Fake Mate of the Enemy Shifter (Red Oak Shifters #2)

14. Cassia

Chapter fourteen

Cassia

A s voices pour out of the dining hall up ahead, the bodice of my dress feels tighter than usual.

I suck in a deep breath as I approach the open doors, my fingertips brushing the light blue fabric of my dress. Somehow, that deep breath doesn’t feel like enough to keep me from feeling painfully breathless.

Nervousness rushes through me as I immediately catch a glimpse of Morgana, Lucian, Grey, and his parents sitting at the dining table. Other high ranking Moonveil witches and a select few Everblade wolves and witches occupy the other seats, and it doesn’t take me long to spot the seat saved for me next to Grey at the end of the table.

Like she’s already the queen of everyone, Morgana sits at the head of the table, not even bothering to touch her cut of veal. Instead, her eyes sweep back and forth, watching everyone else as they start to eat dinner.

As soon as I enter, eyes dart my way, trailing me all the way to my seat. I keep my gaze forward, trying to focus on anything else other than how many eyes are on me and how much pressure is on my shoulders. Everyone expects this marriage to unite the clans, but I know how Grey feels about me.

Will this even work if we can’t somewhat get along?

“Finally,” Morgana says once I sit down to her left. She fixes me with a sharp look. “You’re late.”

I tense under her eyes, hoping that she doesn’t make a scene in front of everyone, especially Grey and his parents. It’s bad enough seeing how suspicious they are of me, even if that’s expected. “I’m sorry. I had trouble putting my dress on.”

Morgana waves her hand dismissively, signaling for me to shut up. “Anyway, we’re terribly sorry for the bad first impression. This is Cassia. She will be Grey’s bride.”

“Is she an heir?” Arabella asks as she sits across the table from me with Emeric on her left next to Lucian. She eyes me closely, inspecting me.

“She is family,” Lucian replies, keeping his answer vague. “But she’s suitable for this.”

It’s not like I’m going to be able to wield much power at all. I may be the princess, but any order that I make will be theirs. They’ll force me to be their mouthpiece, to speak their commands.

It’s a pointless title.

“Grey is a strong suitor as well,” Emeric says as he nods to his son. “He’s a good fighter, advisor, and leader. Even with his youth.”

“Good to know,” Lucian replies before looking over at Morgana. “Roles will be defined more once the marriage is official, but we are open to freeing all of your people once the wedding ceremony is over.”

The ceremony that happens tomorrow.

My stomach flips at the thought, making me breathe in unsteadily.

Grey glances over at me, his mouth turning down in a slight frown. He can probably feel my unease. My stress. It’s radiating off me at this point. “We all understand you will have final say in important matters, but we hope you’ll seek at least some of us for counsel. Everblade has ruled peacefully and successfully for many years.”

Morgana doesn’t look impressed. In fact, she looks bored as her eyes blink slowly. “Things are going to change. This entire region will change. You would do best to watch and learn.”

I can feel Grey’s body stiffen next to mine. My heartbeat quickens as my eyes dart between everyone, the air becoming heavier and thicker. This dinner is supposed to smooth out any tension between our clans before the ceremony, but it’s going to take more than just one sitting to eliminate any hard feelings or judgments between all of us.

“Of course,” Grey replies with a nod. He looks down at his veal and potatoes, eating without much enthusiasm at all. It seems like most people don’t have an appetite as they pick at their food.

Morgana reaches out and gives me a sharp nudge. “Well? Aren’t you going to say something to our guests? You’ve been awfully rude.”

I nearly gape at her, my cheeks burning hot. Of course, she’s going to put me on the spot. She loves seeing me flail and panic, and I can’t think of anything else to do right now.

What in the world do I even say? Grey hasn’t even tried to speak with me, and his parents seem more intent on studying and judging me rather than getting to know me. There is nothing that I can say that will make any of them like me.

“I…”

“Where is your mother?” Grey asks me.

My eyebrows lift in surprise. He asked me an actual question. It wasn’t a jab or a threat or anything.

He threw me a lifeline.

“Resting. She’s our main healer, so she stays busy,” I explain.

“Callista is ours. She’s been my mom’s friend since they were young,” Grey tells me, holding my gaze with a casual look on his face. Not too friendly but not hostile either.

“It must be nice. Having a friendship that stands the test of time,” I say as I look over at his mother, hoping she doesn’t jump down my throat.

Arabella eyes me, but she eventually offers me a small smile. “There is no stronger friendship than one that can overcome the challenge of time. I’m very lucky.”

Some of the tension gripping my shoulders starts to loosen, allowing me to relax a little in my seat and not look like I’m about to bolt out of the dining hall. Part of me still wants to, though.

“The only thing wrong with friends is that they are a weakness,” Morgana states before taking a sip of her wine. She licks her lips as she sets the chalice down, a smirk crossing her face. “Power will never betray you. Friends will.”

I almost roll my eyes. Does she have to ruin everything? There is no gleam of light or warmth in her heart. If she even has one.

“Family can do the same,” Emeric states as his eyes shift between Lucian and Morgana.

Lucian clears his throat. “I just want to say I think it was very smart of Everblade to choose an alliance instead of a revolt. We can do more together than apart.”

