Chapter 346
Third Person’s POV
She packed the last of her essentials into the suitcase, pulled off her heavy wedding ring, and tossed it into the nightstand drawer without a second thought.
After today, she would never have to step foot in this suffocating pack again.
In the study, Cassian was throwing back one glass of hard liquor after another.
He wanted to get drunk-to numb his sharp senses and completely empty his brain.
But as an Alpha, alcohol only made him more alert. The panic in his chest was like a wildfire on a dry plain, burning hotter by the second.
The clock on the wall hit 4:30 AM. Only five hours left.
Cassian finally broke.
He took his spare key and unlocked the master bedroom. Using the faint light filtering through the curtains, he crawled onto the other side of the bed.
He reached across the covers and pulled Trista into his arms, closing his eyes with a greedy desperation.
Years ago,
he had suffered from chronic insomnia caused by a restless wolf.
After they mated, Trista had tried a thousand different healing techniques on him, but he never told her the truth: it wasn’t the medicine that calmed his violent nature. It was her.
Trista had a faint, herbal scent—the smell of someone who spent their life around healing salves.
Just smelling her made his frayed nerves unwind.
For three years, no matter how busy pack business got, he never spent a night away from home.
Ever since she’d asked for ending the mating, his sleep had completely disintegrated.
Cassian pulled her a little closer and made a silent, fierce vow, “Trista, we’ll start over after the papers are signed. I’ll do whatever it takes to make you want to come back to me. I don’t want anyone else but you p>
In the morning, Trista opened her eyes and found Cassian beside her.
He was in rumpled pajamas, sleeping deeply, his brow furrowed into a tight knot. One of his hands was clamped around her wrist, gripping her as if he were afraid she’d vanish the moment he let go.
Trista watched him for a long, silent minute before prying his fingers off and waking him up.
Cassian groaned, fighting through a brutal hangover. His vision was blurry, but he saw Trista standing over him, her eyes cold and distant.
He sat up and tried to reach for her hand. “I drank too much last night,” he rasped. “Don’t take it to heart p>
“The Altar opens at nine sharp. We need to go,” Trista said, pulling her hand away and giving him zero room for tenderness. “Go get cleaned up p>
She didn’t care if he was actually drunk or just pretending. All she cared about was getting that certificate of severance today.
At 8:00 AM, they walked out of the house.
Trista carried a simple white carry-on bag, dressed in a sharp, minimalist gray outfit that made her look professional and completely unreachable.
She didn’t look back even once; she walked straight toward the morning light. Cassian stood by the study door in a crisp black suit, clutching a small jewelry box. When his eyes landed on her suitcase, his pupils snapped into pinpricks.
In his haze of alcohol and exhaustion the night before, he hadn’t realized she had packed her entire life so thoroughly.
A dull ache slammed into his chest. Cassian had to grab the doorframe to steady himself, his knuckles turning white.
“Check and see if you have everything,” Trista said flatly. “If we’re good, let’s move p>
Even though Cassian looked like he
was about to collapse, Trista acted
as if she couldn’t even smell his haywire Alpha pheromones: She was perfectly composed.
Cassian took a deep breath and stepped toward her, holding out a black bank card.
“This is the cash equivalent of my half of our personal assets,” he said, his voice dry and hollow. “It’s yours p>
Trista didn’t argue. She took the card.
Cassian opened the jewelry box, revealing a dazzling diamond necklace.
He looked her in the eye, his voice dropping to a whisper. “I’ve had this
me. just never found the
right moment. Let me put it on you p>
He reached out.
“I’ll take the card, but you can keep the gift,” Trista said, sidestepping him.
Cassian stopped, his expression turning stubborn and fierce. “The ring is gone, fine. But you are wearing this necklace today. I’m not asking p>
Trista hesitated.
Her only goal today was the severance. There was no point in provoking an
unstable Alpha over a piece of jewelry right before the finish line.
Cassian stepped behind her, his fingers trembling as he fastened the clasp. He gently smoothed her long hair.
In three years of mating, this was the first time he had ever personally put jewelry on
her.
He stared at the diamonds glittering
against her skin, then grabbed her
hand, his eyes full of a nearly
pathological plea, Promise me
promise me you’ll keep it on. Don’t
take it off, okay p>
They locked eyes again. The agony on Cassian’s face was enough to crack his Alpha mask.
Trista gave him a dismissive nod. “Fine p>
In her mind, what could a necklace possibly hold onto once the mating bond was gone?
She couldn’t understand what Cassian was trying to memorialize with this weird behavior.
Suddenly, Cassian lunged forward and locked her in a crushing hug.
Trista tried to push him off, but his arms were like iron bands, holding her with a terrifying strength.