Chapter 16

Cassian’s POV

I had never hated a room so much

The ballroom was full. Overflowing, even.

But none of it mattered.

Not even the politics

Not the rehearsed one everyone offered themselves.

Not even the wolves that circled like vultures, each one eager to carve out a future with the right alliance.

I mean that was the purpose of these balls anyway.

Because all I could see—was her.

Selena.

Even though I hated it.

But my eyes remained fixed in her as she stood under the chandelier with that damn dress clinging to her cubes like water made of silk.

The makeup artists always adviced bright shiny volors for balls like this

But Selena?

She made black shine the brightest in a room filled with different shades of gold and silver encrusted gowns.

She stood beneath the crystal chandelier, that damn Just her.

Bare. Honest. Devastating.

With that hair that looked like a fire outburst.

And still, she stole the entire room.

I heard the whispers alright, even though some tried to hide it.

And others couldn’t.

I observed from my chair, the way their eyes found it difficult to leave her alone.

And it irritated me, you know.

The way they looked day her as if she were a rare artifact suddenly unearthed.

And maybe she was.

Maybe they all knew, in the pit of their stomachs, that there was something different about her.

Something untamed.

Something that couldn’t be bought.

Even though I failed to see it.

I didn’t move from my seat. Just sat there drinking in the entire scene,

I barely socialized in parties anyway

That’s why I couldn’t be bothered with attending one I the first place.

The glass of wine was untouched in my hand, like some fool nursing heartbreak I couldn’t even name.

She didn’t even try.

That was the part that twisted something inside me. The quiet confidence. The ease with which she existed.

I could tell whatever joke that social climber was telling her wasn’t as funny as she made it seem.

She had never laughed at my jokes.

Not that I was bothered about it.

Then she turned to his wife, smiled at her with that quiet kindness she offered like breath.

A kindness no one had taught her. One she had no reason to still carry.

And gods, she looked like she belonged here.

Hell, she looked like she’d been born here.

She bent down to help Sisi with her cake, crouching without care for decorum or dignity. Just wiped the frosting off her cheek with the edge of her thumb like she’d done it a hundred times before.

And Sisi leaned into her like it was natural.

Like Selena was already home.

Someone passed in front of me, muttering some empty praise, but I didn’t hear a word of it.

Not with her in my line of sight, blocking out my every thought.

Not when every fiber in me tightened at the way she moved,

And worse was when she turned around —and caught me staring.

Again.

She didn’t look surprised.

Didn’t blush.

Didn’t look away.

Neither did I.

And gods help me…

It did something to me.

Something dangerous. Something I’d fought long enough to recognize and still couldn’t name without choking.

I clenched my jaw, looked away just to breathe. My fingers curled tighter around the glass, until I thought the damn thing might shatter.

Why her?

Why now?

Why did it feel like everything before her had been made of ash?

“Alpha Cassian.”

Tye voice pulled me out of my thoughts

I was yet to recognize I but I was as sure as hell that it didn’t belong to Conrad.

Conrad’s was teasing and barely as polished and sharp as this

So I turned slowly, hoping I isn’t come off as distraught as my thoughts were

I turned only to lock eyes with Lord Garren.

He was dressed like royalty, though he wasn’t.

And his coat?

Well it represented how much relevance he and his family were craving for.

But there he was, standing in front of me, wearing the brightest smile.

This was the thing I hated about balls like this one.

The pretense that everyone else had.

“I must say,” he trailed off, nodding at a direction

My eyes curiosly followed his and they landed on Selena.

My Selena

Well technically she was property

I hated how much I wanted to jump on his bones for daring to look in her direction.

, “your mate is… quite the vision tonight.”

I said nothing.

Because I didn’t know what else to say except that I had the urge to kill him right here and now

“She carries herself like a Luna already. Graceful. Strong. She doesn’t flinch under attention. Quite the opposite, in fact. She commands it.”

Still, I didn’t respond. My hand itched to break the glass.

“She’s beautiful,” Lady Maera chimed in, her painted lips pulling into a smile that didn’t touch her eyes. She fanned herself needlessly. “And no makeup either. That kind of raw elegance can’t be faked.”

“She’s private,” I murmured. My voice was quieter than I intended. Almost too soft. “She didn’t want to come.”

