The Lycan Pack's Luna

Cassandra's POV

I should have known.

The quiet was a lie.

I had spent enough time on battlefields to understand that silence was never safety-it was a warning. And yet, I had let my guard down. I had allowed myself to believe, for just a moment, that the worst had passed.

But now, as I stood in the dim corridor of the castle's western wing, staring at the figure emerging from the shadows, I knew the truth.

This had all been a game. And Adrian had been playing us from the very beginning.

A slow, amused chuckle filled the space between us.

"I was wondering when you'd figure it out," Adrian murmured. His voice was smooth, almost bored, as if none of this-his presence, the betrayal, the war-was anything more than an inconvenience.

My pulse thundered in my ears.

I took a step back, reaching for my daggers. Too late.

Hands closed around my arms, gripping hard enough to bruise. A second too slow. A mistake that cost me everything.

The world blurred as something heavy struck the back of my skull, and the last thing I heard before darkness swallowed me whole was Adrian's voice-low, satisfied.

"Checkmate."

---

Pain drags me back into consciousness. It comes in waves-sharp, relentless, throbbing at the base of my skull like a war drum. My limbs feel heavy, the weight of exhaustion pressing down on me, but it's the burning sensation around my wrists that jolts me fully awake.

I try to move.

Rope bites into my skin. My arms are pulled above my head, bound so tightly that my fingers tingle from the lack of circulation. The air is damp, thick with the scent of mildew and rusted iron, and as my vision clears, I realize where I am.

A dungeon.

The stone walls are rough, uneven, and the flickering torchlight does little to chase away the shadows lurking in the corners. Chains hang from the ceiling, some still stained with old blood, and the realization sends a sickening twist through my stomach.

Then I hear it.

Footsteps.

Slow. Deliberate. Unrushed.

A cold shiver crawls down my spine. Even before the heavy iron door groans open, I already know who it is.

Adrian.

He steps inside, his dark armor gleaming in the dim light, his face unreadable except for the faint amusement curling at the edges of his lips. His presence fills the room like a gathering storm, pressing against my skin, suffocating in its inevitability.

"Awake at last," he murmurs, his voice smooth, controlled. "I was beginning to wonder if I'd hit you too hard."

I swallow down the nausea rising in my throat and force my expression into something sharp, something that doesn't betray the pounding in my chest. "You should have made sure I didn't wake up at all."

Adrian chuckles, crouching before me, his gaze sweeping over me in quiet assessment. "Where's the fun in that?" He tilts his head slightly, his dark eyes gleaming. "No, I'd much rather you be awake for what comes next."

A cold dread pools in my stomach, but I don't let it show. I meet his gaze head-on, refusing to flinch, refusing to let him see even a crack in my armor.

"You're a coward," I spit, my voice steady despite the rapid beat of my heart. "Hiding behind tricks and chains. You couldn't face me in a real fight, so you resort to this?"

His lips twitch, as if I've amused him. "You wound me, Cassandra," he muses, resting his forearm on his knee. "I've waited far too long for this moment to waste it on brute force. You of all people should know-power isn't about who's strongest."

I glare at him, my breathing shallow. "You think this is power?" I tug at the restraints, feeling the burn as the ropes scrape against my skin. "You think trapping me in a dungeon makes you stronger?"

Adrian exhales, almost disappointed. "I think knowing when to strike makes me stronger." He leans in slightly, lowering his voice to something quieter, more dangerous. "And I think Alexander would agree-when he sees you like this."

The breath leaves my lungs.

Adrian sees it, that split second of hesitation, and he smiles.

"Oh, did you think he wouldn't come for you?" he continues, his tone almost pitying. "Did you think he wouldn't tear this entire place apart to get to you?"

I bite down on the fear rising in my chest. Because he's right. Alexander will come.

And that's exactly what Adrian wants.

My blood turns to ice.

He wants Alexander to walk into this trap.

I shake my head, pulling at my restraints harder, my breath coming faster. "You-"

But Adrian is already standing, already stepping away, already moving toward the door as if this conversation has run its course. I refuse to let him leave without knowing.

"Why?" I demand, my voice raw with fury. "Why are you doing this?"

For the first time, something flickers in his gaze. A crack in that cold, controlled mask.

And then he laughs.

"Why?" he repeats, stepping closer. His voice drops to something sharp, something edged with bitterness so deep it sears through the air between us. "Because I was supposed to be king."

The words slam into me.

His jaw tightens, his fingers curling into fists at his sides. "Alexander took everything from me. The throne, the pack, my birthright. And now, it's my turn to take something from him."

I meet his gaze, and this time, there is no fear. No hesitation. Just pure, undiluted hatred burning in my veins.

"You'll never be king," I whisper, my voice steady, cold. "Not because of Alexander. Not because of fate. But because you are nothing more than a bitter, power-hungry coward who will never be anything more than a footnote in his story."

The amusement vanishes from his expression, replaced by something dark, something dangerous.

And then he slaps me.

Pain explodes across my face, my head snapping to the side. My vision blurs for a moment, but I refuse to make a sound. I refuse to give him the satisfaction.

Adrian exhales, shaking his head. "You always did have a sharp tongue, Cassandra. I suppose I'll have to cut it out eventually."

I spit blood onto the floor, lifting my chin defiantly. "Try it."

His smirk returns, but there's nothing amused about it now.

"I think it's time for a reunion."

Then the door slams shut.

_____________________________

I mean we all knew who the villain was, didn't we?
So much for a grand reveal.

Happy reading!🤍

With love,
Izzy.