Chapter 30: My past with Graham
Chapter 30: My past with Graham
(Olivia’s POV)
“So the great Cassius Shadowcrest faces pressure from his pack too,” I said, taking a sip of my moonlight. wine. “I’m surprised someone as accomplished as you would feel that way.”
Cassius’s silver eyes flickered with something I couldn’t quite read. “What accomplishments do you mean?” “Well, you’re the Alpha of the Shadowcrest Pack, you run a successful military research facility, and you’re respected throughout the Northern Territory,” I listed, surprised by his question.
He gave a slight shake of his head. “Those aren’t my accomplishments. They’re the Shadowcrest legacy.”
“I don’t understand,” I admitted.
“Everything I have–my position, the business, the respect–comes from my family name,” Cassius explained, his voice low. “In the eyes of the pack, a truly competent Alpha wouldn’t struggle to find a mate.”
I nearly choked on my wine. “That’s what they think?”
“According to pack tradition, the Moon Goddess blesses worthy Alphas with clear signs pointing to their mates,” he said with a wry smile. “My continued single status suggests I’ve done something to displease her.”
“That’s ridiculous,” I blurted out.
His smile widened at my outburst. “Is it? What’s your explanation for why I remain unmated at my age?”
I felt heat rise to my cheeks. “Maybe you’re selective. Or busy. Or just haven’t met the right person.”
“All reasonable explanations,” he agreed. “Unfortunately, pack elders prefer supernatural ones.”
“Well, I think your mother might be right about one thing,” I said, feeling bold.
Cassius raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
“You should definitely contribute to improving the quality of wolf pups in the pack,” I teased, immediately regretting my words when I saw his eyes widen.
To my relief, he burst into laughter–that rich, genuine sound I was growing to enjoy.
“I’ll be sure to tell my mother you agree with her assessment,” he said, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
The tension between us eased, replaced by a comfortable warmth.
“I’ve seen the Shadowcrest elders at work during formal gatherings,” I mentioned. “They’re quite determined when it comes to arranging potential matches for you.”
Cassius sighed. “They certainly are.”
“Is there anyone you’re actually interested in?” I asked, surprising myself with my boldness.
His expression shifted, becoming more guarded. “Yes.”
“Really?” I leaned forward, intrigued. “Who is she?”
“Let’s just say I have my heart’s desire,” he replied cryptically. “But the situation is… complicated.”
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Chapter 30. My past with
“Complicated how? Does your family not approve?”
Cassius’s mouth quirked into a half–smile. “That’s part of it.”
I felt a strange pang in my chest. “I understand that predicament all too well.”
“Do you?” His silver eyes studied me intently.
“My father never approved of my relationship with Graham,” I admitted. “He thought the Storm Pack wasn’t rich enough.”
“And yet you pursued it anyway,” Cassius observed.
I nodded. “I was young and believed in love conquering all. Clearly, I was wrong.”
“I’m sorry,” he said softly.
“Don’t be. It was a valuable lesson,” I replied, then returned to our original topic. So this woman you desire-
does she know how you feel?”
Cassius shook his head. “No.”
“Why haven’t you told her?” I asked, genuinely curious that even someone like Cassius Shadowcrest could experience unrequited feelings.
“Family politics, mostly,” he said. “And her situation is… complicated as well.”
“Complicated seems to be the theme of the evening,” I remarked.
Cassius smiled. “Indeed.”
His ambiguous answers only heightened my curiosity. “Is she involved with someone else?”
“Not exactly,” he replied. “She’s recovering from a difficult situation.”
“And you’re afraid to confess your feelings because of that?”
He nodded. “Among other reasons.”
A charged silence fell between us. Cassius reached for the wine bottle, his hand briefly brushing against mine as he refilled my glass.
The contact sent an unexpected jolt through me. I pulled my hand back quickly, flustered by my reaction. “Sorry,” he murmured, though his expression suggested he wasn’t sorry at all.
“It’s fine,” I said, trying to sound casual. “Relationships are complicated these days, aren’t they? Everyone has
baggage.”
“Some more than others,” he agreed.
I raised my glass. “To unrequited feelings, then.”
Cassius clinked his glass against mine. “And to finding the courage to pursue what we truly want.”
His intense gaze made my heart flutter. I took a large sip of wine to steady myself.
“Speaking of complicated situations,” I said, “Lshould tell you that I no longer love Graham Storm.”
Cassius’s expression remained neutral. “I didn’t ask.”
“I know, but I wanted to clarify,” I explained. “I need time to recover completely from the betrayal, but my heart
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is no longer his.”
“That’s understandable,” Cassius said. “Severing a mate bond isn’t simple.”
I sighed. “It’s more complicated than just pack laws. There are financial issues between us, pack relationships to consider…”
“I’ve heard Storm is reluctant to let you go,” Cassius commented, his tone carefully controlled.
“He is,” I confirmed. “Though I don’t understand why. He clearly prefers Bella.”
