Cassandra’s POV
I woke up with a start, my chest rising and falling rapidly as my mind reeled back to everything that had happened. Katrina and I, our friendship, our rivalry. My father—no, not my real father.
The truth about my identity still felt like a cruel twist of fate. Then there was Adolphus, how he had rejected me, wanted Katrina instead.
And Dorian, how I had trusted him, accepted his marriage proposal, only to be betrayed and hurt by that same man.
I glanced around the dimly lit room, my senses slowly adjusting. My eyes fell on the only person present, Katrina. She stood with her arms folded, staring at me with an intensity that sent a sharp pang of guilt through my chest.
I forced myself upright, expecting pain, but surprisingly, there was none. My hand immediately went to my abdomen. Didn't Dorian stab me? How was I still alive? Did Katrina heal me?
I swallowed hard and finally asked, "Did you heal me?"
She raised an eyebrow. "What do you think?"
Her tone was unreadable. There was no mockery, no triumph. Just a simple question that made me feel even more vulnerable.
I bit the inside of my cheek, my pride bubbling to the surface. I couldn’t apologize, not after everything had been taken away from me.
I lifted my chin and met her gaze defiantly. "If you're here for an apology, you won't get one."
She shook her head, almost as if she had expected my response. "I came to see if you were fine. That’s all."
She turned to leave, and something inside me twisted. My throat tightened as the weight of my situation settled over me like a suffocating cloak. I clenched my fists and called after her, "What will my punishment be?"
Katrina paused at the door and shrugged. "That’s not for me to decide."
She walked out, and the moment the door clicked shut behind her, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed. I needed to get out of here.
There was no way I could reclaim my position, no way I could regain control over Crimson Pack while being held as a prisoner. But if I could escape, if I could make it home, I could gather warriors, convince them of my cause, and fight to take back what was rightfully mine.
I rushed toward the door, already formulating a plan in my head, but as soon as I reached for the handle, I froze.
Guards stood on either side of the door, their expressions blank, their stance unwavering. As though they had been expecting me.
"Step aside," I ordered, straightening my posture. "I am the soon-to-be Alpha Queen."
They didn’t budge. My heart pounded in frustration. "I said, step aside! Do you even know who you're dealing with?"
Still, they remained motionless, their silence more infuriating than any words they could have spoken. My hands balled into fists as a growl of frustration slipped through my lips.
Then I saw her. Katrina. Standing a few feet away, watching me with the faintest smirk on her lips.
Rage erupted inside me. I yanked my hands free from the guards and charged toward her, my vision blurring with pure fury. "You think you’ve won?! You think you can take everything from me?!"
But before I could reach her, she lifted a single hand, and with just a push, I was sent stumbling backward. My body collided with the wall, and the last thing I saw before everything faded to black was the look in her eyes.