Chapter 4

WREN

My brow furrowed. "A deal?"

Cassian nodded, his expression serious. "We will do everything the priestess requires to break the curse. It'll be a formality—nothing more. Once my son is born and the curse is broken, I'll release you from the mating bond. You'll be free to go wherever you want, and I'll make sure you're well-compensated for your time."

I swallowed hard, my thoughts spinning. "What kind of compensation?"

"How much do you want? I could give you a million dollars if that would be enough. I'll also make sure no one can track you down. You'll be free—truly free."

My heart skipped a beat. A million dollars? Freedom. I had longed for that my whole life. The idea of living far away from packs, curses, and the constant threat of danger was tempting.

"And in return?" I asked cautiously.

"You stay here, as my wife, until the child is born," Cassian said simply. "You'll have a place to stay, food to eat, and you won't be harmed. Once this is over, you'll never have to see me—or my pack—again."

I leaned back in the chair, processing his words. It was a strange offer, but it made sense. Cassian wasn’t pretending to be kind or offering me love. He was offering a way out—a chance to escape this cursed life and start fresh.

"I know my pack will never trust you," Cassian admitted, his voice low. "Some of them may never accept you. But it is only for a short while. And I'll make sure you are protected while you're here. No one will lay a hand on you, not even them."

I looked out the window, the moonlight casting a soft glow over my face. It wasn't the life I had imagined for myself, but it was better than the alternative. I had been running my whole life, too scared to even dream of a better one. But now, the thought of it was inviting. I would survive the marriage, take what Cassian offered, and disappear.

"I'll do it," I said quietly, turning back to face him. "I'll marry you."

Cassian nodded, his expression unreadable. "Good."

"But I want everything you promised," I added quickly. "The money, the protection. No tricks, no changing your mind. I want it in paper, a contract, so you won’t change your mind."

"You have my word," he said firmly. "I’ll draft a contract and give it to you. Once the curse is broken and my son is safe, you'll be free."

For a moment, we sat in silence, the weight of the agreement settling between us.

"When will it happen? The mating ritual the Priestess mentioned?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Soon, before the next full moon," Cassian replied. "The Priestess will perform the ceremony, and it won’t take long. After that, you'll be safe, and the pack will have to accept it. It'll only be for a few months. After that, we can go our separate ways."

I nodded, my mind already racing with plans. I would play the part of Cassian's wife, do what was required, and then disappear. I didn’t care about the curse, the pack, or even Cassian’s unborn child. All I cared about was getting out of this alive and finally being free.

Cassian turned to leave, pausing at the door. "Get some rest. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to my pack house. And from there, everything changes."

As the door closed behind him, I let out a shaky breath. My future was uncertain, and the path ahead was filled with danger, but for the first time in a long while, I felt a glimmer of hope.

Freedom was within my grasp, and I would do whatever it took to claim it.

The ride to the pack house was quiet, but the tension in the air was deafening. I sat stiffly in the passenger seat of Cassian’s sleek black car, staring out at the thick forest that lined the winding road. I didn’t know what to expect when we arrived, but I had a sinking feeling it wasn’t going to be pleasant.

Cassian, seated next to me, seemed deep in thought, his grip on the steering wheel tight.

"We're almost there," he said finally, breaking the silence.

I nodded but didn’t respond. I didn’t trust my voice not to tremble.

When the pack house came into view, my breath caught in my throat. It wasn’t just a house—it was a castle. Tall stone towers reached toward the sky, their pointed tops framed by the glowing moonlight. The building was massive, with ivy crawling up its walls and lights glowing warmly in the many windows. It looked both beautiful and intimidating.

"This is... where you live?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes," Cassian said shortly. He pulled the car into the wide stone courtyard and parked. "Stay close to me."

As we stepped out, I felt dozens of eyes on me. Wolves—some in human form, others shifted halfway—watched me from the shadows of the courtyard and the open windows above. Their gazes weren’t curious; they were cold and unwelcoming.

"Who is she?" a low voice growled from somewhere to the left.

"That’s the fox," someone muttered. "The one Alpha Lucky sent."

"What’s she doing here?" another voice hissed.

I shrank back slightly, but Cassian placed a firm hand on my lower back, guiding me forward.

"Keep your head up," he said under his breath. "They won’t harm you. Not while I’m here. I am their Alpha."

The heavy wooden doors of the pack house swung open, revealing an older man dressed in formal black clothing. He gave Cassian a respectful nod but barely spared me a glance.

"This way, Alpha," the man said, leading us inside.

The interior was even grander than the outside, with high ceilings, marble floors, and a massive chandelier that sparkled above us. I felt out of place in my simple clothes, like a speck of dirt in a room full of polished gold.

"Cassian."

The sharp voice made me flinch. A tall, elegant woman descended the wide staircase, her long silver hair pulled back in a tight bun. Her piercing blue eyes—so much like Cassian’s—landed on me, narrowing instantly.

"Who is this?" the woman demanded, her tone ice-cold.

"Mother," Cassian greeted her with a short nod. "This is Wren Velyssia."

"The fox?" Her mother’s lips curled into a sneer. "You brought her here?! Into our home?"

"Yes," Cassian said firmly. "She’s staying here."

The older woman turned her full attention to me, her gaze sharp enough to cut. "You don’t belong here. You’ll never be one of us. Mark my words—this will not end well."

I forced myself to hold her gaze, even though my knees felt weak. "I’m not here to cause trouble," I said softly. "I just want to help with—"

"Help?" Cassian’s mother interrupted with a bitter laugh. "You think you can help us? How could you possibly help us?!" She turned to Cassian. "I warned you this would make us look weak. The pack won’t stand for it, and neither will I. You shouldn’t have brought her here. What would the pack think?!"

Cassian’s expression darkened. "This isn’t up for debate, Mother. Wren is staying, and you will respect my decision."

"Respect?" she snapped. "You think bringing a fox into our pack deserves respect? You are risking everything, Cassian. For what? A curse? How do you even know that this will break the curse?"

Cassian stepped closer to her, lowering his voice. "I’m doing what I have to do to save my son. If you can’t understand that, then stay out of my way."

The woman’s lips pressed into a thin line, but she said nothing more. With one last glare at me, she turned and stormed off down the hall.

I let out a shaky breath, realizing I had been holding it.

"Don’t let her get to you," Cassian said, his tone softening slightly.

"She doesn’t like me," I murmured, looking down at the marble floor.

"It’s not you she doesn’t like, it’s change," he replied. "She’ll come around."

I wasn’t so sure.

We climbed the grand staircase, our footsteps echoing in the vast space. Cassian led me down a long hallway, stopping in front of a door at the far end. He opened it, revealing a spacious room with a large bed, a fireplace, and a window overlooking the forest.

"This is your room," he said. "You’ll be safe here. If you need anything, let me know."

I stepped inside, my fingers brushing over the soft fabric of the bed’s canopy. The room was beautiful, but it still felt like a prison.

"Thank you," I said quietly, not sure what else to say.

Cassian nodded. "Get some rest. Tomorrow, we’ll begin preparations for the ceremony."

As he turned to leave, I spoke up. "Cassian?"

He paused, looking back at me.

"I’ll do what I promised," I said, my voice steady. "I will help you break the curse. But I won’t forget how they look at me. Or how they treat me. My only crime is being a fox, being hunted by your people for what I am. Even when I’m only here to help, they still give me dirty looks."

"They are wrong, and I’m sorry for that, but many of them are just scared. They fear the unknown," Cassian replied. "I will speak to them."

"Tomorrow, I’ll bring you the agreement and show you the terms we’re agreeing on. It’ll be up to you to decide if you want to sign it or not."