chapter seven

**Cassandra's POV**

"Hurry! Bring the basin with medicated water!" A shrill and hostile voice echoed through the room, forcing me to open my eyes.

When I tried to move, I suddenly realized he was right in front of me. His polished armor gleamed under the dim light, and a black mask covered his face, hiding his expressions but not the aura of power that emanated from him.

"Let me do it!" he responded brusquely, snatching the cloth from the trembling maid's hands. With a swift motion, he stretched the cloth towards me, apparently to place it on my feverish forehead. When his hands rose to touch my skin, I instinctively recoiled, my body shrinking in fear. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for more pain.

"Stupid girl, I'm trying to bring down your fever!" he growled impatiently, huffing in frustration before throwing the wet cloth on me carelessly.

I swallowed hard, feeling the lump in my throat. He began pacing back and forth in the room, his boots echoing heavily on the floor. There were several people around me, all dressed in white, holding trays in their hands. From their clothing, I could tell they were doctors or nurses. In a nearby basin, I saw cloths soaked in blood, a horrible reminder of my condition.

"Alpha, she will be fine, but she needs to rest and stay in bed for a few days. I will send her medicine every day at the correct time; the maids will deliver it. You don't need to worry anymore!" The doctor smiled gently and leaned over the table to write the prescription.

With difficulty, I stretched out on the bed and realized that the place I was in was different from any I had ever seen. The room was luxurious, with details that violently contrasted with the fate I thought was reserved for me. The bed I was lying on was covered with soft pillows and white satin sheets that caressed my skin. Long red curtains hung heavily over the windows, and the furniture scattered around the room was rich in detail, with dark wood and bronze carvings.

"Where am I?" I asked, still dazed, while the feeling of dizziness lingered. My mind desperately tried to process the recent events. The last thing I remembered was fainting and seeing blood flowing excessively down my legs.

"That doesn't matter," the Alpha replied with an impatient growl, adjusting his mask. "You're going to stay here until the doctor releases you." He made a brusque gesture for the others to leave the room, leaving us alone. "The doctor told me there were remnants of the placenta stuck to your uterine wall, indicating that you recently had a miscarriage... Was that child Sebastian's?" he asked, his eyes fixed on me, piercing and full of contempt.

I simply nodded in silence, unable to look directly at him, the shame and pain silencing me.

"How wonderful!" he exclaimed with a cruel laugh. "That wretch discarded you and your dead child all because he found his fated mate. You really chose a great man to marry!" he mocked, his voice laden with scorn. His fists clenched, his fingers tightening with such force that it seemed he was about to hit me at any moment.

I tried to stay calm, but the anger and contempt in his words cut deep. "You can still return me if you want," I responded, my voice tinged with bitterness. "I'm sorry to be your consolation prize. I feel like you made a terrible choice by taking me as your prisoner!" I rolled my eyes, the disdain evident.

The Alpha took a step forward, his dominating presence becoming even more oppressive. "What do you mean by that?" he growled, his irritation turning into something darker. "The contract has already been signed, and I don't intend to return you so easily. But it's fascinating, really, that you still consider going back to that pack... After being rejected in front of everyone, humiliated by the one who was supposed to protect you, all because he chose your sister!" His voice was dripping with venom, every word carefully chosen to wound. "But if you want to be a fool and cling to that fantasy, go ahead. Just don't forget: now you are mine. And I will do whatever I want with what's mine." He said with frightening indifference, shoving his hands into his pockets as he stared at me, as if evaluating what to do with me next.

"I will never be yours!" I growled, the anger boiling in my chest as my fists clenched tightly. I looked directly at him, my eyes burning with hatred. "You are a monster! Everything bad that happened in my life is because of you. It's your fault my father is dead!" I screamed, my voice choked with pain and fury. On impulse, I grabbed a pillow and threw it on the floor, the painful memories flooding my mind like an unrelenting wave.

In that instant, his eyes changed, taking on a dark and threatening hue. He advanced quickly, pinning my hands against the bed's headboard with brutal force. I tried to struggle, but his strength was overwhelming, every movement I made was easily contained. No matter how hard I fought, it was useless—he was like a wall of stone, unyielding and relentless. He leaned over me, the weight of his body pinning me down, his lips dangerously close to mine, so close that I could feel his warm breath.

"Is that really what you think, Cassandra Baker?" he growled, his voice laced with a cold, controlled anger. "That I am a killer who destroyed your family and killed your father?" His grip on my wrists tightened, the pain radiating through my arms, but I showed no weakness. "Or should I say, Cassandra Quin," he continued, a cruel smile curving his lips. "Did you really think that hiding your real last name would be enough to keep me away from you?" he hissed, the fury in his voice cutting like a blade.

My entire body trembled, a mixture of fear and shock taking hold of me. He knew who I was. All the lies, all the attempts to escape my past, had been in vain. He knew the truth—and now I was completely at his mercy.