The Heartbroken Luna's Choice Banish Love novel Chapter 24

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

**Chapter 24**

**Trista’s POV:**

He had told me he would be gone for an entire week, yet here he was, only three days later—why had he returned so soon?

As he stepped through the door, his eyes briefly met mine, but he remained silent, heading straight for the bathroom. I could read him like a book; something was definitely off. The very air around us felt charged with an unspoken tension, hinting that his return was not merely coincidental.

The sound of the water cascading from the showerhead seemed to draw the warmth from the room, each drop sapping away the heat, leaving only a chill in its wake. My senses sharpened, and I caught a whiff of his lingering scent, a mix of fire and iron that was distinctly not mine. My wolf stirred uneasily within me, a subtle tightening behind my ribs, sensing the unfamiliarity.

I closed my laptop with a soft click, the sound echoing in the stillness. I began to organize the assessment sheets and medical texts scattered across the nightstand—pheromone mapping, lunar rhythm logs, and stable breathing exercises aimed at minimizing Mind-Link interference. Each title felt like a reminder of my responsibilities, yet they paled in comparison to the turmoil brewing in my heart.

Leaning back against the pillows, I settled in to wait for him. It was a ritual I had grown accustomed to; he always showered first when he returned home. I had learned to be patient, to allow him the time to wash away the external traces of his life before he approached me.

Once, I had adored that scent, relished the feeling of drifting off in his embrace, the gentle rhythm of our mating bond thrumming softly against my chest. But ever since I had discovered the existence of another relationship, my nights had become a cycle of sleeplessness and solitude.

Yet, I was still here. I hadn’t shattered completely. My love for him ran deep, but I could still feel pain clearly and prepare myself to leave if necessary.

The sound of the water ceased abruptly.

He emerged, clad in dark sleepwear that clung to his form, and his gaze flickered over the assessment papers I had just organized. He picked them up, flipping through a couple of pages, then settled himself on the edge of the bed. “Why are you poring over medical books again?” he inquired, his tone casual but laced with concern.

I chose silence, focusing on my breath, lowering it to a calming rhythm in an attempt to keep my pheromones in check.

He tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, his touch sending a shiver down my spine. “Should I talk to someone about finding you a less demanding position? Night shifts and emergency calls can really disrupt your lunar rhythm.”

“Don’t bother,” I replied, my voice steady, yet tinged with an underlying edge. “The only apartment that the Silverlight Pack owned—my parents have moved out. They had it cleaned. They asked me to tell you: you can have the house back.”

His expression remained impassive. “Where did they move?”

“Riverside Road. It’s closer to my father’s workplace,” I stated plainly, offering him every detail without hesitation.

His eyes narrowed, a flicker of something akin to irritation crossing his features. “Trista, I’m the Alpha of Ironthorn. Is it fitting for my Luna’s parents to reside in a low-income apartment in a less desirable part of the city?”

I met his gaze, unwavering. “We don’t want to owe you anything more.”

A tremor of pheromones quivered in my throat, but I forced it back down, refusing to show weakness.

He spoke plainly, “Has the Silverlight Pack not indebted themselves to me enough over the years?”

The air felt heavy, suffocating.

I averted my gaze, feeling the weight of my own choices pressing down on me. This was my doing; I had walked willingly into this moment of humiliation.

My wolf whimpered softly in my mind, longing to rise and assert itself.

Silence enveloped us, stretching uncomfortably. He sighed, breaking it. “As long as you hold the title of ‘Luna of Ironthorn,’ you have every right to utilize my resources and property.”

My emotions wavered, tumultuous and raw. The mating bond tugged gently beneath my ribs, a reminder of our connection, yet it felt strained, almost fraying at the edges.

Suddenly, I blurted out, “I don’t want your money anymore. I want to terminate our mating contract.”

I met his gaze, my smile morphing into something cold and bitter. “She merely exchanged greetings with me at the Royal Healing Institute coffee bar. That’s all. So, you cut your trip short and rushed back overnight because you were worried about her?”

He stood firm by the bed, his gaze unwavering. “Just a greeting? I know your temper. She’s just a rogue. She can’t handle the impact of your aura. I won’t let this happen again.”

The emotions within me surged, a tempest of sorrow, rage, and then a void of emptiness.

I tried to calm my wolf, but it was too enraged, fighting for control over my body.

It was weak, I knew that. It wouldn’t last long. Forcing a shift would only lead to more humiliation.

“Cassian, you’re an asshole!” I shouted, fury boiling over within me. I couldn’t contain the scream that erupted from my lips.

In a fit of rage, I grabbed the Lunar Rhythm and Pheromone Mapping book from the nightstand and hurled it at him. “You betrayed me! How can you defend her right in front of me? How dare you speak such cruel words?!”

He remained still, effortlessly dodging the book as if it were nothing more than a training punch. He didn’t flinch.

I reached for my laptop, but he stepped forward, clamping my wrist in a firm grip. His knuckles were cold and unyielding as he snatched the computer away. “Are you done venting?”

In that moment, as my fingers were pried open, the last fragile thread holding my composure snapped.

Emotions surged back like a tidal wave, and I cried out, my fists flailing against his chest and the air around him.

The mating bond throbbed painfully beneath my ribs, my pheromones spiraling out of control. My weak wolf instinctively tried to claw them back in, but the struggle felt like twisting barbed wire with bare hands—I was spiraling out of control.

I couldn’t suppress my scream any longer, “You better watch over them 24/7! If I run into her again, my wolf won’t step aside—it will treat the intruder as prey!”