~ the Dark Howlers pack ~
Cassie was in a room that had a bed, a sofa with a low coffee table, and a television attached to the wall. The side door led to a bathroom.
This room was better than the dungeon where she spent the first three days after talking to Damon and Talia, but it didn't change the fact that she was a prisoner. How long was she in here? Cassie lost count of days, but it was definitely more than a week.
The door was locked from the outside, and they had metal bars on the windows. No matter how much she looked outside, the only thing she could see was the forest. She was stuck in the middle of nowhere and even though they didn't torture her, she was not fine with being confined. Cassie couldn't see any cameras, but she had a feeling of being watched.
So, what if she came with an agenda? That didn't change the fact that she gave them genuine information.
Cassie found that on her father's desk and while going through his drawers. She risked getting caught and punished seriously, yet they thanked her by locking her up.
The only good thing about this situation was that no one bullied her or rubbed in her face that her father was expecting another child and she will be replaced. Cassie scoffed at the thought of being replaced.
Not so long ago, she was the princess of the Steelbite pack. Her father pampered her, and she had exclusive access to Alpha Damon, the handsome Alpha of the largest pack in North America. Cassie thought she was at the top of the world, unaware of how fragile that world was. It all collapsed in an instant and she was left with nothing. Even her gorgeous hair was gone.
Cassie jolted when she heard the lock clicking.
"Talia?" Cassie called in surprise, and she looked behind Talia to see if someone else was with her.
Cassie thought it would be the guards bringing something, or maybe Damon came to see her, and she didn't expect Talia.
Cassie's mood deflated visibly when she confirmed that Talia was on her own.
How Cassie saw this, most of her troubles were due to Talia's existence. If Talia didn't show up, Cassie would still be able to stick to Damon, and she would have her hair! If Talia didn't give that stupid punishment that included a tribute from the Steelbite pack, Elders wouldn't be so quick to band against Cassie.
"What do you want?" Cassie asked Talia grumpily.
Talia put her hand behind her back, but not before Cassie saw that Talia was holding a folded magazine. Did she bring her reading material?
"I came to ask you where you want to go," Talia said.
"You are letting me go?" Cassie asked suspiciously.
Talia confirmed. "A deal is a deal. You gave us information and we will send you to the destination of your choice without your father knowing."
Cassie narrowed her eyes at Talia. "Why now? Where is Damon? I want to talk to him."
Cassie groaned when Talia's aura pressed on her.
"It's ALPHA DAMON for you, Cassie," Talia squeezed through her teeth. "You will talk to me, or there won't be a deal."
Talia retracted her aura and Cassie needed a moment to compose herself before asking, "What about the secrets I know? Aren't you afraid I will tell others?"
"After all the trouble you've caused, no one will believe you," Talia said. "If you need a reminder, I will be happy to entertain you. You are the reason why the Steelbite pack is paying tribute to the Dark Howlers pack. You have a reputation as someone who is shamelessly chasing after Damon. People also know you as a pampered princess, and since the latest edition of the WW Magazine…" Talia put the magazine on the coffee table for Cassie to see. "They also believe that you ran away from home since you can't stand the idea of a sibling."
Cassie's eyes widened. The front page had a bubble with her picture and a caption, 'A troubled princess on the run.' Cassie opened the magazine on the said page to see that they were guessing if she found herself a man, or if she stole valuables from the Stellbite pack. Another bubble said how Alpha Richard declines to comment on the situation, but he confirmed that he is expecting a child.
Cassie's stomach dropped. Now people think of her as a runaway and a thief. Can this get any worse?
Talia waited for Cassie to raise her gaze before saying, "We will honor our part of the deal. So… where do you want to go, Cassie?"
Cassie was not sure if she should trust Talia. If their roles were reversed, Cassie would definitely use this opportunity to get revenge.
"Can I talk to Alpha Damon?" Cassie asked. "It would put me at ease to know that he is aware of what's going on."
"It is not my responsibility to put you at ease," Talia responded with finality. "You either deal with me, or we will leave you outside the Dark Howlers pack territory and you can fend for yourself. Or do you think I'm stupid to give you another chance to seduce my mate? Do you think he will be softhearted because you used to warm his bed?"
Talia's temper flared. She said those last words without thinking how they will impact her mood.
Talia was overcome with bloodlust and the desire to rip Cassie into pieces. The pregnancy hormones boosted her emotions to the extreme.
"Excuse my choice of words. You were never qualified to go to his room so you couldn't warm his bed." Talia felt better after saying this.
Cassie's expression tightened. "I don't trust you."
"The feeling is mutual," Talia said. "I knew you were stubborn, but I didn't know you were stupid. Look around, Cassie. You have one minute to tell me where you want to go, or I will leave, and then the warriors will come to drag your sorry ass out of here."
Cassie gritted her teeth. "I know things that are useful, that can harm you."
"Harm me?" Talia asked with amusement in her voice as her mood fluctuated again. "Do you have any idea with whom you are talking to? You played all your cards, Cassie. There is nothing useful you can give us."
Thanks to the leads Cassie gave them, they conducted a successful attack on a secret settlement of rogues. Damon and Maddox were confident that those were not all of them, but casualties caused a big dent in the forces that rogues had at their disposal. How will that change the rogues' plans to make a move during James' birthday? No one could predict that.
Talia wanted to address one more point. "After tonight, everyone will know my real identity. Do you think that people will dare to come after me when they confirm that Alpha Damon's fated mate is the Alpha of the Midnight Guardians pack?"
Cassie's eyes widened in shock, and her concern about her well-being swelled.
What did Talia say? She saw some notes on her father's desk about how Talia and Alpha Natalia were the same person, but no one knew for sure. What did this mean? Couldn't they just dispose of her? Talia could kill her with a thought, and no one would know. Would anyone search for her?
