Chapter 26
Cassian is overwhelmed by Cyrus’s furious voice inside his mind after he loses control and snaps at Roana, his mate, causing her to retreat. He struggles with his frustration and guilt, reflecting on his complicated past, including his abandonment by his parents and the deep bond he shares with Carolyn, who has always been like family to him. However, Carolyn now opposes Roana, his mate, because Roana has taken her sister’s place in Cassian’s life.
Outside the room, Cassian overhears a tense exchange between Roana and Keane, his trusted commander. Keane, who has always been emotionally distant and rejected his own mate, speaks to Roana with unusual softness, inviting her to breakfast. Roana declines and hints she may reconsider her role in the household, shaking Cassian’s composure and igniting his inner turmoil.
When Keane enters, Cassian interrogates him about his knowledge of Roana. Keane reveals he met her at the last Alpha Summit, where she represented her pack with great competence and even helped him personally. Cassian suspects Keane’s interest in Roana goes beyond mere gratitude, and when he bluntly asks if Keane is in love with her, Keane’s discomfort betrays the truth.
Cassian asserts his dominance, declaring Roana as his mate and queen, demanding Keane respect her and cease any feelings for her. Keane warns Cassian to control Carolyn, who has been forbidding servants from preparing meals for Roana, highlighting the ongoing tension within the household. As Cassian prepares to confront these conflicts, Carolyn unexpectedly enters, seeking to talk, adding another layer of tension to the situation.
Chapter 26
Cassian,
“Bastard!” Cyrus’s voice thundered inside my mind, raw and uncontrollable with fury. “How dare you raise your voice and frighten our mate?” His anger clawed at the walls of my consciousness, restless and biting, as if he wanted to tear his way free from my skull.
I didn’t respond. Silence was my only defense against his rage. I leaned heavily against the edge of the desk, my fingers digging in until the wood groaned beneath my grip. My gaze remained fixed on the doorway where she had just disappeared, her retreating figure swallowed by the shadows beyond. My chest rose and fell in slow, measured breaths, but beneath the surface, every vein in my body simmered with heat.
My fingers twisted in frustration—not at her, but at myself. Why had I lost control so abruptly? Why had I snapped at her like some wild, reckless pup unable to manage his instincts?
I could still hear the sharpness in my own voice, the way she had flinched, the shock widening her eyes.
Cyrus spat curses again, furious that I had driven her away in favor of another woman.
Carolyn’s face flickered through my thoughts—the hatred etched in her gaze when she looked at Roana, the way she didn’t even bother to mask her disdain. Roana hadn’t been lying when she said Carolyn disliked her.
I remained rooted to the spot, silent, forcing myself to sort through the tangled emotions. Carolyn and I shared a history deeper than most bonds. She was the only one who had stood by me when I was utterly alone. My parents—both Alphas, both proud, both merciless—had abandoned me. My father carried the Lycan gene, and fate had marked me as its bearer. But in their eyes, that was never a blessing.
Whispers circulated that Lycans were superior to wolves—stronger, more feared. But superiority meant nothing when acceptance was withheld. No one wanted a Lycan to lead them. The day my beast surfaced, I ceased to be their son. To them, I was a mistake, a stain on their perfect bloodline.
Their pride rested in my brother—their chosen Alpha King, the firstborn who fit seamlessly into their world, a world I never belonged to.
At sixteen, they left me behind. They forged a new life, a new Pack built around him, and slammed the door shut on me without a second thought. I became nothing more than a forgotten memory.
That was when Carolyn’s family stepped in. They steadied me when I was on the verge of collapse. They stood beside me when the weight of the crown threatened to crush my spirit. At sixteen, they helped me rise to a throne I had never been prepared to claim.
But Carolyn herself—she was always there. More than a friend, she was the one who reminded me I wasn’t alone, who urged me to stand when I wanted to fall.
Over time, I grew accustomed to protecting her, placing her above all others. She was the only family I had left after her younger sister. And habits—especially those forged in blood and survival—were not easily broken.
Even so, now she stood opposed to Roana. Opposed to my mate. And I understood why: Roana had taken her sister’s place.
I drew in a deep breath, though my fury refused to settle.
Voices drifted into the room, breaking the heavy silence. I tensed, ears straining. Roana and Keane—outside the door.
My jaw clenched tightly. Keane—my left hand, my most trusted blade—was a man of few words, a man who had never let a woman close. He had rejected his fated mate without hesitation, believing family was a distraction, a waste of time.
Yet now, he spoke to Roana with a softness I had never heard before. Inviting her to walk with him?
“If you don’t mind, would you like to have breakfast with me? Clearly, you haven’t eaten,” Keane said, his tone laced with something that made my blood boil anew.
The muscles in my jaw tightened until I feared they might snap. She hadn’t eaten?
“It’s fine, Commander Keane,” Roana replied, her voice steady but cold and distant. “I’m not hungry. And if possible, please let your King know I may reconsider my role in this household p>
My eyes widened—a rare crack in my composure. Reconsider her role? What was she trying to say? She had agreed to it, promised she would do it. Now she wanted to change her mind? Just because I had lost my temper once?
The air felt thick and suffocating. I stood frozen, every muscle taut, until her footsteps echoed away, each one pulling her further from me. My wolf howled inside, demanding I follow her, demanding I drag her back until she gave me answers and I could apologize.
Cyrus cursed my hesitation, snarling for me to stop her. “Ask for forgiveness! You idiot!” he growled.
I nearly flung the door open, ready to storm out and confront her. But before I could move, Keane’s voice cut through the silence.
