**POV Alpha Xavier**The wind blew cold against my muzzle as I ran through the forest in my wolf form, my powerful muscles contracting with each stride, feeling the wet earth beneath my paws. Adrenaline surged through my veins, and my hunting instinct was at its peak. The scent of the deer was strong, its trail fresh in the air. I knew I was close.My sharp teeth gleamed in the sunlight, and the strength of my jaw was enough to cut its throat in a single strike. When I finally spotted the deer, my golden eyes locked onto the prey as it grazed peacefully, unaware it was only seconds away from death.I lunged forward with speed, my claws scratching the damp forest floor. The deer tried to flee when it heard my steps, but it was already too late. I leapt on it, my heavy body crashing down on the animal, and my teeth sank into its neck with force, tearing through the flesh with ease. Warm blood flowed over my teeth, and the deer let out one last groan before collapsing dead on the ground.
POV CassandraThe sound of my boots hitting the damp forest floor blended with the noise of my heavy breathing. I was running with everything I had, my feet sinking into the ground as the wind whipped my face. The trees around me became a blur as I sped up, trying to reach the destination Ursula had indicated as fast as I could.Suddenly, my eyes caught sight of something ahead — an old wooden bridge that looked like two entwined serpents, as the wood merged with the moss from the trees, with planks creaking in the wind, exactly as Ursula had described. My heart raced, and for a moment, I stopped running, just watching that fragile passage sway slightly. This was the sign.My hands trembled as I unrolled the piece of paper that had been tucked in my pocket. Panting, I glanced at the scribbled words, trying not to let the nervousness take over. I needed to make this work. I closed my eyes and repeated the words, my voice low and hesitant: "Like shadows that camouflage in the middle of
**POV Cassandra**"Oh, dear, I'm sorry." Her voice sounded soft but carried a strange energy. "I'm using a transmutation spell, that's why you can't see my face properly."In a matter of minutes, she raised her hand elegantly and made a subtle movement around her face. My eyes blinked several times as if the world around me had become blurry. When my vision cleared, for the first time, I could see her clearly.Her face was younger than I had imagined, with a mysterious and intimidating aura. She smiled gently, but there was something dark in that gesture."I apologize for my rude friend." She pointed to the cabin door, which huffed indignantly and closed its "eyes" again, as if it were alive. "I use a spell that gives life to objects, which helps me a lot, but sometimes... they can be a bit impolite." She laughed, as if it were a common occurrence.I was stunned. This was surreal, far beyond what I had expected."Wow... you're really as powerful as Ursula said..." I whispered, incredu
**Cassandra's POV**A swift shadow passed by me, so fast that all I felt was the impact. My leg burned with pain, as if a knife had pierced through my flesh mercilessly. I let out a groan, the sound escaping my lips uncontrollably. I looked down and saw the blood trickling, the deep cut in my leg starting to soak the earth with dark red stains.My heart raced, and before I could even try to stop the bleeding, those red eyes appeared again among the bushes. A low growl echoed through the air, more threatening than anything I had ever heard. It didn’t resemble any creature I knew. It wasn’t a wolf… or at least, not a normal wolf.I felt fear take over, my hands trembling, and my body freezing under that cruel, intense gaze. I dragged myself back with difficulty, trying to move despite the excruciating pain. I managed to reach the trunk of a tree and hid behind it, my chest rising and falling rapidly, trying not to make any sound. My mind was filled with terror, the thought that the mons
POV CASSANDRAThe sense of urgency took hold of me as the clock struck midnight. The full moon shone intensely outside, and the fear that time had run out made my heart race.Xavier noticed my unease and gave me a questioning look."What’s wrong? Are you uncomfortable? We can share the room without a problem; I’ll sleep in the armchair, and you can take the bed."Before he could say more, an unknown courage surged within me, and, without much thought, I moved closer and pressed my lips against his. At first, Xavier seemed surprised, but soon I felt the resistance in his body melt away, and he responded to the kiss, cupping my face with his warm hands.For a moment, everything around us disappeared; only the warmth of his touch and the intensity of that moment filled my mind. The kiss deepened, and my fingers tangled in his hair as he pulled me closer, as if his body were desperately craving mine.As we pulled apart briefly to catch our breath, he looked at me, still surprised."Cassan
**Cassandra's POV**I woke up with the first ray of sunlight streaming through the window, illuminating Xavier's face as he slept deeply beside me. He looked so peaceful, his normally hardened features now softened. A smile escaped my lips. It was hard to believe that, after everything, we were here together. I slipped out of bed quietly, careful not to wake him, and put on a robe, planning to have some coffee before he woke up.When I reached the hallway, I came face-to-face with Jennie, pale and breathless as if she had run through the entire castle.“Cassie!” she whispered urgently, her eyes wide with anxiety. “You need to go to the palace now!”I frowned, trying to grasp the urgency.“Jennie, what happened?”