Third Person’s POV
Finished
Instead of blowing up, Trista just put a hand on Wynn’s shoulder, her voice sounding oddly flat. “Wynn, take it easy on her from now on. She was exiled by Howard because of Cassian, and she’s had a rough time raising that pup on her own. It’s actually pretty sad.”
Wynn’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. She looked at Trista like she’d grown a second head. “Has Cassian finally driven you insane?”
Trista just patted her shoulder and gave a dry, self–deprecating laugh. “I’m fine. Honestly, I’ve never felt better.”
Cassian’s betrayals and cold–shoulder treatment had finally eroded every last scrap of her affection for him. That total loss of hope felt like a rebirth.
To everyone else, she looked like she was having a breakdown, but the weight of not having to kiss an Alpha’s ass anymore felt like pure
freedom.
Ten minutes later, the girls headed back into the VIP suite.
Trista sat back down and noticed Samantha–sitting right next to Cassian–looking like she was carved out of wood. She was stiff as a board, clearly terrified of the powder hidden in her hand.
Trista felt a wave of frustration, “She was quite brave when she was poaching Cassian, but one whiff of Cassian’s Alpha scent and she’s too chicken to even look him in the eye.”
If it weren’t for that kid, someone with this little backbone would never last a day as a Luna.
To kill the awkward silence and give Samantha an opening to spike the drink, Trista spoke up. “Sitting around is boring. Let’s play ‘Heartbeat 6-7-8‘!” The wolves in the room instantly started hooting.
It was a classic party game in the LA pack scene.
Roll a 7: You get to kiss anyone in the room, anywhere you want (usually a prime chance to claim a mate).
Roll an 8: You can touch any part of the other person’s body (a way to test pheromone compatibility).
Roll a 9: You drink, or have a designated Alpha drink for you.
“I’m up first!” Fred shouted, and the room exploded with the smell of expensive booze and clashing hormones.
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Everyone was chanting for a “7” when Fred rolled, but the dice landed on an 8.
Fred smirked, rubbing his hands together as he looked at the guy next to him. “Isaiah, come here and let Daddy get close!”
Isaiah, who was minding his own business and sipping his custom yogurt, looked like he saw a ghost. He jumped onto the back of the sofa like a spooked cat.
“Fred, get the hell away from me! Your Alpha scent is way too much!”
Trista saw her opening and moved out of the way just as Fred lunged with that terrifying werewolf speed, tackling Isaiah into the cushions.
By the time everyone stopped laughing, Isaiah was frantically pulling his pants up–and Fred was holding his belt like a trophy.
The room roared with laughter.
Trista wasn’t even shocked; she’d seen these guys get way rowdier than this.
As Isaiah buckled his belt back on, he growled, “When it’s my turn, I’m stripping that bastard and throwing his pants in the street!”
Trista just shook her head. “The competitive ego of these men is the same in every species.”
The game was in full swing, but Trista’s eyes were locked on Samantha.
Samantha had tried to drop the powder into Cassian’s glass three times and whiffed it every time. Trista was losing her mind.
If she couldn’t do this before the party ends, she’d never get rid of this Luna title.
Finally, it was Samantha’s turn to roll.
Under the gaze of the whole room, she rolled an 8.
Trista’s face fell.
If it had been a 7, Samantha could’ve at least tried to pass the drugs mouth–to–mouth during a kiss.
Watching Samantha timidly reach out and just touch the back of Cassian’s hand while everyone cheered made Trista roll her eyes. “Pathetic. Totally useless.”
Samantha, however, was secretly thrilled. The fact that Cassian didn’t shove her away in front of everyone made her feel like he’d finally lowered his guard.
Cassian,
He saw her staring at Samantha touching him, looking excited–like she was waiting for them to get a room. She looked more like a spectator at a show than a wife whose husband was being pawed at.
His pheromones turned ice–cold in an instant.
“Get your dirty hands off him!” Wynn snapped. She’d had enough and reached over, slapping Samantha’s hand away.
Samantha looked at Cassian with watery eyes. “Wynn, it’s just a game. Don’t make it weird.”
“Shameless rogue,” Wynn hissed, sitting back down, still fuming.
Cassian shot Wynn a warning glare–the kind that carried the weight of a pack leader–and she shut up, turning her head away in a huff.
Now, it was Cassian’s turn.
He didn’t say a word as he scanned Trista’s face before giving the dice a casual roll.
When the crowd started shouting that he’d rolled a 9–which meant he had to drink–Trista didn’t even try to hide her excitement. She leaned forward, practically vibrating with
anticipation.
3/3
Finished
Cassian, meanwhile, was watching Trista out of the corner of his eye.
He saw her staring at Samantha touching him, looking excited–like she was waiting for them to get a room. She looked more like a spectator at a show than a wife whose husband was being pawed at.
His pheromones turned ice–cold in an instant.
“Get your dirty hands off him!” Wynn snapped. She’d had enough and reached over, slapping Samantha’s hand away.
Samantha looked at Cassian with watery eyes. “Wynn, it’s just a game. Don’t make it weird.”
“Shameless rogue,” Wynn hissed, sitting back down, still fuming.
Cassian shot Wynn a warning glare–the kind that carried the weight of a pack leader–and she shut up, turning her head away in a huff.
Now, it was Cassian’s turn.
He didn’t say a word as he scanned Trista’s face before giving the dice a casual roll.
When the crowd started shouting that he’d rolled a 9–which meant he had to drink–Trista didn’t even try to hide her excitement. She leaned forward, practically vibrating with
anticipation.
3/3
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.

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