“I agree. This region is too large and too unpredictable for just one coven to take over it,” Grey says as his eyes dart right to Morgana’s.

Before I stop myself, I reach out under the table and grab his thigh, discreetly passing him a look of warning. He shouldn’t taunt her like that. He shouldn’t taunt her at all.

If she’s willing to choke her own family to death over a simple protest, there is no telling what she would find pleasure in doing to him as our enemy.

Grey tenses under my grip, his eyes shifting to mine instead. “But Moonveil is obviously capable of doing what may seem impossible.”

I loosen my grip on his leg before drawing my hand away. Good. He’s learning. If he wants to get under Morgana’s skin, he needs to do it in a far more subtle manner.

“A challenge does not scare us,” Morgana assures him. “The quicker Everblade respects our strength, the quicker you’ll truly become one of us. You’ll reap the rewards of being in the most powerful clan in the region.”

Air faintly puffs out of my nose as I stare down at my untouched meal. She means that she and Lucian will reap all of the rewards and leave everyone else with scraps, especially Everblade. She’ll manipulate them just like everyone else who has been captured, turning them into desperate drones who think just not getting punished is excellent treatment.

It’ll happen before Grey can even realize it.

Morgana’s eyes dart to me. “Do you have something to say, Cassia? You’ve been so quiet.”

The moment our eyes lock, a deep ache forms in the pit of my stomach, like someone punched me. Over and over. I grimace in discomfort, locking my jaw to keep myself from wincing in pain. That’ll give her even more reason to hurt me.

“I’m just… looking forward to the ceremony,” I breathe out, my skin growing hot from the pain.

Grey reaches under the table and grabs my hand. Despite the straight look on his face, I can see the concern flash in his eyes. He knows that she’s hurting me somehow.

“Oh, really? What are you looking forward to the most?” Morgana questions me with a fake cheery tone in her voice. Her eyes briefly glow as she maintains the spell, keeping the pain going.

The ache spreads into my chest like my body is being battered by invisible blows. I grip Grey’s hand tighter, my nails digging into the top of his hand as I struggle to hold myself together. “I… um…”

I can’t even think!

Grey reaches out with his other hand to grab his chalice of wine, but his knuckle hits the stem, knocking it over. The chalice hits the table with a thump, wine spilling across the wood toward Morgana. “Oh! Damn it. Sorry.”

Morgana quickly scoots her chair back with a grimace, dodging the wine as it spills around her plate. Her concentration breaks, the effects of the spell fading away.

I breathe in shakily, placing my free hand against my stomach as the ache finally disappears. As others swoop in to clean the mess, I glance over at Grey, giving him a brief but grateful look. He came through for me, even though he absolutely did not have to.

Grey subtly nods before our hands break apart. He picks up his wine glass and turns it upright, the corner of his mouth turning up ever so slightly. It seems like Morgana isn’t the only tricky one in the room.

“I’m not very hungry anyway,” Morgana mutters as she smooths down her black dress. “The ceremony will be tomorrow at noon. No one should be late.”

“Hold on. I actually have an announcement to make,” Emeric speaks up as he rises to his feet.

I pitch Grey a confused look, but his expression remains straight. He still isn’t going to clue me into what he’s up to.

“Go on,” Lucian replies, motioning for Emeric to continue.

Emeric nods and turns to me, making my heart stop. “I’m sure this isn’t how you pictured your marriage happening, but I think it can still be a special thing. Unity makes clans strong. I would know.”

My face softens a little. Grey and the Everblade Kingdom are both products of clan unity. It truly can be a beautiful thing if it doesn’t involve Morgana.

“I just want you to know that the rest of Everblade are supportive of this marriage and union. To show that, I would like to offer you a Red Oak sapling. We’ve been raising it for a little while now, and it’s our only one. Take it as a symbol of good faith and use it during the ceremony when channeling the bond spell.”

A light ache fills my chest, but it’s a good pain this time. It’s one of awe and hope because I know that sapling means a lot to them. The fact that they’re willing to give it to me to show their support touches me.

It almost feels too good to be true.

“Thank you,” I say as I give him a grateful smile.

Emeric nods instead of smiling before sitting down. He leans close to Arabella as she gently kisses him on the cheek, coaxing him to relax more.

I guess I can’t expect his parents to like me right off the bat or ever, but at least Grey has been fairly kind tonight. I don’t know why, but I would take any acts of kindness over sharp jabs and taunts. Thanks to Morgana, I deal with enough of those already.

“How sweet,” Morgana comments as she clasps her hands together, an intrigued glint sparking in her eyes. “Those trees are certainly a novelty.”

The hunger in her voice makes my jaw clench. Everyone knows how special those trees are, and if they’re a decent person, they would only want the trees’ power to be used for good. Not for destruction or death.

But what can I do? What can any of us do while Morgana and Lucian hold all the cards?

My frustration burns into red hot anger, darkness eating away at any flicker of hope inside of me. I’m too consumed in my fury to fight the feeling, allowing it to fill me whole as I picture a life of being their pawn forever.

It can’t happen, but where is the line when I’ll finally stand my ground? It’ll have to be when I’m content with the thought of dying because I know what will come next IF I defy them.

One way or another, blood will spill.