Chapter 178
Chapter 178
Trista’s POV
I still didn’t say a word, so Cassian clamped down on my wrist.
His grip was heavier than usual, his thumb pressing firmly against my pulse.
Finishe
In that instant, the mating bond inside me–the cord that was supposed to be warm and stabilizing–felt like it had been doused in ice water. It gave a thin, sharp shiver, followed by a wave of dull, throbbing pain.
The stuffed toys I was cradling slipped from my arms, hitting the floor with a series of soft thuds.
They rolled away, but I didn’t move to pick them
Inside me, my wolf lifted her head.
A low, broken whimper vibrated in her throat. She was supposed to feel comforted by her mate’s touch, yet all she felt was a hollow sense of dread–like a cub that had lost its den.
I looked at the toys scattered across the carpet, my voice nearly devoid of emotion. “You stayed up all night just to stand here and ask me that p>
Cassian repeated the question, his voice dropping an octave. “Why are you home this late p>
He didn’t let go of my wrist. The heat from his palm seeped through my skin, but it failed to cross the bond to reach my heart.
We locked eyes for a few seconds.
Suddenly, I let out a short laugh–a dry, ghost of a sound that held no warmth.
“Cassian, there’s nothing in our ‘Luna agreement‘ that specifies a mandatory curfew for when I have to return home p>
At those words, my wolf paced forward within me.
Cassian’s chest heaved. He slowed his speech, a warning tone creeping in. “I reminded you after the press conference that we were going back to Howard’s estate tonight p>
“Oh,” I replied. “You said it, sure. But I never agreed to it p>
My voice was steady, but my wolf was starting to grow restless.
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Cassian’s dark eyes searched my face, scouring for a crack in the armor.
“And when I reached out through the mind–link… why did you sever the connection p>
“Maybe my finger slipped,” I said. “Accidental disconnect p>
The lie was blatant.
I knew he could hear it.
But I didn’t have the energy to make it sound pretty. Every time I met his gaze, the bond felt like a wound being pried open, letting the pain leak out drop by drop.
Cassian was vibrating with suppressed rage. His aura began to spread through the foyer like an invisible weight.
Instinctively, my wolf should have responded–either by leaning into him or pushing back.
Instead, she just curled into a ball, forced to admit she was the weaker one.
That humiliation stung more than any accusation.
“So you’re telling me,” he continued, “that silencing your comm–stone and pulling back your mental signature was also just a ‘slip of the finger p>
I looked up at him, my expression flat. “Actually, no. That was because of mental exhaustion p>
Cassian looked like he was suffocating.
He paced a small circle in front of me before stopping to glare at me again.
I sat on the sofa, head lowered, looking like I could handle whatever he threw at me.
Only I knew the truth. I wasn’t being calm.
I was using every last shred of my sanity to keep my wolf pinned down.
The veins in Cassian’s temples were corded with tension. “Trista, we are mates. You stay out half the night and ignore every single attempt I make to reach you… have you given a single thought to how that makes me feel p>
The bond in my chest constricted violently, followed by a piercing sense of emptiness.
I almost laughed out loud. He wanted to talk about feelings? This man had never truly felt me in his life.
I stood up abruptly, stepping into his space and looking him dead in the eye.
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“Oh, so now you remember we’re mates? ”
My throat felt tight and acrid. “Then why didn’t you remember we were mates when you were lying to me? When you were sneaking off to play house with your mistress and her kid? When you were spending every waking hour revolving around them p>
My wolf let out a suppressed, guttural growl.
She was warning me: the bond was thinning. It was loosening. It was transforming from a connection into a shackle.
“You’ve hurt me over and over for her sake,” I continued. “You’ve dragged my family into your mess. Did you ever–for even one second–consider how I felt p>
By the end, my voice had actually steadied. When you reach the absolute limit of pain, tears and breakdowns become useless.
“I came home a little late. I didn’t cross a line, and I didn’t betray my vows. Is this reaction really necessary p>
Cassian thinned his lips, his gaze locked onto mine.
I could feel him fighting his temper, but the bond was no longer telling him the truth.
After a long, silent standoff, he finally spoke. “So… you leaked the news about Algernon to the press, and you tipped off Samantha to bring him to the conference. You wanted to force my relationship with them into the light p>
I wasn’t surprised he knew.
I admitted it freely. “Yeah. I calculated all of it p>
I paused, and the bond gave a faint tug. “Too bad it didn’t work. I’ll be better prepared next time p>
Cassian stared at me in disbelief. “Trista… when did you become so manipulative p>
I gave him a small, chilling smile.
At that moment, my wolf didn’t smile with me.
She just buried her head in the darkness, exhausted by the constant pulling.
“I learned from the best,” I said.
We stared at each other from inches away.
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Cassian was doing everything in his power to keep from exploding.
My eyelids felt like lead, my exhaustion finally winning out. “Are you done?” I asked, my voice heavy with weariness.
Cassian was fuming. “No p>
I shrugged and leaned back against the sofa. “Then keep going. I’m listening p>
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Ruby Walker
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.