Cassian's eyes snapped open as a jolt of electricity surged through his heart. His blood burned, as if his very cells were reshaping themselves. The fractures in his skull from earlier sealed instantly, the pain vanishing without a trace.
The sun's rays pierced his vision, searing his skin with a faint, stinging heat. Instinct took over—before he could think, he had already leapt into the canopy of a towering tree, retreating into the shade.
"Where am I?" His voice was low, unfamiliar even to himself. His eyes scanned the surroundings. Then—pain. A scream tore through his skull, forcing him to his knees.
Flashes of memory. The girl. The blood.
He had fallen asleep here. No—he had died here.
"Why do I feel… different?" He looked down at himself. His body had changed. Stronger. Sharper. Every fiber of his being was in peak form. He could hear the faintest shift in the air—the whisper of wings as birds took flight in the distance.
Then, a name escaped his lips.
"Selene."
Today was the wedding. He had to get to the Citadel's hall. He had to see her.
He turned to leave, but the moment he stepped forward, he had already crossed the distance past the girl's body. His movement—faster than usual, unyielding. He halted, glancing back.
Her lifeless eyes remained open, empty and cold. Her skin had paled to a ghostly white.
Cassian exhaled sharply. "You're weak, girl." His voice was devoid of emotion. Then, without hesitation, he crushed her skull beneath his boot and jolted away.
******
Cassian arrived at Citadel's hall early. The air reeked of Lycans. It was worse than he could remember. Lycans had always had a stench but his sense of smell was Sharper now. Which made things worse for him.
He stood at the entrance of the hall. Lycans seated at the left and vampires at the right. He scanned the hall in search of Selene but she wasn't there.
He turned and jolted to her room. He landed softly when he heard her voice "Are you not going to say anything?" she said to her mother who didn't seem to have a slight sense of care.
"Sometimes duty comes before desire selene." she finally spoke. Cassian could hear selene's heart pounding in fear. She didn't want this.
He could smell her royal blood. It seemed different from others.
"You're right lady Valamir." Cassian thought to himself. "Duty does come before desire."
And then he felt the piercing eyes of Selene on him. His gaze remained on her firmly. "Are you in on this too?" her voice came after a while. But he chose not to answer.
"Duty comes before desire." The words echoed in his mind.
She moved and slipped past him. He caught her wrist, holding her as carefully as he could. In the fear that he might crush her bone.
She pulled her hands away from him and walked away.
His blood boiled. His anger rose and then the soft voice of lady Valamir came in.
"Thank you Cassian." She said her voice, breaking. "Thank you for letting her go, I cannot imagine the pain you're in but I know your father would be proud of you." She continued her eyes wet with tears.
Cassian stood confused as to why she was sobbing. She had just shown no emotion in front of Selene.
" I was once betrothed to your father you know…" she continued as if seeking comfort from him.
"He was a good man and I loved him. But duty comes before desire."
"Duty!" Cassian spoke, his voice laced with anger.
"I will carry out my duty, lady Valamir. Don't you worry." He said as he stepped forward giving her a hug in the form of comfort.
And then he turned and walked away, leaving her sobbing endlessly in selene's room.
********
Cassian sat in the corner of the room, one leg crossed over the other, listening to the endless chatter of vampires as they drank in celebration.
"The war is finally over. We're safe from these vermin," an elderly man told his wife before pressing a kiss to her lips.
Cassian smirked. Safe?
At the far end of the hall, King Valamire's voice boomed as he laughed and toasted with the other council members.
"The deal is done, the plan is in motion. All we need to do is wait."
Cassian's smile widened. What plan?
His last plan had led to his father's death. To Sebastian's death. To the deaths of countless others. And now—another?
His gaze shifted to the Lycans. They sat together, stiff and silent. They weren't celebrating, yet none of them spoke against the union.
Then his eyes landed on Lucian, seated beside Selene. His presence, as always, carried weight, but something was different now. Cassian no longer felt oppressed by him—no longer felt weak like he had in the council hall.
Lucian's gaze moved methodically across the room, a silent command passing between him and his warriors. But his attention frequently flickered toward the end of the hall—toward his mother.
Queen Liora sat there, drowning herself in wine, the weariness of a lifetime etched into her features.
In an instant, Cassian was beside her.
"Woah!" she gasped, startled by his sudden appearance. "I didn't know vampires were this fast." A lazy smile curled on her lips.
Cassian's voice came smooth, deep—almost flirty. "Hello, beautiful." He leaned slightly closer. "Enjoying yourself?"
"And why wouldn't I be?" she mused, taking another sip.
"I finally get to meet the great Queen Liora. My father spoke very highly of you." His hands folded behind his back, his tone laced with amusement.
"Oh, how nice," she said, smiling. "I never knew a vampire could speak highly of a Lycan." Her golden eyes locked onto his.
"Well, I guess that's a first." Cassian smirked, his slick hair shifting slightly as a draft passed through the hall.
Then, his voice dropped. "There's something else my father used to say." He paused, watching her reaction.
"If you want to start a war—kill a royal."
Her expression shifted instantly. Eyes sharp. But before she could react—
Cassian's hand plunged into her chest.
Her mouth opened in a silent scream, but his palm was already there, muffling any sound.
"Sleep now, my queen," he whispered, pulling her into an almost intimate embrace as he grinned like a madman.
"Well done, boy," a voice purred in his mind.
Cassian's grin widened.
"Now," he murmured, tilting his head. "Let's enjoy the show."
With one sharp motion, he tore her heart from her chest.
Before a single pair of eyes could lock onto him—he was gone. He smirked as he passed Selene with the speed of light.
"Stay safe princess."