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Nella knocks at my bedroom door early the next morning, I was sat facing the tiny square window that looked out onto the back garden. A brush that I had found in the draw, I was attempting to rip through my extremely knotted hair. But it wasn't doing me any good, ripping out strands of hair continuously.

"Need some help?" Nella asks as she approaches me, waiting for consent to touch my hair.

So I just nod, this matted mess needed sorting out. Nella takes a step closer and grips onto my hair, attempting to pull the matted sections apart. "Oh God," she mumbles as she drops my hair. "This is going to need a pair of scissors."

I don't protest when she leaves the room and comes back moments later with a shiny pair of scissors in her hands. "Do you mind?" She questions.

My shoulders shrug. "I already look like a demon," I say lowly. "Do your worst."

Nella grips onto the matted pieces and gently cuts along the strands of hair, watching as they drop out into her hands. My eyes fixate on the mirror, watching birds fly over the sky and settle on the large trees at the back of the garden.

She grabs onto the brush and gently pulls it through my hair, noticing how she had cut it to just above my shoulders. Knot free as she manages to brush my hair without a single tangle.

"Well, it's the best you're going to get." She huffs out before pulling back and leaning her hands onto her hips.

I turn to her and smile briefly. My hair felt a thousand times lighter than before, fresh and clean. The edges might not be perfect but I didn't care, who was I wanting to impress?

"Do you want some breakfast?" Nella asks politely.

"Yeah," I nod towards her.

"Great, I've made a light spread for us." She tells me with a bright smile.

I nod and grab onto the cardigan laying against the bed. Nella's eyes watch as I pull on the cosy material, noticing how the house was cold. This room didn't even have a radiator.

"My mum knitted that jumper," she tells me, her eyes wandering over the cardigan.

"Cool," I purse my lips, Nella takes a step backwards and guides me through the house.

"How was your nights sleep?"

"Okay," I tell her. "Better than the chair."

Nella smiles back to me as she takes us down the grand stairs, pushing her way through a set of white double doors. My eyes are almost blinded by the brightness of the kitchen, flooring and the wide set windows.

"This is the kitchen," Nella holds out her hands to the large space. Two kitchen islands either side of the room, five fridges, two huge ovens and lots of cupboard space. "There are a lot of us, which is why it's so big."

My lips part as I look around, never have I seen a kitchen look so pristine. "Hey Cleo," Hope distracts my train of thought as I turn to her sitting in the middle at the kitchen table.

"Hi," I say as I look towards a child sat at the table, couldn't be older than two.

"Oh Cleo," Nella says as she approaches the small child, gliding her fingers through the baby's dark curly hair. "This is Arlo. Say hi, Cleo." She grips onto his little hand and waves it in my direction.

"You have a baby?" I ask as I stroll over to the kitchen table and sit opposite the baby.

Nella grins in my direction. "Yeah, Mace and I's first child."

My eyes settle on the baby in front of me, I had to admit that he was incredibly cute. Big brown eyes and curly little locks, chubby cheeks and long eyelashes.

"First?" I question with a raised eyebrow.

"I mean only," she laughs to herself as she sits down next to Arlo. "Wasn't really planning on having a baby yet but here we are."

Hope pulls over a bunch of different bowls. "Help yourself," she tells me and I nod, instantly digging in. My stomach felt like it was full of stones, heavy and malnourished.

"So, what was your game plan before you got caught?" Hope questions as she bites into a strawberry.

My hand reaches for a knife as I spread marmite across a piece of toast, shrugging towards her. "I didn't really have one," I admit. "I was angry and just wanted revenge."

"You were going to go alone?" She flexes an eyebrow at me in shock.

"Not the best idea I know," I mumble as I take a bite of the toast. "The curse can make you feel extreme emotions."

"That's rough," she sighs.

"Yeah it's super shit," I agree as I devour the toast in front of me, not hesitating to eat more.

"Are some days better than others?" She asks genuinely.

