Where Soft Light Shines Darkness Fades From Tired Hearts by Evan Holt Crane 463
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Finished
Third Person’s POV
Elias’s voice was gentle, yet it carried an immovable authority. “Even if your suspicions are right, I’ll move every resource I have to handle the fallout. Don’t worry, Trista. None of this is going to touch you.”
Trista stared at him, her throat feeling tight. She was at a total loss for words. After Elias left, she immediately dialed Alistair.
Alistair picked up, sounding as bored as ever. “Relax,” he said, his tone casual. “My G–Wagon has full insurance. I was driving normally when the incident happened; the dashcam footage is crystal clear. As for Vincent? That piece of trash was already falling apart. He didn’t have the constitution to handle the impact. Weak bloodlines tend to snap early. It’s got nothing to do with anyone else.”
Despite his reassurance, Trista’s hands remained ice–cold long after she hung up.
She spent the rest of the night pacing her room, clutching her phone like a lifeline.
Ironthorn Estate.
The air in Howard’s study was thick enough to suffocate.
Howard and Wilmot stood behind the massive mahogany desk, their faces dark with fury.
Wilmot pointed a finger at Cassian, his voice trembling with a mix of rage and disappointment. “You are the Alpha of Ironthorn! The entire future of this territory is on your shoulders! And you risked it all to go after a man for a woman who has already left you? Have you completely lost your mind?”
Cassian stood there, his handsome face a total mask. There wasn’t even a flicker of emotion in his eyes.
“If you’re so sure I killed him,” he said, his voice as flat as a business projection, “then call the cops. Send me to prison. Right now.”
Howard was shaking so hard he had to grip his cane. He stared at his most brilliant heir–the man he had personally groomed for greatness–and realized he couldn’t find a single word to break through that wall.
The internal fractures within the Bluestar Pack were deeper than anyone on the outside realized.
Madison, sensing a chance to stir the pot, tried to weaponize the situation. “Vincent was our father’s blood!” she cried out. “When Cassian took his arm years ago, Bluestar sucked it up because we feared Ironthorn’s power. But now he’s finally back, and he gets run over by Alistair and finished off in a hospital bed? This is a direct insult to every member of the Bluestars!”
“Know your place!” Priscilla snapped.
As an illegitimate daughter, Madison had zero standing in the inner circle of the high–ranking elders.
Vincent’s mother was on her knees, her wailing filling the room. “Cassian snuck into my son’s room in the middle of the night! He had murder in his eyes! I want his head for this!”
The living room was packed with members of the Danitz family, but under the weight of the two top
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Alphas, most of them stayed silent out of pure fear.
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Finished
“I’ve seen the security footage, Priscilla said, her voice like frost. “If he hadn’t been pulling that low–life stunt, if he hadn’t been hunting Cassian’s former mate and running into the middle of the street, would any of this have happened? This was a self–inflicted rejection of his own bloodline.”
“Grandma, how can you take their side?” Benjamin argued. “Even if Alistair hitting him was an accident, how do you explain Cassian being in that hospital room at 2:00 AM?”
“Alistair called carlier, Priscilla said, her expression unreadable. “He said he and Cassian went in to discuss a private settlement. That’s the story. Take it or leave it.”
Nobody in the room believed a word of it.
Finally, Alpha Ferris stood up.
He scanned the room, looking at his ambitious, squabbling heirs. The boy got himself killed. There’s no one else to blame. Tomorrow, we sign the cremation papers. No allies are to be notified.”
“My son is gone and I’m supposed to just let it go?!” Vincent’s mother collapsed onto the floor.
Benjamin, Mark, and Renard grit their teeth. “Alistair and Cassian didn’t just take out Vincent; they’re spitting on the whole pack! We can’t let this slide!”
“And what exactly are you going to do about it?” Ferris‘ eyes turned predatory as he looked at his three sons. “Don’t forget who’s standing behind Trista Holmes–Elias Manwaring.”
He let out a cold, mocking laugh. When it comes to strategy, all of your brains combined aren’t enough to play in Cassian’s league. When it comes to dirty work, have you forgotten Alistair’s background? And if you want to talk law? With Elias involved, you’ll never win a day in court
The hall fell into a graveyard silence.
Priscilla made the final call. “The official statement is that Vincent died of a sudden cardiac event triggered by a bloodline defect. Cremation and burial follow tomorrow. As of right now, no one mentions this again.
Priscilla and Ferris were smart.
They knew that Cassian alone was enough to give Bluestar a migraine, let alone when he was teamed up with two other high–level lunatics.
If they pushed for justice,” they’d likely end up burning the entire pack’s reputation to the ground.
Just like that. Vincent Danitz was erased from Los Angeles without a sound.
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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.