The Alpha's Fated Outcast: Rise Of The Moonsinger. Chapter 172 172: The turning point

Lyla POV

My first instinct was to leave the room since Cassidy was here. The last ti I saw her and at an enclosed space like this was that ti at the café. Since then, we haven't t at close quarters like this.

"Cassidy!" Ramsey called out alard. Now that the door was open, I could hear piercing screams and loud shouts coming from all over the place.

Ramsey's body beca tensed as if poised for a fight. He pulled away from

"What happened? Why are you crying?"

She was shaking her head languidly. "They're attacking everyone at the Festive ground. Creatures without form and it's my fault."

"Shit!" Ramsey turned to Seth who despite everything still had a neutral expression on his face. "Quick, fetch the Gammas and Lenny. I need him now."

He was already walking to the door, brushing past Cassidy who was sobbing. He didn't have ti to question how the attack was her fault. That would co later.

"I'll co with you," I volunteered, falling behind him.

"No, stay here. You'll be safe and no matter what, do not open the door for anyone. Seth, you're with ."

Before I could protest and insist, the door to his room closed with a click, leaving and Cassidy locked in. I stood in stunned silence, my heart pounding as I heard him barking orders to people outside. His refusal to accept my help stung, but I had no ti to dwell on it.

The air in the room shifted, growing thick with an unspoken tension.

Gingerly, I walked to the door and tried to pry it open but it refused to give way, as if it had been locked from outside.

The sound of Ramsey's footsteps and Seth's quiet one faded down the hallway, leaving an oppressive silence in their wake. I turned, suddenly feeling afraid, to see Cassidy with tears streaming down her face, take a step towards my direction.

I took another step backward, until I was almost at the door. As I watched, sothing chilling happened – Cassidy's tears that had been coming in torrents a second ago simply stopped. Like soone had turned off a faucet.

I had a bad feeling about this.

Cassidy wiped at the remnants of her tears on her cheeks, a cold smile spread across her face as she advanced towards , her movents predatory. There was a nacing glint in her eyes.

"I warned you didn't I?" she said in a cold tone. Her voice carrying none of its usual sweetness she always had when she was around Ramsey. "I told you to say away from Ramsey. But no, you couldn't listen. You couldn't help yourself. You had to ddle, didn't you?"

I took a cautious step back, my mind racing as I fought to keep my voice steady. The woman standing in front of was nothing like the woman that had burst into the room sobbing. There was sothing dangerous, almost sinister about her.

I an, I've had several confrontations with her but never had I perceived this sort of coldness coming from her.

"This isn't what you think…" I said, fighting the anxiety gnawing at my insides. "I didn't an to intrude. It's just that Ramsey… I was only trying to…" I stuttered.

"Oh, isn't it?" Cassidy laughed, producing a hollow sound. "The innocent little mate or should I say Moonsinger, always running to Ramsey with her problems. Always finding excuses to be near him." She moved closer, her eyes glinting with sothing that made wish, I had Nyris with him. "If I ask questions I'd appreciate if I get responses ASAP."

"I wasn't trying to do anything, Cassidy. I promise. I was only trying to…"

"Trying to what?" she interrupted with a glared. "Play the savior? Be the hero? Or maybe" – she took a step closer – "you were just trying to warm your way into his heart, stealing him away like the little parasite you are."

My jaw tightened. "That's not fair, Cassidy. I wasn't trying to steal him from you. Ramsey is free to make his own choices, just like you are and too."

She let out a bitter laugh. "Choices? You think this is about choices? You think I haven't seen the way you look at , the way he looks at you? You don't belong in this world, Lyla. You never have."

"Cassidy you're not thinking straight," I tried to reason with her, though every nerve in was screaming danger. "Whatever you think is happening between Ramsey and …"

"Stop lying!" her voice cracked like a whip. "I've watched you since you ca here. You little, piteous acts. You think I didn't see how you wanted to practically fuck him that day at the training ground and how you pretended to be unwell so he could carry you?"

My jaw dropped. "I wasn't faking that, Cassidy. I truly sick. I was out for a few days you could…"

"I don't want to hear it," she stopped again. "Poor, helpless Lyla, who needs everyone's protections. Who needs Ramsey's attention." Her lips curled into a sneer. "Did you really think I wouldn't notice how you look at him?"

I knew I could argue back and forth regarding this and she wouldn't believe . So, I squared my shoulders, trying to be brutally honest.

"You're right about one thing – I did co to see Ramsey today. But not fo the reasons you think. I ca because I'm scared. Because sothing's happening to that I don't understand…"

"Oh, please." Cassidy rolled her eyes. "Spare your pathetic excuses. You know what your problem is, Lyla? You've always thought you were special. The girls with supernatural powers who lives amongst us. The one everyone needs," she took another stp, her voice dropping to a whisper. "But you're nothing. Just a weak little girl with lots of Daddy issues, who's about to learn her place."

"If I'm so insignificant, why do I threaten you so much? I shot back, even as my pulse raced. "You're going to be his mate, Cassidy. You've won. What more do you want?"

Sothing flickered in her eyes.

I continued quickly. "Besides Ramsey deserves to choose his own path. And if he doesn't choose you, maybe that's sothing you need to accept."

"What I want?" she laughed manically. "I want you to suffer, Lyla. I want you to understand what true powerlessness feel like. You think you're cleaver, don't you? Standing there, pretending you do not want him."

I took a deep breath, willing myself to remain clam. "You don't have to do this, Cassidy. Whatever anger you have, whatever jealously - this isn't the way."

"Jealousy?" she hissed. "You think I'm jealous of you? Don't flatter yourself. I'm not jealous – I'm disgusted. Disgusted that soone like you could dare to think you're worthy of standing beside him."

"You're insane," I whispered, finally letting my fear show because this wasn't just jealousy I was seeing in Cassidy's eyes – this was sothing else entirely. Sothing inhuman. Instinctively, I stepped back, my back brushing against the door.

Cassidy followed after , her side widening. "No dear. I'm just tired of pretending."

"Cassidy, listen to ," I said with a shaky voice. The fear in my chest was building. "Ramsey doesn't need us fighting over him. "he's dealing with enough as it is. This…this isn't helping anyone."

But Cassidy wasn't listening, her gaze had darkened, her lips was curled into a twisted smile. "Oh, sweet, naïve little thing. You still don't get it, do you? This sisn't about helping Ramsey. This is about eliminating you."

My heart was pounding furiously now. I had hoped to reason with Cassidy, but it was painfully clear that she had no interest in talking things through.

"Cassidy," I pressed further into the door. "Don't do sothing you'll regret," I warned.

She tilted her head, her smile widening. "Oh, I won't regret it. In fact, I'll enjoy every second of it." She ca towards at where I was leaning on the door. She raised her hands up as if to strike . I closed my eyes, fearing the worst.

I waited for her blow but instead, she grabbed my shoulders and pushed from where I was leaning on the door.

When I opened my eyes, she was staring at with eyes filled with hatred. "You want to know what true power feels like, Lyla? Let show you."

When I saw her reaching for the door, for a brief mont, I felt a flicker of relief, thinking that she might be leaving. Instead, she opened the door and a man walked in. I saw his feet first, before my eyes travelled to his face.

My blood turned to ice in my veins. As the man, tall and imposing, with sharp, angular features and a piercing gaze that seed to cut straight through . His presence was suffocating, the air around him was heavy with an aura of malice.

"Lyla," Cassidy said in a mockingly sweet tone. "I'd like you to et Xander."

Xander smiled, the smile reaching his grey eyes.

"Hello, Lyla," he said quietly. "Today, you will join and take over this world."