Chapter 60 Night Games
Cassain’s Perspective
The glass tumbler feels cool in my hand as I take another slow sip of whiskey. The burn slides down my throat, steady and familiar, but it does little to make this evening more enjoyable.
Honestly, the entire night feels a little ridiculous.
Nova organized this gathering herself. She said everyone needed something lighthearted to distract them from the tension that’s been hanging over the manor lately.
And she’s not wrong.
The girls waiting to be chosen have been growing restless, whispering among themselves, watching every move I make.
And after what happened to Elora… the anxiety has only gotten worse.
So Nova decided a night of drinks and laughter might ease the tension.
Now, three hours later, the sitting room is full of half-empty glasses, loud voices, and the unmistakable smell of too much alcohol.
Most of the group has been drinking steadily since the gathering began.
I, on the other hand, have been pacing myself.
While the others grow louder and looser with each drink, I sit back and watch everything unfold.
“Why don’t we play truth or dare?” Lexa suddenly suggests.
She’s perched on the arm of my chair, swaying slightly as she tries to keep her balance.
The amount of wine she’s had tonight would knock most people flat, but Lexa seems determined to keep going.
The earlier conversation had slowly died out, leaving everyone in that uncomfortable silence where no one quite knows what to say next.
Lexa, apparently, has decided to fix that.
“Absolutely not,” Jax mutters from across the room.
My gaze shifts toward him.
He’s sitting in a chair near the fireplace, the flickering flames casting long shadows across his face. His posture is stiff, his expression darker than usual.
But one thing is clear.
Something has clearly put him in a foul mood tonight.
He hasn’t spoken much tonight, and every time Nova moves across the room, he avoids looking at her.
Interesting.
Judging by the way she’s been keeping her distance from him all evening, I’m guessing he said—or did—something stupid earlier.
“Why not?” Lexa pouts dramatically, turning to glare at him.
She nearly tips sideways in the process, catching herself on the back of the chair at the last second.
She’s definitely the most drunk out of everyone here.
At this point she’s already spilled nearly half a glass of wine across the expensive handmade rug in the center of the sitting room.
“We aren’t twelve years old,” Jax replies flatly.
Alex, who has been quietly sipping her drink near the window, clears her throat.
“What about a drinking game?” she suggests.
“What about a drinking game?” she suggests.
Lexa wrinkles her nose immediately.
“Boring.”
Before anyone can respond, she stands up quickly and snatches the beer bottle straight from Jax’s hand.
“Hey—”
But she’s already tipping her head back.
In one dramatic motion, she downs the entire bottle.
When she finishes, she slams the empty bottle down on the table.
“Spin the bottle!” she declares triumphantly.
I lean back slightly in my chair, rubbing my thumb against the rim of my glass.
This is going to be a disaster.
“Absolutely not,” Jax groans, dragging a hand down his face. “I’m not playing that with my sister.”
His face twists in disgust.
“Relax,” Alex laughs. “Obviously you skip family, weirdo.”
Then she glances in my direction.
“Well?” she asks. “What do you say, Alpha?”
I shake my head slowly.
“I think it’s a terrible idea.”
There are too many complications with a game like that.
Most of the people in this room are here because they hope to win my attention. A simple kiss during a game could easily turn into something far more serious in their minds.
Besides, there’s no one here I’m interested in kissing.
Almost no one.
I glance across the room over the rim of my glass.
Nova is sitting on the sofa across from me, one leg tucked under her while she lazily swirls the wine in her glass.
She looks distant tonight.
Quiet.
While everyone else laughs and argues, her gaze keeps drifting toward the floor, like she’s lost in her own thoughts.
Something is bothering her tonight.
“It might be fun,” Nova suddenly says with a small shrug.
My eyebrows lift.
That response surprises me.
Of all people here, Nova should be the least interested in this game. The only person she might benefit from landing on would be Jax—and the chances of that happening are slim.
I try to catch her eye, but she avoids my gaze completely.
Lexa grins widely.
“See?” she says, pointing triumphantly. “Nova understands the assignment.”
I snort quietly and raise my glass again.
“Nova has had too much to drink,” I mutter.
“Not that much,” Nova replies with a small shrug.
She pushes herself to her feet and brushes her palms down the front of her thighs.
“I think it could be interesting,” she adds casually. “Might be nice to see if any sparks fly.”
Ah.
Now I understand.
She’s pushing this game because she wants me to finally show interest in someone.
So far, since this entire arrangement began, I haven’t kissed any of them. Not once. Not even during the private meetings that were supposed to help me get to know them better.
“Alright!” Lexa cheers, clearly thrilled. “Everyone in a circle!”
She drops onto the rug and crosses her legs, placing the empty bottle in the center like she’s setting up some sacred ritual.
One by one, the rest of us reluctantly shift closer.
Alex settles beside Rowan. Violet sits quietly on the other side, smoothing her skirt nervously. Jax drags his chair closer rather than sitting on the floor.
Nova lowers herself onto the rug across from me.
I remain where I am for a moment before finally sliding out of my chair and joining the circle.
“Obviously I go first,” Lexa announces.
No one argues.
She grabs the bottle with exaggerated seriousness, like she’s about to perform some grand ritual.
“Here we go.”
The bottle spins.
The glass whirls quickly across the rug, the neck of the bottle becoming a blur as everyone watches.
Slowly, it begins to lose speed.
The bottle wobbles once… twice…
Then finally stops.
Pointing directly at Alessandra.
Alex’s eyes widen immediately.
“Oh come on,” she groans.
Lexa grins like a child who just got exactly what she wanted.
“Well?” she says impatiently. “Rules are rules.”
Alex sighs dramatically.
“Fine,” she groans. “Just get it over with.”
Lexa leans across the circle and presses a quick, harmless kiss to Alex’s lips.
Rowan immediately turns away with a look of disgust.
“Disgusting,” Rowan mutters under his breath.
Lexa pulls back, clearly pleased with herself.
“Your turn,” she says brightly.
Alex grabs the bottle next and gives it a sharp spin.
Again, everyone’s attention locks onto the spinning glass.
Round and round it goes before slowly losing speed.
This time it stops on Violet.
The poor woman immediately stiffens.
Her green eyes widen as she glances around the room like she’s hoping someone will rescue her.
Rowan clears his throat awkwardly.
“Are you… sure you’re alright with this?” he asks.
Violet hesitates before shrugging lightly.
Her green eyes widen in surprise.
“Are you sure this is alright?” Rowan asks gently.
Violet shrugs nervously.
“It’s only a game.”
Then she glances toward me.
Almost like she’s asking permission.
I give a small nod.
Violet is beautiful in a soft, classic way, and I enjoy her quiet personality. But there’s no real attraction there.
She can kiss whoever she wants.
Rowan leans forward, placing his hands lightly on her shoulders before pressing his lips to hers.
Their kiss lasts longer than Lexa and Alex’s did.
Long enough that it might bother me if I were actually courting her seriously.
When they pull away, Violet’s cheeks are flushed bright pink.
She looks slightly embarrassed.
Rowan, on the other hand, looks very pleased with himself.
He leans back with a smug little grin.
Jax mutters a curse under his breath before reaching forward to spin the bottle next.
“Let’s keep this circus moving,” he says.
The bottle spins again.
Faster this time.
It circles the rug again and again, wobbling slightly as it slows.
For a moment I swear it brushes against Jax’s shoe.
The bottle wobbles slightly before coming to a stop.
Pointing directly at Nova.
Jax’s expression shifts immediately.
A slow grin spreads across his face.
“Well,” he says, leaning back in his chair.
His eyes lock on Nova.
“Lucky me, huh?”