Chapter Seventy-Eight

Chapter Seventy-Eight
Scott's POV

While the children were changing into their swimwear, I took my opportunity to pull Cassandra aside. I took her up to the office on the third floor. She sat on the sofa lining the right wall and I sat in the chair a couple feet away.

I noticed she'd begun picking at her fingernails and her left foot began to bounce, but noticing that was not how I knew she was nervous. It was her thoughts that kept going from one scenario to the next in her head.

I cleared my throat and her grey eyes flicked up to meet my blue ones. Looking into them I now saw Mom, our Mom. They even had the same dark blue flecks in them that hers did. It made my heart jolt in my chest realizing how much she looked like her. I had her hair color and she had dads, so I never paid much attention to the similarities she and mom both shared until now.

"I wanted to speak to you about Silas." I told her.

"Okay?" Her eyes flitted from her hands and up to meet mine for a second before she looked back at her hands. She's definitely nervous. She shouldn't be though. I'm her brother, I won't ever hurt her.

"When is his birthday?"

"March seventeenth."

I nodded. That explains a lot. "I think you should prepare for his shift."

Her eyes shot up to meet mine, eyebrows raised. "It's too early for him to shift. He's not even thirteen yet."

"Yes, I know. But due to the lycans bloodline he shares with you and the dire gene, I think he'll shift early. He's got all the signs that say he's ready when his birthday hits." I sighed. "Because of the two he got from you, and the wolf gene from his dad I think he'll shift soon. Perhaps before his birthday."

"But he's only nine. That's too young. He won't survive it." She whispered while still picking at her fingernails.

"Oh he's ready, and strong. Do you have any idea how strong-willed that kid is?" I leaned back in my seat. "Besides when you shifted a few months back, most would say you shouldn't have survived. To shift as late as you did was risky, it could have killed you had it not been for the danger you and your family were in." A slow smile formed on my face. 

"But...but he's only a kid."

"Yes, one that's had more heartache than any other kid I've ever met. And thanks to you, he will be just as strong as you if not stronger." Her lips parted and color tinted her face. Was she upset? Angry maybe? I hoped not, because that was meant to be a compliment on how she raised him to be such a strong and independent young man. She should feel proud of that. "Think about it like this, Cassandra. Your wolf, Petra wanted out regardless of the risk it put you both in, and due to the hunters attacking, it gave her the will to keep you both alive. She is also extremely powerful. The Dire wolves and Lycans were always meant to be the strongest. And you? You're both. The heart of a dire and the strength of a lycan. Silas is also the same way, except he is also half werewolf thanks to his dad."

"It won't harm him?" She asked softly. "To shift this early I mean?"

I quickly shook my head. "No, and if it helps I can ask Clara to cast a protection spell over him while he shifts. Or you could ask one of those mates of yours." I raised an eyebrow and her face flushed a little, which made me chuckle.

"You know you resemble Mom when you blush." I commented.

Her shoulders lifted. "I have no idea what she looked like. I know I should because I was only six when I was brought here, but... I can't remember. It's like the woman I was raised by and called Mom and Dad overlapped every memory I had of our parents." Cassie said and looked down at her hands.

"And that's alright. From what I've heard Margot was a wonderful parent to you. Otis though? If it wasn't for that boy of yours and his love for him, I'd have killed him myself."

"He was a wonderful father... up until Mom passed." She whispered.

"I can't say I did the same with Rosalie after Brooke, but I was really really angry when our bond broke. I just hope he realizes one day that you were worth loving and fighting for."

"I'm sure he knows that now, however, I have always known he never wanted me. So as I grew up I stopped hoping he'd return the love I gave him." A smile grew on her face. Goddess does she really look like Mom when she smiles. I don't think I will ever get over this feeling of knowing Mom did the right thing by placing her here. She would have actually died if she and dad didn't make that hard call. "Besides, I had one of the most precious boys a mother could ever ask for showing me how much I was worth loving."

I nodded and smiled as well. "I brought something for you from home." I announced softly and stood up from my seat."Brooklyn found it when we were decorating the baby's nursery. I forgot it even existed until she showed it to me."

I pulled the silk bag from my pocket. "If my memory serves me well. I think Dad had this made for you after you were born." I walked around the desk and she stood up from her seat. I reached down and took one of her hands in mine then placed the pouch in her palm.

"What is it?" Cassie asked, her eyes examining the maroon colored silk I handed her. She stared at it then slowly lifted it to her ear. "And why is there a hum?"

"Open it and look for yourself." I smiled shrugging my shoulders.

She licked her dry lips then bit one nervously. Her eyes lingered on the pouch I handed her before she glanced up at me and smiled. I don't think I'll ever stop seeing our parents in that smile. It warmed mine and ezekiel's heart knowing she was standing here in front of us and not buried away in some random grave like Mom and Dad like we thought she was supposed to be. Mom saved her by sending her here

And as much as it still hurts knowing my mother-in-law knew who she was all this time she also saved her. She cleaned her blood of the poison that was meant to kill her. I'm grateful for her part in my sister's still beating heart.

I held my breath as she slowly pulled on the strings and opened the pouch. The hum that the gift had hummed louder once it was opened and no longer sealed. Cassandra's eyes twinkled and her smile grew, prompting me to relax and let myself breathe again.

"Oh goddess. It's beautiful." She pulled out the necklace that Dad made for her when he found out he'd had a daughter. She was the only female born on his side of the family for centuries and while my grandparents and uncles all stayed away from her, he relished in the broken chain she created when she was born.

"It's made of real gold and the design is-"

"The original Direwolf bloodline, or well the mark of it." She finished. "How did he know I would be the last?"

"I don't know, but Mom could sense things. Good and bad. But when you were born she said that she felt what you were before we knew you had been blessed by the moon goddess." I explained. "Once Mom told Dad, he immediately went to our blacksmith and paid him a hearty amount of crowns to have that made. Mom also imbued it with magic. It should tell you when you encounter another of your kind."

"So there's a chance I'm not the only one left?" Her heart started racing. Excitement filling in those eyes that remind me of Mom herself.

"I'm not sure. But according to the stories, the direwolves never liked for others to know who or what they were. They hide. So if you aren't the last one..." I pointed at the necklace. "That should glow and warm if you come near one."

Cassie flashed a smile and rushed me, I barely caught her when she wrapped her arms around my neck in a tight hug. "Thank you so much for this. You don't have any idea what this means."

I believe I do. I assumed I was the last Lycan in this world until I'd returned home and found others. "You're welcome." I returned her hug but it was tighter. I thought she would pull away due to how tightly I was holding her, but she didn't. "I wish I could remember you without dreaming of the things I'd lost." she whispered next to my ear.

"Your dreams are remembering them for you. In time we will get back to where we once were before the outbreak when we were children. Her head nodded in silent agreement.

Then she swiftly pulled away. "Levi told me that you're planning on going over to Da-" she cleared her throat. "Sorry, Otis' pack while you're here?"

"Yes, I'm putting some of my people on his territory. He's been getting some attacks ever since you guys were attacked by hunters at the meeting spot to bring Silas back." I nodded.

"Right.." she turned and picked up her bag that she had with her and pulled out an envelope. "I'm not exactly ready to see him yet, or speak to him for that matter. But could you give this to him from me please?"

My brows furrowed. "A letter?"

"Kind of." She muttered, but gave no other explanation as to what was in this envelope.

I nodded and smiled slightly. It's her privacy and I'll respect it. "I'll see that he gets it." I told her and slipped it into my back pocket securing it. I'll be sure to place this somewhere that it won't get lost or ruined.