Where Soft Light Shines Darkness Fades From Tired Hearts by Evan Holt Crane 377
Third Person’s POV
As the car neared a supermarket close to the healing center, Trista signaled the driver to pull over.
Finished
“I’m picking up some supplies. I’ll walk back from here.” Before Cassian could stop her, she pushed the door open and stepped out into the damp, heavy air.
Cassian lowered the window, staring blankly as she crossed the street. The sheer decisiveness of her silhouette made his heart skip a beat–for all the wrong reasons.
“Alpha Cassian, back to the office?” the driver asked quietly.
Cassian didn’t answer. His eyes fell on the pale blue umbrella Trista had left behind on the seat.
He grabbed it, shoved the door open, and chased after her into the gathering gloom.
Inside the supermarket’s personal care aisle, Trista was browsing when she bumped into an old classmate
and her mate.
The couple was looking at feminine hygiene products; the guy seemed totally relaxed, patiently comparing brands.
The classmate teased him, “Did you used to buy these for other girls, too?”
The guy immediately sensed a trap and raised his hands in a mock surrender. “Babe, don’t even play. These are private. Nobody gets me to run errands like this except my own mate.”
The girl beamed at him.
Trista quietly looked away. That was what a normal mateship looked like–not just allies in a hunt, but a safe harbor in the mundane details of life.
A few aisles over, Cassian’s knuckles turned white, nearly snapping the handle of the umbrella.
He felt like his feet were nailed to the floor, too heavy to move.
When two girls walked by, he swallowed his pride and stopped them, asking if they’d mind handing the
umbrella to Trista.
He watched from a distance as they approached her and pointed his way.
The moment Trista turned to look for him, Cassian instinctively ducked into the shadows of the shelving,
He remembered the time Trista had caught him buying these exact same things for Samantha at the mall. He remembered the dead look in her eyes back then. The memory felt like a hot iron pressing against his
heart.
Trista had been with him for three years; he had never once cared if her cycles were painful, and he’d certainly considered a “small task” like this beneath him.
1:18 pm DD
Trista walked out of the store, glancing at the umbrella in her hand.
Her phone buzzed–it was Priscilla.
She answered it and started walking toward the healing center.
Finished
Suddenly, a luxury car screeched to a halt at the curb. Madison hopped out, physically blocking her path.
Trista acted like she didn’t see her and kept talking into the phone.
“Trista, where’d you learn this habit of ignoring people?”
Madison’s tone was a bit softer than usual, but it still carried that “I’m better than you” edge. “I was played by that rogue bitch Samantha just like everyone else. Is it really necessary to be this rude?”
Trista stopped but didn’t hang up on Priscilla.
She looked Madison in the eye, peeling back the fake apology. “You knew Samantha was just Cassian’s side–piece, and you still chose to hang out with her. That tells me you’re exactly the same as she was.”
Madison’s face flipped. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You became friends with her because you bet on her becoming the Ironthorn Luna. You wanted a ticket into the elite circle,” Trista said ruthlessly. “It was a social investment. Don’t act all high–and–mighty now by blaming a dead woman.”
Exposed, Madison’s voice turned shrill. “Trista, you’re a member of a bankrupt pack. Without Cassian’s protection, you’re nothing. Who gave you the right to be so arrogant?”
She stepped closer, her eyes flashing with a dark, predatory glint. A low, threatening growl vibrated in her throat. “A stray she–wolf with no territory like you… I could crush your soul as easily as stepping on an ant. I’m doing you a favor by even talking to you. Don’t make me rip your throat out right here!”
Trista expressionlessly held up her phone, hit the speakerphone button, and cranked the volume to the
max.
“Madison,” Trista said calmly, “at the end of the day, you’re just a bastard child of the Bluestar Alpha. Since your bloodline brings zero value to your pack, you should keep your tail between your legs. Don’t let all of Bluestar suffer the wrath of other packs just because you’re stupid.”
Madison let out a hysterical laugh, sounding completely unhinged. “The old geezers at Bluestar are practically burnt out. Don’t try to use those half–dead fossils to pressure me!”
Trista slowly raised the phone. Her voice was as still as a grave. “Priscilla, you heard her. I’m not sure where your granddaughter gets the confidence to trample on your pack’s dignity like this.”
The color drained from Madison’s face. She went as rigid as a board.
She never imagined Trista was on a live call with Priscilla.
Humiliation and terror snapped her last thread of logic. With a sharp, lupine shriek, she lunged forward to grab the phone.
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1:18 pm
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Finished
Her hand was already beginning to shift into claws as she shoved Trista’s shoulder with everything she had.
Trista didn’t expect the “crazy wolf” to actually attack her in broad daylight. She stumbled, falling hard onto the concrete. Her phone hit the pavement and shattered with a sickening crack.
Trista picked up the dead device and slowly stood up.
In that moment, the healer’s aura she had been suppressing for years exploded without reservation.
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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.