Chapter 73 Cassandra's Truth

Chapter 73 Cassandra's Truth
Seven months into her sentence, Cassandra barely recognized her own life anymore.

Most wolves no longer spoke to her unless necessary. Some still looked openly disgusted by her presence. Others ignored her entirely.

She accepted all of it quietly.

The pack council had assigned her to assist with the lower-rank integration programs created after the reforms. Most days involved paperwork, training schedules, and helping supervise younger wolves during assessment sessions.

That was how she met Sera.

The young omega rarely spoke during group activities. She stayed near the edges of every room, answered questions softly, and left immediately whenever sessions ended.

At first, Cassandra barely paid attention.

Then she started noticing things she once would have ignored.

The way Sera lowered her eyes automatically whenever higher-ranked wolves passed nearby.

The hesitation before she spoke.

The expectation that she would be dismissed before anyone listened.

One afternoon, Cassandra stood near the training records table organizing assessment forms while Sera approached one of the supervisors carefully.

“Are applications still open for the warrior initiative?” Sera asked quietly.

Before the supervisor answered, one of the older patrol wolves nearby scoffed.

“You cannot be serious.”

Another wolf gave a short laugh. “Combat training is hard enough already without throwing frightened omegas into the field.”

A few nearby wolves smiled faintly at the comment while others ignored it entirely and continued sorting paperwork.

The reaction unsettled Cassandra more than the words themselves.

Nothing about the exchange sounded unusual to anyone in the room.

Years ago, she probably would have said the same thing herself.

She turned to leave.

“Wait.”

The word left Cassandra before she thought about it.

The room quieted.

Cassandra set the forms down slowly and looked toward the two patrol wolves.

“The old hierarchy already cost this pack enough capable wolves,” she said calmly. “People cared more about rank than ability.”

Neither man answered.

“If someone wants the chance to prove themselves, they should get it.”

Silence followed her words.

Not because they were shocking.

Because she said them.

Sera stared at her uncertainly while the supervisor quietly slid the application papers across the table.

This time, no one laughed.



That evening, Cassandra stood outside Freda’s study holding the folded application form in her hand for almost a full minute before knocking.

“Come in,” Freda called from inside.

Cassandra entered slowly.

Freda looked mildly surprised to see her. “What happened?”

Cassandra crossed the room and placed the form carefully on the desk.

“One of the omega trainees applied for warrior assessments today,” she said. “Her name is Sera.”

Freda glanced down at the papers. “All right.”

“She almost left before submitting it.”

Something in Cassandra’s voice made Freda look up again properly.

Cassandra stayed standing.

“Two patrol wolves made comments about omegas joining combat training,” Cassandra continued quietly. “The kind of comments that used to sound normal to me.”

Freda said nothing.

“I think I finally understood what it feels like,” Cassandra admitted. “Expecting people to dismiss you before you even speak.”

Silence settled briefly between them before Cassandra spoke again.

“I came because there’s something I should have said a long time ago.”

The tension in the room sharpened immediately.

“I know apologizing changes nothing. It doesn’t undo what happened to you. Or Liam. Or the years you lost.”

Freda remained quiet.

“The hierarchy gave me excuses, but it didn’t force me to be cruel,” Cassandra said. “I chose that myself.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

“I humiliated you because I believed rank made me better than you. And even after everything that happened, I kept blaming everyone else instead of admitting what I became.”

“You hated me long before Lucian rejected me,” Freda said quietly.

“I did.”

“Why?”

Cassandra hesitated then.
“Because being around lower ranks always irritated me,” she admitted softly. “I told myself it was about order and discipline, but it wasn’t. I just looked at people below me and assumed they were less.”
Freda looked away briefly.

“I spent years convincing myself that power and rank were the only things that mattered,” Cassandra continued. “Without them, I didn’t know who I was anymore.”

The honesty in her voice unsettled Freda more than anger would have.

“I don’t expect forgiveness,” Cassandra said finally. “I just don’t want to stay the person I was.”

Freda stayed quiet for several seconds before speaking.

“When I left Silverpine, I thought about you almost as much as I thought about Lucian.”

Cassandra’s expression tightened slightly but she did not interrupt.

“You made sure I understood exactly where I stood every single day.” Freda’s voice remained calm. “So no, understanding things now doesn’t erase what happened.”

“I know.”

“But…” Freda paused briefly. “At least now you understand the damage.”

Cassandra gave a small nod.

“Yes.”

Another silence followed.

Then Cassandra stepped back toward the door.

“Thank you for listening,” she said quietly.

Freda did not answer before Cassandra left the room.

The door closed softly behind her.

Freda remained seated for a long moment afterward, her eyes resting on the empty space Cassandra had left behind.

What unsettled her most was not the apology itself.

It was that Cassandra had meant it.

And that, somehow, made it harder to dismiss than anger ever had.