Chapter 225
Chapter 225
Third Person’s POV
80
+5 Pearls
Fred turned around, staring straight at the lead Alpha who was teetering on the edge of a breakdown. He didn’t hold back. “Cassian, stop lying to your own instincts. The truth is simple -Trista is done. She doesn’t love you anymore. You’re the one who broke that vibrant, confident she–wolf. You killed the Trista who used to look at you like you were her entire world p>
Cassian stood frozen, his back stiff with a dull ache, while the fingers holding his cigarette trembled uncontrollably.
It took forever for him to find his voice. “We have a mating bond,” he rasped. “We have decades of history. You don’t just ‘drop‘ something like that because you feel like it p>
In his mind, he was just doing the right thing–taking care of a pup because Samantha had sacrificed so much for him in the past.
Sure, he’d handled it messy, but he’d never intended to end his mating. He never even considered letting go of his fated mate.
Fred looked at him like he was a complete freak. “Trista loved you for twenty years, man. Do you think she wanted to get to this point? You forced her to stay in a mating that looks prestigious on the outside but is rotting on the inside. She got zero loyalty, zero respect, and zero future with you. She cried every tear she had until she ran dry. She’s had enough of your ‘rank‘ and your emotional gaslighting p>
Fred flicked his ash, his tone turning cold as iron. “An Alpha’s arms are only wide enough to hold one person in that core spot. The second you decided to be the ultimate savior for Samantha and her kid, you pushed Trista off the cliff. It’s over, Cassian. Let her go p>
After Fred left, Cassian stood in the freezing wind for a long time.
Thinking back to how Trista had claimed the godson, handed over the keys to the 18th floor, and whispered in his ear that it was “for his own good,” the reality finally hit him like a physical blow: Trista was checking out of the Luna position.
She was “helping” him, but it felt like she was just finishing the final paperwork for their separation.
He’d
spent so much time neglecting her to play house with Samantha; now, she was using all her energy to push him exactly where he claimed he “had a responsibility” to be.
He closed his eyes, and images of the old Trista flooded his mind.
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Chapter 225
+5 Pearls
She used to be all smiles–the fierce, radiant daughter of the Silverlight Alpha. She was high- energy, confident, and she only ever bloomed for him.
Now? Her eyes were just a graveyard.
Hearing soft footsteps behind him, Cassian spun around.
He met Trista’s eyes–they were smiling, but they were dead cold. “They’re gone?” he managed to ask, his throat tight.
Trista gave a little sigh of mock disappointment. “Samantha and Algernon traveled all this way, you really should’ve spent more time with the kid. What kind of ‘Daddy‘ acts like that p>
Cassian felt like a massive boulder was crushing his lungs.
He lunged forward, grabbing both of her wrists and pulling her close, his eyes full of a desperation he’d never shown before. “Trista… please. Let’s just talk. For real. Just one conversation, okay p>
Trista looked down at his hands, then gave a tiny, indifferent nod.
They stood side–by–side on the balcony, Trista staring out into the pitch–black night.
After a suffocating silence, Cassian finally broke.
“Trista, I know I trashed your trust,” he started, “but I need to make one thing clear p>
“Go ahead,” she said. She was so calm it was unnerving–as if this confrontation about their mating bond had absolutely nothing to do with her.
“Samantha is in the past,” Cassian insisted. “The kid was an accident. If you really can’t handle them being here, I’ll find a way to move them out of LA. Anywhere but here p>
Trista finally turned to look him in the eye.
“Cassian, you’re the one who used your Alpha status to force me to accept them,” she said. “It was a struggle, believe me, but I did it. I’ve fully accepted them now p>
He’d never let them go–they were his life.
Besides, Trista had worked too hard to get Samantha on her side; she wasn’t about to let her secret weapon leave town now.
Cassian’s hands clamped onto her shoulders, his grip so tight it probably bruised. “You made Algernon your godson without even asking me. You gave them a place to live directly above our heads. That’s not ‘accepting‘ them, Trista. That’s a goddamn provocation p>
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14:50 Fri, Jan 16
Chapter 225
Trista tilted her head back, meeting his intense Alpha glare without blinking.
80
+5 Pearls
“Didn’t you buy them an apartment first? ” she shot back. “And you never stopped the kid from calling you ‘Daddy‘ in private. You literally fought Howard for them. We’ve known each other for over twenty years, Cassian. I saw how much you were struggling, and I decided to help you carry the load of this ‘responsibility.‘ Why are you calling it a provocation now p>
Cassian felt like his heart had been ripped out and tossed into a void. He tried to keep his composure as a lead wolf, but the sheer powerlessness of the situation almost knocked him off
his feet.
He stumbled back a step, his back hitting the balcony railing for support, still holding her shoulders.
“I don’t care,” he rasped, his voice breaking. “I never intended to bring them into our home p>
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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.