I went to my room and packed up a few of my stuff. I sighed in pain and left.
The path curved through the woods, silent except for the crunch of gravel beneath my feet.
And then—
I felt him.
Before I saw him.
Cassius.
Standing a few feet ahead, leaning casually against an ancient oak, his arms crossed over his broad chest, his black coat fluttering slightly in the breeze.
Waiting.
As if he had known I would come.
As if this moment had been inevitable all along.
Our eyes met.
Dark to dark. He just pushed off the tree and took two slow, deliberate steps toward me.
His voice was low, rough, certain.
"Have you finished thinking about it?"
I didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
His dark eyes gleamed.
"Following me back?"
"Yes," I said again.
Something like satisfaction flickered across his face—sharp, feral, and real.
He extended a hand toward me—not demanding.
Inviting.
"Let's go," Cassius said simply.
I stepped forward without hesitation, placing my hand in his.
His grip was firm, grounding.
And for the first time in a long time, I didn't feel trapped.
I felt free.
Cassius's voice dropped lower, almost like a promise.
"You made the right choice, Athena."
We walked a bit then got to the carriage. We didn't say much on our way. Until we finally arrived.
The Obsidian Throne wasn't a castle.
It was a fortress.
Dark stone walls stretched high into the misty sky, crowned with black spires that pierced the clouds.
Torches burned along the battlements, their flames flickering against the cold wind.
This wasn't a place where weakness survived.
It was a place where warriors became legends—or were broken trying.
Cassius personally escorted me through the winding halls, past guards who saluted very respectfully at his passing.
We stopped before a heavy oak door carved with intricate, ancient runes.
"This is yours," Cassius said, pushing the door open.
Inside was a room far grander than anything I'd known:
a massive four-poster bed draped in dark velvet, a stone hearth blazing with warmth, a wardrobe carved from blackwood.
Simple. Elegant.
Deadly.
Just like the man standing beside me.
Cassius's voice was low when he spoke again.
"The audience with the King is tomorrow morning. Rest tonight. No one will disturb you."
I nodded once.
"Thank you."
His dark gaze held mine for a breath longer than necessary.
Then he turned and disappeared down the hall.
Leaving me alone.
I moved around the room slowly, absorbing it all.
Unpacking didn't take long.
A few clothes.
A worn dagger.
Memories I no longer needed.
But then I realized that I actually had some questions I wanted to ask Cassius. Things that I wasn't sure about. About the King. About what exactly tomorrow would bring.
Before I could overthink it, I moved to try to catch up to him.
I grabbed my dagger—habit more than necessity—and swung the door open, stepping quickly into the hallway.
And slammed directly into someone.
I stumbled back, instinctively reaching for my weapon—but the man caught my arm before I could draw it.
Not roughly.
Firmly.
And then I looked up.
And froze.
It wasn't Cassius.
It wasn't anyone I knew.
It was a stranger.
Tall—taller even than Cassius.
Dark hair, slightly longer, falling messily over his forehead.
Eyes like frozen rivers—sharp, pale blue, cutting straight through me.
He released my arm immediately, stepping back, his expression unreadable.
"Easy there lady," he said, voice low and smooth.
I straightened, tense but controlled, lifting my chin slightly.
"I wasn't expecting company," I said coolly.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth—not mocking. Curious.
"I wasn't expecting to be bumped into either," he replied.
For a long moment, we just stood there, sizing each other up.
He wasn't a guard. Neither did he look anything like a servant.
His aura was too strong, too heavy.
He was an Alpha.
Undeniably.
Finally, he offered a slight nod, almost amused by my wariness.
"Alpha Lucas," he said simply.
No title.
No grand introductions.
Just that.
I narrowed my eyes slightly.
"Athena," I answered, refusing to give more.
Lucas's gaze flickered with recognition—or maybe interest.
"I know," he said.
I frowned. "You do?"
He gave a slow, almost lazy shrug.
"You're the one Cassius brought back."
Something about the way he said it made my blood stir—not in fear.
In challenge.
"And you are?" I asked.
His smile deepened slightly, something sharper in it now.
"Another wolf curious about the woman Cassius just dragged into this kingdom."
The way he said woman—
It didn't sound like an insult.
Before I could answer, a low voice cut through the air behind me.
"She belongs to the King's court now, Lucas."
Cassius.
I turned slightly to see him striding down the hall, his expression calm—but his presence filled the space like a thundercloud ready to break.
Lucas chuckled under his breath, the sound rough and knowing.
"I'm not poaching, I was just a bit curious" he said, hands lifted in mock surrender.
Cassius didn't smile.
He stopped beside me, his dark gaze flicking between Lucas and me once, assessing, calculating.
"Better," Cassius said, his voice cold and final.
"I was just saying that because everyone knows your little habit of taking what doesn't belong to you."
He turned to me then, his eyes steady, his voice quieter.
"Come, Athena. You need rest."
I followed without hesitation, feeling Lucas's icy blue gaze burning between my shoulder blades as we walked away.
As we turned, entered my room back and closed the door, Cassius leaned in slightly, his voice low for my ears alone.
"Be careful around Alpha Lucas."
I arched my brow.
"Friend or enemy?" I asked quietly.
Cassius smiled faintly.
"Neither," he said. "He's a rival. And rivals only play nice when they smell blood."