Chapter 12
1199 Words
Romona’s POV
The afternoon light filtered weakly through the tall arched windows of Luna Cassandra’s quarters, casting long, somber shadows across the room.
I finished preparing the cooling herb compress, laying my hands gently over Cassandra’s swollen abdomen. My latent magic hummed beneath my skin, threading softly into her body to ease the violent, chaotic fever tearing through her veins—disguised to her and the rest of the pack as nothing more than a rare, gifted wolf-healing power.
Two high-ranking pack females stood near the heavy oak doors, supervising the session as always under Renner’s strict orders.
Cassandra let out a long, shuddering sigh as the pain receded, her pale cheeks regaining a fraction of their color. She looked up at the supervising females, her voice weak but firm. "I need privacy for the remainder of the examination. Leave us."
The women exchanged brief, hesitant glances before bowing respectfully and stepping out, pulling the heavy double doors shut.
The moment the latches clicked, Cassandra sat up abruptly. Her movements were sharp, almost feverish, as she swung her legs over the side of the bed, walked to the doors, and slid the iron deadbolt into place.
I wiped my hands on a damp towel, watching her with a calm, unbothered expression. "What is the meaning of this, Cassandra?"
Cassandra turned back to face me, her breathing shallow, her eyes wide with a mixture of raw panic and venom.
"You haven't said a single word since you found out," Cassandra breathed, her hands trembling as she smoothed down her silk gown. "Since you came back to this pack... you haven't talked about it once."
I set the towel aside, crossing my arms over my chest. "Talked about what?"
"Don't!" Cassandra snapped, stepping closer, her voice cracking with desperate rage. "Don't play dumb with me, Romona! You know the truth! You know I used dark blood magic to force Renner to fall in love with me—to force our paths to cross! You know I am his forbidden mate, and that is why my body is rejecting this unborn child! That is why this baby is killing me!"
I stared at her, my face a cool, unreadable mask. "And what exactly do you expect me to do with that information?"
Cassandra scoffed loudly, a bitter, hysterical laugh escaping her lips. "Shouldn't you be screaming at me?! Shouldn't you show me anger, Romona?! Because of my magic, he rejected you and kicked you out of this territory! And now here you are, saving my life! Are you playing the saint just so you can watch me give birth and then take him back?! Is that your grand plan?!"
I let out a slow, tired breath, completely unfazed by her outburst.
"I don't have time for foolishness like this, Cassandra," I said coldly, my voice dropping into a flat, deadly register. "Magic or not, Renner and I were clearly never meant to be. If our bond had been strong enough, your desperate little spell wouldn't have worked in the first place."
Cassandra froze, a cruel, mocking smirk twisting her lips as she looked me up and down.
"You know..." Cassandra murmured softly, "when I first heard about you—the great gifted healer, so noble. But I thought to myself... nobody on this earth is truly noble except a fool. It seems you are worse than a fool."
My eyes narrowed into razor-sharp slits, my inner power flaring just beneath my skin, making the air in the room drop several degrees.
"Watch your mouth, Cassandra," I warned, taking a single, deliberate step toward her. "I don't need dark magic to undo you. I can still use plenty of other things against you."
Cassandra’s smirk flickered. "Is that a threat?"
"Take it as whatever you want," I sneered back.
Cassandra’s posture crumbled suddenly. The cruel facade shattered, leaving behind a terrified, desperate woman. She dropped her gaze, her shoulders shaking as tears welled in her eyes.
"Romona... I am begging you," Cassandra whispered, her voice laced with genuine panic. "Do not tell Renner. At least... not until I have given birth to this child. If Renner finds out I used forbidden magic to bind him, he will cast me out in a heartbeat. I cannot face raising this child alone. I am incapable of it."
I looked down at her frail, trembling frame, a pit of disgust settling in my stomach.
"I don't think you should be carrying a child if you aren't capable of raising it," I replied bluntly.
"Do not lecture me about things that cannot be undone!" Cassandra cried out, wrapping her arms protectively around her stomach.
I didn't answer. I simply looked around the quiet, suffocating room, grabbed my leather satchel, and turned on my heel. I unlocked the iron bolt and pushed the heavy doors open, stepping out into the drafty corridor without looking back once.
Cassandra’s POV
I stood frozen in the center of my bedchamber, listening to the sharp, fading cadence of Romona’s boots against the stone floor.
My heart was hammering violently against my ribs.
She isn't going to stay quiet.
The thought burned through my mind like acid. I didn't trust Romona. Not for a single second. It was impossible for her to look at Renner and not want him back—especially after what I had witnessed in Renner’s study the other day. The way he had held her face, the way his eyes had softened when he looked at her...
I had always known it. If Renner and Romona remained in the same space for too long, the ancient pull of their original bond would rip right through my spell.
I needed insurance. I needed leverage.
If I was going to stop Romona from ruining my life and taking my position as Luna, I had to find a dirty secret—something so damaging that I could use it to keep her silent forever.
My eyes drifted toward the tall window overlooking the courtyard, where the border scouts were patrolling near the cottage line.
Where can I get information on her past?
A slow, scheming smile began to form on my lips as an idea took root.
The child.
Noah. Three-year-old children were foolishly innocent, chatterboxes who didn't know how to keep secrets. Romona had raised that boy in isolation for three years. If Romona had done something illegal, if she had hidden dangerous weapons, dealt with rogue clans, or harbored secrets from her past—that boy would know pieces of it without even realizing it.
I smoothed down my silk gown, walking over to the vanity mirror to check my reflection.
All I needed was to get that little white-haired boy alone for a few quiet moments. I would offer him sweets, play the gentle Luna, and pry every single secret out of his small mouth until I had enough poison to destroy Romona once and for all.
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