His beloved witch

Chapter 44: Impostor - Part I

-Blanche-

I dodged the punch from her right before it hit my face and stepped back into my room, barely escaping from her left cross.

Damn witch!

I ducked her punches over again and again. She was fast despite her years!

I dropped my phone in the fight, and Kassandra smashed the device with the heel of her black boot. s**t!

Well, it was not exactly a fight. I was only defending myself, dodging Kassandra's hits… I didn't want to hurt her. After all, she is my grandmother, and my guards or Andre will come soon to help. I will make time for them to come!

I wished I could mind link because it would be useful to warn others about this intruder. However, my grandmother didn't spare me a full minute to recover, even less to make that damn phone call!

I slipped to her right, ducking her knee before striking my stomach, and then I blocked a kick crossing my arms to protect my right side. Kassandra expected that and turned to elbow me in my ribs. I could not even scream. The air left my lungs at the impact.

Fuck! The old hag had her tricks. And to my dismay, she is still freaking strong.

She smirked, looking at me, while I winced in pain.

I faked my recovery as we circled each other, assessing which would be the following strike. I was riled and considered where to hit Kassandra and incapacitate her.

"You should work on your left side, Baby B."

There was a sly smirk on her face when she said it.

"Remember to protect your ribs." She advised me.

Are we freaking training?

"You know... I hate it... when you... call me Baby B.!" I was still catching up on my breath.

"It was just training for you, darling," Kassandra smiled. "Seriously, it's not broken!" She scolded me as if I were pretending. Witch!

“Yeah, I don't think you broke any ribs, but it f*****g hurts! Human body, remember?”

"Ups!" And the witch chuckled.

I eyed the mirror in my room. No reaction!

There was no way to alert Francisco or my friends if she was not using her magic. What did she do?

I was so pissed.

What the hell is wrong with my freaking mirrors?

Fine, she must have gotten in without using magic, but what about her intentions? Stupid security system! I should have done it all personally… Unless…

"Who helped you to get in?" I asked her, lifting my chin in defiance. One name comes to my mind, but I want to hear it from Kassandra.

My grandmother stopped in her tracks and extended a hand to materialize a cane. To my surprise, she used it to rest her weight on it instead of attacking me.

"You are smart, Blanche. You can guess who helped me, and you will be right."

I hated the arrogance in her voice.

"Tell me, witch. Let's not waste more time. My guards will arrive anytime."

Kassandra threw her head back and cackled like the witch she was.

"Who do you think I am, Baby B.?" She even cleaned a tear from her eye from laughing so hard. "I'm far more experienced than you and clever... Do you think I came unprepared to be captured by dogs? Dogs, Baby B.?" Kassandra giggled some more.

"What did you do to them?" I practically growled at her. “What happened to my guards?”

She smiled.

"Baby, you allowed someone else’s magic at tonight’s party. Since you made an exception..." Damn witch! "Those bubbles were very useful to blend my spell in..."

"Kassandra, what did you do?" I asked her, frustrated.

"Oh, come on! A little lust in their stuck-up lives will not harm them... much." She shrugged her shoulders, amused. Her giggles were annoying me.

Oh, Goddess!

Kassandra is an expert at playing with Children of the Moon’s feelings. The love potion is an example... how would that work on Lycans?

"What have you done!?" I screamed and stepped forward. Kassandra didn’t look impressed by my outburst; she knows I wouldn’t harm her.

"Seriously, you don't have much fun around here, do you?" Kassandra huffed and walked towards my vanity. "I didn't want to harm them, silly!” Is that why the mirrors didn't acknowledge her here?

“They are horny and went to their mates… or the one they have lusted in their hearts!” She laughed again and sat in my armchair, crossing her legs, holding her cane in one hand. “I liberated them from their inhibitions, but the effects will end by dawn, and they will have to face the consequences. I wish I was here to see the mess that could cause!"

" Does consent mean anything to you? I am warning you, if you hurt them, I will never forgive you!"

