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

20. Cassia

Chapter twenty

Cassia

P anic grips me as Morgana and Lucian drag me into the study, the doors closing behind us as Lucian waves his free hand.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause a disruption,” I tell them, shaking my head and grimacing as Morgana digs her nails into my arm.

Lucian releases me and moves to stand in front of the desk, his arms crossing over his chest. “I liked it better when we knew nothing about you. You’re becoming more and more complicated by the day.”

Morgana yanks me closer to her, making me stumble. She bares her teeth in my face. “You’re nothing but trouble. This arrangement with Everblade is going to fall through because of you !”

Arrangement? She means silent control. Everblade may be able to stay in their home, but Morgana and Lucian are controlling everything. They have Everblade under their thumbs, and as time goes on, they’ll apply more and more pressure to get what they want until Everblade is no more.

“I didn’t ask for this!” I say as my wide eyes dart between them. “If I could have a normal, peaceful life, I would choose that in a heartbeat!”

But I was born into darkness and chaos, and it runs through my veins. How can I help that?

The doors suddenly burst open, making me turn to see Gliselle rushing inside. At first, my heart soars with hope at the sight of her but fear quickly overtakes me. Morgana and Lucian are pissed, and they’ll gladly take their anger out on her too.

“What is going on?” Gliselle questions her siblings as she strides toward me, worry shining in her eyes.

Lucian sighs and waves the door shut once more. “It seems that Cassia is a Cinderborne witch.”

Shock rings across Gliselle’s face as she turns to me. When she sees the guilt in my eyes, she shakes her head. “That doesn’t change who you are. You’re nothing like them.”

Morgana tightens her grip on my arm, making me wince in pain. “She’s about to be banished like them if she doesn’t stop causing trouble! So much drama from one unimportant little witch.”

I try to shrink away from her, but she refuses to lighten her grip. “I’m not doing this on purpose. I won’t say anything about my birth coven. I don’t even want to think about it myself!”

The thought that my parents are Cinderborne witches makes my stomach churn. They had to have been evil people who went out of their way to hurt others. To kill others because Cinderborne was notorious for being power hungry. That’s why they went after the Red Oak Forest so many years ago.

“Let her go, Morgana!” Gliselle raises her voice as she glares at her older sister. “She can’t be blamed for this!”

Morgana scoffs at Gliselle. “I will decide what she can and can’t be blamed for. She ruined a perfectly good dinner because she’s an attention seeking little bitch who just can’t seem to do what she’s told.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the stomach. It doesn’t matter what I do. It will always be wrong in her eyes.

“Maybe we should choose another princess,” Lucian suggests.

Morgana shakes her head. “It’s already done. We just need to make it clear to Cassia that any future trouble will result in punishment.”

My eyes widen as I feel my arm start to burn under her fingertips. “What? Stop! That hurts!”

Morgana leans closer to me as she channels her lunar power, searing my skin. “Good. Remember this when you think about causing trouble again.”

“Morgana, stop!” Gliselle shouts at her.

Morgana’s eyes flash as her power intensifies, burning finger marks into my skin as my knees buckle.

I grit my teeth in pain, falling to one knee in front of Morgana as her power radiates throughout my entire arm. It’s so intense that it paralyzes me, and it’s not like I have the magic to defend myself against her.

“I said stop!” Gliselle bites out as she throws her hand up, knocking Morgana back against the wall with a force spell. She rushes over to me, placing her hand on the back of my head. “Are you okay?”

Before I can answer, Morgana lets out a furious growl and lifts her hand, shoving Gliselle away from me. She advances on Gliselle, planting her foot on her little sister’s chest to pin her against the ground. “You just attacked one of your leaders. That’s treason!”

Lucian’s eyes darken as he moves to Morgana’s side, staring down at Gliselle with disappointment on his face. “You know the punishment for treason, Gliselle.”

My eyes grow wide as I crawl toward them, black burn marks adorning my injured arm. “No! Don’t!”

“Please,” Gliselle whispers as she shakes her head, tears forming in her eyes. “Don’t send me away. I’m your sister! Your family! And she’s your family too!”

Morgana barks out a laugh as she digs her foot even harder against Gliselle’s chest, making her grimace. “She’s not family. She’s all that’s left of a failed coven, and you’re exiled .”

“No!” I shout as I try to grab at Lucian’s pant leg. “Don’t send her away!”

Lucian tightens his jaw before backhanding me, the sharp sound echoing throughout the study.

I collapse on my side, pain stinging my cheek as tears burn my eyes. They can’t do this!

“We’re showing her mercy,” Lucian hisses at me. “Do you know what the other punishment for treason is?”

I swallow hard as I stare up at him. “Death.”

“Tempting. You’ve been nothing but trouble too, little sister,” Morgana says as her eyes narrow. “Just like Silas.”

