Cassie.My heart raced as I stared at the glowing screen of my phone, my breath caught somewhere between disbelief and exhilaration. My name sat boldly in the salutation, followed by the word “accepted.”“Dear Cassandra Holt… we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted—”I screamed. Loud, piercing, and raw, the sound bounced off the walls of the room, so loud that for a moment, I didn’t even recognize it as my own. It was pure joy, unrestrained and rare—a spark of light in the darkness I had been wading through for years.Before I could fully process the email, the door to my room burst open, slamming into the wall with a deafening crash. My scream choked in my throat as I spun around.Axel stormed in, shirtless and barefoot, his dark eyes wild and frantic, scanning the room like he expected to find danger lurking in the shadows. His hair was tousled from sleep, but his body—toned and intimidating—was tense, ready to fight whatever threat he thought I was facing.“Cassie
Cassie.“So does that mean you won’t be returning? Or do I need to hold on to your spot for a week—which quite frankly is all I can do?” Eric asked over the phone.I smiled, shaking my head even though I knew he couldn’t see me. “No need to hold on to it,” I said, keeping my voice as even as possible, “I don’t know how long I’ll be gone for.”The moment the words left my mouth, I heard the soft clearing of a throat from the other side of the table. I didn’t need to look up to know it was Axel, seated with his iPad in front of him, though I could tell his attention was zeroed in on my conversation. His presence was suffocating, even when he wasn’t saying a word.I rolled my eyes, turning my gaze back to the piece of bread in my hands. I dragged the butter knife through the Nutella jar with more force than necessary, my phone still pressed between my ear and shoulder.I’d hoped that the harsh sunlight that filtered through my window when I woke up would somehow prove everything from th
Cassie.The hum of the engine was almost soothing, but the man sitting next to me made it impossible to relax. Axel’s sleek black Range Rover glided effortlessly down the highway, its red and black leather interior gleaming under the sunlight streaming through the windows.Axel’s idea to take me back to say proper goodbyes to Eric and the others had seemed logical enough at the time, but now, sitting in a box of leather and masculinity, I wasn’t so sure anymore.He was wearing what he called casual—a fitted blue sweatshirt that stretched over his broad shoulders and jeans that hugged his thighs in ways no man’s jeans should. His sneakers were spotless, and the rolled-up sleeves of his sweatshirt revealed strong, veined forearms. My eyes kept drifting toward him like they had a will of their own.“Pull it together,” I muttered under my breath.Cy, my wolf, wasn’t helping either.“He’s so sexy,” Cy purred, the words vibrating through my mind like a smug little melody.I shifted uncomfo
Cassie.The car felt suffocating. My fingers tightened around the seatbelt, gripping it so hard my knuckles ached. The sleek interior of Axel’s car, once fascinating with its leather and red-and-black design, was now the last thing on my mind. The only thing I could focus on was the way Axel drove like a madman, his foot pressing into the accelerator as though he wanted to punish the road beneath us.“Axel, what’s going on?” I managed to ask, my voice shaking despite my best effort to sound calm.His jaw clenched but he didn’t respond, his focus fixed on the road ahead, his knuckles white against the steering wheel.The tension was unbearable. The speed of the car, the way it swerved so sharply around corners, sent my pulse into overdrive. For a moment, I thought I heard a growl—low and menacing—and I wasn’t sure if it came from Axel or somewhere deep within the car itself.“Axel, I’m serious. Talk to me!” I tried again, this time reaching out to him.I intended for my hand to land
Cassie.“I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to you today. Something came up, and I had to return immediately,” I said, pressing the phone closer to my ear as Axel’s car hummed quietly beneath me.“You must’ve taken a huge risk coming here, Cassie. Are you okay?” Eric’s voice came through with a mixture of disappointment and concern.He’d called me to ask where I was since I’d called him before Axel and I left Red Hollow estate, telling him I would come visit. A sigh escaped my lips at his words.“No, it wasn’t like that. I am okay, but I’m sad I was only able to see the old couple. There was a little situation and I had to leave right away,” I explained, stealing a glance at Axel, who was gripping the steering wheel tightly, his jaw set in that unreadable expression he always wore. “I’ll visit again when I can. I just need some time to get things in order.”Eric let out a heavy sigh. “Okay, but be careful. Don’t forget to take care of yourself, alright?” His concern made my chest tighten
Cassie.“Cassie,” Axel called my name like a warning, his deep voice vibrating through the small kitchen space.I folded my arms across my chest, my eyes hard and unyielding. The intensity in his gaze didn’t scare me—it only fueled the storm that had been brewing inside me for years.“The least you could’ve done was to treat me like I was a person,” I said, my voice trembling with both anger and pain, “Do you even remember that you almost stripped me of my right to be Cam’s mother?”Axel’s breathing was harsh, his chest rising and falling like a caged beast ready to lash out at my words, and I instantly knew he recalled that day.He had known more than anyone, how horrible Selena had been, but he never tried to defend me once, and now he expected me to let go of everything I’d been through all because he was my mate?“Don’t bring him up in this, Cassie,” he said, his voice quieter but sharp as a blade, “you can make your point without bringing him up.”I let out a bitter laugh, shaki
