Chapter 73
Chapter 73
Trista’s POV
I felt Samantha’s eyes fixed on the diamond ring on my finger.
Finished
Six years ago, that ring should have been hers, but three stubborn Ironthorn elders intervened -a fact she never hesitated to throw in my face.
In her world, the Luna of the Ironthorn Pack, Cassian’s mate, was supposed to be her.
She carefully leaned closer, testing the waters.
“Trista, since Cassian doesn’t love you, that ring means nothing. Could you… give it back to me p>
I looked up. I saw the naked, unstoppable triumph in her eyes.
I didn’t argue.
Calmly, I slowly slid the wedding band off my ring finger. I took her hand and put the ring right onto her finger.
Her knuckles trembled slightly with nerves.
My eyes stung, but my voice was slow and firm. “I’m giving Cassian back to you p>
I added, “Ms. Fernandez, don’t tell him yet. Let him finish his project abroad in peace. You and Algernon can give him a surprise when he gets back in three days p>
I didn’t know how I made it home.
I only remember lying quietly on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
The room was silent. Even my wolf was unnaturally quiet.
From the moment Samantha and Algernon returned, my emotions had spiraled from stubborn resentment to total breakdown, and now, sheer desperation.
I had tried everything I could think of to terminate the mating.
I talked, begged, fought, gambled–even put my mother’s obsidian staff up for auction–just for a dignified exit.
And Cassian? He never tried to fix the real problem.
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14:26 Sun Dec 28
Chapter 3
Finished
He was focused on fixing me–blocking the auction, pressuring the Healing Center, sealing off every exit, ensuring the mating bond remained in a state that only benefited him.
Loving him for so long meant tearing him out was agonizing. The thread was too deep. Cutting it meant ripping out my own flesh.
But clinging to this mating was completely pointless now.
I could only hope that my final surrender would bring some small measure of grace to the whole sordid mess
The next morning. I woke up to my phone ringing through a fog of sleep.
It was Wynn, “Luna Trista, did you decide to remodel the house p>
Hearing her voice, I bolted upright, my heart jumping.
You went looking for me?” I asked, testing the waters.
Wynn shifted on the line. The faint sound of construction filled the background. “I just drove past your house. I saw a crew hauling renovation supplies inside p>
I let out a silent breath.
I had warned Samantha before I left.
She couldn’t be stupid enough to let the pack members find out she’d moved into our home before Cassian was even back.
Third Person’s POV
After hanging up with Trista, Wynn was still confused. Fred quickly walked toward the entrance, blocking a worker carrying materials.
“Hold up, Fred said, standing on the steps. “You’re sure the person who hired you is Ms. Holmes p>
The worker, startled by Fred’s subconscious aura, quickly pulled the contract from his file. He pointed to the signature in the bottom right corner. “We wouldn’t start without the owner’s signature.
The signature was clear: Trista Holmes.
Seeing Trista’s signature, Fred eased some of his suspicion.
“Let’s go,” he grabbed Wynn, who was still stunned. “No, I need to call Alpha Cassian p>
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14:26 Sun, Dec 28 N
Chapter 23
The call connected quickly.
7077
finished
“Talk,” Cassian answered. Low voices and clinking glasses in the background indicated he was still networking.
“Did you know,” Fred jumped right in, “that Trista is gutting the house you two lived in for three years? Did you authorize this p>
There was a noticeable pause on the other end.
Then, Cassian’s voice came through. “She probably wants to renovate it and move back in p>
He figured she must have finally listened to him before he left.
-Without his help, no LA auction house would sell the obsidian cane.
Without the mocny she owed, she couldn’t terminate the mating.
She must have realized she was stuck.
“It’s our property,” Cassian said flatly. “She can change whatever she wants p>
After hanging up, he returned from the event, closed his suite door, and poured himself a drink at the bar.
He stood straight by the floor–to–ceiling window, overlooking the foreign city lights, dressed in a white shirt and black trousers. His sleeves were rolled to his forearms. His long fingers lightly gripped the glass
The neon reflected on the glass, showing his slightly tired profile.
After a brief hesitation, Cassian opened his comm–stone chat with Trista.
The conversation was stuck on the message he sent her the night before he left–no reply.
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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.