Dernier ─ Theo Raeken ²

15| PRESSURE TEST

❝Knowing what it feels to be in pain, is exactly why we try to be kind to others.❞

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VERTIGO eventually found its way to dance around inside her head, forcing her to rest at home. Gerard also gave her a couple of days off, seeing her implementing her tasks pretty well. Cassandra no longer cared what he said–all she cared about right now was the fact that she had broken her own plan. No innocent people should die. But, the demise of Brett and Lori Talbot stated the opposite. It was the first time she killed innocent, not only one but two at once, werewolves. Cassandra lied if that night's event didn't haunt her at all, when in fact for a few days after the night she could only feel one thing inside her; fear.

Fear of the harsh patency. Fear of hatred. Fear of the dead. Fear of something intangible. Fear of the unknown.

According to Gerard, after what the pack did three months ago–they also indirectly have released something out of the Wild Hunt. But nobody seemed to know what it was either. Apparently, it also triggered why Beacon Hills' society look frightened lately. What could make them all frightened until they had a madcap idea to slaughter the supernatural? What kind of creature could transfer the sense of fear? What kind of creature were they actually facing? Questions after questions rained down her mind, causing the vertigo to get worse than earlier.

Cassandra couldn't be more perplexed than she was before. Everything felt like a game–a wicked game which they had an arduous time to finish it.

All of a sudden, a whimsical sensation rose up from inside her body, causing her to scurry to the bathroom. Sitting down on the floor while her head drooped to the toilet, Cassandra started coughing. Her throat felt extremely parched due to the persistent cough, but her lungs felt even worse. It was like something tearing her lungs, inducing her chest tightened and indisposed. She desperately reached for a handkerchief and once she got it–she coughed blood into it. After feeling like eternity, the cough finally stopped as she regained her normal breathing.

Cassandra inhaled deeply and closed her eyes for a brief moment, strengthening the grip on her chest. She already knew what all this meant, but she didn't think it would start so soon. It was excruciating pain that she couldn't deal with. All of her energy seems to be absorbed by the unknown growing disease inside her. Rosalie had explained what happened to her, unfortunately with the loss of one of the creatures inside her body, it made some of her vital organs become dysfunctional. If it weren't for the help of the Black Hound and the Enenra, she wouldn't be able to live up to this day.

Sighing heavily, the brunette girl wobbly stood up and walked out of the bathroom. Just as she thought she could finally rest for a while, she found her father standing in her bedroom as he stared out the window, both hands stuffing into his jeans pockets. She could only stand stiff on her spot as the feeling of apprehensive started to harass herself. Did he hear what had happened to her earlier? No, he couldn't know about it, not now. Alarming, Cassandra instantly stuffed the handkerchief in her pocket and quietly cleared her throat.

Chris turned around to face her, a stern expression emblazoning his face. "Liam was right. You're really here."

"Yeah." Cassandra muttered, averting her gaze away. "How long have you been here?"

"Does it matter?" He said sharply, stepping forward. "I just helped Scott to make an encounter with Gerard to create a truce, but you know your grandfather. He really hated Scott since day one, so it made Lydia have to go find the new Hunter at school. She agreed, but of course it didn't go as planned in the end."

Cassandra bit her bottom lip as she rubbed her arms awkwardly. "Are they okay?"   

"Are you?" Chris shot back. The room was instantly seized by a deafening serenity before he eventually spoke again. "When do you want to tell me that you are now following your grandfather's step? Betraying your friends by killing innocent werewolves? On the way here, I tried so hard to fend off the thought that my only daughter actually killed Brett and Lori Talbot, but seeing a car parked in front of the house with dried bloodstains on the bumper, I became convinced that you really turned your back on your friends." He rambled heatedly. "Why Cassandra? Why now when your friends literally need you?"