Jessica's cell was at the wall. The last cell in the dungeons. Cassy's heart bled when she saw the state Jessica was in. Her lips were cut and swollen, no doubt from the torture inflicted on her. Her eyes were swollen shut and her nose was purple and broken. Blood seeped from the gashes on her arms and chest, and she was leaned against the wall, panting. Cassy crouched in front of the cell, holding the bars and peeking through it. "Jessica," she called softly. The woman jerked, and then she winced. "L-lady Cassy," she stuttered, trying to rise to her feet, but her legs failed her and she fell back with a sharp cry that tore through Cassy. Cassy's eyes stung. This woman could not have poisoned her. Even now, in the face of pain and death, she still watched her fondly, like she had a month ago. No hatred. No bitterness. No anger. Jessica could not have done it. "You should not be in here," Cassy said and her eyes roamed Jessica's battered body. She was in
Lino couldn't stand the silence for a second more. "Are you mad at me?" Cassy only gave him a funny look that did nothing to hide the silent rage in his eyes. "Why would I be mad?" Lino arched a brow. "There's that tone. Your body language. I know your tells, Cass. You're mad at me, and I would like to understand why that is." Cassy didn't look at him as they took the steps that led to the dungeons. "You are mistaken. I'm not mad. There is nothing wrong with my body language. You are overthinking it." "Say that to a stranger and maybe, just maybe they would believe you," Lino said, hoping to rouse a reaction out of her. And he did, because Cassy whirled, looking him in the eye, letting him see all of that shimmering rage beneath. "What exactly is your problem, Lino? What do you want with me? What do you want from me?" Lino pouted, unable to keep the childish express from his face. "Nothing." Cassy growled and spun, storming away from him, visibly boil
BFTA 27 Cassy woke up to a sore ache at the back of her head. Her hands rose to touch the nape of her neck but she couldn't reach it. Her hands couldn't reach it. She tried again and it wasn't until she felt the burn of something that her eyes snapped open. She realized she had been tied to Lino's bed post. She pulled at the bindings, snarling and cussing colorfully at it. He'd knocked her out. The bastard had knocked her out and locked her up. She didn't stop pulling the bindings until she had torn it from around her wrist, causing red angry lines grace her wrists and her pale skin. She scowled, tumbling off his king sized bed that scented like the man and atrocities put together. She soon reached the door and when she twisted the doorknob, she found the door to be locked. She tried again, pulling and pushing but the door wouldn't give. She growled and began kicking at the door and cussing. "Lady Cassy?" Kayden's voice floated to her through the door of im
BFTA 28 Crazy was an understatement. He wasn’t in the right frame of mind. They sat around the bonfire, chanting prayers for the dead. Lino had freed Jessica’s mate for long enough to attend and collect her ashes. It was the rules. His father had ruled this way, and his grandfather before him. He would not break tradition because of a scowling woman. Jessica had touched the wolfsbane and fed it to Cassy. As such, she was a traitor. In his grandfather’s days, the priestess would be called upon to bestow a Small Death upon the traitor before an actual execution. The Small Death referred to the process of being stripped bare. The wolf would be taken apart from the body, and the two would live as separate entities. No one had ever survived it. They would either go insane, or they would kill themselves. It was a brutal punishment, admittedly, but his grandfather had seen it fitting for whoever dared to dabble with the sorcerers. It was believed that one could only obtain
BFTA 29 Cassy was beyond words. Lie after lie had been told, forged and she could do nothing to defend herself. It was true that she had flaunted power in the Grand Hall, before the members of the council, but it had been a strategy for her revenge plan. Someone wanted to get her in a tight spot, and she had a good idea who that was. Eleanor. The wench stood by Lino, watching the exchange while managing to fool everyone with silver-lined eyes and a sad face. But Jessica’s mate didn’t seem to be faking his grief. She needed to get through to him. To let him see the truth. That she knew Jessica didn’t act of her own free will. That he had been fed lies. “I did nothing of that sort. Jessica was—“ “You do not take her name! Leave! You are not welcome here!” The male howled and Cassy shifted uncomfortably, eyes darting to where Lino stood for help. She would appreciate any sort of help right now. She wanted to be here. She wanted to lay a hand on the head
BFTA 30 Eleanor beamed at the mirror as she pulled the last lock of hair into place. It had been too easy. She giggled, recalling the sound of Cassy’s crying and pleading. It had been music to her ears. The moved gleefully, twirling in her nightdress and humming a sound she’d picked up during a festival from not too long ago. Burn the witch. That was the name of the song. Cassy might have as well been the witch tonight. If she had given the right push, perhaps, they would have tied her to a stake and burned her as well. Eleanor giggled again as she picked up the scented oils and massaged her temples with them. Lino would come to her tonight. To take off the edge. She had to look good for him, smell good for him. Tonight had been a test for him. Duty over useless feelings. He had chosen duty like she knew he would. What a sight it had been to watch Cassy fall apart. Jessica had been collateral damage. When Cassy had come for Lino, she had known the w
BFTA 31 Cassy’s wounds had healed by morning but her broken spirit had not. No maid reached her chambers and she did not know what to feel about it. Alpha Zane had stuck with her the entire night. . .and morning. No. Not in that sense. He’d slept in the chair and she on the bed. He’d helped her deliver her breakfast and her lunch, never asking her questions that would make her feel uncomfortable or vulnerable again. She was extremely grateful for it, though she would not tell him that. He didn’t need to know. They would leave for the Hunt tomorrow and while Cassy still didn’t want to face the world, or anyone after what had happened last night, she knew she would have to leave the confines of her room eventually, to prepare for the trip. There was still that dilemma of how she was going to avoid being taken by force and mated with. She wanted to at least choose the male she would be with for the rest of her life. After last night, she wanted nothing to do wit
BFTA 32 The journey to the peaks would take roughly three days. Two if they were fast. It was only the first day and Cassy’s thighs felt sore from riding on the horse’s back. The beast had been calm for the entirety of the journey but she had never had to ride a horse before or travel away from home. She didn’t have a reason to do so before. “Here,” Zane said, extending a water skin to her and she smiled faintly as she took it from him, murmuring her gratitude. He had chosen to escort her all the way to the lands that marked his territory apart from Lino’s, but he would leave in a few to rendezvous with his pack. It was his duty to be there and arrive with them at the peaks. She would follow him as she had agreed to be his Luna last night but the traditions required that the ceremonies be completed first—those were Lino’s words when Zane had sought his permission to take Cassy home as his bride. The bastard had blatantly refused and spoken some horse shit ab