Cassie.For a moment, my brain refused to process what I was seeing. Standing there, holding a basket of what smelled like baked goods, was Bella. Of all people.“Cassie?” Her voice carried the same sharp tone it always had, but her expression betrayed her surprise. “What are you doing here?”I froze, my hand tightening on the edge of the door. She looked the same—sleek, polished, and exuding the same fake sweetness that had fooled most of the pack. The only difference in her appearance was that she looked older.“I—” I started, but the words stuck in my throat.I felt a flush rise to my cheeks as I realized how disheveled I must’ve looked. My eyes were probably swollen from crying, my braids frizzy and falling loose from the bun I’d tied them in last night. I quickly adjusted my hair, pulling the strands to either side of my shoulders as if that could somehow restore my dignity. I must’ve looked like an absolute mess.I knew that coming back to Red Hollow would mean running into pe
Cassie.I had to suck up my tears and stop crying. I didn’t have the luxury of remaining in my pain for too long because sitting on the floor, drowning in my own tears, wasn’t going to change anything. Cam deserved more than my silence and despair.Sniffling, I wiped my swollen eyes and tear-streaked cheeks with the back of my palms, then I glanced in the mirror, flinching at my own reflection. It was a reminder of how long I’d sat there crying. It was way worse than how I looked in the morning.The one thing that had made me determined to visit Cam’s grave had been the realization that it was now two weeks to Cam’s birthday.Just two weeks, and he would’ve been four. My boy, a four years old.I inhaled shakily as I let myself imagine what Cam would be like as a four-year-old. There was no doubt he would’ve been introduced to his wolf, his tiny face would’ve lightened up with excitement as he discovered a new part of himself. He would’ve been riding his bike around the yard, laughing
Cassie.“We need to leave here right now!” Violet said, her voice hushed but frantic.I nodded, not even bothering to look back. There was no point in staying—there wouldn’t be any lectures today, not with the ambience around school. Without wasting another second, we turned and walked briskly toward the school gate, our minds clouded with uncertainty.When we reached the gate, I swallowed hard, my pulse racing. “I’m too scared to go home alone,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.Violet let out a breath, nodding. “Me too. I’m even more scared to be alone at home.”A silence stretched between us, thick with fear etched on both our faces. Then, an idea formed in my head. “What if we return to Red Hollow together?” I suggested. “I’m pretty sure we’ll be safer there. There are guards all around and everything,” I told her.I was so scared that as I spoke, my body shook. I had a feeling whoever killed Jared was the rogue from before, and a rogue killing around me set me off in
Cassie.I finished dressing while Violet was still in the shower and pulled out a few outfit options from my closet for her. Since she had come in only her leather pants and jacket, she didn’t have clean clothes to wear to school, so it only made sense that I gave her something out of my closet. By the time she stepped out, rubbing a towel over her damp curls, I was already sitting on the bed, slipping my feet into my shoes.She glanced at the outfits laid out on the bed and raised a brow. “You do know I have my own clothes, right?”I smirked. “You’re welcome.”Violet rolled her eyes, but I noticed the small smile tugging at her lips as she picked a pair of jeans, the same one we once fought for, and a fitted top. While she got dressed, I stood up, grabbed my phone and book bag, and together, we left the apartment, heading downstairs.The moment we stepped outside, we saw Jake leaning against his car, arms crossed as he waited. His gaze flickered to Violet first, then to me.“Good m
Cassie.I could still feel Axel’s warmth on my skin, his steady arms around me, but I forced myself to shake the feeling off. It didn’t mean anything. It couldn’t mean anything. I couldn’t let it mean anything.“If you cry anymore, you’ll fall sick,” Axel murmured, his voice gentle yet firm as he cupped my face, wiping away the tears that wouldn’t stop falling.I swallowed hard, hating the way his touch felt comforting. I shouldn’t be accepting his comfort, not after everything. But my body had other ideas—it melted into him like it was second nature.His dark eyes looked a bit clear, and it felt like I could read his mind, but I couldn’t.His fingers brushed against my cheek, lingering for a second longer than necessary. “Do you want me to get Violet?” he asked.I shook my head, suddenly remembering that Violet was in my apartment waiting for me, I stepped back quickly, needing space away from him. “I’m fine,” I said, my voice raw from crying. I wiped my face with the back of my ha
