Done with Cassie
As I stepped into the lobby, my chest tightened at the sight of Anthena talking to an employee from cosmetics, a strange sting of jealousy twisting through me. But why? We barely knew each other. There was nothing between us—no history, no relationship. Was it my wolf acting up, trying to mess with my mind? I pushed down the thought, unwilling to entertain it.
When she finally walked into my office, her scent hit me like a drug. Sweet, intoxicating—more potent than I remembered. Holy hell. My pulse raced as I tried to focus, but it was damn near impossible with her standing there, her black dress clinging to every curve like a second skin. And those heels, the way they made her stride more confident, more dangerous. She looked… powerful. I couldn't shake the thought that she could've been a model. Maybe she was meant to be.
“Focus, Talon,” I reminded myself, even as my mind teased, Maybe she’s a spy—a beautiful spy, sent to disarm you. And God help me, she was succeeding.
I forced my expression to harden, challenging her with a look, but her face was unreadable. She just stood there, as if she hadn’t noticed the tension filling the room. Good actress, I thought. I stepped closer, caging her between my arms, pressing my hands to the wall on either side of her. My face was inches from hers, and I could feel the warmth of her breath mingling with mine. My gaze dropped to her slightly parted lips, tempted, drawn by some magnetic pull I couldn’t quite understand.
Her eyes fluttered shut, her lashes casting shadows on her cheeks. Was she… waiting for me to kiss her? I hovered there, suspended in the tension, every part of me wanting to give in. But I pulled back, just enough to murmur in her ear, “I know what you’re hiding.”
Her eyes flew open, confusion and shock flickering across her face. Still playing innocent. “What do you mean, sir?” she asked, her voice soft, almost timid.
I turned away, moving to my desk, unwilling to give her any more satisfaction. “You seem to have plenty of free time. Perhaps I should give you more work,” I said, settling into my chair, trying to divert the topic. I didn’t want her to catch on just yet. I needed more time to unmask her—to catch her in the act.
“Can you speak in plain terms, sir?” she asked, her tone tinged with frustration as she stepped forward.
“Well—”
Just then, the door swung open, and Cassie strode in, her heels clicking against the floor. “Hey, babe,” she said with a saccharine smile, leaning in to wrap her arms around my neck.
“Hey, Cassie,” I replied, barely masking my annoyance as her embrace brought an unwelcome reminder of our situation.
“I’ll head back to work, sir,” Anthena muttered, her tone subdued.
“Yeah, you better,” Cassie said, glaring at her with a smug look. “And I hope you won’t be coming back with any more trivial questions.” Anthena ignored her, slipping out quietly, her departure making the room feel colder.
Cassie took her place on my lap, her arms draping around my shoulders. I clenched my jaw as her fingers trailed down my back, an intimacy that now felt empty. “I heard about the attack at the border,” she murmured, her voice lowering, a rare look of concern flashing in her eyes.
“It was brutal, Cassie,” I replied, struggling to keep my voice steady. I could still see the bodies, the slaughtered innocence of it all—women and children who deserved so much better. “We lost eight of our own. They were... defenseless.”
Her arms tightened around me briefly in a gesture that seemed almost genuine, before she pulled back, a gleam in her eyes that set off alarm bells. “Well, it’s terrible, but we need to move forward. Which brings me to the reason I came here,” she said, a smile playing on her lips as she stood up, pouring herself a drink at the bar. “I think it’s time we set a date for the wedding. The sooner I become Luna, the better.”
I froze, staring at her as if she were a stranger. Was she serious? The pack was in chaos, and all she could think about was solidifying her place as Luna? She took a sip of her drink, looking pleased with herself, oblivious to the anger boiling beneath my calm exterior.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, tilting her head with a confused frown. “This is good news, Talon. Other packs will see you as untouchable with a Luna by your side.”
I scoffed, standing up abruptly, my voice low and seething. “Are you even listening to yourself? Our pack is mourning, and all you care about is some title.”
She shot me a glare, clearly unamused. “Well, it’s not like I’m a soldier or a warrior. The only way I can help is by securing your status. With me as Luna, they’ll think twice before trying anything.”
Her words only fueled my anger. I couldn’t look at her, couldn’t believe how wrong I’d been. “You know what, Cassie?” I yanked off my tie, throwing it aside as I faced her. “We’re done.”
She blinked, the smile slipping from her face. “Wait… what? You mean we’re done with dating? Talon, we’re past that—we’re getting married next.”
“No,” I said firmly, my voice cutting through the room. “We’re done. With everything. Fucking, marriage, contract, all of it. I’m done with you.”
Her glass slipped from her hand, shattering on the floor as she stumbled back. “Are you serious? You can’t just walk away from this, from me.” Just then, the door swung open again, and Anthena appeared, her eyes wide, taking in the scene.
"Get out!" Mandy screamed, her voice brimming with fury. Anthena turned to leave, but I cut in with an icy tone. "If you walk out that door, Anthena, you're fired." She froze, her gaze darting between us, uncertainty flickering in her eyes.
Then I turned to Cassie, pointing towards the door. "You—get out."
Cassie whipped her head around, her face a mixture of fury and disbelief. “This isn’t over, Talon,” she hissed, her voice trembling. She stormed past Anthena, shoulder-checking her on the way out.
Anthena’s gaze lingered on Cassie’s retreating figure, then turned to me, questions in her eyes. But I didn’t speak. I simply stared, letting her see the fire still raging behind my calm mask.
“Is everything… alright?” she asked, her voice soft, hesitant.
I took a step toward her, the words coming out low, deadly, promising nothing but the truth. “Anthena,” I said slowly, “close the door. There’s something we need to discuss… alone.”