radicalducati Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Cassandra’s POV
The night of the full moon had finally arrived.
I stood beneath the vast night sky, my heart pounding in anticipation.
The moon was a glowing silver disk above us, its light bathing the pack in an ethereal glow.
This was supposed to be the night everything changed, the night my power awakened, the night I felt my mate bond snap into place like an unbreakable chain.
I felt like finding my mate would fasten everything up and I would eventually be able to use my powers as the true bearer of the Eclipse Moon Bound and the Lunar Flame.
But as the moonlight washed over me, I felt nothing.
No surge of strength. No electric pull toward Adolphus. Just the same hollow feeling in my chest that had been growing for days.
My hands clenched into fists as I swallowed the disappointment. I refused to accept this. Maybe I needed to be closer to him. Maybe the bond just needed proximity.
Steeling myself, I stepped forward, making my way toward Adolphus, who stood at the edge of the training grounds with the other warriors. His sharp gaze was fixed on the moon, his expression unreadable.
I took a deep breath and sat beside him, close enough for our shoulders to brush. The contact sent a thrill through me, but still, no bond.
I glanced at him, but his attention was elsewhere. Following his line of sight, I felt my stomach twist in anger. He was looking at her.
Katrina.
She stood alone, as she always did. But tonight, there was something different in her posture, an uncertainty, as if she, too, was waiting for something.
For her mate too.
Or her shift.
I remembered how clearly she tried to discourage me from putting all my hopes on Adolphus being my mate.
Her bad energy had just rubbed off me. She caused this.
My hands curled in my lap as a bitter thought slithered into my mind. Had she always known? Had she sensed, before I did, that Adolphus was never meant to be mine?
I forced my expression into one of calm indifference, even as my insides burned. I would not let her have the satisfaction of seeing me break.
Before I could say anything, a sharp howl pierced the air.
The sound sent a chill down my spine.
A second later, chaos exploded.
Shadows moved between the trees, the scent of blood and rot filling the air. Rogues.
They came fast, lunging from the darkness like starved animals. Warriors rushed to meet them, the sound of growls, snarls, and clashing steel ringing through the night.
Adolphus shot to his feet, his body instantly shifting into battle mode. "Stay close," he ordered, unsheathing his sword.
I didn’t need to be told twice. I sprang up, drawing my own blade. I could be the daughter of the Alpha, but I was still a fighter, and I would not let some filthy rogues be the reason I failed tonight.
A rogue lunged at me, its yellow eyes glowing with hunger. I sidestepped, slashing my blade across its throat, feeling the warm spray of blood against my arm. It crumpled to the ground, but three more took its place.
My heart pounded as I fought, every muscle burning, every movement precise.
I could feel Adolphus behind me, but his attention was split. He was distracted.
Another rogue came at me, claws swiping toward my face. I barely managed to duck in time, my sword slicing through its ribs. As it fell, I caught a glimpse of why Adolphus was distracted.
Katrina.
She was a few feet away, struggling. A rogue had pinned her down, its teeth snapping inches from her throat.
Adolphus moved.
I expected him to stay by my side. I expected him to protect me. That was his job.
But in an instant, he was gone, leaving me behind as he rushed to her aid.
My breath caught in my throat as I watched. He didn’t even hesitate.
One swing of his blade and the rogue was dead, its body collapsing beside Katrina. He grabbed her wrist, pulling her to her feet, his hands lingering on her arms for longer than necessary.
Then they looked at each other. And in that moment, everything changed.
I could see it, the unspoken understanding, the silent acknowledgment that something had always been there between them. Something neither of them had admitted until now.
Rage boiled inside me, hotter than fire, sharper than any blade.
Katrina had always been beneath me. The orphan girl. The one who didn’t belong.
And yet, he chose her.
He saved her instead of protecting me.
I was the princess. The Alpha’s daughter. The one destined for greatness.
And she was just a weakling.
My grip tightened around my sword, my knuckles going white. Katrina may have been my friend once. But that moment, that betrayal changed everything.
She was no longer just a rival.
She was my enemy.