April’s POV
Sunlight poured through the cracks in the blinds, warming the small apartment in soft, golden light. I stirred beneath the covers, my eyes fluttering open. For a moment, I lay still, letting the events of the night before replay in my mind.
Cassius’s pack. His people. His world.
I sighed, staring at the ceiling, trying to ignore the strange pull in my chest. Cassius had shown me a part of his life last night-a part of himself. It had been… overwhelming.
No one had ever done that for me. No one had ever wanted me to belong in their world.
“You’re overthinking this,” Snow’s soft and reassuring voice drifted into my mind. My wolf was always there, even in the quiet moments, offering her strength when I couldn’t find mine.
“I can’t help it,” I muttered aloud, rolling onto my side.
“You like him,” she teased, her tone lilting with amusement.
“I-” I cut myself off, biting my lip. “I don’t know what I feel.”
Snow huffed, a sound of exasperated affection. Of course, you know. “You’re just afraid to admit it. You like him, April. He makes you feel safe, and you haven’t felt that in a long time. It’s okay to let yourself feel it.”
I sat up, running a hand through my messy hair. “It’s not that simple, Snow. I can’t just forget everything else-why I’m here, what I’m looking for. What those rogues wanted with me. My parents…” My voice trailed off, the familiar ache settling in my chest.
“Your mission is important,” Snow agreed, her voice softening. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t let someone in. You deserve this, April. You deserve to feel wanted.”
Her words hit me harder than I expected. Snow wasn’t wrong, but the idea of letting someone in-of trusting someone again-terrified me. I’d been on my own for so long, surviving on nothing but my instincts and sheer determination. Letting someone close felt like a risk I wasn’t sure I could take.
But Cassius… he was different.
I stood and wandered to the kitchen, the wooden floor cool beneath my feet. As I made a cup of coffee, my mind drifted back to the way he’d looked at me last night. There had been no judgment in his eyes, no expectation. Just quiet understanding.
He had brought me into his world without hesitation, showing me a side of himself that few people probably got to see.
And his pack… they had been kind. Curious, yes, but kind. No one had treated me like an outsider, even though I’d felt it in my bones. They had welcomed me and offered me smiles and quiet words of encouragement.
It made something stir inside me, something I couldn’t quite name.
“You liked it there,” Snow said, breaking the silence.
I leaned against the counter, staring out the small window at the street below. “Maybe.”
“You did,” she pressed her voice firm. “You felt it-the pull. That’s what a real pack feels like, April. You belong there more than you realize.”
“I don’t belong anywhere,” I whispered, the words tasting bitter on my tongue.
“That’s not true.”
I didn’t respond. Snow knew better than to push me when I got like this.
A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. My heart jumped, and for a moment, I froze.
It couldn’t be…
Setting my coffee down, I walked to the door and peered through the peephole.
Cassius.
My pulse quickened as I opened the door, trying to keep my expression neutral. “What are you doing here?”
He leaned casually against the doorframe, his hands in his pockets. “Good morning to you, too.”
I crossed my arms, narrowing my eyes at him. “It’s not even noon. How did you know I’d be awake?”
He smirked, that infuriatingly charming smile of his making my stomach flip. “Lucky guess.”
I sighed, stepping aside to let him in. “What do you want, Cassius?”
He walked in, glancing around my apartment with quiet curiosity. “I wanted to see how you were doing after last night.”
“I’m fine,” I said quickly, closing the door behind him.
“You sure?” He turned to face me, his gaze steady. “You seemed a little… overwhelmed.”
I bristled, hating how easily he saw through me. “I’m not used to… all of that,” I admitted, gesturing vaguely. “The pack. The people. The… closeness.”
Cassius’s expression softened. “I get it. But you handled it well. They liked you.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Did they?”
He chuckled. “They’re curious, sure, but they can see what I see.”
“And what’s that?” I asked, my voice quieter.
He stepped closer, his eyes never leaving mine. “That you’re strong. That you’ve been through hell and still came out standing. That you’re worth knowing, April.”
My breath caught in my throat, and for a moment, I didn’t know what to say.
Snow’s voice broke through the silence. “He means it. Let yourself believe it.”
“I…” I shook my head, trying to find the right words. “I don’t know how to be part of something like that, Cassius. I don’t know how to belong.”
He reached out, his hand brushing against mine. “You don’t have to figure it out right now. Just… let yourself feel it. One step at a time.”
His words settled over me like a balm, soothing the ache I hadn’t realized I was carrying.
“Okay,” I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper.
Cassius smiled, his thumb brushing against my hand before he pulled away. “Good.”
As he turned to leave, I felt a strange mix of relief and longing.
“Cassius,” I called out before I could stop myself.
He turned, his expression curious.
“Thank you,” I said softly.
His smile was warm and genuine. “Anytime.”
As the door closed behind him, I leaned against it, letting out a shaky breath.
Snow’s voice was quiet but firm. “You’re not alone anymore, April. Whether you like it or not.”
I closed my eyes, letting her words sink in. For the first time in a long time, I wasn’t sure if that terrified me… or gave me hope.