"Let's not talk about forgiveness, Blanche." She glared at me. "How could you turn in your own blood?"

Blood... my blood. Of course!

It makes sense. She is my blood, and she is Kassandra Lebrun. I shouldn't have relied on her desire to stay away and hidden. She still needs money since the authorities confiscated all her assets. 

Kassandra came for vengeance, then.

"I will not apologize, Kassandra. You have harmed enough people. And you must stop."

"Baby B., in this life, not everything is black and white. There is a huge gray area. And there is where I live… and fight to survive."

I was going to yell at her for her crimes against the werewolves, but she waved her hand, and duct tape covered my mouth.

Witch!

"I didn't come to explain myself to you or tell you I'm innocent."

"Innocent?" I asked her, shocked, taking off the band from my mouth with both hands, but another duct tape shut me up again.

"Why do you think I am here, Blanche?" Her demeanor changed, and she looked at me with tenderness.

What's going on with Kassandra? She is crazy!

I removed the freaking thing from my mouth to scream at her. "You tell me!"

I yelled at her like when I was a teenager, asking her why those things had happened to me. She didn't answer me; Kassandra stared at me with this unfathomable look.

"The book... you want your book, right?" I guessed that was her real motivation for this "visit".

I have it hidden in werewolf territory, where I used to live. Kassandra will not get away with it and still harm others with those spells.

"That would be nice, but I will not touch it.” She smiled deviously. “I have everything I need here." Kassandra pointed to her head.

I rolled my eyes but considered more options.

Money?

I only have my jewels. My assets and bank accounts are frozen in the werewolf and magic kingdoms because of her. I can’t even offer her money.

“I know you, Baby B." Kassandra chuckled. "And I can understand you think the worst of me, but I came to help you."

“Help me?” I am the one laughing now.

“You are my grandchild, Blanche. I came to protect you from yourself and the dogs who oppose your male."

She scanned my room, unimpressed. I know we should do some redecoration.

"That phone call from Cara was a setup, and you fell for it, stupid."  

Of course, I knew it!

I just didn't expect Kassandra to be part of Cara's plan. This took me by surprise. No other witch could have achieved what she did, and she knows it.

“I wanted to make sure Lucy was in no danger. Do you know if the babe is alright?" I don't trust Cara. I think she could harm the child to trap me.

"Cara, as a mother, is a bigger mess than me. That is true. She was using her child as a decoy to catch you, but the pup is fine.”

I sighed, feeling relieved. Kassandra seemed sincere this time. But would it be alright to believe her?

"Children will always be your soft spot, your biggest weakness… Blanche, you never learn! You stop thinking whenever a baby is involved."

I know Kassandra is right, but I can't change who I am. I couldn't save my baby, so I will save someone else's baby. The pain of that loss has no name... No one should experience it.

“Stop this already and tell me everything!” Andre must arrive soon, and she will flee. If she wants to talk, I better listen.

"I cared little about what Cara would do to her children, her stepson, or her mate… until you got involved in her family matters. She knows me as Sandra, a young witch from the north!" Kassandra giggled and then kept on talking.

"She is just a wealthy i***t who was lucky to have a mother with the right contacts... me... The first time I helped her... She got her crown. You can say she crawled into Eleazar's bed with help from my potion. That mighty, righteous King didn't have a chance against it! Cara seduced him before his Queen passed."

"Did you kill the former Lycan Queen?" I felt sick to my stomach. Kassandra is pretty much capable of doing so. She doesn't value the life of the Children of the Moon. And if she harmed Andre's mother, what could I tell him?

Kassandra puffed.

“I had no hand in her disease if that is what you are asking me about. But if Eleazar's treason sped up the death of his Queen…" Kassandra shrugged off her shoulders. "Maybe it did... or it didn't. However, her disease and later death were convenient for everyone. So, if Cara did more to get rid of that Lycan... that question is for Cara."

“Kassandra, if you are lying about your involvement…” I was warning her, but she said offended.