I nod. "Some days I feel like a hurricane, others I just feel like a choppy ocean." I find myself describing.

Hope hums at my words as she looks out at the garden. "What are you feeling like today?"

I look up at the ceiling, pondering for a second. My emotions today were quite calm but they usually are when I first wake, by the end of the day that's when all hell breaks loose.

"An oven that's on gas mark six," I say eventually.

Both Nella and Hope break out into a small laugh, catching me by surprise.

Just as I move onto my second piece of toast, the double doors swing open. Kassian emerges, black t-shirt clung to his lean body, black jeans fitted to his legs. Noticing that his hair was dripping wet, skin flush.

Our eyes meet and he lets out a quiet groan but I could still hear it. "And you really have to be in the kitchen why?" He moans, strolling towards the kitchen.

I don't miss how Nella and Hope turn towards one another and give the eye. "Because I can do whatever the fuck I like thanks," I smile towards him sarcastically.

Hope clears her throat. "We're just talking about Cleo's mother, trying to devise some form of plan." She nods as she leans onto her elbows.

Kassian's jaw ticks but he ignores me and Hope, grabbing the milk and pouring himself a glass.

"I know her spells are like superior," Hope says to me. "But what is her weakness?"

I snort to myself as I dust off my hands. "It used to be my dad but he ran for the hills, abandoned me when he got the chance."

"Don't blame him," Kassian mumbles under his breath from across the room.

My arm grabs the back of the chair and I whip my head around to him so quickly I almost fell to the floor. "Did you fucking say something?" I snap.

Kassian turns and rests back onto the counter, bringing the glass of milk up to his lips and taking a sip. My eyes roll so far back into my head as I twist to look at Nella, watching as she feeds Arlo some baby food.

"So no other weaknesses?" Hope says now that she had my attention.

I chew the inside of my lip and sigh. "Honestly, I don't know. She's never shown any flaws to me."

Hope slams her hands down on the table unexpectedly. "Goddamn that woman," she shakes her head. "Maybe we sh—"

The sound of giggling emerges from behind Nella as two little girls run into the kitchen, my eyes widen not realising there was this many children in the pack house.

"Oh good morning girls," Nella grins widely towards them.

"Mummy said to come down and get some breakfast," the little with with blonde pig tails runs over to the table.

"Here Pippa," Nella says as she grabs a bowl of fruit. "Fruit salad. Katie, do you want anything?"

My eyes flick to the girl who was smaller than Pippa but she shakes her head. "I'll wait for mummy."

"Fuck me," I curse out as I pull back into the chair, really not needing children around me right now.

Hope laughs quietly from beside me. "You'll get used to them eventually." She tells me.

"I doubt it," I ground out. "I fucking hate children."

"Goddammit, I'll wash your mouth out with soap if you don't stop with all the swearing around the kids!" Kassian's voice booms through the kitchen, echoing off the walls. Even the little girls jump at his sudden tone.

My neck cranks towards him as he edges closer to me, his eyes full of fury and his brows pulled down into a deep frown.

"Why don't you make me?"

"Jheeeeeez." Nella says aloud her eyes wide. "Why don't you guys just bang already?"

Her words make me laugh, a pity laugh. Kassian's eyes turn hard towards Nella, gritting his teeth as his jaw clicks for a second.

"It's not like you haven't stopped talking about her since she's been here," her voice raises with confidence, her facial expressions challenging him completely.

"Shut up Nella," he shakes his head towards her. "Only because we had no idea if she's a threat to us or not."

"Right," her brows raise sarcastically. "Of course, of course."

My lips curve, completely living for Nella calling him out.

Admitting that I liked Nella was hard but this situation right here made it easy, even if the idea of liking someone pained me inside. Not quite having the emotion to smile towards her or give her a loving hug, instead I just had to appreciate her in my mind.

"We're having a pack meeting at ten," Kassian grumbles as he slams down his empty glass into the sink. "Then we're going for a pack run and everyone needs to be on time."