“A messenger arrived early, just after dawn. He brought an urgent request for you to go immediately. It’s from Luna Katy.”I swallowed hard, an uneasy feeling spreading through my chest. Today was the day we were supposed to leave with Xavier; we were finally going to leave be
**Pov Alpha Xavier**I woke slowly, feeling the warmth of the morning sun streaming through the open window. I reached out, expecting to find Cassandra beside me, but the bed was empty and cold. I took a deep breath, still a bit groggy, and sat on the edge of the mattress. The feeling of dizziness seemed to cling to me, but I ignored it and headed straight to the bathroom. I washed my face, trying to clear the fog from my mind, and when I returned to the bedroom, I noticed the sweet, familiar scent was imbued in every corner.My wolf was more agitated than usual, and I felt him getting euphoric, shouting, “Mate…”His voice echoed in my mind, and I felt as if something had awakened inside me. I quickly began to search through the sheets, the bed, the pillows, the curtains everything. Absolutely everything seemed to be permeated with the scent of my destined mate."It can't be..." I murmured in surprise. After years of being alone, I thought the Moon Goddess had forgotten me, that I was
**Cassandra's POV**I was walking down the palace corridors, trying to keep my head down and not attract attention as I headed for the exit, but the activity on the floor was restless and unusual. Servants and guards were moving in all directions, their steps quick and expressions tense. With each step, I heard snippets of confused and anxious conversations, and I knew something serious had happened.I moved a little further down the corridor but couldn't help my curiosity as I saw a room where people were crowding. There was a heavy atmosphere in the air, like a silent mourning, and at the center, on a large table, was something covered by a white cloth. I sighed, pressing my lips together in sadness. I knew what that meant: another girl, yet another innocent soul who hadn't survived this dark environment. Feeling sad, I thought about asking for her name so I could send something in respect to her family.As I hesitated, the head maid burst into the corridor, looking visibly shaken a
POV ALPHA XAVIERIt had been a few days since I had been home, following the clues Alpha Damom had provided about the supposed document. The situation seemed to worsen with every step. To make matters worse, the news about the document had reached the King Alpha’s pack, and when Valetim learned of it, he completely lost his mind. They said he had become an even crueler tyrant, terrorizing his people mercilessly. It was impossible to ignore the reports of dead subjects, missing workers, and an atmosphere of fear that hovered over the palace like a dark cloud. “Any updates?” I asked my Beta through the mind-link as I ascended the stairs, approaching Cassandra’s room. “Nothing concrete, Alpha,” he replied in a grave tone. “Our spies have checked all the king’s concubines, but none of them bear the mark or tattoo mentioned. Moreover, the King Alpha himself is searching for this woman. The palace is in chaos, a dark and hostile place. The staff are terrified, fearing they’ll be the n
**POV Cassandra** The months passed so quickly that it felt like I blinked and was already in a new stage of pregnancy. Each day it became harder to hide my growing belly, a constant reminder of the life I was carrying. "Careful, miss!" Jennie warned, holding my arm as she helped me step into the bathtub. Her movements were cautious, as if I were made of glass. After much insistence, I managed to convince Xavier to allow Jennie to return to the pack as my servant. He seemed so consumed by guilt over what happened—or rather, what he *thought* had happened—that he didn’t dare deny me anything I asked for. "Are you sure you don’t want to do any tests to find out the baby’s gender?" Jennie asked, pouring warm water over me as she gently lathered my body. I sighed, leaning my head back, letting the heat of the water relax my muscles. "I don’t care, Jennie. All I want is for this child to be born healthy and far from anything that could harm them." I ran my hand over my belly, c
**POV Alpha Xavier** --- Dr. Afonso left my office so abruptly that, for a moment, I was paralyzed. When I came to my senses, I realized I was alone with Cassandra. The silence in the room was so heavy it seemed to press down on every corner. Outside, my staff kept their distance, likely too afraid to cross my path in this state. She approached me slowly, her steps measured, her face still pale, but a faint smile graced her lips. Her eyes were gentle, though tired. When she raised her hands to caress my face, the touch was so light and delicate that I almost couldn’t hold myself together. A moment later, she rested her head against my chest, pulling me into a tight embrace. For an instant, it felt like the weight of the world had been lifted. “I love you, you know?” Her voice was a soft whisper, but it carried immense meaning. She seemed so fragile, so small in my arms. “I’m sorry... I’m sorry I couldn’t keep my promise.” Her words cut deep, striking a part of me I didn’t re
**Alpha Xavier's POV** "You bastard! Incompetent!" My voice thundered down the hallway. "I’m going to kill you!"My hands were firmly wrapped around Dr. Afonsos’s neck as he stared at me with wide eyes full of sheer terror. My wolf roared within me, thirsty for blood, demanding vengeance as the only possible justice for the death of my child."I trusted you..." My voice came out low and dark before rising again like a roar. "You told me the herb was harmless! That it wouldn’t harm the baby! And look what happened!"I pressed his back hard against the wall, tightening my grip on his neck. He struggled to breathe, his face turning a deeper shade of red as his eyes pleaded for mercy—mercy I had no intention of granting."Alpha... please..." he managed to croak, his voice hoarse and faint. "I... I don’t know what happened. The herb... it’s never had abortive effects before... I swear, this has never happened!"His desperate, hesitant tone only fueled my rage further. His excuse was a da
**Cassandra’s POV****Five Days Later**"Yes, perfect. Deliver everything to Dr. Afonsos. He won’t suspect a thing." My voice sounded firmer than I actually felt as I carefully placed the collection containers in Maria’s hands. She looked at me with wide eyes, hesitating to take them."Luna, what we’re doing is very dangerous," Maria murmured, her voice filled with concern. "Without Dr. Afonsos, you won’t have any monitoring during your pregnancy—no exams, no prenatal care. This could harm the baby."She paused for a moment, taking a deep breath, as if trying to gather the courage to say what was on her mind."Besides," she continued, her voice breaking, "I think the Alpha has suffered enough. He comes to visit you every day, Luna, and at night the staff hears him crying softly in his office, asking the Moon Goddess why it had to be this way. I’ve never seen a man like him so broken."Tears streamed down Maria’s face. She believed what we were doing was wrong, yet she kept helping me.
