Chapter 9 - Cassandra

Staring blankly through the kitchen window, the moonlit horizon is a navy blue blur that appears like a pencil sketch of beauty I can hardly appreciate right now. A forlorn sigh escapes my lips, but I have to compose myself. Cyrus’s blunt disappearance tonight is none of my business.

Yet, it plagues me to the point of discomfort, a shiver traveling up my spine and settling in the base of my throat like the first stirrings of bile.

I shouldn’t be feeling sick to the core with the suspicions that run rampant in my head. The moment we knew that Cyrus had left the vicinity, I couldn’t help but suspect that he had clocked out from patrol duty early just to visit the bed of his delightful arm candy from the other night.

I snort when I recall how Emily had been throwing herself at him the other night. Of course, Cyrus is Cyrus, best known for his oozing charm and wandering eye. I’d witnessed it that night I was supposed to meet him for the hacking job. He’s the type of man to revel between the thighs of anything on two legs.

Emily is fair game as far as he’s concerned.

“Urgh!” I groan, smacking my thighs with defeated hands. Why does it bother me, anyway?

It’s not like Cyrus Rudolph means anything to me. I shouldn’t be concerned about what he does in his free time. Except, he’s the sole reason I have no personal life myself. I had sworn off men because of Cyrus’s antics.

It’s not fair that he holds so much power over me and my life. Being back in Mysthaven, I was supposed to be making his life miserable. Yet, somehow, he’s managed to flip things on me, and now I’m the one who feels miserable.

All because he disappeared without saying a word. For a fleeting moment, I thought his insistence on having us on the same patrol rotation was because he actually cared about me.

Silly me!

Why would Cyrus care about little old me, who he would never dream of being mated to? The Cassie who was always chastised by the man for being behind a desk instead of working out to lose a few pounds.

If only he knew that all those times I’d spent burning my eyes behind the computer, I was honing my skills to become the most successful covert hacker in the world.

A hacker whose help he apparently needs.

Perhaps that will be my greatest revenge—not giving him the help he needs from Asuka.

I sigh. The vengeful idea of withholding my services not sitting well with me.

Just because he’s proven to be the same brute he was nine years ago, I’m not sure if I’m doing the right thing by not helping him.

Kenji’s been on my case about taking the job, informing me that the client has offered to pay double.

I need to understand better why Cyrus needs Asuka’s help. What is he hiding? What is he up to? And why is he so desperate to hack a government system?

When there’s a knock on the back door, my heart skips a beat and swells with a sense of anticipation and relief. I rush forward, reaching for the handle and throwing the door open.

“Cy—” I’m about to whisper his name when it’s Dakota I find outside. “Oh, D.…” I step aside. “Come in.”

“You don’t have to be so disappointed,” Dakota sniffs. “I’m only here ‘cause you called me over.”

No, no,” I quickly babbled, grabbing Dakota’s arm and pulling her into the living room. The last thing I need is for her to suspect that deep down, I was hoping to see Cyrus outside.

Perhaps I’d been expecting some explanation for his sudden disappearance the moment I followed Jarrod and the others out of the woods to hunt. Silly me again. Why would he come over at this time of the night? It’s not like he owed me an explanation, even if it was his idea to share patrol rotations.

“I’m glad you came,” I tell Dakota with an earnest smile. “I have something exciting to share.”

Dakota’s eyes light up, and color fills her cheeks. “Is it Jarrod?”

I smile cheekily and nod. “He finally decided to man up and admit that he’s into you,” I giggle, noting how bright Dakota’s cheeks become now.

She covers her mouth with her hand, bubbling with excitement. “Oh, my Goddess, Cassie! What am I gonna do?”

I take her hand and lead her to the sofa, guiding her to a seat and encouraging her to take deep breaths. “... That’s it. Just breathe. You’re gonna be fine.”

Dakota goes through a few more rounds of deep inhales and exhales before she’s calm enough to speak. “How am I gonna be fine, Cass? He’s the Beta of the pack…”

I shake my head slowly, placing both hands on each of her shoulders. “And you, my darling, are Dakota White. You’re beautiful and extremely smart. He’d be lucky to have you.”