"Can I come?" I ask brightly, the words falling from my mouth before I got the chance. Not being able to fight the urge to get on his nerves.

Kassian's eye twitches at my words. "I told you to stay out of my sight. You're not part of this pack, you never will be, you are no benefit to me or to us whatsoever." His voice raises in annoyance.

"Fine," I bite back as I watch him stroll out of the kitchen, shutting the door forcefully on the way out.

My eyes turn back to the table noticing how Nella and Hope were both staring back at me with confusion and concern.

"I can feel the tension," Hope exhales as her eyes widen towards the table. "I've never seen Kassian like this."

"Because he feels challenged," Nella smirks towards me. "I don't think he likes it when people can match his asshole energy."

I laugh shortly to myself.

Asshole energy is correct.

. . .

At ten the pack went for a run, the pack nanny looked after the children in the playroom and I was sentenced to my bedroom. Kassian warning me not to move or to do anything in the house, I must be stuck between the four yellow peeling walls.

But Kassian was wrong, very wrong. How could he tell me what to do if I wasn't here?

Not like the nanny was about to chase after me and scold me for not doing what the Alpha said, she had a bunch of kids to look after and quite frankly I was bored.

So I found myself weaving in and out of various rooms, the living room to the library to the conservatory. Things seemed pretty average, boring and normal. My eyes scanning between lamps and photo frames, strange abstract objects that hung against the wall for absolutely no reason.

Finding myself walking back up the grand stairs and peeking between the rooms that were slightly ajar. What I was doing was physically harmless, who hasn't snooped around someone's house when they shouldn't be?

My feet stop outside the only shut door along the corridor, instantly interested in what was inside. The other rooms I observed from the door hinge, beds upon beds and yet I wasn't that interested.

But this door, I needed to know what was inside. So my hand reaches out to the gold plated handle and I press against the metal, the door creaking slightly as I push it open.

Kassian's scent instantly wafts into my face, of course his door would be shut.

Taking another step further, not being able to stop myself from invading his privacy. I didn't want to admit this but I was fascinated by him, any way to grasp a clearer idea of his lifestyle.

This bedroom was covered with grey and black tones, a large window that was open, letting a smooth breeze throughout the room. Everything was organised perfectly, one picture hanging up on the wall above his dresser. Never have I seen such a small photograph in my life, even my eyesight couldn't see it from this far away.

Reaching forward to look directly at the picture in front of me, Kassian when he was a few years younger, cleanly shaved and smiling. Realising that I've never seen him smile before, I guess there isn't a reason to when he despises me.

For a moment I glaze over his appearance, I would be stupid to not admit that he was attractive. Of course he was, he was beyond attractive. Even his Alpha tone, his orders, his assertive actions made me feel some type of way, not that I wanted to. No matter how I tried to stop these overpowering emotions, I couldn't ignore it.

There is a brief warmth between my legs, feeling my body turn pale at the thought of my next heat. A part of the curse that sends my wolf into a frenzy for a couple days, unmated wolves are drawn to me, my arousal is painless to the point where I need a release.

Physically drawn to any wolf with a pulse and it is the most horrendous experience of my life.

Having calmed it down over the last few months, it's hard to control. That's why I knew I was having these thoughts about Kassian, even though I knew how badly he treated me in the basement. It's like my wolf didn't care, it needed some form of pleasure, release to fulfil the missing piece of our mate. Knowing that we will never be able to find them and trying to cope by seeking affection from others.

To say that it was the worst part of the curse would be an understatement, the pain is so severe that I wished I was dead. If only I could kill myself, goddamn my fucking mother.

. . .

Chapters 8-12 are now on Patreon, link in bio or link is www.Patreon.com/dreammcatcher

Hello my loves!!

Well, well, welllll what did we think of this chapter??

So much built up tension between Kassian and Cleo I am LIVING😈

Feel like I haven't written a proper werewolf book in ages and I feel like I've found myself again!

Thank you for reading!

See you guys on the next one, love Sav x

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