جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 190

Trista's POVBy the time I woke up again, it was nearly noon.The bedroom was heavy with the lingering scent of our mixed pheromones—the cold, sharp cedar of his Alpha aura tangled with the soft, elegant evening primrose of mine. It used to be a smell that made me feel safe. Now, it just felt like the aftermath of a crime scene.Holding my breath, I carefully lifted Cassian's heavy arm from across my waist.His limb felt like a lead shackle; even in his sleep, he held onto me with a kind of arrogant possessiveness.I forced my sore, exhausted body out of bed. The second my feet hit the floor, my muscles protested, and I couldn't help but wince.For him, last night might have been a long-awaited reunion; for me, it was a grueling defensive war that had drained every ounce of my energy.Standing before the bathroom mirror, I stared at my reflection with a blank face.Inside my mind, that "sacred" mating bond was eerily quiet. There was no soul-searching harmony, no emotional warmth—just

Trista's POV"I messed up your wrist during that last scuffle," Cassian's voice was eerily calm—the kind of quiet you only get right before a hurricane hits. "Tell me, what's it going to take to wipe the slate clean?""I want to hear your bones snap under my own hands!" Attwater spat, his voice thick with pure, unadulterated venom."Then be a man of your word," Cassian replied.My heart dropped. I threw my napkin aside and bolted for the hallway.Just as I shoved the door open, a sickening, wet crack echoed through the small room.It was a clean break. The sound was so sharp it sent a chill straight down my spine.Cassian let out a strangled, muffled groan.He didn't lash out like a typical Alpha would; instead, he just stood there, letting his broken wrist hang at a grotesque, mangled angle. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead and dripped into his collar.Attwater was panting, the feral red glow in his eyes fading slightly as he saw me standing there.Cassian, fighting through what had

Third Person's POVIsaiah leaned against the windshield, arching an eyebrow at her. "Seriously? It's New Year's Eve in LA. You're not going to leave a world-class Alpha like me to spend it alone, are you? Come on, take me around."Trista didn't say a word. She casually tossed the bag of expensive healing salves into a nearby trash can and climbed into the passenger seat.Half an hour later, they were at Onyx.Trista led Isaiah through the thumping chaos of the dance floor to a VIP booth with the best view in the house. "Everything tonight is on my tab," she said, leaning back. "The only condition is that you cooperate fully with my clinical trials after the holidays."Isaiah flashed a grin—reckless, cocky, and full of Alpha swagger. "Done. Consider it a favor to you."Up on the second-floor VIP terrace, Fred was leading a group of pureblood Alphas toward the stairs. His wolf instincts picked her out instantly—even in the cocktail of scents, Trista's cool, crisp aura was unmistakable.

Third Person's POVThe two men stood in the dimly lit living room, locked in a silent standoff.Cassian's voice was low, laced with a misplaced certainty. "She wouldn't do that."Fred actually laughed—a sharp, mocking sound. "Then you really should've seen her tonight. While you were playing house with Samantha and the kid, Trista was watching the whole thing like a bored spectator. But when she was out drinking with Isaiah? She was all smiles."They locked eyes again.This time, Cassian didn't have a comeback.Fred leaned in, his words hitting like surgical strikes on Cassian's most sensitive nerves. "If that wolf had even a shred of love left for you in her soul, do you really think she could've handed you over to another she-wolf so calmly?"He didn't give Cassian a second to breathe before dropping the hammer. "Since you keep claiming you don't love her, tell me this: Can you handle watching her choose another Alpha down the road? Can you handle her being marked by someone else, c

Third Person's POVTrista didn't even flinch.She tilted her head back, meeting Cassian's eyes—gold orbs that looked like they'd frozen over. "What did you expect? Did you honestly think you could screw her over and break her heart, then expect me to go back to the way I was? Just some devoted little mate waiting for her high-and-mighty Alpha to come home?"Cassian stared at her. For a split second, his focus shattered. It was like a grenade had gone off in his head, blowing apart the arrogant lie that he was still in control.He could feel their mating bond—that invisible cord between their chests—snapping taut. A suffocating weight settled in his lungs.It took forever for him to find his voice. When he finally spoke, it was a low, wrecked growl. "Trista... I'm giving you one last chance to take that back. Are you telling me... you've actually purged every last bit of love for me?"Their eyes locked.Trista's gaze was as cold as a grave."I, Trista," she said, her voice a flatline,