With teary eyes, Dakota nods and thanks me by pulling me into a hug. “You know what? You’re right,” she declares, tilting her chin confidently. “I like this new you.”

I chuckle lightly, rolling my eyes. “This new me would have been nice to know nine years ago.”

Dakota quirks up a brow. “Would you have left then?”

I pout and shake my head. “Probably not. I would have stayed and made the Alpha’s life a misery sooner.”

Dakota and I share a laugh.

“How is that going for you?”

My laughter subsides as I consider her question, then shrug. “I don’t think it matters what I do or say. Cyrus isn’t a brick wall. He’s a metal pole.”

“He’s indestructible?” she muses with a sly grin. When I nod, she says, “Even metal can melt, Cass.”

I snort bemusedly at her observation. “I’m not starting a fire.”

Dakota shakes her head. “You wouldn’t need to start one, my friend. There’s already a spark…”

I stare at Dakota reproachfully. “There’s nothing there, D.”

“You keep saying that, but none of us buy it,” she sighs. “The Alpha clearly has the hots for you…”

“D!”

“It’s true!” she protests, squeezing my hand on her lap. “You know how when we were younger, we were told that boys only make fun of us when they like us.”

I can’t help but burst out laughing when Dakota wiggles her brows suggestively. “That piece of advice was misleading!” I defend. “And it’s childish. Unless the Alpha…”

“... Hasn’t grown up,” Dakota adds with a girlish giggle. “Goddess forbid he hears me,” she whispers. “But I truly think the Alpha hasn’t grown up. That’s why he makes no mention of a mate.”

“Shh! He’ll have your neck if he hears you speaking so ill of him.”

“Are you sure you’re not just defending your Alpha, Cassie?” Dakota muses.

I open my mouth to defend myself instead, wanting to call Dakota crazy for imagining that there are hidden feelings between the Alpha and me. The only feeling I do have is the resentment I’ve held onto for many years.

Then why does it bother me that he must be out there with Emily? Why do I always allow jealousy to stroke my ego when he’s the very reason I don’t care about men at all?

I never did, and I never will. It’s just… fun… to watch him lose his mind whenever I go against his orders. Or to witness the way his eyes gloss over with heated ardor when I’m dressed a little too provocatively.

It’s almost as if he can’t stand the sight of me flaunting these curves he hates so much. The body he’d admonished in the past is what I stroll in with pride that seems to irk him.

I press my lips into a tight line, confusion keeping my tongue barren. If there’s a spark between us, I hope it withers away and dies. I can’t allow Cyrus to hurt me. Again.

I’m about to change the course of our conversation and propose a late-night drink with Dakota when there’s an unexpected knock on the front door. My eyes widen as I turn to her, but all she offers me is a diffident shrug.

“I’m not expecting anyone…” I murmur as I get to my feet and walk tentatively to the door. Taking a deep breath as I reach for the handle, I try to make sense of the unwarranted shiver of awareness that courses down my spine.

It’s only when I carefully pull the door open that I soon realize why I’m feeling uneasy.

“Cassie…” Cyrus breathes, his shoulders dropping as if a weight has just been lifted. When our eyes meet, his eyes soften. “... You’re home.”

“Where else would I be?” I ask with a frown, stepping fully between the doorway. Behind me, there’s shuffling as Dakota goes around the room, but it prompts Cyrus to attempt to peek over my head with a frown.

“You’re not alone.” It sounds more like a statement than a question. “Who's here? Is it Jarrod?”

Huh? Jarrod?

Grabbing the door behind me, I fling it shut just as I step out onto the porch. I am trying my best to stay as brave as I can right now. It doesn’t help that I have to crane my neck to glower up at him.

“Why the hell would Jarrod be inside?” I demand.

Cyrus’s eyes lose their softness, a flash of mighty accusation darkening the emerald jets. “You didn’t answer my question, Cassandra. Is Jarrod inside your house?”

