Chapter 16

Chapter 16 Cora’s story

CA SSANDRA

I lingered outside the meeting room door for a moment, and my heart beat ferociously in my chest. Sure enough, Marley was gone, and I took this alone time to center myself.

It’d been a long time since I’d thought about the girl I’d been before the inferno.

As the years had grown by, I’d allowed her to fade away into near nothingness, but the return of Asher Collins to my life had changed that entirely. Ca ssandra Keller, my new identity, was no match for the Alpha King, and his arrival, along with the order to return to Anemond, had a chance of tearing my life to shreds.

Long ago, I’d been Cora Felix, the daughter of a Ga mma wolf named Darrin Felix. I had been born into a prestigious werewolf family, exalted in the Wegalla Empire, and the Crescent Pack in particular.

My father and my older brother, Ector, were well-respected warriors in our Pack. They were tough as nails and a major a*set to the crown. After a chain of events, I was chosen to be Asher-the Alpha prince’s-mate and the future Luna of the empire. Life was perfect, wonderful even.

That is, until it all fell apart.

For reasons unknown, my father was framed and accused of committing crimes. against the Lord Beta’s family. It was claimed that my father wanted to steal the Beta’s position, and as such, he was imprisoned for his alleged crimes. Meanwhile, my brother Ector was banished to be a guard at the impoverished border.

I was taken prisoner as well, confined away, and left to die alone.

It was well-known throughout the Wegalla empire that Cora Felix had died in ant inferno, Darrin in prison, and Ector at the border. It was believed that the entire Felix family had been cursed by the Moon Goddess for their crimes against the crown.

But it wasn’t a curse.

It was a plot.

We’d all be set up.

They’d wanted me to die alone. They’d forced a poison down my throat that’d numbed my limbs and rendered me unable to move. They’d arranged the entire thing to make it seem as if it were an accident.

Even to this day, I had no idea who the killers were. They had been wearing elaborate masks when they broke into my home and set the place ablaze. As they forced their concoction down my throat, they claimed they had been empowered by the Moon Goddess and were executing me out of loyalty to their new King.

My life hadn’t been the same since that fateful night, and I doubted it’d ever be the same again. I’d sworn many times over the years that I’d never return to Anemond again.

But now… I had no choice. I had to follow the Alpha King’s orders and treat the illness that plagued the Wild Crawler Pack. I had to leave my entire life behind yet again and return to the place of my nightmares.

I took a moment to breathe and then forced the memories out of my mind. I couldn’t let myself drown in them, not when I had more important things looming on

the h orizon.

Above all else, I had to keep my wits about me, since Anemond was a dangerous place full of dangerous werewolves. I would need to stay strong if I was going to keep myself and Finnick safe.

“Mrs. Keller?” a voice interrupted my thoughts, and when I looked up, I noticed. a young woman not much older than me, staring at me with a pleasant expression. She was very pretty, with long, curly chestnut-brown hair and sky-blue eyes. I’d seen her around the Pack House before- she was a maid whose name I

unfortunately couldn’t remember.

“Yes?” I asked.

“I’m here to escort you to your room,” the maid said, and she gestured to the hallway beside us. Her voice was very kind, and she offered me a soft smile.

“What’s your name?” I asked her.

“Amalia,” she introduced herself.

“Amalia,” I repeated back and I smiled. “That’s a really beautiful name.”

“Thank you so much, Mrs. Keller,” Amalia replied, and her eyes glittered at the compliment. Alpha Gareth and Luna Sofia were far more gracious to their staff than the other royal families, so I knew she was treated quite well, but an extra ounce of compa*sion and niceness didn’t hurt.

“Where is my room located?” I wondered as I glanced around. My b*dy ached. so much, and I hoped I wouldn’t have to walk too far throughout the Pack House on

my own.

“It’s just past the lobby,” Amalia said, and then she gestured forward. “Shall we, Mrs. Keller?”

I nodded, and then I followed her down the hall. Each step was incredibly painful, but I managed to keep my face from betraying my anguish.

Once we reached the lobby of the Pack House, I spotted Jasper. His arms were crossed behind his back dutifully, but his dark eyes met mine immediately met mine

when I arrived.

“Will you excuse me for just a moment, Amalia?” I asked the maid, and she offered me a small nod.

“I’ll wait for you over there,” she said, and after she glanced at Jasper, she walked to the other end of the entryway. Once she was gone, I approached Jasper.

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“So, Marley left?” I asked him, and his cheeks darkened significantly.

“Yes,” he said quietly, and his hand reached up to brush his n*eck awkwardly. “It was Alpha Gareth’s order.”

see,” I remarked. “I just wanted to make sure she was okay.

“She’s fine, I promise you,” he said sheepishly as if he were embarra*sed by something. “She.. didn’t exactly want to go. She’s stubborn, you know. But I managed to convince her to go home.”

When his hand moved away, I noticed the skin of his n*eck was red and raised, as if he’d been scratched.

Marley.

My best friend could be a little feral at times, and if his n*eck was any indication, she’d put up a fight on her way out.

“She wanted to say goodbye,” Jasper admitted when he caught me looking at the scratches. “We told her she had to go.”

“That’s Marley,” I remarked. “Sorry she did such a number on you.”

“It’s okay,” he said. “You’re her best friend. She’s protective of you.”

We fell into silence for a moment. Marley was incredibly strong, and I admired just how much she cared about me. If I’d been in her position, I’d have done the

same.

Except maybe the scratching part.

“I’m sorry, Ca ssandra,” Jasper suddenly said. For a moment, I thought he was referring to the Marley situation, but his expression told me he was talking about my forthcoming departure. As a guard, he must have known what was going on.

“Don’t be sorry,” I said softly, and I offered him a small smile to show my appreciation. “It’s not your fault, Jasper.”

We smiled sadly at each other for a minute. There was so much I wanted to say, but I couldn’t find the words.

“Mrs. Keller?” Amalia called out and interrupted the moment.

“One minute!” I called back, and then I looked at Jasper. “See you later, okay?”

“Have a good night, Ca ss,” he replied.

As I walked away toward Amalia, I couldn’t help but feel sad. I would miss Marley and Jasper when I was in Anemond.

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