The Heartbroken Luna's Choice Banish Love novel Chapter 14

**Where Soft Light Shines Darkness Fades From Tired Hearts by Evan Holt Crane**

**Chapter 14**

**Trista’s POV**

I turned my head away, ensuring that his breath, warm and heavy, drifted harmlessly past my scent gland, a small but necessary act of self-preservation.

Finished.

For three long years, his method of comforting me had remained unchanged. He would lower his aura, draw near, and deepen our connection by marking me yet again, soothing the restless wolf within me. I understood that if I acquiesced, the pain of the mating bond would dissipate, leaving only a tranquil calm in its wake.

But now, I could sense her scent clinging to him, that sweet, lingering after-smell piercing through my resolve like a needle, jabbing at my already frayed nerves.

I felt a surge of defiance and pushed him away, a desperate plea escaping my lips. “Wait.”

With trembling hands, I retrieved the meticulously prepared document from my bag and placed it, along with a silver-ink pen that glinted ominously in the dim light, onto the table. This was it—the “Moon Goddess Rejection Protocol,” a formal declaration issued by The Elder Council, and it felt heavier than any burden I had ever carried.

The soft sound of paper sliding across the wooden surface shattered the silence, like a knife slicing through the tension that hung thick in the air.

“Cassian,” I said, my voice steady as I lifted my gaze to meet his. “It’s time to file for a termination of our mating contract.”

He picked up the stack of papers, flipping through the pages with a casual air, pausing only when he reached the line marked ‘Sworn Rejecter.’ He closed the document and set it back down, his expression inscrutable.

His eyes roamed over my face, searching for something, perhaps an inkling of hesitation. “You want to end our mating? That’s a bold move. But do you really think you can handle the fallout?”

I rose slowly, my eyes glued to the Rejection Protocol as if it held the answers to all my questions.

Yes, we hadn’t even officially rejected each other yet, and already the weight of heartbreak threatened to crush me.

Yet, I pressed on. “You’ve done so much for the Silverlight Pack over the years. After we terminate this bond, I will willingly sever all ties with the Ironthorn Pack.”

I fought to keep my voice level, to mask the turmoil within. “Your reputation is intertwined with the pack. You can’t afford any unnecessary negative publicity. If it helps, I can take full responsibility during the Stone Circle Ceremony.”

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, a gesture that felt both intimate and distant. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, a sign of his growing frustration. “Go on.”

“I’ve already pressed my print onto this document,” I continued, my resolve hardening. “You can choose a moon phase, and we can swear the rejection oath before The Elder Council altar.”

I felt a surge of determination as I spoke, but as I reached for my wedding ring, ready to remove it right in front of him, his hand suddenly covered mine, halting my movement.

He stood, forcing me to meet his gaze, a storm brewing in his eyes. “Trista, things with Samantha aren’t what you think.”

I yanked my hand back, a fire igniting in my bones. My power surged within my chest, but I fought fiercely to keep it contained.

The humiliation and anger I had bottled up over the past days erupted, crashing over me like a tidal wave.

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