Chapter 4 The Lone Wolf

• The three vampires circled Cassia, their crimson eyes gleaming under the moonlight.
• “What the hell are you?” one of them hissed.
• Cassia was still staring at her shoulder, where the wound had already healed. It had closed up faster than expected—too fast, even for a werewolf. She had been injured before, but nothing like this. This wasn’t normal.
• “Hey, woman! We’re talking to you!” another vampire snapped.
• Cassia finally looked up, frowning. “What do you want to know?” She sighed dramatically. “I’m Cassia, daughter of an Alpha.” She pouted. “But I ran away because my father locked me in a tower and never let me out.”
• The vampires exchanged glances.
• It frustrated them how casually she spoke—like she didn’t have a care in the world. No… she wasn’t just indifferent. She seemed completely unaware of what was about to happen to her.
• One of the vampires clenched his fists. “Do you think we’ll believe that?”
• “Huh? Why not?” Cassia asked, confused.
• A second vampire sniffed the air, his expression darkening. “She’s definitely a werewolf. She reeks of them.” His eyes narrowed as he studied her. “But… there’s something off about her.”
• “Could she be a vampire, too?”
• “I don’t think so. We’d know if she was one of us.”
• Cassia rolled her eyes. She might have been locked away her whole life, but she knew how vampires and werewolves worked. And she knew she was a werewolf. Her father was an Alpha—how could she be anything else?
• “I already told you, guys! I’m a werewolf! My father is an Alpha! So just let me pass before someone finds me! I don’t want to go back to that stupid tower!”
• She had just tasted freedom, and there was no way she was giving it up.
• The vampires glared at her. One of them groaned in frustration.
• “If she’s really a werewolf, then let’s rip her apart!”
• Cassia’s eyes widened.
• Before she could react, they lunged.
• She dodged the first attacker with ease, twisting out of his reach and delivering a sharp kick to his ribs.
• “Hey! I told you to just let me through!”
• The vampire grunted, stumbling back. “Not happening!”
• The second vampire grabbed her wrist, his grip like iron, but she twisted her arm and yanked him forward, sending him crashing into a tree.
• The third was faster.
• Before she could dodge, he slammed into her, knocking the air from her lungs as they tumbled across the forest floor.
• Cassia gritted her teeth as she hit the ground, the weight of the vampire pinning her down. His fangs were inches from her throat, his breath cold against her skin. She grabbed his shoulders, trying to push him off, but his strength was inhuman.
• She needed more power.
• A familiar fire burned beneath her skin, the same energy she had felt when she first stepped into the sunlight. It pulsed, waiting to be unleashed.
• Then—everything happened at once.
• A gust of wind. The sharp scent of blood. The sickening crack of bones snapping.
• And suddenly, the vampire pinning her down went rigid.
• His crimson eyes widened in shock before his body slumped lifelessly to the side.
• Cassia gasped, rolling away as the second and third vampires collapsed to the ground, their bodies motionless.
• What?
• Someone had just taken them out.
• She scrambled to her feet, heart pounding, and turned to see a figure emerging from the shadows.
• A man.
• He was tall, his dark clothes blending into the night. His presence was commanding, almost predatory. The faint glow of the moon illuminated his sharp jawline, tousled black hair, and piercing gray eyes that locked onto hers.
• He wasn’t a vampire.
• And he wasn’t a normal werewolf either.
• Cassia’s instincts screamed at her to be cautious.
• He had just killed three vampires in the blink of an eye.
• Who is he?
• “Who are you?” she demanded, trying to keep her voice steady.
• The man tilted his head slightly, studying her. His gaze flickered to the dead vampires before returning to her.
• Then, finally, he spoke.
• “Who are you?” His voice was calm but firm. “You’re not supposed to be here.”
• Cassia rolled her eyes. “Why does everyone keep telling me that?” She sighed. “You know what? Thanks for the help, but I’ll be going now.”
• She turned on her heel and started walking.
• The man—Kael—watched her, his expression unreadable.
• She didn’t even seem fazed. She wasn’t afraid of him. She didn’t even care.
• “Wait.” Kael’s voice was sharp. “Where do you think you’re going?”
• Cassia stopped and glanced back at him. “What do you mean? I’m leaving.”
• Kael gestured toward the path she was about to take. “That’s a dead end.”
• Cassia frowned. “Dead end?”
• Kael pointed past the trees. “You’ll walk straight off a cliff if you keep going that way.”
• Cassia blinked, then turned to look in the direction she had been heading. She squinted.
• “Oh.”
• Kael raised an eyebrow, amused. But he had no time for this. He had already helped her.
• “Go back home,” he said as he started walking away. “It’s dangerous out here. Vampires and rogues will take you down without a second thought.”
• Cassia bit her lip.
• Go back home? She couldn’t.
• She had nowhere to go.
• For the first time, a cold realization settled in her chest. Outside the tower, she knew no one. Except for her father and the guards who had kept her locked up, the only people she had ever seen were the vampires who just tried to kill her.
• Her gaze drifted to Kael, who was already walking away.
• Her legs moved before she could think. She followed him.
• Kael noticed immediately. He stopped and turned, catching her before she could even try to act casual.
• Cassia froze.
• Kael sighed. Then, without warning, he started walking again.
• Cassia hesitated for only a second before following him again.
• This time, Kael turned around faster.
• Cassia almost stumbled.
• “Are you following me?” he asked flatly.
• Cassia winced. “Ahm… I-I don’t have anywhere to go. Can you help me?”
• Kael frowned. “I told you to go back to your pack. Stop wandering around alone.”
• “I can’t. I ran away.”
• “That’s not my problem.” His voice was firm. “Go. And don’t follow me.”
• Cassia pouted as she watched him walk away.
• She had just made up her mind to follow him anyway when—
• He vanished.
• Cassia gasped, spinning in a circle. “Huh? Where did he—”
• There was nothing. No trace of him.
• She sighed, shoulders slumping.
• “He really left me here…”
• She was alone. Again.