LOGINThird Person's POVWhile Samantha's ambition was enough to swallow her sanity, her methods were amateur in Trista's eyes.The deep-seated pain from her past life had always been rooted in Cassian's obsession and indulgence.As long as she no longer loved that man, Samantha wouldn't even qualify as her rival.After seeing Victoria off, Trista returned to the healing center.At 2:00 PM, Xander, the Alpha of the Blade Pack, walked in.His steady, cedar-like scent immediately calmed the restless air in the room.He handed her a cute cartoon gift bag. "My sister made these handmade fruit candies," he said. "She insisted I bring them to the 'genius healer.'""Thank you." Trista took the candies, their sweetness finally breaking through the heavy mood she'd carried all night.Xander watched her unguarded expression, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes. "Regarding your application for a permanent position—I took the
Third Person's POVThe next day, inside the Ironthorn mansion, the atmosphere was so heavy it was suffocating.Howard and Wilmot sat there, their faces grim.Cassian unbuttoned his suit jacket, radiating the unmistakable aura of a powerful leader.Trista's words from the night before echoed in his mind—for the sake of his loved ones, he had to stand at the peak of power to protect her from the shadows."Your grandfather has signed over the shares," Wilmot said coldly. "When are you returning to the company?""No rush. Once the paperwork is processed," Cassian replied steadily, his tone signaling a firm boundary.Alaina stood up abruptly, her elegant composure nearly crumbling. "You said you were finished with that Samantha woman! Why did she show up at the birthday party? Do you have any idea how much that hurt Trista?"A cold glint flashed in Cassian's eyes, his voice low like rolling thunder. "Mom, I'm going to investig
Third Person's POVThe night was heavy as two souls, both scarred by the wreckage of a past life, wept silently by the freezing lake.Deep in the suburban wilderness, Cassian held Trista in a crushing embrace from behind.Even though he had enough strength in his arms to shatter stone, he couldn't stop shivering.The agony of his rebirth was like a trapped beast, clawing at his sanity until he was on the verge of shifting into a wolf and howling at the moon in despair.With a suppressed growl, he forced himself to let go.He stood hunched over, a lonely and defeated figure in the dark. The crimson fire of obsession in his eyes finally flickered out as he met Trista's cold gaze."Don't cry, Trista... I'll respect your decision," he rasped, his voice sounding like it had been ground over gravel.Whatever she wanted, he had to give in.Even if it was a sentence that tore his soul apart.Falling back into being "child
Third Person's POVThe two stared at each other in a heavy, suffocating silence.In that heartbeat, Cassian felt the oxygen vanish from his lungs; the crushing weight of the guilt he had carried since his rebirth threatened to drown him.He gripped the front of his shirt in agony, his body swaying as he stumbled back until his spine hit the cold metal of the car."When did you find out?" He let out a self-deprecating laugh that sounded more like a broken sob."I had my suspicions from the start," Trista admitted, her voice steady. "But I didn't want to believe that you would come back with the same nightmare I did".Cassian lowered his gaze and tilted his head back, letting the bitterness of his own deception wash over him.He had been lying to himself, thinking that if he just hid the truth, he could build a heaven on top of the ruins of their past life."I'm sorry... Trista"."Don't say you're sorry." Trista walked up
Third Person's POVTrista shoved against Cassian's chest with both hands. "Cassian, what the hell is wrong with you?!"Cassian didn't say a word. He simply leaned in and expertly unbuckled her seatbelt.The more he stayed silent, the more nervous Trista became.In a panic, she grabbed his collar. "Say something! What do you think you're doing?!"Cassian braced one hand against the back of her seat and gripped her shoulder with the other.The corners of his eyes were faintly red.He stared into her eyes and threw the question back at her, "What do you think you're doing?"They stared at each other, their breathing ragged.Trista went quiet for a moment before speaking. "I was just trying to have a normal birthday. Suddenly, some woman shows up looking for you, then you drag me out here by force. What did I do?"In her past life, she and Cassian had settled their debts.In this life, she had tried her best to maintain the status quo.Now, it seemed that was no longer possible.She watch
Third Person's POVCassian's sudden mention of the sixty million caught Samantha completely off guard. She froze.As the judgmental stares of the crowd bore down on her, Samantha's survival instincts kicked in.Her eyes widened with shock, her face crumpling into a mask of pure, unadulterated heartbreak.She looked at Cassian, her voice trembling as she addressed the room through a veil of tears."Cassian... your grandfather forced me to take that money. He threatened my family. I haven't touched a single cent of it—believe me or don't, it's up to you!" She sobbed into her hands and bolted out of the ballroom.By dumping the entire blame on Howard before her grand exit, she left the crowd with just enough doubt to wonder if she truly was a victim of the Ironthorn elders.As Samantha brushed past Trista, Trista instinctively reached out to stop her.But before she could even touch Samantha's sleeve, her wrist was clamped i
Trista's POVHis kiss was frantic, almost out of control.It held desire, undisguised possession, but mostly a kind of agitation I didn't recognize—I could feel his pheromones spreading in waves around my body.It was the usual cold, smoky wood scent of the Ironthorn Alpha, but now it felt ignited
Trista's POVI tightened my grip on the glass, my knuckles turning slightly white.Cassian glanced at me, then spoke to Hera. "When Trista and I have a baby, you'll be the first to know."He said it so naturally, as if nothing had ever happened between us.Hera laughed and patted my hand. "You've b
Third Person's POVWhen Cassian returned to Ironthorn, pack members who had finished their training were gathering equipment in the pack plaza.The old manor, where Cassian's parents resided, was softly lit. The living room smelled of flowers mixed with the distinctive scent of old wood.Alaina and
Cassian's POVTrista looked up at me, her voice steady with an almost cruel politeness. "I'll be staying at my parents' house for a while. I will repay the money as soon as possible, and then apply for the termination of the mating contract at the Stone Circle. If you have any concerns, think them







