Chapter 13

Cassian’s POV

I hadn’t slept in my own bed in days.

Selena was still there.

Still warm.

It was worse because I was the one that suggested she stays in my room.

Amd now? Going back on my words wasn’t an option.

I could already imagine the sarcastic laughter she would have

And then she should make one of her rude remarks.

I hated it.

Hated that I had already imagined every scenario in my head

The thought was still haunting my thoughts every damn second.

So, instead of going back there.

I remained in my study… It was a plus anyway because the cold and silence made it easier for me to think and much easier for me to lie to myself.

I’d grown used to the stiff cushion on the leather couch, the ache in my back, and the bitter company of my own thoughts. Anything was better than waking up to her scent on my pillow.

A knock landed on the door. Twice. Then it opened anyway.

Because of course it did.

I didn’t bother looking up, cause I already knew who it was.

“Brooding again?” Conrad strolled in like he owned the place, wearing that smug grin that made me want to throw something at him.

He was holding two steaming mugs, his head high like he was some high end barista.

“Don’t you ever wait to be invited?” I muttered.

He grinned. “Not when I bring caffeine and emotional support.”

“She’s not—” I exhaled hard. “Give me one reason why I haven’t thrown you out of this pack.”

He handed me the mug. “Because I’m charming, loyal, and your only friend with functioning taste buds.”

There were times I wanted to keep Conrad mute forever

Those times?

Yeah this would be one of those times

Instead of rushing towards him, I managed a side eye, “You’re also nosy, disrespectful and incapable of shutting up for more than three seconds,”

“Three?” He exclaimed, widening his eyes to their fullest extent,

“Please, that’s generous.” He plopped into the armchair like it was his birthright. “So, tell me—how’s your little houseguest?”

I took a slow sip and said nothing.

Tye coffee reminded me of why we were still friends.

I didn’t miss the way his eyes were shining like a teenager, and I knew he wasn’t going to let me rest.

Well not anytime soon.

“Let me guess,” he trailed off, his eyes scanning the entire study like he hadn’t been here a million times over.

That’s how he usually was anytime he wanted to get on my nerves.

“She wears your shirt? Talks in sleep or you simply don’t want to admit that she’s beautiful”

I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of striking a reaction, so instead I shrugged nonchalantly, taking another long sip of my coffee.

“She hasn’t said much of anything, actually.”

“Uh huh,” he nodded slowly.

The goddess help me, I was going to rip someone apart.

“The silent treatment treatment, everyone’s favorite. And why you might be wondering,” he leaned closer, “because it’s effective, painful and mysterious. Tell me though, does she atleast make eye contact when you pass her the salt?”

I wasn’t going to answer that, well slightly because I had avoided the dining table shinier she got here.

Not because of her

But the addition

Its always been sisi and I

He didn’t need to know that…yet.

Cause he was going to find out anyway.

I shot him a look.

But with the way he grinned, a part of me was beginning to feel he had already figured that part out.

“Okay, okay,” he chuckled, “but he seemed to be bonding quite well with your daughter, calling her mummy and all,”

My jaw clenched.

Conrad’s voice lowered a little, though the teasing tone never fully left. “You can’t ignore what that means. Sisi’s never spoken to anyone like that. Not even you.”

“She’s here for Sisi,” I correctly, maybe too sharply.

“Right,” he said, drawing out the word like he was humoring a toddler. “Which is why you’re the one who hasn’t stepped foot in your own bedroom since she got here. Definitely all about Sisi.”

“Conrad—”

“I’m just saying,” he continued, shrugging innocently. “It’s a little suspicious how you’ve turned into the brooding version of a teenage crush. You’ve got that same tortured look. You eat like someone stole your last meal. And the way you linger outside her door? If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were rehearsing sonnets in your head.”

“She’s not my mate,” I muttered, but the words felt thinner each time I said them.

“Hmm.” He sipped his coffee loudly. “Denial. First stage of being completely screwed.”

I shot him a look. “You done?”

“Oh, not even close,” he said cheerfully. “But I do come bearing actual business.”

“You brought coffee to deliver bad news. Classic.”

“It’s not bad, technically. Just… important. And maybe a little sparkly.”

“Sparkly?”

