Princess Cassidy

POV: CASSIDY

I slammed the heavy door shut, leaning back against the wood. I was in the very bedroom where I slept last night. The exact room where Kaidan murdered me hours ago.

The horrifying memory slammed into my mind. I remembered his hands clamping down, crushing my neck with brutal force. I flailed my legs against the mattress and clawed at his wrists. The air burned in my lungs before giving way to numbness. I remembered my life fading away into the dark, and worst of all, the relieved smile stretching across his face as I died.

I rubbed my throat. The skin was smooth. I rushed to the vanity mirror. There were no bruises. No purple fingerprints mapping out his assault. I woke up this morning perfectly fine. I was unharmed, devoid of any marks, as if the execution never happened.

It made no sense. It made even less sense that I found myself mysteriously unable to vocalize my direct accusations against him in the hallway moments ago.

None of this magic mattered. I needed to escape this nightmare.

I pushed away from the mirror and scanned the room. I needed to pack and run before they finished the job. I searched the nightstand for my phone, but it was gone, lost during the chaos last night. I walked to the armchair where my folded Dust-born school uniform rested. I grabbed the fabric, shoved it into my canvas bag, and hoisted the strap over my shoulder.

I turned for the door. The brass handle clicked, and the heavy oak swung open.

Nora stepped inside. The maid carried a silver tray loaded with fresh pastries, roasted meats, and steaming tea. The rich aroma hit my senses like a physical blow. My starving stomach let out a loud growl. I realized I had not eaten since yesterday morning.

Nora paused in the doorway. She looked at my bag.

"Are you going somewhere, Princess Cassidy?" she asked.

"I am going home." I blurted out the words before my brain caught up with reality. I had not had a real home since my mom died. The school hostel was the only shelter I possessed. I adjusted the strap on my shoulder. "I am going back to school. This is a ridiculous mistake. The princes hate me. They are going to kill me. I just need to leave this place."

Nora stood perfectly still. She placed the silver tray on the center table. She did not call for the guards. Instead, she walked up to me and sat down on the rug, looking up at me with clear eyes.

"It is overwhelming, isn't it?" she asked.

I dropped my bag on the floor and slumped onto the edge of the mattress. "Overwhelming does not even begin to cover it."

I gestured wildly around the fairytale-like bedroom. The space was ten times larger than the cramped apartment my mom and I shared. The bed alone could fit five adults. There was a sitting area, a massive television, and a bathroom built for a luxury resort. The fact that this could be my permanent room felt unreal.

I let out a bitter laugh. "One minute, I am the bullied human at Lunaris Academy. I am the nobody the school looks down on. The next minute, I am the Luna Princess mated to the three strongest alphas in the country. I need to go back to my real life."

Nora pointed at the tray of food. "But this is your real life now. This is not a dream. You have access to worldly luxuries most people would kill for. You are throwing this away over fear."

I leaned forward, gripping the edge of the mattress. "I know they hate me. When I accused Kaidan in the hallway, there was no confusion in his eyes. He knew exactly what he did. He knew how much he despised my existence. Yes, I want a life of security, but I want to earn my success. I do not want it handed to me on a gold platter just because some mythical bond declared it so. I want to deserve it."

Nora kept her position on the floor, radiating a steady energy. "Do you think you became the Luna Princess by accident? Do you think you do not deserve this? The Moon Goddess is not dumb. She saw something unique in you. If she mated a human girl to the three most powerful alphas, then you possess something no other girl has. Maybe this is your reward for all those years of suffering. Do not think you got this randomly."

The fight drained out of my shoulders. I knew pack history. Being mated to even one alpha was a rare event. Getting tied to three Thorndrake princes meant divine intervention.

Nora continued, her tone firm and unyielding. "You are now the second most important girl in the country. You will be revered. Grab this opportunity with both hands. The princes might fight the idea of a human mate, but their futures are tied to you. They will have to learn to love and prioritize you. Do not throw this away."

I stared at her. I hated that she was stating pure facts. I hated that I genuinely loved the security of this room. I looked at the tray of food. I realized that if I stayed, I would never go hungry again. I would never shiver in a drafty dorm room or scavenge for meals.

The back of my eyes burned. The threat of tears clawed at my throat, forcing me to swallow hard.

I managed a throaty whisper. "Thank you. I will think about it."

Nora rose to her feet. She walked toward the door but paused with her hand on the brass knob. "Please do. I was asked to inform you of your schedule. The royal tailors are arriving at noon to take your measurements. The elite fashion house Aurum-Maison is bringing their collection here for you to select your wardrobe. You are expected to have a formal dinner with the entire royal family tonight."

She stepped out and closed the door softly behind her.

I stood frozen in the middle of the room. Aurum-Maison was the most elite, expensive fashion house in the country. They were coming here. For me. A few days ago, I could not even afford a new pair of shoelaces. Tonight, I was sitting at a dining table with the royal family.

The sheer weight of the bombshell paralyzed me for a solid minute. Then, my stomach roared again.

I abandoned my bag and rushed to the center table. I grabbed a warm pastry and shoved it into my mouth. The buttery flavor exploded on my tongue. I groaned in pure bliss. I devoured a slice of roasted meat, washing it down with the sweet tea. I did not stop. I ate like a wild animal starved for weeks. I consumed every single crumb on the massive tray until the plates were spotless.

By the time I swallowed the last bite, my stomach was stretched tight. I was too bloated to stand straight. I hobbled over to the bed and collapsed onto the silk sheets, staring up at the vaulted ceiling.

The panic of the morning faded into a strange, practical acceptance. I was staying. For now.

Lying there in the quiet luxury, my thoughts drifted back to my normal life. I stared at the chandelier above me. I wondered what Keira was doing right now. I hoped my best friend was not too worried about my sudden absence. She was probably pacing the halls, wondering why I never showed up for classes.

My mind shifted to the bullies. I wondered if the students who locked me in that dark room felt any shred of guilt for what they did. I wondered if they even cared.

A new anxiety settled heavy in my chest. Lunaris Academy was a gossip mill. News traveled fast among the werewolf elite. I chewed on my bottom lip, my heart picking up a nervous rhythm. I wondered if the entirety of the school had already discovered the truth. I wondered if everyone now knew that Cassidy Renn, the only human, was mated to the Thorndrake Trio.