The Lost Alpha Queen: Heaven and Hell Bound

Chapter 2

Cassandra’s POV

I couldn’t sleep.

Every time I closed my eyes, his face appeared in my mind. The sharp angles of his jaw, the way his dark lashes fanned against his skin, the way his broad chest rose and fell with each slow, labored breath. He was handsome. There was no denying it. But that wasn’t what unsettled me.

It was the doctor’s words. He’s powerful.

Who was he? Why was he left for dead? And why did I feel this strange pull toward him, like I needed to be near him, to make sure he was okay?

With a sigh, I threw my blanket aside and got out of bed. My room was dimly lit by the moonlight streaming in through the window, casting shadows across the walls.

I paced for a few seconds, debating with myself. Would it be foolish to go to the clinic in the middle of the night? Would it make me seem obsessed?

I groaned and ran a hand through my hair. Screw it. I wasn’t going to sleep anyway.

Grabbing a cloak, I slipped out of my room and into the cool night air. The Pack was silent, save for the distant howls of wolves in the forest. The clinic wasn’t far, it was close to my father’s home, but as I made my way there, I suddenly heard footsteps approaching.

I froze.

Then I saw him. My father. Alpha Nathaniel.

"Cassandra," he said, his voice firm yet gentle. "Where are you going this late?"

I straightened my shoulders. "To the clinic."

He studied me for a moment, his dark eyes sharp. "You’re worried about the man you saved?"

I hesitated. A lump formed in my throat, but I nodded. Saved. That word. I hadn’t corrected anyone earlier when they assumed I had been the one to rescue him. And now, my father believed it too.

I saw how the villagers whispered among themselves, pointing at me as the savior and looking at me as if I was some kind of hero.

I was the Alpha’s daughter, and they believed I was the one who had saved him.

But I wasn’t.

It was Katrina who found and saved him. And yet, for some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to correct them.

Katrina had always loved like that. I remember when we were kids and I left the Pack without informing anyone. By the time I arrived, the whole Pack was in pandemonium, looking around for me.

Katrina had stepped in, to tell the Alpha I had gone out with her.

She had always been like that. Defending me. Getting punished instead of me and that has increased the bond between us.

Now, we are inseparable.

Alpha’s expression softened. "I heard what you did. You have a kind heart, Cassandra. That is a trait of a true leader."

My chest tightened. A part of me wanted to tell him the truth, that I wasn’t the one who found the stranger, that it had been Katrina who carried him through the forest, who ran for help while I stood there, holding his sword.

But the words never came.

Instead, I forced a small smile. "Thank you, Father."

He nodded approvingly. "The doctor informed me earlier that the stranger is improving. He could wake up at any time now."

That made my stomach twist with anticipation. What will he say when he wakes?

Would he remember what happened? Would he be grateful? Or would he be dangerous?

"I’ll check on him," I said quickly, bowing my head before continuing my way to the clinic.

***

The moment I stepped inside, the scent of herbs and antiseptic filled my nose. The room was dim, with only a few candles flickering on the wooden shelves. And there he was, still unconscious, his chest slowly rising and falling.

I moved closer, pulling a chair beside his bed.

His face looked so peaceful, but there was something about him, something fierce, even in his stillness. His strong hands rested at his sides, his fingers twitching slightly as if caught in a dream. His body was built for war, for battle.

He stirred.

I sucked in a breath, my heart pounding as I leaned forward. His eyelids fluttered, and for a moment, I thought he was going to wake up.

But then, his breathing evened out again.

I let out a slow exhale, both disappointed and relieved.

Just then, the door creaked open, I turned around slowly to see Katrina stepping in.

She stopped when she saw me, raising an eyebrow. "Couldn’t sleep either?"

I shook my head. "No. You?"

She sighed, walking closer. "I kept thinking about him."

I nodded in agreement, my fingers tracing the hem of my cloak. "I wonder who he is."

Katrina shrugged, her expression unreadable. "We’ll find out when he wakes up."

I studied her face, wondering if she felt the same curiosity I did. But she didn’t linger. After a moment of silence, she turned toward the door.

"I’m heading back," she said. "Try to get some rest."

I nodded, watching as she left.

But I didn’t follow.

Instead, I remained in my chair, staring at the stranger’s face, waiting for a sign that he would wake up.

I didn’t know when my eyes began to droop or when exhaustion finally crept up on me.

I only knew that at some point, as the candles burned low, I fell asleep beside him.