"I don't need to lie, and you know it," she scolded me.

"What about now?"

"Baby, if I had wanted to harm you or your dog, I would have done it already. You must understand, it's convenient to have support from a Queen or someone with power. I can get all the supplies I need for my potions and make a lot of gold. I only accept gold as payment."

All those ingredients in Kassandra's secret lab were from all over the world. Luna Queen Charlene, and then Cara as Queen of the Lycans... Who else was your accomplice, Kassandra?

"I am giving up a lot by taking your side instead of Cara's, but you are my blood. The only one I have left in this world. I will not help her take you down.”

“You hate Children of the Moon. How can I trust you, grandma?" I didn't call her grandma on purpose. It's only that I wanted to believe her. I needed to believe her!

Kassandra stood up from the chair and walked towards me using her cane.

She was tired. It was like a decade passed over her in an eye's blink. Besides, black doesn't suit her.

 “Unlike you, I place my family before business, morals, or ethics. If you want a dog, what can I say? At least this one has some pedigree..."

"Kassandra!" This time, she had really pissed me off! “Our Goddess gave me a soulmate! Don’t insult Andre!”

She looked bored.

"You are wasting time, Baby B. You don't know if you can trust me, but would you risk your beloved Lycan King?"

"What do you mean? What was the plan?"

“I was paid to kidnap you, take you away while someone else takes your place in your King's bed. He is supposed to f**k her and mark her tonight.”

How dare they? Again, those freaking games!

“Who else is helping Cara?”

She laughed.

“I don’t know the names, but she ordered enough potions for three attempts.”

I can imagine that list, and Lydia is at the top of it.

“Andre will not fall into that trap. He will never cheat on me.” I said confidently.

I trust in my Lycan male.

“Oh, but he will see you when touching that female. His senses will make him believe it’s you.”

I smiled, relieved. My promise will protect us from falling into that trap.

“You don’t believe me!” Kassandra sounded outraged.

“I believe you, but I still trust him.” I felt my heart flutter. “Andre will never accept someone else’s touch... but mine.”

Even this female convinces him it's me. Andre and I can't sleep together, and he doesn't want to mark me to avoid the risk of losing control. However, it will break my heart if he kisses or touches her at all.

Will I feel the pain of betrayal as fated mates do?

“Mmm… They asked me to help them with that, too. If Andre doesn't fall for it, then he will get killed. And he is the one who will be replaced.”

“What? Grandma! You could have deceived them if you wanted to help me!”

“I’m a witch of honor! My potions always work!”

I rolled my eyes at her. Then, I ran to my lab to look for my feather.

I must track Andre in this hell of a palace with tons of stairs and long corridors!

My magical feather will help me find where Andre is. I need his scent, and it will show me the way! It will work if Andre is on its radium.

"I can tell you where he is and take you there. I can help you save him."

Kassandra followed me to my lab; up to that point, I couldn't care less about her. I just want to save Andre.

“Baby B, if we follow your way, you will find him in another female’s arms... or dead.”

"What do you want from this?" There is always a price when dealing with Kassandra Lebrun. And I don't want to be in debt with her.

"I don't expect you to forgive me for what I am going to do. But I am doing this... for your own good, witch." Kassandra mumbled some more words I couldn't recognize as her eyes turned white.

“What did you say?” I asked when she appeared on my face and blew something like fairy dust at me, suffocating me.

I was coughing, grabbing my throat. Before everything went black, I could hear my fur babies barking.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself with her standing in front of Andre’s office.

Kassandra had transported us there!

I looked at my clothes, and I was still wearing them!

Kassandra's witchcraft was at a higher level than Elias's. His shitty incantation leaves your butt naked and leaves a foul taste in your mouth.

I took a deep breath.

"Don't ask," she giggled and pointed to the door with her cane. Kassandra unlocked the door for me.

I opened the door to find what I feared... Andre's hands around another female's throat, an impostor.