With a dramatic flourish, he tossed a thick cream envelope onto the desk. It had a gold crest in front and there were letters engraved on it.

“Northfang,” I muttered.

“Bingo.” Conrad leaned back, looking far too pleased with himself. “Orion’s throwing his first official treaty ball as Alpha. It’s a big deal. Symbolic. And very, very public.”

I raised a brow. “They invited me?”

“They invited the Alpha of Silvercrest. And last I checked, that’s you. The letter says ‘plus one,’ by the way.” He wiggled his brows. “Very romantic.”

I let out a dry laugh. “I haven’t set foot at a treaty event in three years. You know that.”

“Which is exactly why you should go.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“I don’t have time for this.”

“Sureeee, but you sure dI have time to sit here…pretending to be busy with whatever this is, but not show up at the political event of the season? Wow…Classic”

“I’m not interested in making appearances.”

“And you’ll be very interested in the rumors that’ll start if you don’t,” Conrad said, suddenly sharper.

I stilled.

He leaned forward and now? There was barely any smile on his face

No annoying expressions

Just furrowed eyebrows while he stared at me like I was about to hear an ear full of lectures.

“Bold of you to assume that the maids haven’t blubbered about the ‘surprise Luna’”

“I don’t care what they think.”

“You should,” he interjected . “Because the council does. The other packs do. And Orion? He’s new, but he’s not stupid. He’ll take silence as an insult. Or weakness.”

My eyes dropped to the envelope.

Conrad of all people knew how much I didn’t care about these kind of things

They didn’t make sense to me

Why I hand to dress to impresses a bunch of nobodies

Or why they mattered in the first place when they clearly didn’t

Conrad stood, stretched dramatically, then began pacing. “Now, just imagine this instead. You walk in—Alpha of Silvercrest. Oozing with lots of confidence ”

“I don’t ooze.”

If this was meant to help me then it was definitely not doing the job

“You definitely ooze. But that’s not the point. The point is—beside you walks her. Selena. Hair up, with the most beautiful dress to ever exist. She doesn’t even need to say anything, except look at you like she’s in love .”

My chest tightened.

I already had a clear mental picture of what he was talking about.

Her curly hair falling across her face

What would she look like in makeup

And trust me, I wasn’t a fan of the thoughts i was having.

“Everyone’s jaw hits the floor,” he went on pulling me out of my thoughts. “Mystery solved. Long distance. Now she’s back, and you’re claiming her.”

“They’ll ask questions.”

“We answer them with grace and ambiguity. She was hidden for her safety. Too delicate to face public life. But you’ve stayed in touch. Loved her quietly. Waited for her.”

“You make it sound easy.”

He shrugged. “It’s easier than the truth.”

My silence must have been enough of a crack, because he grinned again.

“And the best part? No one gets hurt. Everyone gets a neat little story, and you walk away with your power reinforced and your um…..whatever, officially on your arm.”

“She might say no.”

“You’re paying her, Cass.”

I looked at him. “Conrad—”

He cut in gently, for once. “She’s already here, Cass. In your house. In Sisi’s world. She has no pack. No rank. No allies. But she hasn’t run. That means something, she needs the money”

I exhaled. “If I do this…”

“You’re telling the world she’s yours. Whether she wears your mark or not.”

“And if I’m wrong? if sisi doesn’t recover after…

“Then at least you tried your best for sisi… she would be grateful .”

We stood in silence for a beat.

Then Conrad smiled again, annoyingly proud of himself. “Also, I may or may not have RSVP’d… for two.”

“You what?”

“It’s this weekend.” He grinned unapologetically. “You’re welcome.”

I stared at him, horrified. “You had no right—”

“I had plenty of right,” he said, already backing toward the door. “You were going to talk yourself out of it until it was too late. I’m just speeding up fate a little.”

He paused at the doorway, then added with a wink, “Maybe buy her a dress. Brush your hair. Try not to growl at anyone in the buffet line. Or do. It’s kind of your brand.”

“Get. Out.”

He saluted like a soldier who’d won a war. “Gladly.”

He left, but I heard his voice repeatedly in my head.

I would kill him if sisi doesn’t better

Because he was the reason why I am putting up with all this to begin with.

I didn’t want to cement so much lies

But now it seemed like I can’t escape it.

For sisi

I could kill for her.