Where Soft Light Shines Darkness Fades From Tired Hearts by Evan Holt Crane 376
hapter 376
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Finished
Third Person’s POV
Trista knew exactly what this man was capable of when he went feral. There was no point in a head–on collision right now–she’d only lose.
She ground her teeth, reminding him, “Cassian, we’re separated. You have zero right to give me orders.”
‘I’m already the villain in your story anyway.” Cassian didn’t seem to care.
‘If I wanted to, I could find a dozen ways to make you disappear from this territory right now.”
The air in the room turned thick and heavy.
Ɔnly when Trista finally stopped fighting did the lethal edge in Cassian’s eyes begin to soften.
He held his breath, his movements becoming incredibly gentle as he fastened the necklace. He even
eached out to smooth her tangled hair.
Gripping her chin, he forced her to look into the dark depths of his eyes, his voice as solemn as a blood >ath: “Trista, promise me. You will never take this off as long as you live.”
When she met him with silence, Cassian lost his restraint again, pulling her into a crushing, desperate hug.
Suddenly, a whirlwind of movement burst into the room. Randolph, having caught the scent of an ntruder’s pheromones, charged out with a duster in hand. The tool whistled through the air and landed— whack–squarely across Cassian’s back.
Cassian caught Trista’s gaze–cool, transparent, and totally indifferent–and finally retracted his claws in
rustration.
No wonder she hadn’t struggled in his arms; she’d sensed the old wolf’s rage coming a mile away.
She had simply stood by, almost amused, watching her father discipline him.
Cassian composed himself, lowering his head before the two elders. “Mother, Father.”
Ulva didn’t even acknowledge him. She grabbed Trista’s arm and hauled her out of the bathroom.
Randolph’s face was darker than the thunderclouds gathering over the L.A. suburbs. A low, gravelly growl vibrated in his chest. “Alpha Cassian, don’t play family with us. Silverlight has no room for a traitor. Get the hell back to your own pack.”
Randolph tossed the duster aside. Cassian followed him into the living room without a word, his suffocating Alpha presence completely retracted. He looked small in their home.
Trista saw the raw disgust in her parents‘ eyes. she didn’t want the house polluted by Cassian’s erratic energy any longer.
She turned to him. “Wait in the car. I need a moment with them.”
1:18 pm
Finished
Cassian’s dark eyes flickered over Randolph and Ulva. Seeing them both turned away from him with cold shoulders, he gave a slight nod and stepped out of the house–retreating from the territory that made him feel like he couldn’t breathe.
The second the door shut, Ulva gripped her daughter’s hand, her fingers trembling. “Trista, what is going on? You aren’t actually thinking about going back to him, are you?”
“Mom, he’s a lunatic. That’s his problem,” Trista soothed her. “I only brought him here to get the necklace so he’d stop making a scene.”
Ulva was still worried. “I watched that boy grow up. When he gets obsessed, he’s more dangerous than a starving beast. Now that Samantha is behind bars, I’m afraid he’s going to sink his teeth into you and never let go.”
“Don’t worry, Mom. I remember every bit of hell I went through with him,” Trista said, her eyes as cold as deep–sea ice.
“Whether he wags his tail or shows his fangs, I am never going back.”
She softened her tone slightly. “But Alaina and Wynn are still family to me. L.A. is a small city; we’re bound to run into each other. I know how to handle myself.”
Hearing that, her parents finally managed to settle their nerves.
As she left, Ulva chased her to the door, shoving an umbrella into her hand. “The forecast says heavy rain this afternoon. Take it.”
Trista climbed back into the Rolls–Royce. Her eyes skimmed over the red welt on Cassian’s white shirt where the duster had hit him, then she looked away with total indifference.
Randolph had hit him hard, but that pain was nothing compared to the agony of being exiled and having her soul–bond shattered.
The car pulled away.
Trista touched the cold diamonds at her neck. “The necklace is on. Now, tell me what happened to Alistair.”
Cassian didn’t answer. Instead, he turned to stare at her, his eyes filled with the territorial agitation of a predator whose turf had been invaded. “That stray, Isaiah… since when did he move in next door to you?”
Trista’s brow furrowed, her voice taking on an aggressive edge. “Cassian, I asked you a question first.”
The light in Cassian’s eyes wavered, looking like a dying fire in a dark forest.
He looked away, his voice so low it was nearly drowned out by the engine. “My shoulder… those bastards
bit me.”
Their eyes met again, but Trista just looked out at the street.
She could feel his hot, suffocating gaze locked onto her neck, but she remained as still as a grave.
In the past, if he were even slightly hurt–if he’d so much as let out a pained sigh–her heart would have broken. She would have scoured the earth for the best herbs to heal him.
1:18 pm DD
But now, everything about him was just dust in the wind.
The silence in the car was deafening.
4.6K
Finished
1:18 pm
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.