Seven

CASSIE’S POV

I woke up with heavy eyes that hurt from crying all night. The headache that came along with it made it even more annoying for me. I looked around the room slowly to see that light from the sun was peeking out from the thick window blinds. 

I looked up at the wall clock on top of the room door to see that it was already eight in the morning. As I was about to sit up, there was a knock on the door. 

“Come in,” my voice was even hoarse and my throat was dry. “Okay,” I heard the sweet voice of Mrs. Smith as she opened the door. She walked in with a tray of breakfast and my heart skipped a beat.

This woman was too nice that it hurt me badly.

“Good morning, dear,” she smiled at me. Today, she looked brighter in a yellow dress that made her blue eyes stand out. “Good morning. I’m sorry if I slept late,” I mumbled as I sat up. She laughed and shook her head. 

“You didn’t sleep late, Cassie. I came to drop your breakfast before I go to work. Feel free to walk around the house and get familiar with the surroundings,” she said to me.

“Isn’t this the pack house?” I frowned in confusion. She shook her head, “No, it’s I and Gerald’s house. The pack house is a few miles from here. Soon, we’ll meet the Alpha and Luna to link you into the pack.”

Not knowing what to say, I nodded at her. 

She smiled, “Perfect. Make sure you eat and take a walk. You need the sun in your system. If you need to tell me anything, you can call through the home telephone. Gerald may come home a few times to get somethings.”

I nodded at her. She then waved me bye before walking out. I let out a sigh and stood up from the bed. I walked to the coffee table where she dropped the tray and saw that the breakfast was pancakes with grilled sausages and orange juice.

This is all so surreal. 

“This is too much for me,” I mumbled as I went to the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror. 

I looked like a shipwreck. My eyes were swollen and my hair was scattered.

Dull brown orbs stared back at me.

“Are you even a werewolf or a human?”

There was a pinch in my chest that made my exhale sharply. 

Was it wrong to be human? Why am I even thinking like that?

Alder’s forest green eyes invaded my head and I closed my eyes in irritation. I won’t let it get to me!

“Stop being so weak and helpless!” I hissed at myself and ran my hand through my hair. I opened my eyes and quickly brushed my teeth before taking my bath. I walked out of the bathroom and got dressed in a floor length floral dress I found in the bathroom.

I wonder where Mrs. Smith had found clothes that were my size.

“Maybe she has a daughter,” I said to myself as I sat down to eat my breakfast. My mind went to Jack.

My brother.

Even though we weren’t real siblings, I still saw him as my brother. He was the only real family I had. Now I regret jumping off that cliff. I’m sure he would be so worried and unhappy.

“What of Alder?” I thought to myself and then snorted. He wouldn’t care less if I was thrown into fire. I didn’t even know why he hated me so much. All because I had no wolf?

I got up and took the empty tray before walking out of the room. My eyes widened when I walked into a beautiful hallway. The house was obviously big.

“She’s a doctor, what do you expect?” I thought to myself like I was a stupid girl. I walked down the stairs carefully so I wouldn’t trip and fall. I then entered a beautiful living room. “Wow,” I mumbled as I entered the kitchen. 

I quickly washed the dirty plates as the urge to explore the house filled me. I then walked out of the house to be met with a large driveway. 

After about twenty minutes of explore the entire house and its surroundings, I went back to the room I was staying in and laid on the bed.

I then wondered what it was like if I joined this pack. 

“What if it was just a façade? What if they were actually monsters; worse than those in Sky Prowlers pack?” I mumbled. Why am I equating my ex-pack members to monsters now?

They never actually physically bullied me, only with words that hurt more than ever. Except for Alder.

My eyes closed as I groaned. Why am I always thinking of that man? What have I done to deserve this?

I was lost in my thoughts when I heard a knock on the door making me jump in fright. I then stood up and went to open it. There was a man in his late fifties standing outside the door.

He gave me a smile, showing a set pearly white teeth. I’m pretty sure he was a heartthrob when he was in his younger days.

“You must be Cassandra,” the man said and I nodded. “Good morning, sir,” I greeted him with confusion. Was he here to tell me to leave? Who was he? Am I in trouble?

“Stop overthinking, love. I’m Gerald, Nana’s husband,” he said with a laugh. I’m pretty sure he read me like a book. I was that obvious.

I blushed in embarrassment, “I’m sorry.”

GERALD SMITH’S POV

I was in great awe at the sight before me. I haven’t set my eyes on this young girl ever since my wife brought her here. Nana wouldn’t let me come into the room, for ‘some reasons’ as she would like to put it. I never even bothered to pressure her because this was not the first time should bring a stranger into our house.

