A man swirled the wine in his glass, the deep red liquid catching the dim, flickering light of the lab. His eyes, cold and calculating, lingered on the large cylindrical tank before him—a containment glass filled with a viscous, glowing fluid. Suspended within it was a motionless figure, limbs limp, wires snaking across her body like vines claiming a statue.He stepped closer, raising a hand to the glass. His fingers hovered just above the surface, tracing the curve of the woman’s cheek through the barrier with eerie tenderness."Who would've thought you were this beautiful, my dear Cassandra?" he murmured, voice low and reverent. A bitter laugh followed. "I would've kept you for myself... too bad you were mated to that bastard."His jaw clenched, the words spat with venom, but the bitterness quickly melted into a smirk. Possessive. Dangerous."No matter," he said, swirling his wine once more. "When everything’s done, I can do whatever I want with you."He turned slightly, his gaze fal
I stood before the grand mirror in my chambers, eyes scanning my reflection, searching for something—anything—that would offer me a clue about what was happening. The stillness of the room, the haunting quiet of the Palace, all of it felt suffocating. My mind raced, but I couldn’t make sense of it. I could still hear the voice echoing in my head: “You’re not safe here...”A sudden knock broke through my thoughts, pulling me from the storm brewing inside me. The door opened, and a maid stepped inside, her face tense, and her gaze lowered.“Lady Cassandra,” she began hesitantly, “His Highness requests your presence in the Hall of Counsel.”My pulse quickened. Lenox.“Very well,” I replied, trying to keep the edge of urgency from my voice as I stepped past her.NARRATOR'S POV"How’s the progress? How much hatred have we accumulated so far?" the man asked lazily, reclining in his seat, his fingers idly tapping against the armrest."It hasn’t moved an inch yet, Your Highness," the head witc
NARRATOR'S POVLater that night, once the crowd had dispersed and everyone returned to their chambers, Lenox and Cassandra remained in the grand hall. Silence lingered between them like a storm about to break.Lenox stared at her, unreadable, for several long seconds. Then, without a word, without even a final glance, he turned and walked away.At the door, he paused.“I’ve known Celeste since she was a child,” he said, his back still to her. “So I know what she’s capable of. Don’t overthink what just happened.”And with that, he vanished down the corridor, leaving only cold silence in his wake.Cassandra blinked, stunned.A bitter scoff escaped her lips. “And here I thought he meant what he said.”She rolled her eyes, irritation bubbling in her chest.“Mate or not, I still don’t like you,” she muttered under her breath, as if speaking to him in absentia. “No matter what James did… my heart is still his to claim.”Her pride bruised, her chest tight, she decided she needed fresh air.T
The door that led to the room was unsettling—more like a vault than an entrance, cold and ominous, as if designed solely to imprison someone. And Cassandra felt it deep in her bones—that someone was her.The room itself was surprisingly spacious. It had everything one would need to survive: a bed, a small kitchen, even a closet with clean clothes. It was pristine, well-lit, and eerily sterile—clearly maintained with care, yet too well-hidden to be part of the main palace. No, this place was beneath the garden—buried like a secret.Lenox had uncovered it by lifting a section of stone flooring, revealing a narrow staircase that spiraled downward for what felt like fifty steps. At the bottom stood another heavy steel door—the true gate to the prison where Cassandra now found herself.She’d barely processed the chilling space when Lenox approached her, his towering form a shadow against the light. His claws extended slowly, gleaming like daggers under the glow. His eyes burned a deep, fur
"What's going on?"A frantic voice echoed through the vast lab, bouncing off cold, sterile walls.The Prince's eyes locked onto Cassandra’s body, floating lifelessly inside the tank. For the first time, something inside him shattered. His breath caught in his throat as he dashed toward the lower level, eyes flicking between the glass and the platform above. Her skin was pale, her face burned, her ankles grotesquely black and swollen.Unable to process the pain clawing at his chest, he stormed toward the nearest witch standing idle."I asked you—what the hell is going on? Why is her face burned? Why are her ankles swollen and blackened?" he roared, grabbing the young witch by the collar.