Cassie.“I’m afraid that can’t happen. I cannot ignore you, you’re my mate,” Axel said, a frown settling on his face. My breath hitched at his words.“So you agree that the only reason you tolerate me now is because we’re mates?” I countered, crossing my arms over my chest, pain evident in every word.Axel let out a slow exhale, dragging his fingers through his hair as if he were holding back frustration. “You know that’s it true,” “Then tell me what is!” He went silent, and a scoff fell out of me.“I went in search of you even before I knew you were my mate, Cassie. But I’m guessing that’s not enough for you,” he said, his voice dipping into something almost sad. I wanted to ask why… why he had searched for me after I left, because I knew it wasn’t because he suddenly fell in love with me. Hell, he was right, because whatever his reason for doing that was, it would never make any sense to me, because of how he’d treated me prior to that time.Axel cleared his throat, adjusting hi
Axel.Cassie felt so small in my hands. Too light. Too fragile.The moment she collapsed, I caught her without thinking, my grip firm as I steadied her trembling frame. Her breathing was uneven, and she blinked multiple times, as though trying to steady herself. I adjusted my grip, letting her stand on her own, but I didn’t let go entirely. Not yet.“What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice rough.Cassie swallowed, her lips parting as though she wanted to say something, but then she hesitated. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come here. I—I didn’t know I wasn’t allowed to be here,” she said quickly, her words rushing out in a way that felt forced, unnatural.That wasn’t what I meant.I opened my mouth to clarify, but she shook her head, cutting me off before I could get a word in. “You don’t have to explain. I’ll just leave. You said you wanted to talk, but this is probably not the best time. Let’s talk later.”“Cassie.” My voice came out like a thunderclap, sharp and commanding. My ha
Cassie.“I’m sorry about what happened to you. I never would’ve thought you went through so much,” I said, my voice softer than I’d ever heard it.It was probably because I knew what being the outcast felt like, and how sometimes all I wanted was for someone to speak to me in a soft voice. Violet shook her head. “You don’t have to apologize, Cass. It wasn’t your fault.”“But they decided to look into you 'cause I brought you around,” I said. She shook her head again.“I’m pretty sure that’s not the reason. They most likely started digging into me since the second time we met with Jake outside school’s gate,” she said with a light chuckle. It made sense.“I still don’t know how they could do such a thing,” I sighed.“You know how your mate it. He is who he is, and he’s not short of enemies, anyone can be an enemy.”“Stop taking their side!” I said with a firm voice. Viola laughed and pulled me to sit beside her on my bed.“I’m not taking sides. I’m just thinking about it logically.”
Cassie.Axel remained silent, his lips pressed into a firm line, his gaze unwavering. I was still waiting for an explanation—anything to justify what Violet had just revealed. But neither he nor Warren said a word.A heavy silence settled in the room until Jake suddenly stepped forward, shoving past Warren with a determined look on his face.“I was the one who suggested it,” he announced.My breath hitched. my eyes darted to Jake, my mind struggling to process his words. Beside me, Violet tensed.“I was also the one who planted it in your home,” he added.Violet’s face hardened. “Why?”Jake let out a sigh, as if he had been preparing for this confrontation for a long time. “Because I wanted to know what you were up to. I couldn’t just sit around and wait for you to make your move.”“Against who?” Violet asked, her voice eerily calm.“Axel? Cassie? The entire pack? Take your pick.”I felt her stomach twist. I turned to Jake, searching his face for any hesitation, any sign that he regre
Cassie.I slowly pushed the door open, my heart hammering against my ribs as my gaze landed on Axel. His brows were drawn together, his chest rising and falling in deep, measured breaths. He was angry—no, furious. Warren stood beside him, his face mirroring Axel’s rage, his hands balled into fists. And then there was Jake, lingering near the door like he didn’t want to come inside, his expression caught somewhere between anger and disbelief.But none of them were looking at me.Their eyes were locked on the person standing by the door, and when I followed their gaze, I froze.Violet. She was really there.She stood there, dressed entirely in black—leather pants and a matching jacket, a hat pulled low over her face, casting shadows over her features. A part of me wanted to rush to her and demand to know what was going on, but another part—the part gripped by fear—kept me rooted in place.“Violet?” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the pounding in my ears.She didn’t move, didn
Cassie.Over the next few days, a few things had changed.Violet stopped coming to school. Not once had I seen her since the last time we spoke, and no matter how many times I called, she didn’t answer. When I texted, her replies were vague, short, and always delayed. Busy, she’d say. Can’t talk right now. At first, I gave her space, but by the third day, it started to gnaw at me. Violet wasn’t the type to shut me out. Something was wrong.Axel had been keeping his distance, too. I hadn’t seen him at the apartment, hadn’t even felt his presence nearby. He was living in the packhouse now, like he should’ve since my arrival. I told myself it was a good thing, that I wanted him gone after everything that had happened between us, but some traitorous part of me kept questioning it. Why now? After that kiss? It was easier when he was cruel and distant because then I knew where we stood. Now, I didn’t.Jake and Warren had also been avoiding me, though maybe ignoring was a better word. I ba