Chapter 448
Chapter 448
Third Person’s POV
He once had the most loyal, unfiltered love in all of L.A., and he’d trashed it with his own hands. Now, he was reduced to using a friend’s lie just to get a taste of her cooking.
Cassian let out a hollow, self–deprecating laugh that echoed through the empty penthouse. A single tear escaped, disappearing into the shadows.
He spent the rest of the night collapsed on the sofa.
His stomach was in knots; his heart felt like it was physically bleeding.
He couldn’t eat, and sleep was out of the question. He just lay there, wide awake, letting the raw agony of regret strip him down until dawn.
The next day, as the sun began to set, Cassian checked Trista’s latest post. His breathing hitched, turning shallow and erratic.
She’d actually taken time off work to represent the Manwaring family at Isaiah’s PTA meeting. She’d even picked the kid up from school herself.
The photos looked so natural, so domestic–it was driving him insane.
Was she really going to cross that line and play stepmother to Elias’s son?
Impulse overrode logic. His fingers trembling, he dialed the number that had been hovering on the edge of a total block for weeks.
Across town, the fading sunlight stretched long shadows across the street. Trista was walking, holding tight to Sayer’s hand.
Her phone vibrated violently in her pocket. When she saw “Cassian” flashing on the screen, she didn’t hesitate.
With a sharp, practiced flick of her thumb, she cut the call, silencing the man trying to claw his way back into her life.
“Godmother, I think we’re being followed.” Sayer’s voice was tiny but bone–chillingly alert. It wasn’t the voice of a six–year–old.
Trista scanned the area. The evening rush hour was in full swing; the noise of the city covered everything.
She figured the kid was just playing some spy game. She reached down and ruffled his hair. “Trying to scare me again, are you p>
Isaiah didn’t answer. His dark eyes–so much like his father’s–darted around with growing unease.
He suddenly gripped her hand and pulled her into a faster pace.
Once they reached the corner, he looked up at her, his expression deadly serious. “Godmother, are your
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Chapter 448
wolf instincts even turned on p>
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鏡 Finished
He tapped his smartwatch, trying to ping the Manwaring security team with his coordinates, but a dark red ‘X‘ flashed over the signal bar. A high–frequency jammer.
Trista felt her heart drop.
A cold sweat broke across her back as a memory surfaced–something Cassian had mentioned once. Years ago, Elias’s wife had been killed in a professional hit, a calculated revenge move against the Manwarings. That ‘accident‘ had cost Elias his Luna.
Were the ‘hyenas‘ coming for the last of the Manwaring bloodline?
Elias was currently overseas handling pack business. He was too far away to help.
They were in a dead zone. They were on their own.
“Sayer, we’re going to the healing center. Now,” Trista said, forcing her voice to stay steady. That was Xander’s territory. Once they hit the Blade pack’s inner perimeter, they’d be safe.
She hurried him toward her car, her fingers shaking as she hit the unlock button.
The lights flashed. She yanked open the back door to shove the boy into the safety of the car.
But the second the door swung open, the sickening, metallic scent of a rogue hit her like a punch.
A hand in a black leather glove lunged out from the dark interior. It was massive and fast, grabbing Sayer’s shoulder like a steel trap.
“Sayer p>
Trista let out a scream, but the attacker was too quick.
Sayer was hauled into the shadows of the backseat by sheer brute force.
Trista couldn’t believe it–in broad daylight, in the middle of a busy city, someone had successfully breached her car.
A cold blade was pressed against the boy’s throat. The glint of the metal made the air freeze.
The man behind the mask had the eyes of a fanatic with nothing to lose.
To keep the blade from breaking the skin, Trista had no choice. She grit her teeth and climbed into the car, entering a cage that smelled like death.
Late Night. An abandoned gas station on the outskirts of L.A.
Trista and Isaiah had been separated, locked in two different storage sheds at opposite ends of the lot.
“BOOM p>
The heavy metal door of the first shed was kicked off its hinges.
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Chapter 448
Elias charged in, looking like a god of war, followed by a dozen armed Manwaring guards.
Finished
He snatched his son into his arms, his usually cool eyes filled with a terrifying, heart–wrenching relief. “Sayer, talk to me. Are you hurt p>
The second the tape was ripped off his mouth, Sayer’s fear finally boiled over. He burst into tears, pointing a trembling finger at the neighboring building. “Dad… go save Godmother! The bad men took her in there p>
Elias’s gaze went sub–zero. The Alpha aura radiating off him was so intense the air seemed to warp.
He handed the boy to a guard. “Get him out of here. Somewhere safe. Now p>
“Mr. Manwaring!” Two guards jumped in his way as Elias turned toward the other shed. “We’ve lost the element of surprise! That warehouse is packed with old gas canisters. If a fight triggers an explosion, this whole place goes up! You can’t go in there p>
Elias didn’t even acknowledge them. He was already a blur in the night, vanishing toward the warehouse.
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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.