“Private?” Maera laughed, the sound brittle. “She looks like she owns this court.”

“She’s been gone,” I nodded, hoping to dismiss them with my tone . “For political reasons.”

Garren raised a brow. “So the rumors are true? You’ve been in a long-distance bond?”

I looked at them both. My mouth was a thin line. “I’ll explain everything,” I muttered. “After the dance.”

Maera waved her fan dramatically. “We’ll be listening.”

Of course they would.

They always were.

I stood.

And every step toward her felt like dragging chains through wet sand.

She didn’t notice me at first. Her attention was on Sisi, like it wS just two of them in the world.

She made it look like she wasn’t standing in s room filled with nobles.

Then Sisi saw me.

Her face lit up.

“Daddy!” she squealed.

Her tiny arms lifted and I reached for her without thinking.

Her weight settled on my side like she belonged there.

Because she did.

Selena turned. Her eyes went wide when she saw me. Her hand still held Sisi’s, and the surprise didn’t quite fade from her face as I stepped closer.

“What are you doing?” she whispered, her voice low, her words brushing against my collarbone.

I didn’t answer right away.

I just placed my hand on her waist.

Slowly.

Deliberately.

Like I had every right to.

She stiffened instantly, like she might slap it away. But she didn’t.

I leaned in, lips brushing just past her ear. “Ending the whispers.”

Her breath hitched.

“This wasn’t part of the deal,” she hissed.

I looked her dead in the eye. “Neither was you looking like that.”

She blinked. Once. Twice. Her lips parted—but no words came out.

I turned, leading her forward.

Toward the center of the ballroom.

Toward the wolves.

The music slowed.

Then stopped.

And I felt everyone turn in our direction..

It felt like a coronation.

But it wasn’t.

It was an unmaking.

I straightened, cleared my throat. My voice came out steady. Steadier than I felt.

“This is Selena,” I paused, letting it settle over the silence, “my mate.”

Everyone in the crowd had different reactions.

Some gasped and others murmured frkm shock… i guess.

Quite a few remembered their manners and clapped quietly, even though it sounded like they were weighing it was appropriate or not.

“And this—” I adjusted Sisi in my arm, “is our daughter.”

Sisi had never been out in public before

Infact, no one knew about her birth and I was unsure if introducing her as ‘our’ child was going to pose a problem in the future.

Sisi smiled, burying her face in Selena’s shoulder, arms draped around her neck.

“We’ve been apart,” I continued, eyes locked on no one, “because of… complicated political circumstances. Long-distance. Necessary at the time. But not anymore.”

I felt her look at me.

Felt it like a touch.

No hatred.

No softness either.

It looked more like a ‘what the heck are You doing’ kind of look.

I tightened my hand on her waist, needing her closer even as she tried to pull away.

Someone—an elder—spoke up.

“When can we expect the official mating ceremony?”

The question dropped like a bomb And I felt mh stomach clench.

Selena turned to me sharply, brows arched. “You planned this?”

“I planned nothing,” I muttered under my breath.

But it seemed hard to believe

Especially when the words were coming out of my mouth.

“You dragged me here like a puppet—”

“I brought you here,” I cut in, my voice sharper now, “You’re fully aware of why we came .”

She scoffed. “Right… to disgrace me.”

“No,” I said, quiet but firm. “It’s part of the plan isn’t it? I'm just cementing things.”

She didn’t say anything else

I bet, that to the crowd… we were a loving couple who were probably whispering sweet nothings to each other.

Then I turned back to the crowd, eyes like blades.

“Soon,” I said.

The applause came loud and fast.

Flutes clinked. Claws tapped the marble in approval. Maera gave an exaggerated cheer. Garren smirked like he’d won a bet.

But all I heard was a whisper.

Sisi’s whisper.

“Mummy’s staying?”

I looked at Selena.

I wanted to see if I could catch her off guard

Cause maybe she was the one giving sisi these ideas, but she didn’t turn to look at me

Not even for a second.

I felt sisi tug my clothes again before her voice rang out, “forever?”

I swallowed, but

I didn’t answer.

Because I didn’t know the answer.

Because I wasn’t sure.

But gods help me…

but I could feel that part of me wanted the answer to be yes.

Even if I knew wanting her was the biggest mistake I might ever make.