouse. Its windows were still as lit up as when she had left the ceremony but the music had stopped. Had the King known about who she was then? Barely a couple of hours ago she had been on the stage with him as he pressed her to share her pheromones so she could be claimed by one of the High Guard. Is that why he had pushed so much? Had he wanted her to reveal herself in front of the pack? Even so, he must’ve already taken her mum by then. Was it all a game to him, pretending he didn’t know their secret? Cassy didn’t know. She had too many questions boiling inside her, and there was only one way to get answers. Nobody tried to stop her as she walked up to the packhouse and went inside the large building. There were less wolves inside, but Cassy noticed they were from the King’s pack and not
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 distr