Chapter 5

WREN

I sat on the edge of the massive bed after Cassian left, staring at the glowing embers in the fireplace. The room was silent, the kind of quiet that made me feel small and out of place. Outside, the pack house buzzed with life—murmurs, footsteps, the faint sounds of the world continuing without me. But in here, I was alone. I was an outsider, locked away like some secret nobody wanted to share.

A soft knock at the door broke the silence, and before I could respond, the door creaked open. Cassian stepped inside, his broad shoulders filling the doorway, his face shadowed with exhaustion, like the weight of everything that had happened was too much for him to carry alone. He held something in his hands—papers, I assumed.

"How are you settling in?" he asked, his voice low but steady.

I gave a small shrug, my gaze flicking over the room. "It's fine," I said, but my tone betrayed me. I wasn’t convinced, not by the room, not by the circumstances. "This is more than I’m used to."

"I’ve assigned someone to help you," he continued, stepping closer. "Her name is Sybil. She’s trustworthy, part of the staff here. She’ll bring your meals and make sure you have everything you need."

I nodded, though I wasn’t sure how much help that would be. "Thank you."

Cassian handed me the papers. "Here’s a rough draft of the agreement between us. I want you to take a look at it. We’ll discuss the terms tomorrow."

I nodded again, taking the papers from him without a word. The weight of what he was asking hung in the air, but I couldn’t bring myself to say anything more.

"Okay," I finally whispered.

He lingered for a moment, almost as if he wanted to say something else, but then he straightened, his expression unreadable. "Try to get some rest. Tomorrow will be a long day."

With that, he left, closing the door softly behind him. The quiet returned, heavier this time, almost suffocating.

Not long after, there was another knock at the door. This time, a cheerful voice rang out. "Lady Wren? May I come in?"

I hesitated before answering, unsure, but finally called out, "Yes."

The door opened, revealing a petite woman with curly auburn hair and warm brown eyes. She carried a tray of food, her smile bright and welcoming.

"I'm Sybil," she said, setting the tray down on the small table by the window. "The Alpha asked me to take care of you."

"Thank you," I said, my voice polite but cautious. I wasn’t used to kindness like this.

Sybil waved a hand dismissively. "It's no trouble at all. I was glad when he asked. It's nice to have someone new around here, even if the others don’t see it that way."

I blinked at her, surprised. "You’re not... upset about me being here?"

She laughed, a light, musical sound that made me relax a little. "Upset? No. I think it’s exciting! I’ve never met a fox shifter before. The pack can be so... predictable sometimes. You’re a breath of fresh air, if you ask me."

I couldn’t help but smile a little at that.

"Here," Sybil said, gesturing to the tray. "I brought you some stew and fresh bread. It’s still warm. Oh, and there’s tea too. You’ve had a long day—you need to eat."

I sat at the table, the delicious smell of food making me realize just how hungry I was. I picked up the spoon and took a small bite. The stew was rich and flavorful, and the bread was soft and buttery.

"This is really good," I said, surprised.

Sybil beamed, clearly pleased. "I’ll let the cook know you liked it. She’s been with the pack for years and takes great pride in her meals."

As I ate, Sybil chatted easily, filling the silence with stories about the pack house and its inhabitants. She told me about the grand library on the second floor, the beautiful gardens out back, and the long history of the Knight wolf family.

I listened, grateful for the distraction. For the first time since I arrived, I didn’t feel completely alone.

"Do you always take care of newcomers?" I asked, setting down my spoon.

Sybil shook her head. "Not really. Most of the time, it’s just the pack here, and we all know each other. We don’t get guests often. But I volunteered to help you. I thought you could use a friendly face, not everyone here likes the idea of a fox shifter being around."

"Thank you," I said softly, my voice quieter this time. "It means a lot."

Sybil reached over and patted my hand reassuringly. "Don’t worry, Wren. Things will get better. The pack may be stubborn, but they’ll come around. Just give them time."

I nodded, though I wasn’t sure if I believed it. Still, Sybil’s kindness made the weight in my chest feel a little lighter.

As the night wore on, Sybil stayed with me, chatting and keeping me company until my eyes grew heavy. When she finally left, I curled up in the oversized bed, my mind still racing with everything that had happened.

I was still an outsider, still unwelcome, but for now, I wasn’t completely alone. And that, I thought as I drifted off to sleep, was a start.

.......................

CASSIAN

"How could you, Cassian?" Aida's voice was sharp and cold, cutting through the air like a blade.

I straightened from my desk, pushing the maps and documents aside. I already knew what this was about—her anger, my supposed betrayal.

"Aida," I said, keeping my voice steady despite the weight settling on my chest. "I was going to tell you."

"Tell me?" She shouted, her voice reverberating in the room. "You were going to tell me? After you brought her here? After you decided to marry her without even asking me?"

I let out a breath, trying to stay calm. "I didn’t have a choice," I said, my tone firm but laced with the strain I was feeling. "You know what’s at stake."

She crossed her arms and glared at me, her eyes dark with frustration. "What’s at stake is our family, Cassian. Our future together! How do you think this makes me feel? You bring a fox into our home? You plan to make her your wife?"

I moved around the desk, taking a few steps toward her, trying to close the distance between us. "It’s not like that," I said. "This is about the curse. You know it’s the only way to save our son and the rest of the pack."

She scoffed, stepping back as if I had just betrayed her in a way that cut deeper than anything else. "Save our son?" She laughed bitterly. "You didn’t even think to ask me, the mother of your child, how I felt about this? Did you even think about me at all?"

"Of course I thought about you," I said, my voice rising slightly. "Everything I’m doing is for you and our child. You know that."

"No," she snapped, narrowing her eyes at me. "You’re doing this for the pack. For your duty. Don’t pretend this is all about me. You just don’t want to fail as Alpha. You’ve always wanted to break the curse, even before I came along!"

Her words hit me harder than I expected, and I felt my jaw tighten. "You think I want this?" I said, struggling to keep my composure. "You think I enjoy any of this? Do you have any idea how hard this is for me, Aida? I’m marrying someone I don’t love, someone the pack despises—all to protect our child and every firstborn born into this pack. I am sacrificing more than you realize!"