Shaking my head in slow confusion, my brows furrow just as Cyrus’s eyes darken dangerously. I notice his nostrils flare as if blowing off hot air of unrest, his fists curling at his sides so tightly that his knuckles pale.

“Cyrus—”

“Answer the fucking question, Cassandra.”

“Jarrod is not inside my house, Cyrus!” I snap back irritably. With the way his chest heaves unsteadily, I’m too wary to play games with him.

He looks like he’s about to burst at the seams, his jaw clenching and pulsing as if his heart is in his throat.

“... It’s Dakota, my friend. She’s inside. Look.” Without a second thought, I throw the door open and point inside to where Dakota is repacking the bookshelf with the souvenirs from the box I previously packed.

“Alpha Cyrus,” she greets with a curt bow.

Cyrus grunts, a string of unintelligible murmurings falling from his lips as he quickly steps aside into a shadow cast from the pillar on the porch. Almost as if he’s hiding, I have to stifle the urge to giggle by pressing a hand over my mouth as I step out onto the porch.

“Care to explain what that was all about?” I put forth a serious stare, crossing my arms as I stood before him.

His throat works on a gulp, which seems to strengthen his shoulders and expand his chest. Cyrus’s radiant green eyes are dark pits of ferocity right now as he glares down at me.

“Care to explain why you’re always running off with my Beta?” he grates savagely, but all I can do is stand frozen on the spot, my jaw dropping in disbelief.

“Wait… You think I have something going on with your Beta?”

Cyrus shrugs. “I wouldn’t be surprised. You’ve had your tongue dangling for him ever since you returned.”

“Are you hearing yourself right now?” I chuckled, taking a step toward him when I caught a whiff of a smell more pungent than the rich delicacies of his usually masculine scent.

“... You’ve been drinking,” I remark snidely. It’s the only reason he’s acting crazy again.

Cyrus frowns, dipping his head so that his eyes can appear more fierce. “You think I’m raving ‘cause I’m drunk?”

It’s so hard to take him seriously when his breath reeks of alcohol. “I think you’re too drunk to be taken seriously right now.”

He sneers. “So tell me I’m wrong! You can’t, can you?! ‘Cause you know it’s true. You’ve been fucking my best friend and—”

Cyrus’s voice is abruptly cut off by the sharp blow of my fingers connecting with his cheek. The impact snaps his head to the side, and it’s only after I’ve slapped him that I realize the magnitude of what I’d just done, and a hand flies over my mouth, my eyes widening in horror. In the heat of the moment, I just slapped the leader of the Moon Shine Pack.

It feels like all the horrible words he’d uttered about me and to me in the past came piling up into one moment that spurred me into thoughtless action.

“Cyrus… I’m so sorry…” I mumble through my fingers as his hand moves mechanically to his cheek. He winces when he touches the imprints of my fingers, which appear like deep pink streaks across his face.

When he turns his eyes on me, his lips peel back to flash a sardonic, almost devilish smile. “I was wrong, wasn’t I?” he chuckles perversely. “Nothing is going on between you two, is there?” His eyes light up as if he’s just made the most interesting discovery.

It takes me a moment to gather my thoughts and come back from the shock and horror of slapping the Alpha across the face. He removes his hand from the damage, his Alpha abilities employed to swiftly undo the defacement as if the slap never happened.

The only thing that remains is the deep sense of guilt and regret gnawing on my conscience and brewing inside my chest. The only reason I don’t over-apologize is because of the smirk he’s wearing.

He’s so drunk right now… So drunk that he isn’t as angry as he should be.

He takes a menacing step forward, towering over me with a brooding threat, but he doesn’t lift a single finger. His smile is unwavering, and I remain confused.

His reaction is a stark contrast to what I would have expected, his smile betraying his dominance as the Alpha of this pack.

“I don’t know why you ever thought something was going on between Jarrod and me,” I whisper tersely, my voice faint despite the racing of my heart.

“It doesn’t matter. You’ve proved me wrong,” he admits, his voice dropping an octave lower.