**POV Cassandra**I was lying in bed, still pretending the extreme exhaustion that the "miscarriage" should have caused, but my mind was alert. Every sound in the hallway, every distant whisper made me anxious. Suddenly, I heard the soft creak of the bedroom door opening.I opened my eyes slowly, feigning surprise, and saw Maria entering hurriedly. Her expression was filled with nervousness, her trembling hands holding a tray of medical instruments."Maria?" I murmured, my voice deliberately hoarse and weak.She closed the door behind her and looked at me with a mix of fear and concern."Cassandra, we can’t keep this charade going much longer," she said in almost a whisper. "You went overboard with the amount of blood. Dr. Afonsos thinks you’re on the verge of severe anemia or worse. He’s already arranging blood bags to give you a transfusion!"I couldn’t help but laugh, a short and raspy sound that made Maria frown indignantly."I figured that might happen," I said, adjusting my pill
**POV Alpha Xavier** As I entered the room, my heart nearly stopped. Cassandra lay unconscious on the bed, her skin pale as snow, and the sheets were stained with ominous red blotches that screamed danger. "Cassandra!" My roar echoed through the room, but she didn’t move. Dr. Afonsos and the nurses surrounded her, rushing back and forth, trying to stabilize her. My chest burned, and Ragnar, my wolf, growled furiously within me. "Afonsos, do something!" I shouted, moving closer to the bed. "Alpha, with all due respect, we need space. I’ll call for additional doctors to assist, but it’s crucial that you leave now so we can work!" Afonsos replied, attempting to stay calm. "I’m not leaving this room while she’s like this!" My voice was low but laced with menace. He hesitated for a moment before signaling to the nurses. "Escort the Alpha outside, and make sure he stays out of the room." Two guards appeared, hesitant, and ushered me away. I roared in protest, but as much a
**POV Cassandra**As soon as Xavier left the room with that smile on his face, a smile that filled me with guilt, I ran to the bathroom. Despair grew in my chest like an uncontrollable blaze. Without thinking twice, I put my fingers down my throat, forcing myself to vomit. Within seconds, I expelled the moss-green liquid I had ingested, its smell so strong and foul that it made my stomach churn again. I could barely breathe, holding onto the bathroom sink to avoid collapsing. At that moment, I heard the sound of the door opening and Maria entering the room, carrying a basin of water. "Are you all right, Cassandra?" The worry was etched on her face as she noticed my pale complexion and the dark circles under my eyes that betrayed my sleepless night. I forced a weak smile, trying to mask my distress. "I'm fine. Just a little unwell." She didn’t seem convinced, but she didn’t press further. Silently, she helped me back to the bed. I sat down, propping a pillow behind me to adju
Alpha Xavier’s POVMy hands trembled as I held the small vial of powder. Even after discussing all the details with Dr. Afonso, a suffocating weight pressed on my chest. Every fiber of my being screamed against what I was about to do, but Alpha Damom had left me no choice. I stared at the powder again and took a deep breath, forcing my mind to calm.“This is to protect them,” I told myself repeatedly, like a prayer.I added a small dose of the powder into the hot tea on the tray, watching it mix slowly until it disappeared completely. I picked up the tray and walked toward Cassandra’s room, each step echoing in the empty hallway. The wooden floors creaked under my weight, and my wolf, Ragnar, restless in my mind, growled in frustration. He knew something was wrong, but I blocked our connection, unwilling to hear his condemnation.When I reached the door, I inhaled deeply, trying to steady myself. I pushed the door open slowly and stepped inside.Cassandra was sitting on the bed, with