“Your Majesty. May I come in p>
I clenched my jaw, swallowing the fury rising in my throat. “Yes. Enter p>
I returned to my desk, lowering myself into the chair with a deliberate calm that masked the storm raging within. My posture radiated authority. My gaze was sharp enough to pierce steel.
Keane stepped inside, closing the door quietly behind him. His movements were measured, disciplined. Though he approached with his usual composure, I caught a subtle shift in his expression—a heaviness in his eyes.
“I have submitted all the belongings to Her Highness, and p>
“How long have you known her?” I interrupted, my voice cold and commanding.
He froze for a brief moment. “Who p>
“Roana Milestones.” I leaned back, folding my arms, my stare dark and unyielding.
Keane’s eyes flickered, widening slightly before he masked his reaction. He rubbed the side of his neck, buying time. “I met her at the last Alpha Summit. She attended with Alpha Alexander p>
“She attended?” My tone dropped low, dangerous. “Since when are Lunas allowed to sit in war councils p>
“Yes,” he answered cautiously. “She handled her Pack’s negotiations. Alexander was present, but she represented everything p>
“She carried the Alpha’s work?” Disbelief sharpened my words.
“I believe so. Judging by her knowledge, she was aware of everything—internal affairs, external threats. Honestly, she was the one keeping Alexander steady. Which is why her leaving him still surprises me p>
My eyes narrowed. “You speak as if you know her better than I do p>
He remained still, composed, though discomfort flickered in his stance. “It’s not like that. She simply p>
“Then tell me.” My voice was ironclad, absolute. “Why were you so interested in my Luna, above everyone else at that summit p>
Keane’s jaw tightened. His calmness didn’t fool me. “She helped me that day. Nothing more. I was grateful p>
“Helped you?” I raised an eyebrow, my tone a quiet but lethal blade. “You, who have never looked twice at a woman. What did she do that was so unforgettable p>
“It’s nothing, Your Majesty. But she said she would rethink her role as Luna p>
“I heard.” I dismissed him sharply.
“Then what’s your plan?” His composure cracked, frustration edging his voice. “I don’t understand why you brought her here if you intended to treat her like this. You could have rejected her outright. Now she’s going to become the prime target for p>
“Are you in love with her?” My words struck like a whip.
Keane flinched, his expression faltering.
The truth flickered across his face, burning through me like wildfire.
My eyes hardened, dangerous. He was the only one who seemed eager to meet her. Lorenzo had opposed her.
But Keane… Keane had waited.
“I don’t know what you mean,” he said stiffly, but his voice betrayed the lie.
“Whatever you’re imagining,” I said, voice deep and unyielding, “erase it. She is mine. My Luna p>
“She is here temporarily p>
“She doesn’t want a lover, Keane. That’s why she agreed to be my scapegoat p>
He tried to speak again, but I raised my hand, silencing him. The atmosphere shifted, heavy with my authority. “You will not think of her again. You will not crave her. She is my mate, my wife, your Queen. You will give her the respect she deserves, even if she never asks for it p>
My jaw locked, my blood burning hot. The idea of her drawing someone else’s attention before mine was unbearable. It tore at me like chains ripping through flesh.
Finally, Keane bowed his head, voice clipped. “Yes, Your Majesty. But then control Carolyn.” His words were sharp. “Whether or not Her Highness has proven her worth, Carolyn has no right to force her to cook her own meals. She is your wife by law. Prioritize her, or someone else will p>
My brow furrowed. “She cooked her own meal p>
“Yes. Carolyn forbade the servants and chefs from preparing anything for her. I trust you’ll handle this properly p>
Without another word, he turned and left, the silence he left behind sharper than any blade.
I sat motionless, Cyrus’s growl rumbling through my skull. My fists clenched tightly against the desk. Just as I decided to go after Roana—
Another presence entered the room without my permission.
“Cassian!” Carolyn’s soft but broken voice came from the doorway as she closed the door behind her. “Can we talk p>
The weight of Cassian’s turmoil hangs heavy in the air, a fragile tension between loyalty, love, and the scars of past betrayals. His fierce protectiveness over Roana clashes with the deep-rooted bonds he shares with Carolyn, revealing the complexity of his heart and the struggle to balance old allegiances with new commitments. The storm within him mirrors the quiet fractures in his world—where power, passion, and pain intertwine, leaving him vulnerable yet resolute.
As the chapter closes, the delicate threads connecting Cassian, Roana, and those around them are stretched taut, poised on the edge of change. The unspoken fears and desires simmer beneath the surface, promising that healing and understanding will require courage and compromise. In this moment of raw emotion, the story reminds us that love is not just about possession or control, but about trust, respect, and the willingness to confront the shadows of the past to build a future together.
Tensions simmer to the breaking point as Cassian grapples with the fractured loyalties that threaten to unravel his world. His internal battle with Cyrus’s fury mirrors the external conflicts brewing between those closest to him, especially Carolyn, whose protective instincts clash painfully with Roana’s place by his side. The delicate balance of power and affection teeters precariously, leaving readers eager to see how Cassian will navigate the storm of emotions and alliances tightening around him.
Meanwhile, the enigmatic connection between Roana and Keane deepens the intrigue, revealing layers of unspoken feelings and hidden histories that complicate the already volatile dynamics within the household. As Cassian confronts the uncomfortable truths about those he trusts and those he must command, the next chapter promises to delve into the fragile threads of loyalty, desire, and duty. Prepare for revelations that will challenge bonds and force choices that could redefine the future of the Pack and the fragile peace Cassian strives to maintain.
Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.