With a frown of confusion growing on my face, I stare into Cyrus’s eyes as he gazes down at me. He isn’t as angry as I thought he’d be. He’s not even remotely upset, his lips toying into a playful smile. It’s almost as if discovering that I have nothing going on with his Beta has brought him bemused relief.

Why?

He’s too drunk for his own good. First, accusing me of having something to do with his best friend. It’s not even worth using my energy to explain that Jarrod has been using me as a middle-man to get to my friend, Dakota.

Now, he’s not as enraged as he should be about the slap.

I just slapped the Alpha of the Moon Shine Pack, and all he’s doing is staring at me with twinkling eyes. Eyes that are so intense and penetrating, I feel as if I’m about to lose myself in the soft swirls of green with golden specks acting like pixie dust that might hypnotize me.

“Go home, Cyrus,” I suggest once I’ve successfully peeled my eyes off him, fighting against the magnetizing feeling of his hypnotic gaze. He’s too drunk to be taken seriously, too drunk for any of this to mean something more.

“Are you telling me what to do?”

I bow my head in an attempt to steer clear of his mesmerizing eyes and to show him that I am truly apologetic about what I just did.

“Please, Alpha Cyrus…” I plead. “... Go home. You may decide what my punishment will be tomorrow. With a clear—”

“A clear head?” he muses, hooking a finger under my chin and drawing my face up. I gasp when I meet his eyes, full of wonder and a glint of something I can’t quite discern.

“You’ve already cleared my head, Cassandra,” he whispers, staring fiercely into my eyes. When his gaze flits to my lips, he quickly pulls his hand away as if my skin just scorched his forefinger. His brows knit with confusion and accusation, all wrapped up in a package that I wish I could unwrap.

Without another word, he spins on his heels. He rushes off the porch, taking two steps at a time and disappearing behind the shadowy trees in the forest.

Mouth agape, I shriek in surprise when a dainty hand touches my arm.

“Good Lord… What was that about?” Dakota asks in surprise, staring at the woods.

All I can do is offer her a shrug. I’m too stunned to make sense of what just happened.

“Did you hear all of that?” I ask, to which Dakota nods.

I groan, turning toward my friend. “No one can know about what happened,” I warn. It’s one thing for the Alpha to show up here while he’s drunk. It’s another thing that I slapped him, my palm tingling now with regret.

She pinches the skin on her throat and solemnly swears, “I will not breathe a word of it. The Alpha’s honor is of utmost importance.”

“Thank you,” I murmur, staring out at the forest.

“But did you see my point?” she goes on. “He hasn’t grown up.”

“Dakota!”

“Fine,” she blows out through puckered lips, rolling her eyes. “But what just happened is proof of what I’ve been saying tonight.”

“You’re wrong, D.,” I sigh, staring at the empty woods and wondering if he’s made it home in one piece. I’m almost too reluctant to go inside but drag my feet along when I grab Dakota’s arm.

Dakota smiles feebly. “Are you defending him?”

“What? No, of course not!” I huff as I throw myself on the sofa. “The Alpha’s just under a lot of… pressure. That’s all. That’s why he’s acting the way he is.”

“That’s not what I was referring to, Cassie. He visited you in the dead of night, piss-drunk, accusing you of being with another man,” Dakota snickers, crossing her arms over her chest. “Clearly, he has the hots for you.”

I roll my eyes, throwing my head back and staring at the ceiling. “He hates me, okay? Just as much as I hate him.”

The reminder echoes in my mind, knocking around against the confines of my skull until it clatters to a stop. All that’s left is the silence that stretches when Dakota finally gives up and doesn’t try to persuade me that something is going on between the Alpha and me.

It’s a deafening silence that leaves me wondering why he’d behave that way. He’s made it clear in the past that there’s nothing between us. On those rare occasions when we’d find ourselves alone, he’d flip a switch the moment anyone came by and proved that he felt nothing but hatred for the way I looked or for the things I did.

Then why does my heart beat so quickly every time I see those emerald eyes sparkling at me behind my eyelids?

Gosh! I hate Cyrus Rudolph! I hate his hot and cold behavior! Most of all, I hate what he does to throw me off the rails and have me wondering what his lips would feel like against mine.