From Rejected Luna To Lycan Queen (Eloise and Edward) novel Chapter 353

Chapter 353 Pet Names

ZARA.

Which only confused me more.

Finished

“Yeah… Don’t get me wrong. I still have episodes. But I’m managing.” Cassian shrugged, his gaze flicked toward me briefly before dropping to the floor. My chest tightened. There was a weight to him. A restraint that felt like it could snap at any second.

And then it hit me.

Earlier, when I’d slapped his hand away from my hair, my fingers had grazed his forearm. Bare skin. Oh. My stomach dropped. My brief touch had triggered him. Something I hadn’t meant to do. And everyone had expected him to react and he hadn’t.

For me.

Guilt riddled my thoughts.

“I’m sorry, Cassian.” I wasn’t sure why I wanted to make him feel better. I hadn’t done something out of the ordinary, but I hated the tension coiled tight in his jaw, the way his hands were balled into fists like he was holding himself back from something.

Because of me.

No wonder everyone else got tense when I touched him.

Cassian met my gaze, guarded for a moment before he sighed heavily and turned his body so his knees brushed mine. I tensed, already bracing for the small contact to be too much for him.

“Jeans,” he said in a way of explanation.

“Oh. Right. Skin to skin.” I nodded, biting my lip as I thought it over. “Trust me, I get it. I’ve had my fair share of panic attacks too. Sometimes I don’t even know what will set me off.”

Cassian nodded in understanding.

After a brief pause he asked, “So… are you going to tell us who hurt you?”

Not me.

Us. He wanted me to share my past with the whole group. I could feel the others leaning in slightly too, wanting to know the answer.

“Nope. Definitely not.”

He leaned forward, one elbow braced on his knee, the other reaching for my hair again. His fingers tugged gently.

What was it with him wanting to touch my hair constantly?

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2:23 pm P PTM

PP

Chapter 353 Pet Namc3

Finished

It wasn’t like he could actually feel it through the leather. Which only made the habit more confusing.

“Fine. You can keep your secrets.” He met my gaze with a devilish smile. “For now.”

Those bright blue eyes seemed to glow and shift. The pupils narrowed into slits–something feral.

Other. Like a snake or cat’s eyes. Like the orange eyes from my nightmares. Or Hades’s ruby eyes.

Except with Cassian and Hades I wasn’t afraid. Not in the same way, at least. My breath hitched,

but he didn’t let me pull away. I swallowed under the intensity of those eyes.

“Tell me why I can’t call you darling, Zara.”

It wasn’t a question. I shouldn’t answer. I knew I shouldn’t. My mouth opened anyway, unable to refuse. The room blurred at the edges, the world narrowing until there was only him and the strange pull tightening in my chest.

“They all used pet names.” The words rushed out of me fast and unfiltered. I blinked, surprised by how easily they’d escaped.

His grip stilled. “What do you mean? Who-”

“Men. All of you.” My throat burned like acid. “I hate it. I hate being the center of attention. Being pretty has never done me any favors.” I scoffed a bitter laugh. I probably wasn’t making much sense.

I hardly understood it myself.

“All my life men did whatever the fuck they wanted to me… and got away with it.” I never talked like this. Not with strangers. Not even with Bloom.

No one.

“I’m just an object to you. To all of you.”

Cassian flinched, but I kept going. It was like the floodgates had opened and I couldn’t stop even if I

wanted to.

“I’m just something to be used, abused, and discarded when you get bored with me.”

୮

“No, the fuck you’re not,” Hades growled, getting to his feet. His chair crashed to the floor behind him.

The haze lifted slightly as soon as Cassian looked away toward the other men around us. I sucked in a breath, suddenly aware of how exposed I was. Of how easily the truth had come out.

And yet…

It felt strangely relieving.

Silence stretched between us as I watched Hades pace back and forth like a caged animal. I had this urge to soothe him. I wasn’t sure what to say to make it better, but I felt like I needed to try.

“Hades?” My voice was barely above a whisper. “Are you okay?”

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2:23 pm P PTM.

Chapter 353 Pet Name3

Finished

He stopped mid–stride, his eyes flicking toward me. For a heartbeat, the wild energy in him softened.

“Am I okay? You’re the one who was forced to expose a dark truth-“His attention snapped toward Dr. Voss, his entire body tensing again.

Forced?

I mean, yeah, Cassian’s a nosy bastard. But he didn’t force me… did he?

I looked at the man in question, swallowing hard. Cassian was frowning. His gaze lingered, dark and unreadable, making my pulse skip. He tentatively took my hand in his gloved ones, rubbing small soothing circles on my inner wrist. He tilted his head, studying me like he was genuinely trying to figure

me out.

“Tell me, Zara. What do you want? Why are you here?”

I should push his hand away. I knew that. He was getting too close. Too personal. I didn’t pull back. Almost like I physically couldn’t.

Plus… I was enjoying his touch, though I’d never admit that out loud. I couldn’t remember the last time someone touched me like this.

If ever.

But that didn’t mean I was ready to share more.

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