CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY ONE – ASSERTING HER DOMINANCE

The next few days passed in a haze of uncertainty. Cassie was relieved of her duties, left to her own devices while Sergei deliberated on her fate. She spent most of her time in the gym or wandering the grounds, trying to sort through the tumultuous emotions warring within her. It was during one of these wanderings that Cassie found herself in a secluded corner of the compound's grounds. Frustrated and restless, she let her transformation take over, her body shifting into her wolf form. As she ran through the trees, Cassie felt a sense of freedom she hadn't experienced in months. Her wolf's senses were sharp, unencumbered by human doubts and fears. For the first time since Florian's death, she felt truly alive. Cassie lost track of time as she ran, her mind clearing with each stride. When she finally slowed, panting and exhilarated, she realized something had changed within her. The grief was still there, a dull ache in her chest. But it no longer threatened to overwhelm her. Inste