Chapter 445
Chapter 445
Third Person’s POV
Cassian watched the whole thing from the shadows of a nearby streetlamp.
Finished
Seeing their easy intimacy and the way they moved in sync felt like an invisible hand was crushing his heart. In the middle of their laughter and lighthearted banter, he felt a cold, hollow despair settle over him like a shroud.
Once, that unguarded smile had belonged only to him.
Back then, Trista used to look at him exactly the way she was looking at Alistair now–eyes bright with admiration, her voice full of a crush she couldn’t hide, telling him he was the most incredible Alpha in all of L.A.
Now, that warmth had been handed off to someone else.
Humphrey, seeing Cassian’s face turn a sickly shade of grey as his knuckles went white against the car door, finally stepped out. He gave a low, urgent reminder that Howard had called several times.
Cassian finally snapped out of his trance. He sat back in the car, moving like a hollowed–out shell, and disappeared into the stream of traffic.
The next morning, Trista’s car was in the shop, so Isaiah had dropped her off at the front entrance of the healing center in his flashiest off–road rig, not even bothering to change out of his pajamas.
As soon as she walked into the lobby, the receptionist called her over.
“Dr. Holmes, someone left breakfast for you p>
Just as she took the bag, her phone buzzed.
It was a text from Elias, saying he’d passed by the center earlier and decided to drop off some breakfast at the front desk for her.
She carried the food back to her office, where her assistant, Zelda, immediately swarmed her like a bloodhound catching a scent of gossip. “Ooh, which top–tier hottie is playing delivery boy this morning p>
Trista laughed and shoved a pastry toward her to shut her up. “You have a nose for trouble, Zelda p>
“I’m just looking out for your love life,” Zelda said, taking a massive bite of a gourmet sandwich.
She arched an eyebrow. “Seriously though, you’re surrounded by elite Alphas. Not a single one of them catches your eye p>
Trista gave her a professional eye–roll and disappeared into the changing roomi,
Zelda kept rambling through the door. “I mean, Mr. Manwaring is basically the definition of ‘class. Alistair has that rugged, bad–boy vibe that’s hard to ignore. And then there’s Isaiah… the guy is literally a walking felony p>
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Chapter 445
Finished
“Stop.” Trista’s voice came from behind the partition, cool and detached. “Mr. Manwaring is a perfect gentleman. Alistair is my ex–mate’s uncle. And as for Isaiah, he’s great, but he’s more like a younger brother p>
“What about Xander?” Zelda lowered her voice.
Trista stepped out, buttoning up her crisp white lab coat. She gave Zelda a warning look. “Xander is an old schoolmate and my boss. I’m not crazy enough to mess that up p>
She had just barely survived a “bond” that nearly destroyed her; why would she dive back into the cage of another relationship?
No matter how elite or flawless these men looked on the outside, who knew if another Cassian was hiding under the skin?
To the werewolves of L.A., Cassian had been the gold standard: calm, powerful, and always in control. No one would have guessed that same Alpha could take a twenty–year history and trample it into the dirt, using a dull blade to carve her soul out in their own shared territory.
She liked the distance she had now. Keeping Elias and Alistair at arm’s length was perfect–she could swap favors or resources, but she was never handing over her soul again.
No more playing the fool. No more managing someone else’s moods.
In this city, her career and the numbers in her bank account were the only things that gave her a real sense of security.
9:00 AM. The Elevator Bank.
Trista ran straight into Thomasina and Angela.
She didn’t even bother wasting an emotion on them. She kept her face flat and tried to walk past them toward another elevator.
“Trista!” Thomasina actually reached out to block her path.
Trista looked down, her gaze tracking to Thomasina’s baby bump before meeting her eyes with a look of pure ice. “Mrs. Crees, there’s a high–def camera right above you, and this is Blade territory, I suggest you quit while you’re ahead. Don’t try that ‘damsel in distress‘ act with me p>
Thomasina flinched, her pride as the Blackthorn Luna completely evaporating. Her tone turned pathetic, almost pleading. “You have it all wrong. I was out of line. I let that idiot Samantha get in my head and manipulate me. I see now that she got exactly what she deserved p>
She took a shaky breath and lowered her voice. “I promise I’ll never bother you again. Just… can you talk to Cassian for me? Ask him to take back the order to cut us off. It’s not like Ironthorn is gaining anything from this either, right p>
Trista watched the woman who used to be so arrogant crawl for mercy. She felt absolutely nothing
“I think you’re confused,” Trista said, her voice sharp and clinical.
“Cassian and I are nothing to each other. I have no say in his business decisions–and even less interest in
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Chapter 445
Finished
them p>
With that, she stepped into the elevator. The metal doors slid shut, cutting off the sight of Thomasina’s desperate, hollow face.
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The Heartbroken Luna’s Choice: Banish Love
Sara Lili
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.