Chapter 466
Chapter 466
Third Person’s POV
Watching Attwater walk away, Cassian felt his already shattered heart split wide open. He couldn’t help himself.
He called out, his voice cracking. “Attwater… I’m sorry p>
Attwater’s pace slowed for a fraction of a second, but he didn’t turn back. He kept walking until he vanished.
A server walked by, flinching at the heavy, death–like aura radiating off Cassian. “Sir? Do you need medical attention p>
Cassian gave a weak, dismissive shake of his head.
He didn’t remember the drive home.
This house–the nest that used to be filled with the sweet, floral scent of Trista’s pheromones–was now as
cold as a tomb.
He stumbled into the living room and collapsed onto the sofa, the image of her walking away looping behind his eyelids like a broken film strip.
He pulled the crystal pendant from his pocket. A sharp, lightning–bolt of pain seared through his chest, as if the last threads of the mating bond were being forcibly ripped out of his soul.
He didn’t deserve love. He didn’t deserve trust. He didn’t even deserve to draw breath in a world she lived
He owed her two lives.
Even if he cut out his own heart and handed it to her, it wouldn’t pay for the years of misery he’d put her through.
In the middle of the night, a sound echoed through the empty villa–a stifled, broken sob. It was the final howl of a lone wolf dying in the wilderness.
“Trista… don’t worry. I’ll never… I’ll never stain your world again p>
He’d said it, and he meant it.
For the weeks that followed, he vanished from her world entirely.
They became two parallel lines, moving through their own lunar cycles, never touching.
November 8th. Trista’s Birthday.
Trista woke up early. The morning sun streamed through the window, illuminating her face–pale, but steady.
1/3
1:06 pm p>
Chapter 466
As she leaned over the sink to wash her face, she felt a sudden loss of weight against her collarbone.
“Plop p>
0: 9
Finished
She instinctively reached for her neck. The diamond necklace–the symbol of her status as the Ironthorn Luna, the one Cassian had personally fastened around her neck–had snapped without warning. It hit the porcelain and slid toward the drain.
Trista lunged for it, but she was a second too late.
With a rush of water, the diamonds were swept away, disappearing into the dark plumbing.
Trista stared at her reflection, her neck now bare. Suddenly, a dull ache radiated from her scent gland–a dark, ominous throb coming from the very end of the severed mating bond.
Cassian had put that necklace on her the day they officially broke the bond.
She had tried to take it off once, but it had triggered something feral and obsessive in him. He had practically dragged her home from the clinic, his eyes bloodshot and manic, refusing to let go until he had re–fastened the clasp himself.
To keep him from spiraling again, she’d worn it ever since, letting the cold metal press against her skin.
But now, it was gone.
It was as if the necklace itself had been desperate to escape her.
Trista turned off the faucet, her fingertips turning cold.
She stood there, frozen, as her werewolf instincts began to scream, leaving her heart racing with a sense of impending disaster.
At that exact moment, inside the silent Ironthorn villa, Cassian was standing in front of his own mirror.
He had just showered, wrapped in a dark robe. He shaved with meticulous care and styled his hair into a sharp, disciplined side–part.
He’d gotten a haircut the day before, the clean lines at his temples making him look more alert, more like the Alpha he used to be–a desperate attempt to mask the rotting of his wolf.
He walked into his dressing room. A long table was piled high with beautifully wrapped gifts.
It was Trista’s birthday.
Even though he knew he had no right to be at her party, he wanted to dress for the occasion, even if he was only celebrating her from the shadows.
Trista used to complain that his suits were too corporate, too “old man p>
After they mated, she had joyfully filled his closet with more modern, relaxed styles.
Cassian reached into the back of the wardrobe and pulled one out.
1:06 pm
Chapter 466
Finished
He stood before the full–length mirror, fastening his cufflinks, checking his watch, and straightening his tic.
Finally, he reached for his most prized possession: the crystal pendant containing the photo of their child.
As he turned, his sleeve caught a gift box on the table.
Instinctively, he reached out to catch the box, but the movement caused the pendant to slip from his hand. It hit the floor with a heavy thud.
Before he could react, his foot–already moving to stabilize himself–landed squarely on top of it.
The sound of shattering glass was deafening in the quiet room. It felt like the snap happened inside his own ribcage.
Cassian froze. He slowly lifted his foot. The crystal glass shielding the small photograph was crushed.
He stared down at the jagged shards, watching his heart break into pieces he knew he could never pick up again.
A world–ending agony flared in the center of his chest.
Cassian doubled over, his hand clawing at the edge of the table for support.
A metallic taste flooded his mouth. A second later, a spray of dark, thick blood erupted from his throat, splattering across the floor and the ruins of the pendant.
His body rocked violently as more blood seeped from the corners of his mouth.
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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.