My possessive mate saw a naked man on top of me and thought I was cheating on him, right in his own Palace.So, he broke my legs… and burned my face.That way, only he could stand to look at me ever again.------------------------------My name is Cassandra White, the Alpha's daughter of the Red Moon Pack. I am 22 years old and still haven't found my mate. But that doesn't make me feel bad or lesser. To us werewolves, finding our mate is very important because it makes us feel whole and complete. But I am different—I am more than terrified to meet my fated partner.Today is the first day of school after summer break. I grabbed my car keys and left the house, dressed simply for school. Now in my fourth year of college, I have always been the top student."Cassy, here!" Joana called, waiting by the entrance.Joana is James's sister and my brother's mate, while James is my boyfriend.I waved at her and pointed to the parking lot. She nodded, understanding that I would be there after parki
"ARGHHH!!!!! NO, LET ME GO!!!!" I fought him with all my might and managed to push him away.Blood dripped from my neck onto my clothes. He was actually trying to mark me by force.Lenox was outraged. He grabbed my arm so fast that I couldn’t fight back. He spun me around, forcing my back against his chest, his other arm locking around my body. With both my hands trapped, I couldn't move.I struggled desperately to break free, but it was useless. His grip was so tight I felt like I was being crushed.And then—His free hand tilted my head to the side, exposing my neck. I gasped as I felt his sharp teeth against my skin, and without hesitation, he sank them deep into my flesh."Urghhh..." I groaned in pain.I stomped on his foot as hard as I could, but all it did was make him grunt—it wasn’t enough to make him let go. And then it hit me. A massive wave of electricity surged from my neck, traveling through my entire body, making me tremble uncontrollably.Tingles spread over every inch o
ONE MONTH LATERRING!!!RING!!!“The number you’ve dialed is unavailable. Please try again later.”“Ugh! I hate this!” Cassandra groaned, frustration etched on her face as she tossed her phone onto the bed. “It’s been a month since he left, and I still can’t reach him. So annoying!”Just then, a voice called from outside her room. “Knock, knock.”Cassandra turned toward the door and sighed when she saw who it was. “What are you doing here, Joana?”Joana raised a brow. “What? Don’t tell me you forgot—we’re going for a run.”Cassandra let out another sigh before running a hand through her hair. “Give me a minute. I’ll be right out.”“Sure thing!” Joana grinned before stepping back into the hallway.20 MINUTES LATER“Cassandra, slow down!” Joana shouted, panting as she struggled to keep up.Cassandra glanced back with a playful grin. “Oh, come on, Jo! You’re just too slow~” she teased, effortlessly picking up her pace.The two had been inseparable since childhood, growing up side by side
"What's going on?"A frantic voice echoed through the vast lab, bouncing off cold, sterile walls.The Prince's eyes locked onto Cassandra’s body, floating lifelessly inside the tank. For the first time, something inside him shattered. His breath caught in his throat as he dashed toward the lower level, eyes flicking between the glass and the platform above. Her skin was pale, her face burned, her ankles grotesquely black and swollen.Unable to process the pain clawing at his chest, he stormed toward the nearest witch standing idle."I asked you—what the hell is going on? Why is her face burned? Why are her ankles swollen and blackened?" he roared, grabbing the young witch by the collar.
The door that led to the room was unsettling—more like a vault than an entrance, cold and ominous, as if designed solely to imprison someone. And Cassandra felt it deep in her bones—that someone was her.The room itself was surprisingly spacious. It had everything one would need to survive: a bed, a small kitchen, even a closet with clean clothes. It was pristine, well-lit, and eerily sterile—clearly maintained with care, yet too well-hidden to be part of the main palace. No, this place was beneath the garden—buried like a secret.Lenox had uncovered it by lifting a section of stone flooring, revealing a narrow staircase that spiraled downward for what felt like fifty steps. At the bottom stood another heavy steel door—the true gate to the prison where Cassandra now found herself.She’d barely processed the chilling space when Lenox approached her, his towering form a shadow against the light. His claws extended slowly, gleaming like daggers under the glow. His eyes burned a deep, fur
NARRATOR'S POVLater that night, once the crowd had dispersed and everyone returned to their chambers, Lenox and Cassandra remained in the grand hall. Silence lingered between them like a storm about to break.Lenox stared at her, unreadable, for several long seconds. Then, without a word, without even a final glance, he turned and walked away.At the door, he paused.“I’ve known Celeste since she was a child,” he said, his back still to her. “So I know what she’s capable of. Don’t overthink what just happened.”And with that, he vanished down the corridor, leaving only cold silence in his wake.Cassandra blinked, stunned.A bitter scoff escaped her lips. “And here I thought he meant what he said.”She rolled her eyes, irritation bubbling in her chest.“Mate or not, I still don’t like you,” she muttered under her breath, as if speaking to him in absentia. “No matter what James did… my heart is still his to claim.”Her pride bruised, her chest tight, she decided she needed fresh air.T
