CHAPTER 9
1064 Words
I woke up the next morning with my phone in hand, the screen still lit up with our chat from last night. Licht’s name stared back at me, his last message lingering in my mind:
"Sleep well, Cassie. Sweet dreams. Maybe dream of me?"
A small smile tugged at my lips despite myself. I hated how easily he could make me feel this way, but there it was—that stupid fluttering in my chest that I couldn’t seem to shake. Before I could second-guess myself, I opened the Finder app and shot him a reply.
"Don’t flatter yourself. I’m not that easy."
Not a minute later, a reply came in.
"Oh, really? You’re chatting with me first thing in the morning. Seems like I’m on your mind, Cassie."
I rolled my eyes, but a chuckle escaped my lips.
"You’re unbelievable."
His response came almost instantly.
"And yet, you’re still talking to me. Admit it—you’d miss me if I stopped."
I didn’t bother denying it, even to myself. Instead, I leaned back against my pillow, a blush creeping across my cheeks as I typed back.
"You’re lucky you’re interesting. That’s all I’ll say."
His reply was cheeky, of course.
"Lucky? I’d say it’s more than luck. Maybe fate?"
I laughed out loud this time, clutching the phone tightly as warmth bloomed in my chest. Despite my best efforts to stay guarded, Licht had this way of breaking through my walls, one flirtatious message at a time.
Hours passed in a blur, and I couldn’t stop smiling at the ridiculous exchanges we’d had. Licht’s wit was sharp, and his charm… well, it was disarming. By the time Gwen walked into my room, I was lost in another back-and-forth with him, barely noticing her presence until she spoke.
“Alright, what’s with that look?” Gwen’s voice cut through my bubble of distraction.
I quickly locked my phone, but not before she caught a glimpse of my cherry-red face.
“Oh no,” she said, smirking as she crossed her arms. “You’ve got that lovesick grin. Spill it, Cassie. What’s going on?”
I tried to play it cool, shaking my head as I sat up straighter. “It’s nothing.”
“Nothing? Please. Your face is as red as a tomato,” she teased, sitting on the edge of my bed. “Who’s the culprit? Don’t make me guess.”
I hesitated, biting my lip. Gwen and I had always been close, but admitting that I’d forgiven Licht felt… complicated. Still, there was no hiding it from her.
“It’s Licht,” I finally said, my voice barely above a whisper. “We started chatting again.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Licht? As in the same Licht who ditched you? You’re talking to him again?”
I nodded, bracing myself for the inevitable lecture.
“Cassie,” she began, her tone skeptical. “You were so upset about what happened. And now you’re… what, letting him back in just like that?”
“It’s not like that,” I said quickly. “He apologized. He explained everything. He was… sweet. And I…” I trailed off, unable to meet her gaze. “I know I’m being stupid, but I can’t help it. Talking to him just… feels good.”
Gwen sighed, rubbing her temples. “Cassie, I get it. He’s charming. But you need to be careful. People don’t just change overnight.”
“I know,” I admitted. “And I’m not letting my guard down completely. I’m just… giving him a chance to prove himself.”
She studied me for a long moment before nodding slowly. “Alright. If this is what you want, I’ll try to understand. But promise me you’ll be careful. I don’t want to see you hurt again.”
“I promise,” I said, relief washing over me.
“Good,” she said, standing up. “Now, before you get too distracted by Mr. Smooth-Talker, I have something for you.”
I frowned, watching as she pulled an envelope from her bag. “What’s that?”
“It’s from your dad,” she said, her tone quieter now. “One of the servants managed to sneak it out. I thought you’d want to see it.”
My heart stopped as I took the envelope from her hands. The familiar handwriting on the front made my chest tighten, and I felt a lump form in my throat as I carefully opened it.
The letter was brief, but the words were enough to send a chill down my spine.
Cassie,
I don’t have much time, but you need to know the truth. Everything that happened—it wasn’t an accident. There are people watching, waiting. Trust no one.
I’ll explain more when the time is right, but for now, stay safe. Whatever you do, don’t let them find out what you know.
I’m sorry for worrying you every single time and unable to fulfill my duty as your father to protect you. I am uncertain whether I would be able to continue writing after this one but I want you to know that I have always thought about you.
I shouldn’t have agreed marrying you off to your bullshit former mate. He’s a traitor who only wanted power. Right now, he had succeeded in taking over the whole other neighboring packs and wanted me dead by the next full moon so that I wouldn’t be able to stop him and all of his plans.
If something bad happens to me, I wanted you to continue hiding until you could gain enough people to support and protect you. We still have more allies around that would be willing to help you with our cause.
I’m sorry that I would have to pass this burden again to you my child and I do hope you could forgive your father. My days are near and I don’t know if I could ever see you again but I do hope chance permits us to be reunited.
Until then, please be safe.
Love, Dad.
I stared at the letter, my hands trembling. Gwen’s voice broke through the silence.
“Cassie? What is it? What did he say?”
I looked up at her, my face pale, my mind racing.
“Something’s wrong,” I whispered. “Something’s really, really wrong.”
- Writer