“Perhaps he feels guilty,” Cassius suggested. “Or perhaps…”
“Perhaps what?”
Cassius hesitated. “Perhaps he knows your true value.”
I laughed bitterly. “If he did, he wouldn’t have betrayed me.”
“What exactly happened between you two?” Cassius asked. “If you don’t mind sharing.”
I took a deep breath.” I’ve had a crush on Graham since I was sixteen. Six years ago, we found out that we were meant for each other, and it wasn’t long before Graham was injured in a territorial dispute. He was poisoned with silver.”
Cassius nodded, listening intently.
“My wolf has special healing powers, so I exchanged blood with him repeatedly over several weeks,” I continued.” Our blood types matched, and I saved his life by transfusing my blood to him, and then giving his blood to me through a machine that I purified in my body.”
“And then he betrayed you with your half–sister,” Cassius concluded, his jaw tightening.
“Yes,” I said simply. “After I nursed him back to health, he began secretly seeing Bella behind my back.”
Cassius’s eyes flashed with anger. “He’s scum.”
The vehemence in his voice surprised me. “That’s… a strong reaction.”
“It’s the only appropriate one,” he replied firmly. “You saved his life, and he repaid you with betrayal.”
His indignation on my behalf warmed something inside me. “Thank you for understanding.”
“Let’s talk about something more pleasant,” Cassius suggested, clearly wanting to move past the topic of
Graham Storm.
For the next hour, we enjoyed a relaxed dinner, sharing stories about our lives and businesses. Cassius spoke about his military research facility with genuine passion, while I described my designs for ceremonial attire.
“I should formalize our arrangement,” I said as dessert arrived. “About the three hundred million dollars.” Cassius–waved a dismissive hand. “There’s no rush.”
“I insist,” I replied, reaching into my purse for the contract I’d prepared. “I’ve drawn up a loan agreement. I’ll repay you within five years, with interest.”
I placed the document on the table between us. “I’m also offering my company shares as collateral.”
Cassius studied me with an unreadable expression. “You don’t need to do this.”
“I do,” I insisted. “I won’t accept charity, even from you.”
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“It’s not charity,” he argued. “Consider it an investment in our… friendship.”
“Please,” I said softly. “This is important to me.”
Cassius held my gaze for a long moment before nodding. “I understand.”
He took the pen I offered and signed the contract without reading it. “There. Are you satisfied?”
“Thank you,” I said, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders. “For respecting my need to stand as your equal.”
His expression softened. “I would expect nothing less from you, Olivia Oasis.”
Later that night, back in my apartment, I sat on my bed staring at Cassius’s signature on the contract. His bold, confident strokes seemed to reflect his personality–strong, decisive, and unapologetic.
I couldn’t deny my growing admiration for him. He was nothing like I’d expected–not the cold, intimidating Alpha of rumors, but a man with depth, humor, and surprising vulnerability.
But I remained grounded in reality. Cassius had admitted he cared for someone, and our social standings were vastly different. The Shadowcrest Pack would never accept someone like me–the rejected mate of Graham Storm–as a suitable partner for their Alpha.
My phone rang, interrupting my thoughts. Lily’s name flashed on the screen.
“So,” she said without preamble when I answered, “how was your date with the mighty Cassius
Shadowcrest?”
“It wasn’t a date,” I protested. “And how did you know about it?”
“Please,” Lily scoffed. “Half the restaurant saw you two together. The staff is buzzing with gossip.”
I groaned. “We were just discussing business.”
“Business that required private dining and three hours of conversation?” Lily teased.
“It’s complicated,” I said, echoing Cassius’s earlier words.
“Complicated is code for ‘I’m attracted to him but afraid to admit it,” Lily declared.
“He’s interested in someone else,” I informed her. “He told me so himself.”
“Did he say who?” Lily pressed.
“No, just that it was complicated because of family politics.”
Lily laughed. “Oh, Olivia. For someone so smart, you can be incredibly dense.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I demanded.
“Nothing,” she said innocently. “Just that Cassius Shadowcrest doesn’t strike me as the type to waste time with women he’s not interested in.”
“We’re business associates,” I insisted. “Nothing more.”
“If you say so,” Lily replied, clearly unconvinced. “But just so you know, you two would make a gorgeous couple.”
“Goodnight, Lily,” I said firmly.
“Sweet dreams,” she sang. “Preferably about a certain silver–eyed Alpha.”
Chapter 30 My past with
I hung up, shaking my head at my friend’s persistence. But as I prepared for bed, I couldn’t help wondering about the woman Cassius desired–the one whose situation was “complicated.”
Despite my attempts at rationality, Lily’s playful encouragement had planted a seed of possibility in my mind. What if…? No. I pushed the thought away. Cassius Shadowcrest was far beyond my reach, and I had my own complications to deal with.
Still, as I drifted off to sleep, I couldn’t help remembering the warmth of his hand against mine and the intensity in his silver eyes when he spoke of pursuing what he truly wanted.
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