Chapter 6 A Night To Remember

• Cassia was relentless.
• Kael had dealt with plenty of frustrating situations in his life—rogues, vampires, territorial disputes—but nothing tested his patience quite like Cassia’s endless stream of questions. She asked his name and he told her it was Kael. And then she never stops talking after it.
• “What’s your full name?”
• Silence.
• “How old are you?”
• More silence.
• “Are you a rogue?”
• A glare.
• “Do you have a family?”
• A muscle ticked in Kael’s jaw.
• Cassia frowned when he ignored her yet again. “Why aren’t you answering me?”
• Kael sighed through his nose. “Because you talk too much.”
• Cassia gasped, offended. “I do not!”
• “You do.”
• “No, I—” She stopped herself, narrowing her eyes. “Wait. Did you just trick me into proving your point?”
• Kael smirked.
• Cassia scowled, crossing her arms. “That’s not fair!”
• Kael rolled his eyes. He had lived in peaceful silence for years, and now he had a chatterbox following him around, asking questions about everything.
• “What’s this?”
• “A book.”
• “I know! What’s it about?”
• Kael snapped it shut. “Nothing.”
• Cassia gasped. “Books can’t be about nothing.”
• Kael pinched the bridge of his nose. He had made a mistake. A huge mistake.
• Letting her stay? Disastrous decision.
• She was too innocent. Too clueless.
• She had no idea how dangerous the world was. How cruel it could be.
• And he was running out of patience.
• Finally, Kael stood abruptly, grabbed Cassia’s wrist, and pulled her toward the door.
• Cassia yelped. “Hey! Where are we going?”
• Kael didn’t answer.
• Instead, he led her into the forest, moving swiftly through the trees. Cassia stumbled a few times, but Kael caught her arm each time before she could fall.
• She grumbled under her breath, but for once, she didn’t argue.
• Finally, Kael stopped beneath an enormous oak tree.
• Cassia blinked up at it. “Wow. It’s huge.”
• Kael crouched slightly. “Get on my back.”
• Cassia’s eyes widened. “Excuse me?”
• Kael exhaled sharply. “We’re going up.”
• Cassia hesitated. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
• Kael didn’t wait for her to agree—he simply grabbed her, effortlessly lifting her onto his back before launching them into the air.
• Cassia let out a startled shriek, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Hey!”
• Kael ignored her, scaling the tree with ease. His claws dug into the bark, his movements fluid and controlled.
• Within seconds, they reached the highest branch, where the world seemed to open up before them.
• Cassia gasped.
• The view was breathtaking.
• Above them, the sky stretched endlessly, scattered with millions of stars. The silver glow of the moon bathed the treetops in soft light.
• Cassia smiled as she remembered the first time she saw the outside of her tower. It was the same feeling she had–magical.
• And in the distance—far beyond the dense forest—Cassia saw it.
• “What is that?”
• Kael looked at Cassia’s pointing at.
• “A pack.”
• Tiny, glowing lights flickered in the darkness, marking the territory of a nearby werewolf pack.
• Cassia inhaled sharply. “A pack…”
• Kael settled on the branch beside her, watching her expression.
• Cassia’s gaze remained locked on the distant lights. “What pack is that?”
• “Silvercrest,” Kael answered. “They control this territory.”
• “Why are you not with them then?”
• Kael sighed. “I don’t need to be with them.”
• Cassia swallowed. “Would they take me in?”
• Kael turned to her, studying her carefully. “Do you want them to?”
• Cassia hesitated.
• She should have said yes. She was a werewolf. She belonged in a pack.
• But…
• She never knows that kind of life.
• Not when she had just tasted freedom.
• “I don’t know,” she admitted.
• Kael hummed, looking back at the lights. “Pack life isn’t for everyone.”
• Cassia glanced at him. “You speak like you’re not in one.”
• Kael was silent.
• Cassia’s curiosity flared. “Are you a rogue?”
• Kael’s jaw tightened. “Not in the way you think.”
• Cassia frowned. “Then what are you?”
• Kael exhaled slowly. “Someone who doesn’t belong anywhere.”
• Cassia’s chest tightened.
• She knew that feeling.
• “…Me too.”
• For a moment, neither of them spoke.
• The night air was cool, carrying the distant sounds of the forest. An owl hooted somewhere in the distance.
• Then—
• “Tell me about your father.”
• Cassia flinched.
• Kael’s voice was steady, but she could tell he wasn’t just asking out of curiosity.
• She sighed, hugging her knees to her chest. “He’s an Alpha. A strong one.”
• Kael said nothing, waiting.
• Cassia hesitated, then continued, “He kept me locked away. Said it was to protect me. But I know the truth.” She clenched her fists. “He was hiding me.”
• Kael’s gaze sharpened. “Why?”
• Cassia hesitated.
• Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, she said,
• “Because... He said I have a disease. One that anyone shouldn’t see. But I don’t believe it anymore.”
• Kael frowned. “What do you mean?”
• Cassia bit her lip. “He can’t go out because others will be infected by me. That the sun will kill me.” She exhaled. “And I don’t even know my full strength. My father never let me train. Never let me shift.”
• Kael’s eyes narrowed. Never let her shift? The sun will kill her?
• That was… strange.
• Werewolves needed to shift. It was part of who they were. Also, he thought of the creature that wasn’t a werewolf, or a vampire. But they were long gone. It was forbidden lineage for both werewolves and vampires.
• Keeping someone from shifting was like keeping a bird from flying.
• Cassia turned away, looking back at the stars. “I just… I just wanted to see the world. To know what was out here.”
• Kael studied her for a long moment.
• She really was innocent.
• She had no idea how cruel the world could be.
• And yet…
• She wasn’t weak.
• Despite everything, she had run away. She had fought for her freedom.
• And somehow, that made Kael respect her.
• He sighed, leaning back against the tree trunk. “You ask too many questions.”
• Cassia rolled her eyes. “And you give too few answers.”
• Kael smirked. “That’s on purpose.”
• Cassia huffed. “You’re impossible.”
• Silence stretched between them again.
• Then, suddenly, Cassia giggled.
• Kael raised an eyebrow. “What’s funny?”
• Cassia shook her head. “It’s just… I never thought I’d be sitting in a tree with some brooding, mysterious guy, talking about life.”
• Kael snorted. “Brooding?”
• Cassia grinned. “Very brooding.”
• Kael shook his head, exhaling. “You’re annoying.”
• Cassia beamed. “And yet, you brought me here.”
• Kael rolled his eyes but didn’t deny it.
• Instead, he looked back at the stars.
• For the first time in a long time, he wasn’t alone.
• And somehow…
• That didn’t seem so bad.