Page 14 of Wicked Fate

Reid looked like he’d been punched.

“I forged it,” Cassi said, her voice soft. “I faked the bond.”

Silence filled the room as we tried to process what we’d justheard. Even though, individually, each word made sense, the combination left me reeling.

My knees weakened, and my vision blurred. “That’s not possible.”

“What are you talking about?” Reid tried to sit higher, but he grimaced and plopped back down on the pillows. “You can only influence emotions.”

Briar rubbed the back of her neck, her confusion wafting through our connection and adding to my own.

“I can do the basics.” Cassi pressed her lips together like she was contemplating her next words. “But all witches can. My specialty isn’t common, so I limited how I explained my magic.”

“Limited?” Sun’s face flushed. “I’m going to need more than that.”

Cassi lowered her hand and drew in a ragged breath.

As soon as her hand dropped, Ryker stood up straight once more. “Use your magic on one of us again and see what happens.” He bared his teeth, his eyes glowing as his wolf surged forward.

“I couldn’t let you attack Reid for no good reason.”

“Nogoodreason.” Ryker snorted.

“Get to the point, Cassi.” Reid lifted his chin.

Cassi’s gaze swept around the room, landing on me last. “I did it to protect the Blackwoods,” she said softly. “To repay them.”

My breath hitched, and Briar glanced at me.

“What the hell does that mean?” Ryker’s growl returned in full force.

Sun rolled her eyes and clenched her hands. “Just come out with it.”

Cassi fidgeted. “The Blackwoods took me in when no one else would. When my sister tried to kill me, I had to leave home and survive on my own. I had no one I could trust or rely on. The Blackwoods gave me a home, a family, and safety. I wanted to give something back. Something that would last.”

“So youmanipulated a mate bond?” Sun’s voice climbed into something shrill. “You decided to play Fate?”

“No!” Cassi’s voice cracked. “I didn’t do it for power or personal gain. I did it because I believed—because weallbelieved—that Reid was meant to be more than just the next alpha. That he could lead all the packs. But he needed the right kind of mate to do that, and everyone wanted Ember to take the throne, so it was win-win.”

“You manipulated my sister—let her be humiliated—for a chance for him to become king?” Briar rubbed her hands together as her anger and annoyance constricted our pack link.

Cassi lifted both hands in surrender. “Their bond would have given him legitimacy. He’d have had a powerful mate—someone with lineage strong enough to back him. Someone the other alphas would rally behind.”

I blinked, trying to make sense of it. I’d never imagined that someone could make me feel fated-mate tendencies for someone who wasn’t my fated.

Reid’s expression darkened, the veins in his neck twitching. “I never asked for that. Why the hell would you put Ember and me through that?”

Cassi’s shoulders curled inward, and her voice dropped so low I had to strain to hear it. “I know. You didn’t. But I thought…”

“You thoughtwhat?” His tone wasn’t a growl—but it was worse—cold and clipped. “That I’d want my entire future and mate bond built on a lie?”

Her breath caught. “I thought you’d want to help the packs since wolf shifters were being slaughtered. We needed a strong leader to keep all of us safe.”

“And you thought faking my fated-mate bond was the answer?” His voice broke into a rasp that echoed far deeper than just physical pain. “Did my father put you up to this?”

Cassi flinched like he’d slapped her.

She shook her head hard. “He didn’t know about it, including what my special magic is. And when I influenced your emotions, everyone was happy, so I didn’t think it would cause harm.”

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