Chapter 2 The Escape

• Alpha Lucian returned to the tower carrying his tools and new wooden planks. Without wasting time, he fixed the window, sealing it tightly to ensure no light would seep through again. He ran his hand over the repaired section, double-checking his work before stepping back with a satisfied nod.
• “I’m leaving now, Cassia,” he said firmly. “Remember what I told you—never dare to leave this place.”
• Cassia didn’t respond. She remained slumped on her bed, facing the wall with her back to him.
• Lucian sighed. He knew she was upset, but there was nothing he could do. No matter how much she pleaded, he couldn't let her leave. The world outside was too dangerous—not just for her, but for others as well.
• “I’ll go now,” he murmured.
• With a heavy heart, he turned to the door, locking it securely from the outside. He took a few steps and reached the next door, this one made of solid iron with three locks. Only he had the keys. Beyond that, he descended the long stone staircase leading down. At the base, two more iron doors reinforced Cassia’s confinement.
• As he stepped outside, the guards immediately straightened their stance.
• “Be on high alert,” Alpha Lucian commanded. “She must not leave under any circumstances. Check the windows regularly and report any unusual activity to me.”
• “Yes, Alpha!” the guards responded in unison.
• Lucian took a deep breath and cast one last glance up at the tower before walking away.
• Inside, Cassia waited until she was sure her father had left. When the silence settled, she sat up and turned her gaze toward the newly patched window. She approached it and let out a frustrated sigh. He had reinforced it well—no cracks, no weak spots.
• But Cassia was done being obedient.
• After discovering she didn’t perish under sunlight, she knew—she knew—her father had been lying to her. She wasn’t sick. She wasn’t cursed. He had been keeping her trapped for another reason.
• Determined, she scanned the room, her mind racing for a way out. She knew every inch of this space, from the smooth wooden floor to the walls lined with bookshelves. She had read every book available, learned every craft imaginable, and developed skills she never had the chance to use. Her bed, covered in soft pillows, was the only place that brought her comfort. But no amount of luxury could make up for her isolation.
• She was done with this routine.
• Cassia turned to the second damaged window—one her father hadn’t noticed. She flipped the curtain aside, her heart pounding as she felt the cool night breeze brush against her skin. She exhaled in relief.
• He didn’t notice this one.
• Without hesitation, she gripped the wooden planks that had been loosely covering the gap. With her inhuman strength, she ripped them away as if they were mere twigs. The wood crashed onto the floor, leaving a wide opening.
• Cassia peered outside, her breath hitching when she realized how high the tower truly was. The moonlit forest stretched endlessly below her, and just beneath the tower, she spotted two guards sitting by a fire.
• Her eyes widened. “There were people here the whole time?” she whispered in disbelief.
• She had always believed she was completely alone in the middle of nowhere.
• But there was no time for hesitation.
• Before her courage could waver, Cassia took a deep breath and jumped out of the window.
• The air rushed past her, and for a split second, she panicked—until her feet landed smoothly on the ground. The impact was light, effortless, as if her body had been built for this.
• She grinned. “Wow.”
• For the first time in her life, she felt truly alive.
• “Miss Cassia!”
• The guards had seen her.
• Cassia groaned and ran toward the forest, her bare feet barely making a sound against the damp soil.
• She didn’t care.
• She wasn’t stopping.
• Cassia didn’t know how long she had been running, but the moment she reached the river’s edge, she jumped in without a second thought. The cold water engulfed her, but instead of fear, all she felt was exhilaration.
• When she emerged on the other side, she gasped for air and collapsed onto the grass, her body tingling with excitement.
• She stared up at the night sky, its vastness overwhelming her. Then, slowly, she smiled.
• “I’m… free,” she whispered.
• A burst of laughter escaped her lips.
• “I’m free!”
• She didn’t know where to go. She had never met another soul besides her father and the nanny who once cared for her. All she knew about the outside world came from books.
• She was scared.
• But more than that—she was free.
• And that was all that mattered.