Chapter 186 You may be clever, but...
CASSANDRA
It wasn't difficult at all to find Kaleb.
Not long after I left the clinic, a tall, muscular guard approached me with long,
confident strides, and asked me if I was looking for my son. When I nodded, the
guard's expression grew serious and his eyes bore down into mine with intensity,
and asked me to follow him
“Someone wants to speak with you before you can see your son,” he stated
firmly. His tone was so bold that I was almost scared for a moment but I managed
to stay calm.
As I studied the unfamiliar man, I noticed the badge of the Beta family that Becky
had mentioned seeing on his shoulder. Anger swelled through me at the thought
of the Moses family being involved in this terrible uprising. I had long hated Oliver
and Adalyn, but knowing that they had worked with the king of Yurene to bring all
of this to fruition... it only made my hatred grow worse.
Despite my rage, I didn’t say anything and followed the guard quietly.
The streets of Anemond were as bustling as usual. The guard led me through the
winding streets and my eyes darted around as I tried to remain aware of my
surroundings. Luckily, no one seemed to be waiting around the corner, and we
were completely unnoticed by crowds.
The guard brought us to the entrance of the lane leading through an open park
and then came to a sudden stop.
“Enter,” he stated as he gestured forward. “He’s waiting for you inside.”
I gulped as I stared ahead. From what I could remember, this park had been built
in memory of the late queen, Asher’s mother and former Luna of the Crescent
Pack. I didn’t have strong memories of it from my youth, since I hadn't had many
chances to visit this place. Asher had never liked it, so we avoided it at all costs.
1 took a short breath and then walked forward.
In the distance, I could see Kaleb standing on the wooden bridge that crossed
over the man-made lake below. Selena’s Tear, it was called.
As I continued forward, I prayed Queen Selena would send me some of her
strength.
Kaleb saw me approach and twitched his lips with amusement. He had taken the
time to come out his long golden—brown hair and it flared around him
dramatically. His otherwise handsome face held an arrogant expression and his
navy eyes studied me cruelly.
“Cassandra,” he called out to me. “Come enjoy the beautiful scenery with me.”
Behind him, I noticed a single guard standing steadfast and tall. Usually, he was
flanked by a trio, so
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Chapter 186 You may be clever, but...
perhaps the other two still hadn’t recovered from the anesthesia. I clenched the
small bottle I tucked away in my pocket. I knew it would be a stupid idea to use it
again, as I didn’t think Kaleb would fall for the same trick, but just having it there
gave me courage. I could protect myself if needed.
As I stepped onto the bridge, Kaleb pointed out a goose swimming freely not far
from where we stood.
“I must say this is the most enjoyable spot in Anemond,” he noted. “It's nice to
observe the nature,”
Though he was a villain, he was right. The scenery was indeed enjoyable and
was exactly why the place. had been built in the first place. But I wasn't in the
mood to enjoy any of this at all.
“Where are Finnick and Erika?” I asked him directly.
“They're perfectly fine,” he mused. “Safe and sound.”
y son to threaten me,” I shot back.
“It's low to use my
1 don't disagree,” the king of Yurene replied, and then he raised an eyebrow. “But
I don't mind being low if it means I get what I want. People in power have all
done something low to maintain their power. It's the way of the world,
Cassandra.”
I glared at him. “And what if I don’t want to comply with your request? The Alpha
King may be detained now, but he won't be gone forever.”
“You have a lot of faith in Asher Collins,” Kaleb chuckled, and he shook his head
slowly before turning out to face the lake. “Don’t get me wrong. He’s a formidable
power, but at the end of the day... he’s weak. He lacks the true discipline
required of a king. He's soft, with no ambition or drive to come to his true
potential. It's sad, really. I pity him.”
“He’s more of a man than you'll ever be.” I hissed, and my hands balled into fists
at my side. “Here you are threatening a woman and her child to get your way. I'd
say you're the more pathetic one.”
“Mind yourself, Cassandra,” the foreign king warned with narrowed eyes. “While I
need you and your healing expertise, I won't take your insults lying down. You
amuse me, but don’t get too comfortable.”
I'm not scared of you,” I said, and I raised my chin defiantly. “You talk a big game,
but I know you aren't going to hurt me. You said it yourself... you need me.”
“Sure,” he remarked, and then he crossed his arms against his chest, and took a
step forward. My heart. thrummed in my chest, and though I'd said I wasn't
afraid, I suddenly had the feeling of a prey being cornered by a predator. It took
all of my strength to remain in control of my emotions. “I do need you. But that
doesn’t mean I'll let you walk all over me. Don’t forget, I have your son after all.”
“You wouldn't hurt him,” I said boldly. “Not if you want me to cooperate. I'm just
trying to understand the point of all of this. What was your end game? Once
Asher returns, everything is just going to go back to normal. You can't defeat
him.”
Kaleb let out a short, cruel laugh. “You may be clever, but you fail to see the truth.
How could everything go back to normal when one of your Packs is suffering
from that curious disease?”
Chapter 186 You may be clever, but
He took a step closer. “Since the only sorcerer who could possibly invent a cure
is dead, how ever will you be able to save those poor people in that Pack?”
My blood turned to ice in my veins as I stared at him in disbelief. The king of
Yurene continued to speak.
“You and your assistant are quite good,” he remarked. “I had never expected you
to find the source of the disease so quickly. But sadly, you weren't clever
enough.”
Once he finished speaking, his smile widened and he stepped over to the railing
of the bridge. He leaned against it and stared out at the water.
I hadn't noticed it when I had first walked on the bridge, but now, I could see that
the foreign king's entire figure was covered in shadows cast from a tall tree not
far away.
While I looked at him from where I stood, I felt as if I was staring at a devil who
had just ascended from the abyss. He wasn’t the man I thought he was. He was
a villain, through and through.
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Chapter 187 Make the right decision