bChapter /bb33 /b

bNyssa /bpov

You know what? Spending the day with Cassian wasn’t as bad as I had expected. bThe /bdifference was that he wasn’t constantly staring at me bin /bbsilence/b, and no one crowded us like they did with Darius. Well, aside from the asional women stopping to nce at the handsome man, but even that wasn’t too bad. All in all, it turned out to bbe /bactually fun.

bWe /bwent to one of my favorite restaurants, ate, and chatted especially Serene, who seemed to be having a st. She had a million questions about the king’s pack, which had been closed off to outsiders for centuries. To my surprise, Darius was kind enough to answer her questions without getting irritated. In fact, he seemed thrilled to talk about it.

That exined why bwe /barrived back home soteb. /bAs we walked toward the packhouse, bI /bcould hear Serene’s excited voice trailing behind us, speaking to Cassian.

“Is it true that everyone from the king’s pack is really wealthy and no one is poor? I also heard that everyone is super attractive, like you and Sir Drakeb. /bbIs /bthat true?” Serene asked, her curious eyes sparkling with excitement. Both Cassian and I chuckled at her enthusiasm.

“Well, first of all, thank you for calling me attractive,” Cassian began, without missing a beat. “And secondly, I guess you could say most pack members are attractive. But, of courseb, /bnot everyone bis /bbas /bgood–looking as the king, Drake, Zayn and me. Those are just exaggerated rumors. Don’t believe everything you hear, kid.”

I rolled my eyes at his words. At this point, I was used to his bluntness, but that didn’t mean it didn’t still surprise me sometimes.

“Wow, really?! Then what about-” Before she could finish her sentence, I froze as we stepped into the packhouse. Both Cassian and Serene stopped beside me, following my lead. Sitting there, with a stern expression, was my father, nked by his beta and gamma, Benjamin and Calen standing behind him. All their gazes were fixed directly on me.

Immediately, I felt the air grow heavy, a cold tension creeping over me as I met my father’s serious stare. I knew that look all too well, it meant I had done something wrong, and I was about to face his wrath.

“Huh? What did I do wrong?b” /bI thought, confused. I couldn’t recall doing anything to upset my fatherb… /bcould I have?

For a moment, the silence lingered, thick with tension, as we all stood frozen, staring at one another until Cassian’s voice cut through the air,ced with mild amusement.

“Ah, I guess that’s my cue to leave.” He gave me a casual wave, a yful smirk tugging at his lips. “It was really nice spending the day with you and the kid. I can’t remember thest time I had such a decent evening out, so thank you. Goodnight, and I’ll see you tomorrow.” He waved at Serene, who had lowered her head, the previous excitement gone in an instant.

Before bI /bcould get a word in, Cassian strode into the packhouse, Benjamin and Calen offering him a brief, respectful bow. Despite being older, Cassian’s status bas /bthe king’s beta put him above them in rank. My father, however, gave him only a small nod as he passed, heading toward the quarters where the king was staying.

Well, I guess the evening was officially over.

I took a deep bbreath/b, puffed out my chest, and forced a smile before stepping forward.

“My favorite dad! How are you doing? What’s keeping you up at this hour?” bI /basked with an exaggerated grin as I walked

inside.

But the moment I stepped in, a chill ran down my spine. My father’s cold gaze locked onto me, narrowing with bsuch /bintensity that my smile faltered, and I found myself swallowing back my words.

Yep, I’d definitely messed up, but bwhatever /bit was, I had no clue.

“Hm…” Before I could respond, my father turned bhis /battention to bSerene/b. Without saying a word, he simply tilted his head towards the other side, and she immediately understood.

Without hesitation, bSerene /bbowed her head respectfully and headed upstairs, not sparing me ba /bsingle nceb. /b

My bjaw /bdropped, watching her bleave/bb. /bbI /bscoffed, irritation rising in my bchest/bb, /bbefore turning my bgaze /bbback /bto my father. The disapproving looks from Benjamin and Calen didn’t faze me.

bI /bwaited for my father to speak, but when the bsilence /bstretched on, I rolled my eyes and walked toward the bseat /bin front of him. I dropped into it with a thud, crossing my legs and fixing my gaze on him.

“Alright, I know I’ve done something wrong, so let’s just bget /bit over with, Father. Today’s been exhausting, especially with the king around, and I want nothing more than to sleep.”

I leaned back in the chair, folding my arms, ready to endure whatever lecture he had prepared.

But instead, his next words surprised me.

They weren’t words of scolding, nor were they words of me.

Instead, my father sighed heavily and sat up straighter, his eyes softening as he looked at me.

“You-” he started, but paused for a moment before continuing, “You’re hiding something from me, aren’t you, bNyssa/bb? /bSomething you can’t seem to say… and I think I know what it is.”

My eyes went wide at his words and I felt all the air in my lungs leave my body almost instantly. Something I couldn’t say? Did he knowb… /bthat I have been reborn?