Where Soft Light Shines Darkness Fades From Tired Hearts by Evan Holt Crane 456
Third Person’s POV
Cassian leaned against the headboard, his eyes fixed on Wynn.
His voice was raspy, carrying a steady, almost pleading weight. “I’ll agree to your plan, but on one condition: you have to come to the Ironthorns and help me run things.”
Wynn froze.
Finished
When she turned eighteen, her grandfather and parents had transferred 10% of the pack’s corporate shares into her name.
She had a degree in finance and had taken every elite executive course available, but since graduation, she hadn’t worked a single day in her life.
The annual dividends from Ironthorn alone were enough to fund several lifetimes of luxury.
Wynn carefully studied Cassian’s face. “Cassian… you were the one who told me that even if I never worked a day in my life, you’d take care of me and Trista forever.”
The memory of that promise–and the look of pure, radiant happiness on Trista’s face when he’d made it -sent a bitter pang through Cassian’s chest.
He looked down, falling into a long silence.
Eventually, he looked back at his sister. “If you’re at the company helping me, I can actually focus on getting better. I’ll mentor you personally and give you Humphrey as your second–in–command. If you do a good job, I’ll take you and Mom and Dad to Europe at the end of the year. My treat.”
Paying her way was a small price. His only real hope now was to get off this damn hospital bed as fast as possible.
Cassian’s gaze darkened with an unreadable complexity.
He dropped the coaxing tone and replaced it with the cold, commanding gravity of an Alpha delivering a mission.
“Wynn, I’m not joking. The internal politics of the Ironthorns are more dangerous than you think. You’re an adult; it’s time you carried the weight of this family.”
Meeting his bottomless gaze, Wynn dropped any thought of acting like a spoiled brat. The playful mask fell away, replaced by the solemnity expected of a high–born heir.
She didn’t haggle like a child; she gave a sharp, formal nod. “I understand, Cassian. I’ll be in the packhouse office at 8:00 AM sharp tomorrow.”
Seeing his sister shed her innocence for that cold, focused resolve allowed Cassian’s rigid body to relax slightly.
He didn’t say much else, but as Wynn turned to leave, he added one more command. “Go handle the
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discharge papers.”
Wynn stopped, turning back in surprise. “Now?”
Finisher
“I hate this place.” Cassian stared out the window, his eyes flashing with the elitist disdain and gloom of a caged Alpha. “It’s too loud. Ironthorn has our own pack doctors. It’s more convenient.”
Wynn hesitated for a second, then nodded obediently.
Even though this was a top–tier VIP wing, it was still a public facility. No matter how tight the security was, the constant flow of people was distracting.
Cassian was currently a light sleeper in a fragile state; he really was better off back at the pack estate.
Wynn stepped out of the room and ran right into Trista, who was leading Sayer by the hand.
Both women stopped in their tracks.
Sayer looked up politely. “Hi!”
Wynn looked at Trista, then at the boy. She reached into her bag, pulled out an orange, and tucked it into Sayer’s hand.
She stepped up to Trista, looking down awkwardly. “About the other day… I wasn’t trying to target you.”
Trista sighed. She didn’t hold a grudge. She reached out and gently squeezed Wynn’s wrist. “I know you were worried about your brother. I don’t blame you.”
Wynn’s eyes were still red, but she couldn’t help a small smile as she glanced back toward the room. “Cassian’s coming around. He said he’s reporting to the office tomorrow and taking us on a trip at the end of the year.”
Trista gave an appreciative nod. If Cassian could finally stop obsessing over the past and move on, it was the best possible outcome for everyone.
That evening, after Trista and Sayer had left, Cassian forced his body upright. Driven by a grim determination, he had Wynn push him in a wheelchair to visit Elias.
In the room, the two men’s eyes locked.
Cassian was dressed in a sharp suit, and despite his pallor, his Alpha aura was as lethal as ever. Elias, dressed in simple hospital scrubs, looked perfectly composed, radiating a relaxed confidence that Cassian utterly lacked.
Elias studied him, his voice flat. “Alpha Cassian. Leaving so soon? I thought you’d stay a few more days.
Cassian stood by the window, his dark eyes fixed on Elias as if trying to find a single crack in that calm
exterior.
He suddenly asked, “Elias, between two mates… what kind of feeling actually counts as love?”
The air in the room turned to lead.
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Finished
Elias looked at him, his gaze clear and perceptive. After a moment of silence, he delivered a lethal answer.
“If you truly love someone, you become careful. You walk on eggshells. You would never put her in a position… where you run even the slightest risk of losing her.”
The words were short, but they were like a steel needle driven straight through Cassian’s last shred of dignity.
He froze, the corners of his eyes turning a faint, uncontrollable red.
“Alpha Cassian,” Elias continued, “do you know why Trista won’t forgive you?”
Cassian looked down, his fists clenching at his sides.
“The first time is a mistake,” Elias said. “The second time is a choice. Calculated pain isn’t something that deserves to be forgiven.”
Cassian spoke, his voice a trembling, low rasp. “Is that… what she told you?”
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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.