Our house was more like a mini health care center than our dream house.

“There’s nothing to apologize for, darling. I just came to check up on you so I can tell Nana you’re doing fine,” I told her. I wasn’t lying though. I was in the middle of work when my wife called, demanding I check on the girl in our house.

Nana was right in every way when she said our Luna and Cassandra looked alike. That was even an understatement!

I felt like I was staring at the younger version of our Luna.

“Love, you’re right. The resemblance is too striking!” I mind-linked my wife. I could hear her laugh through the pack link. “I’m about to perform a surgery, don’t distract me,” she said through the link and I smiled.

Cutting the connection, I focused on the girl in front of me. 

“You can use the television in the living room. Feel free to make yourself feel at home. We have a dog, Loki. It’ll come into the house very soon when it wakes up. There’s food for it in one of the cupboards,” I told her. 

Our dog will like her because it’ll think she’s the Luna.

I watched her nod as she absorbed all I told her. “Thank you, Mr. Smith”. I smiled at her. 

Our daughter’s old clothes even fitted her well.

“I have to go now. Enjoy yourself dear and be comfortable,” I said to her and turned to leave.

MRS. SMITH’S POV

I went back to my office and sighed as I sat down behind my desk. I had just finished performing a surgery on one of our pack members’ children. The young cub ran into the forest and swallowed a toad when he was playing in the pond. 

When I was told, it took a whole self-control in me not to burst out laughing because the parents looked like they were going to have a heart attack.

I then remembered what Gerald had said earlier concerning the girl in our home. now, he knew that Cassandra looked a lot like our Luna. 

If I wanted to confirm my suspicion, I would perform a blood test and that is why I asked the Luna to come to the hospital for a check up. The door opened and the person I was talking about walked in. 

“Nana, you look nice today. What’s the occasion?” she asked as she went to sit on the chair in front of me. I smiled at the woman right in front of me. 

Do I still need to perform the test?

To me, there was enough evidence that Cassandra was her daughter but I needed medical proof if I wanted to bring them together.

“When was the last time you came here for a check up, my dear Luna?” I asked teasingly as I raised a brow at her. Luna Celina rolled her honey brown eyes and gave a sheepish smile.

Then I spotted the dimple on her left cheek. It was only obvious when she smiled. But for Cassandra, it was almost permanent because I could see it when she talked or smiled.

“Let’s get to it then,” I said as I stood up.

She also stood up and we walked out of my room before making our way to the laboratory. When I get home, I will find a way to get Cassandra’s blood sample.

CASSIE’S POV

“Come here, Loki,” I called out and immediately, a little white Eskimo puppy ran into the living room. It was so cute that I fell in love with it every single time I set my eyes on it. The little puppy barked happily as a placed a bowl of dog food in front of it. Without wasting time, it dug into the bowl like it had been starved for days.

“You have a large appetite, little dog. Didn’t you just eat a while ago?” I asked it with amusement. It looked up at me, as if it understood what I said. Then it barked twice before turning back to what it was eating. This made me laugh again. I stood up and was about to go upstairs when I heard the telephone ring in the kitchen.

I quickly ran there and picked it up.

“Hello?” I answered.

“Cassandra, sweetie. How are you doing?” the voice of Mrs. Smith filled my ears. Her voice was so warm that I felt like she was my own mother. I wish I could find my own parents

Maybe they were dead.

“I’m fine, Mrs. Smith. How are you too?”, I asked her. She chuckled, “I’m doing fine also. I removed a toad from one of the cubs’ tummy today.” I cringed at that, “W-wow.”

“You don’t like blood, do you?” she was amused. I nodded, “Not a fan of the hospital either.” I heard her laugh again, “You’re really amusing, little girl. I called to tell you to make dinner. I won’t be home till eight or seven thirty.”

I was surprised by what she said. This woman had a lot of trust in me and I didn’t seem to understand the actual reason.

“You can cook, right?” she asked. “Yes,” I replied. “As expected. That’s perfect, sweetheart. Do you know how to make lasagna?” she asked me. That was my favorite food. “Yes, I do,” I answered her.

“I would love to taste your cooking. Gerald loves Italian food for dinner, so make us proud,” she said to me and my heart warmed.

Even though they were old, she still loved her mate like they were still very young.

It’s a pity my own case was totally different. “Okay, Mrs. Smith,” I said to her.

“Thank you, darling. I have to go now. See you at dinner,” she said. “Okay, bye,” I said and hung up. 

Loki then walked into the kitchen with the little bowl in her mouth. She placed it on the floor and patted the inside.

I knew what she meant. For a little puppy like her, she sure had a large appetite.