Chapter 4

Kassandra’s PoV

My classes were over for the day, and I smiled seeing my ride and die Savannah was waiting by my car. I ran over to her, locking my arms around her neck.

"Savi!"

"Told you bitch I’ll be here." She said, hugging me back and lifting me off the ground, making me laugh.

I moved back, smiling up at her. She was three inches taller than me at five-foot-nine. Her make up was on fleek and that gorgeous athletic body of hers with that big booty looked good in leather pants, a lace top and heels that added another six inches to her. Her black hair was in its usual gorgeous afro, and her dark ebony skin shone under the sunlight.

"You did! But I really missed you! When did you get back?" I asked, dumping my books on the roof of my car.

"Last night." She said, sighing.

My smile vanished. For Savi to sigh like that meant things weren’t great.

"Babe, what is it?" I asked, concerned.

"Mom’s refusing treatment and I'm in over my fucking head." She said, grabbing my books as I unlocked the car doors.

Not missing that Xander’s car was gone from its spot.

"Oh, babe…" I sighed as I got in and she got into the passenger seat.

"If your mom doesn't want to go to rehab, what about Jayce and Sierra?" I asked, strapping up.

Jayce was fifteen and Sierra was 10. She gave me a wry smile.

"That’s the problem. Dads got them at the moment, but they don’t want to be there. That bitch Zoe isn’t making life easy for them." Savannah spat venomously.

I frowned as I tapped the steering wheel. Zoe was a fucking whore, one who stole Savannah’s dad from her mom five years ago, but apparently, the affair had been going on for way longer. It had been Savannah and I who had actually found them together in her parents’ bedroom when we had skipped school and snuck to the Wentworth Mansion.

Savannah’s mom, Raquel, had packed and left the following day with the kids, but since Sierra’s birth, she suffered from depression and had slowly fallen into heavy drinking, leaving Savannah to handle her siblings. It wasn’t fair on all of them, and life had been shit for the siblings.

Her dad, Mark, had tried to make amends with his kids, but the elder two definitely didn’t want anything to do with him or his new family. He now had two kids. Although personally, I don’t think one of them is even his, anyone with eyes could see that.

"If it’s money, I have some saved." I said quietly.

"No hun, I'm not taking shit from you."

"What’s mine is yours, and what’s yours is mine." I said firmly.

"No, I just need a stable job, and then I can become Sierra’s guardian. Jayce, I know he’ll be ok, and I mean he can easily do what he wants, but it’s so stressful with mom not making matters easier."

I reached over and gave her hand a squeeze.

"I think we need a good catch up and something to get rid of all this stress, movie and pizza?" I suggested.

"Girl, I thought you’d say drinks." She said, smirking.

I rolled my eyes. If it wasn’t for my night meeting, I’d have agreed…

"Uni tomorrow, no hangover." I pouted at her, and she rolled her eyes.

"You know, I can’t say anything with those doe eyes of yours."

I smirked.

"Nope, you can’t." I said, turning the radio on as we both began moving to the beat as we sang loudly.

I smiled over at her, glad she had relaxed, even if it was just a little…

I missed her over in NYC. Even if we talked every other night, it wasn’t the same. Unlike me, Savannah had dropped out after college and did not want daddy’s money, as she said. She got a job at a salon, and she had been doing great. That was until recently, when she quit. I don’t even know why, as she was doing great. I just hoped she fixed stuff up, because although she was the daughter of a wealthy businessman, this queen had standards of her own.

I couldn’t help her much, but I sure as hell was going to make sure tonight, we had a good time.

---

Night had fallen, and Savannah had felt so much better by the end of it. We had gotten a bit high on Pepsi at the pizza place and were giving women's and men’s butts ratings out of 10. My girl was brutal and rarely gave anyone anything above a 7 but it had been fun and we had giggled like school girls. It was nice just to be home and around her once again.

I had returned home to the King Mansion past 10 pm, quickly changing into black pants, boots, a black top, and a leather jacket with a hood. Wrapping my hair up into a bun on top of my head, I was ready.

I would put a face mask on when I was at the location. Although it didn’t cover my identity much, it was enough to do the job. Even if we kind of get a hint of who our partner is and see them out of work, we pretend we don’t know each other. That was the rule.

I grabbed the large duffle bags with my weapons and made my way out of my room, I had told my parents I was going to go to Savannah’s for the night. I drove to the gates and the watchman opened them, letting me out. I really hated the security here around our mansion. This was why I needed my own place, so no one knew when and where I went.

Denridge Woods, here I come.

I arrived at the edge of the woods, turning my headlights off after parking in a corner. This was a dangerous place to be at this time of night. I put my face mask and gloves on, slipping my hood up. Taking out my daggers, I slipped them into my boots, strapping my gun and bullet pouch to my waist. Lastly, I shouldered my stake-arrows and my crossbow. I got out of the car, slipping my phone and keys into my jacket pocket after locking the door.

Now, where was he? I began walking towards the woods, the sound of my quiet footsteps was loud in the silence. My own heartbeat was thrumming in my ear gently, and the sound of the wind whispering within the trees was loud in the silence.

The moon shone high through the trees, casting an eerie glow on the surroundings. My partner, where was he? Hadn’t he arrived yet? I stopped at the edge of the trees. Should I go in?

Why not? It wasn’t like I couldn’t handle myself. I loaded my crossbow, unlike the standard arrows, I always laced mine with some poison that worked well on demons. Those things were the hardest to get a hold of.

I stepped into the darkness of the trees, when I saw something flitter past me from the corner of my eye, I spun around, raising my crossbow when I saw the outline of a man, he wore an oversized hoodie with the hood pulled over his face.

I was about to lower my bow, when he suddenly lunged at me, I dropped to the side, spinning around and shooting my arrow at him. He ducked, a menacing growl tearing through him as he sprang at me, knocking me to the ground, my crossbow went flying, the wind knocking the air from me, and pain erupting in my back.

He raised his arm, and I instantly kicked him in the back of his head, using the chance to push him off me. I rolled away, but before I could even grab my gun, he grabbed me, yanking me back and slamming me to the ground once again, pinning my wrists to the ground.

"Not too shabby, but I wasn’t expecting a woman." He murmured, slightly breathless.

My eyes flew open when I realised, I knew that voice! That cologne!

"Aldino?" I asked, stunned.

Shit, I shouldn’t have said that.

He smirked coldly, staring down at me, still straddling me.

"Barbie? No fucking way."

Our eyes met and his smirk vanished as if the reality of the situation hit him just now. I stared back. Of all the people... WAs Xander really my partner Ryder?

Who would have thought?

But above all, what shocked me the most was, why was the Alpha a hunter?