Gliselle’s eyes grow wide. “Silas … you didn’t …”

Tears break from my eyes as Morgana confirms one of the vilest rumors that spread throughout the Moonveil Coven. Silas was more outspoken against Morgana and Lucian than most because he saw up close how terribly they treated Gliselle.

His death was sudden and unexplainable, but the picture is clear now. He rebelled a little too much. Where is the line when something is treason and when it isn’t?

A cruel smile crosses Morgana’s face. “You should know better than to test me.”

Lucian steps out of the room for a minute before returning with two other Moonveil witches. “Take Gliselle to the border. Make sure she doesn’t try to come back.”

The Moonveil witches look surprised, but they don’t let their shocked expressions linger for too long. With nods, they approach Gliselle as Morgana finally steps off her.

I expect Gliselle to beg for them to let her stay, but a cold look forms on her face as the other Moonveil witches pull her up to her feet. “Your reign will not last as long as you expect it to.”

A bolt of shock hits me. “Gliselle …”

Gliselle looks down at me as the Moonveil witches grab her arms. She gives me a bittersweet. “You’ll be okay, Cassia. You were always the strongest out of the two of us.”

More tears spill down my face as I watch the witches escort Gliselle out of the room. I push myself to my feet and step toward her, but Lucian blocks my path with a warning look on his face.

“If you try anything, we won’t just outcast you too. We’ll kill you both,” he tells me in a low, dark voice.

“You’re being cruel,” I say in a hushed voice, my heart aching as Gliselle is led out of sight.

“Do you want me to show you cruel?” Morgana threatens me as she moves toward me.

I almost want to say screw it and actively rebel against them, but I know that I won’t walk out of this room alive if I do. Getting revenge on them for all the terrible things they have done will be a long, highly calculated effort, and I desperately want to contribute.

I won’t be able to do that if I’m dead.

I drop my eyes to the floor and shake my head, swallowing my pride and anger in exchange for my life.

Morgana smirks and walks past me, her shoulder striking mine. “Get out of my sight before I change my mind.”

Lucian flashes me a warning look. “If you’re seen near the border, you won’t like what happens next.”

All I can do is nod before walking out of the study, sadness stabbing into my heart. I haven’t been talking to Gliselle as much as I should’ve because I was upset she lied to me. If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t have been so damn stubborn.

Everything she ever did was to protect me. She got herself exiled and almost killed because she was saving me from Morgana!

A quiet sob wracks my body as I hurry down the hallway to get as far away from them as possible, my vision starting to blur. I want to run after Gliselle, but I know what will happen if I do.

She wouldn’t want that.

Grey suddenly steps in front of me, his body almost crashing into mine. He grabs my arms with a worried frown on his face. “Cassia? What’s wrong?”

I lose myself, falling against his chest as I bury my tear-stained face in his shirt.

Grey winds his arms around my body, holding me close as I cry into his chest. He cups the back of my head and guides me sideways. “I’ve got you. I’m taking you to my room.”

I don’t respond, barely able to breathe as he leads me through the hallways. Hot tears scorch their way down my cheeks and disappear into the soft fabric of his shirt. The next thing that I see is his bedroom as he shuts the door behind us.

Grey sits me down on his bed and lights an oil lamp on his nightstand, a soft golden glow illuminating the quaint space. He takes a seat next to me, his hand resting on the middle of my back as I lean over a little. “What happened? I saw Morgana and Lucian take you out of the dining hall.”

I try to wipe away my tears, but more keep flowing from my eyes. I breathe in shakily, my chest aching. “They exiled Gliselle.”

Grey’s eyes widen. “Your mom? Why?”

I lower my head, my hands pressing against my temples as an ache pulses between them. “Morgana was hurting me for causing trouble. She attacked Morgana to protect me, and they cast her out for treason.”

Grey’s face darkens as he shakes his head. “They can’t keep getting away with things like this. They’re evil .”

I’ve known that for a very long time, but there’s nothing that I can do about it. Now more than ever, I feel so isolated from my own coven. My entire identity has been rewritten, and I don’t even agree with the morals and values of my leaders.

Where the hell does that leave me?

“I don’t know what to do,” I whisper as my body shakes, my vision blurring again. “I feel so alone.”

Grey wraps his arm around me and pulls me against his chest again, letting me collapse against him. His fingers gently stroke through my hair. “You’re not alone, Cassia. I’m here for you.”

I fist his shirt, shuddering through my sobs as he holds me. He’s the only thing keeping me from doing something reckless right now, and I can’t even form enough words to express how grateful I am for him. All I can do is hold on tight and hope that he doesn’t get stolen away too.

Knowing Morgana and Lucian, it’s only a matter of time until I lose everything and everyone I care about.