I stood before the grand mirror in my chambers, eyes scanning my reflection, searching for something—anything—that would offer me a clue about what was happening. The stillness of the room, the haunting quiet of the Palace, all of it felt suffocating. My mind raced, but I couldn’t make sense of it. I could still hear the voice echoing in my head: “You’re not safe here...”A sudden knock broke through my thoughts, pulling me from the storm brewing inside me. The door opened, and a maid stepped inside, her face tense, and her gaze lowered.“Lady Cassandra,” she began hesitantly, “His Highness requests your presence in the Hall of Counsel.”My pulse quickened. Lenox.“Very well,” I replied, trying to keep the edge of urgency from my voice as I stepped past her.NARRATOR'S POV"How’s the progress? How much hatred have we accumulated so far?" the man asked lazily, reclining in his seat, his fingers idly tapping against the armrest."It hasn’t moved an inch yet, Your Highness," the head witc
A man swirled the wine in his glass, the deep red liquid catching the dim, flickering light of the lab. His eyes, cold and calculating, lingered on the large cylindrical tank before him—a containment glass filled with a viscous, glowing fluid. Suspended within it was a motionless figure, limbs limp, wires snaking across her body like vines claiming a statue.He stepped closer, raising a hand to the glass. His fingers hovered just above the surface, tracing the curve of the woman’s cheek through the barrier with eerie tenderness."Who would've thought you were this beautiful, my dear Cassandra?" he murmured, voice low and reverent. A bitter laugh followed. "I would've kept you for myself... too bad you were mated to that bastard."His jaw clenched, the words spat with venom, but the bitterness quickly melted into a smirk. Possessive. Dangerous."No matter," he said, swirling his wine once more. "When everything’s done, I can do whatever I want with you."He turned slightly, his gaze fal
One Week Later – Cassandra’s POVA week had passed since the night my world shattered—again.After being pumped full of painkillers, healing salves, and who knows what other forms of medicines, I was finally discharged from the Royal Infirmary, but instead of being taken back to familiar territory or even to my pack lands, I was delivered straight to the Royal Palace.Not just the audience chamber, where visitors are usually entertained. No, this time felt different. Permanent.I'd been to the Palace a handful of times before, always in my father's company. He wanted me to be familiar with the place, saying, “It’s important for a future leader to be at ease where power resides.” Back then, I thought he was just showing me off—his proud Alpha daughter. Now I wondered if he had known more than he ever let on.Maybe that’s why Scott hated me with such intensity—why his resentment festered until it turned into something monstrous. He’d always known I was being prepared for something bigger
Beep.Beep.The rhythmic sound of medical machines filled the stark white hospital room, the only sign that life still clung to her fragile body. The soft glow of moonlight filtered through the large window, casting a pale luminescence over the sterile space.A gentle touch ghosted over Cassandra’s face—light, tentative, almost reverent. As if the person feared that any more pressure would shatter her completely.She lay unmoving, her chest rising and falling in shallow, measured breaths. But whether she continues to live is still uncertain.
A man clad in a perfectly tailored black suit strode purposefully through the dimly lit corridors of the prison, his polished shoes echoing ominously against the cold, stone floor. The scent of blood thickened the air, metallic and suffocating, as he neared the scene of carnage that awaited him.Three bodies lay sprawled across the ground, their lifeless forms contorted unnaturally. Blood painted the cracked walls in violent splashes, pooling in dark, sluggish rivers around them. The flickering fluorescent light overhead cast eerie shadows over the grim tableau, making the red stains appear even more sinister.The man in the suit exhaled sharply, his fingers raking through his neatly styled hair in irritation.“What a mess,” he muttered, his voice laced with frustration. His jaw tightened as his cold, calculating eyes assessed the aftermath of what had transpired. He hated unnecessary complications."Just as you instructed, I only intervened when there was no other choice," the young m
Woken by the scorching liquid splashing against her face, Cassandra’s eyes fluttered open. A slow turn of her head brought her face-to-face with a sight so horrific that her breath hitched, her pulse hammering in her ears.James.Lifeless. Unmoving.His body dangled like a ragdoll in Scott’s grasp, his neck still clenched in a vice-like grip. The dull gleam of a bloodied blade flashed with every brutal stab, the rhythmic squelching of flesh being torn apart filling the suffocating silence. Scott was relentless, as if draining James of every last drop of blood would somehow satisfy the madness consuming him.But it didn’t.With a sharp exhale, he let the knife clatter to the floor, its crimson-stained blade spinning before stilling in a puddle of blood.Scott’s shoulders heaved, his breaths ragged, but his hunger was far from sated. His fangs gleamed under the dim light, his irises glowing an unnatural red—depraved, deranged. Oblivious to Cassandra’s petrified gaze, he bared his teeth a