Where Soft Light Shines Darkness Fades From Tired Hearts by Evan Holt Crane 485
Third Person’s POV
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Cassian reached out, tentatively trying to take her hand, but she swiped him away without a second thought.
He stared at her, stunned, before slowly dropping to one knee in the center of the sea of roses. He opened his palm, revealing a massive, brilliant pink diamond.
“Trista, we’ve spent over twenty years together. We’ve watched each other grow up,” Cassian’s voice sounded raw and incredibly sincere.
Trista didn’t deny that.
Loving the wrong person was definitely the fastest way to grow up.
“In my heart, you are my home. I will be your shield. I’ll stand behind you and block every storm that comes your way.”
Trista let out a silent, bitter laugh. It felt absurd.
By the time he finished speaking, the corners of his eyes were burning red.
He looked out at the dark ocean surrounding them, his voice dropping to a rasp. “Let every living thing on this island be my witness. I, Cassian, swear to treasure and protect you for the rest of my life.”
Trista gripped the fabric of her skirt.
Clearly, her rebellion had forced his hand, pushing this proud Alpha to spit out such hollow, desperate vows.
“Trista… get mated with me. Please.”
The private island was so quiet you could hear the rhythm of the tide.
In an atmosphere of peak romance, Trista stood there like a statue carved from ice.
Both of them looked a mess–disheveled, clothes torn from their earlier struggle–a perfect reflection of the wrecked path they’d walked in their previous life.
Trista looked down at the pink diamond. It was worth a fortune,
He was clearly going to great lengths just to save face for Ironthorn and keep her in place until his precious Samantha returned.
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She took a small step forward.
A spark of hope flared in Cassian’s bloodshot eyes. “Trista,” he whispered, almost begging. “Marry me.”
To him, she was his salvation–the only home he had left in two lifetimes.
Trista met his gaze, and then, slowly and firmly, she shook her head.
Cassian’s expression froze. The light in his eyes didn’t just dim; it went out.
But he stayed on his knee, stubbornly holding the ring out, refusing to stand.
“Cassian, I meant everything I said before. What I feel for you isn’t love. I can’t marry you.”
If she hadn’t lived through it all once before, she never would have understood why he chose her when so many powerful she–wolves were dying to marry into Ironthorn.
But after a trip to hell and back, she finally got it.
He chose her because she used to love him so much she had no self–respect left. She was easy to control.
Because Silverlight was bankrupt and her family was weak, he could crush her and manipulate her without breaking a sweat.
Seeing he wouldn’t get up, Trista turned her back on him.
Watching her walk away, Cassian felt like he was physically shattering.
“Is there someone else?” he blurted out, his eyes rimmed with red. He stood up slowly.
To him, it was the only possible explanation.
Trista took several deep breaths, feeling exhausted.
In her last life, she had told his headstone that their debts were settled with his death.
She wasn’t going to hold onto the grudge, but she wasn’t going to be with him again, either.
She turned back to face him and gave a small nod, playing along with his theory,
“Yeah. There is someone I like.”
Cassian lunged forward, grabbing her shoulders. “Who?!”
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Trista looked up into his disbelieving eyes. “It’s one–sided for now. I’m not telling you who he is.”
She felt his grip tighten and frowned at the pain.
“But I can tell you he’s a great guy. We really click. When the time is right, I’m going to tell him how I feel.”
Cassian looked like he’d been turned to stone.
“Cassian,” Trista asked calmly, “how should I address you from now on? Should I go back to being a stranger and call you Alpha Cassian? Or should you talk to your parents about making me your foster sister so I can just be your real sister?”
Cassian lost it, pulling her into a crushing hug. “I don’t want to be your brother! I want to marry you!”
He felt her struggling violently in his arms and cautiously let her go.
He forced himself to stand still, forced himself to breathe.
His hands were clenched at his sides, the ring digging painfully into his palm.
He fought the urge to pin her back against the tree and kiss her until she stopped talking.
“Trista,” he said, his voice strained as he finally choked out a compromise. “Until the dust settles… I’ll be your ‘Cassian–bro‘ if that’s what it takes.”
He decided to retreat back to the role of the childhood friend.
He would “compete fairly” with this mystery man.
He would show her his heart.
Whatever it cost, he was going to win back the girl he had lost.
Trista was surprised.
She thought it would take a lot more arguing to get him to back off, but he’d folded remarkably easily.
If he was willing to go back to being “just friends,” she was all for it.
Letting go of him meant finally letting go of herself.
A massive sense of relief washed over her.
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.