Chapter Ten

Talia's POV

My mind was still spinning from the intensity of Cassius' kiss long after he had retreated to his study for the night. I paced the plush confines of the bedroom he'd granted me, fingers tracing my still-tingling lips in a daze.

What the hell had I been thinking, letting myself get swept up in the alpha's raw magnetism like that? Allowing him to crack through the steel walls I'd erected around my heart for so long? This was precisely the sort of reckless mistake that had landed me in this supernatural hellscape to begin with.

But even as I berated myself, that same insistent tugging made itself known again - an ethereal pull urging me to surrender to the cosmic forces at play. To open myself up to the primal connection with Cassius, damn the consequences.

I shoved those dangerous thoughts away with a irritated huff. Nobody was going to dictate my path, not the universe and especially not some brooding alpha who thought he could unravel me with a few heated looks and honeyed words.

Talia Fisher didn't simply roll over for anyone. Not when there was still so much at stake beyond just my own wants and desires.

Squaring my shoulders, I crossed to the desk tucked in the corner of the lavish bedroom suite. A padded envelope sat atop the polished mahogany surface, my name scrawled across the front in elegant script. With trembling fingers, I tore it open to find a thin sheaf of documents tucked inside.

Hospital records...for Ruby. Pages upon pages of charts and diagnoses I could barely follow beyond the big frightening words like "transplant", "immunosuppressants", "5-year survival rates".

But the one thing that jumped out clearly was the name at the top - Cascadia Medical Center, one of the most elite and cutting-edge facilities on the west coast. Meaning Cassius had somehow managed to get my baby sister admitted as a patient there, with all the costs being fully covered according to the coded notes.

A ragged exhale escaped my lips as the relief washed over me. For all his brutish alpha posturing, Cassius had still managed to make good on his promise to get Ruby access to thecare she so desperately needed. Even if his underlying motivations for doing so were rooted in whatever cosmic claimhe thought he held over me.

Unbidden, my free hand drifted to my abdomen as a fierce protectiveness flared bright and hot. No matter what happened between Cassius and myself - no matter how many boundaries were crossed or how far down this dizzying rabbit hole I ended up falling - securing Ruby's future would always be my top priority.

If playing along with this "fated mates" madness was the price I had to pay for now, then so be it. I would match Cassius' intensity and controlled savagery with my own unbreakable will and resolve. For Ruby's sake, if nothing else.

I emerged from the ensuite bathroom, toweling off my damp hair from the steaming shower. Droplets of water trailed down my skin as I tugged on the plush robe hanging on the back of the door.

As I stepped back into the bedroom, my bare feet sank into the thick shag carpet. For a holding cell gilded or not, Cassius certainly knew how to provide luxury accommodations. Though I wasn't about to start feeling gratitude for some lavish trappings.

A soft rap at the door reminded me I wasn't alone in this opulent prison. "Enter," I called out, cinching the robe tighter around my waist.

The door eased open to reveal a young woman balancing a laden breakfast tray. She offered a timid smile as she slipped inside. "Morning, miss. Thought you might like something to start your day."

Despite her unthreatening presence, I eyed her warily as she set the tray on the desk. "I didn't ask for any food."

"No, but the alpha insisted," she replied evenly, pulling the cover off to reveal a spread of pastries, fresh fruit, and a french press of steaming coffee. "He wanted to make sure you felt properly wel—"

"I don't need his damn hospitality," I bit out, cutting her off. The last thing I wanted was more of Cassius worming his way under my skin.

The maid's eyes widened at my harsh tone, but she recovered quickly with a diplomatic nod. "Of course, my mistake. I'll just leave you to your morning then."

As she turned to depart, a thought occurred to me. "Actually, wait..." I ventured, taking a step forward. "Maybe you can help me with something."

She paused, eyeing me with a mix of politeness and trepidation. I supposed I couldn't blame her after my brusque attitude. Exhaling, I softened my approach.

"What's your name? I'm Talia."

"Vera," she replied after a beat. "I'm one of the housekeepers tasked with....this hallway."

"Vera," I repeated, trying to infuse my voice with more warmth and trust. "Could I ask you something? And I want you to feel free to give me an honest answer with no repercussions."

She seemed to mull this over before giving a hesitant nod. "You can ask, though I make no promises aboutAnswering if it's too out of line."

"Fair enough." I sucked in a steadying breath. "Cassius—er, the alpha...what exactly does he want from me?"

Surprise and interest flickered across Vera's fine-boned features. "You mean aside from the obvious? Everyone knows he's claimed you as his mate."

I waved that off dismissively. "Yes, yes, I'm aware of his insane rationale for me being here. But let's be real - the great Alpha Cassius doesn't strike me as someone who suffers fools gladly. There has to be something more pragmatic and self-serving at play with keeping a human like me around."

Vera regarded me carefully, as if weighing just how much candor I could handle. "You're quite perceptive for an outsider," she said at last. "Most don't see past the alpha's justifications and commands."

A beat of silence stretched between us, and for a moment I thought she wouldn't divulge anything more. Then her chin lifted slightly in quiet defiance.

"I may not know all the reasons, but...whispers travel even in the alpha's inner sanctum. Especially with tensions high given the rumblings of an impending conflict."

My ears perked up at this juicy nugget. "Conflict? You mean this pack war Cassius warned me about?"

She nodded soberly. "Pack politics and allegiances are...complicated within His Circle at the best of times. Add in the threat of a splinter uprising from within, not to mention the brewing offensive by an outside faction, and the whole foundation starts cracking."

My brows hiked upwards as I processed this. So not only were Cassius and his people potentially facing challenges to his authority locally, but he had bigger territoryWarsloomingon the horizon as well?

Shit, what exactly had I landed myself in the middle of here? I was just a street-savvy smallfry, not some hardened soldier meant for the frontlines.

"And where do I factor into all this alpha political madness?" I asked carefully, keeping my tone measured.

Vera's expression turned somewhat unreadable - an odd blend of pity and maybe even envy. "From what I've heard whispered, you're meant to be a...stabilizing force, of sorts."

My brow furrowed. "Come again? How exactly is one lone human supposed to 'stabilize' anything in a werewolf war?"

She shook her head slowly. "Not you precisely. But...what you represent by the alpha's side."

It took several beats for her meaning to dawn on me. When it did, my mouth dropped open as a scandalized blush crept up my cheeks.

"Wait, you're telling me this psychotic plan revolves around me...bearing Cassius's child?!"

I knew my voice had risen to an unseemly shriek, but I found myself too stunned to rein it in. Of all the bizarre twists and turns this supernatural saga had taken, that was definitely the most out of left field.

Vera looked around nervously, as if expecting the alpha himself to come barging in at any second to silence her transgressions. When he didn't, she gave me a solemn look.

"I've already said too much. But yes...that's the underlying essence I've gathered your presence represents to Cassius and his most loyal aides." She hesitated before adding, "Whether you wish to accept that burden or not, well...that choice may not be yours in the end."

With that ominous parting remark, Vera beat a hasty retreat from the bedchambers, leaving me to stew in a noxious cloud of anger, disbelief, and harsh realizations about just how high the stakes had risen.