Cassian snorted. "Not in your nature to be nice?"


    "No."


    They both chuckled-quiet, guarded, but genuine. The tension in the room eased slightly, reced by the quiet moment of understanding.


    Nn''s expression sobered again as he looked down at the folder between them. "How are they?" he asked finally, voice low. "Ellie and the boys.


    Cassian hesitated. He had known the question woulde eventually, but he still wasn''t ready for it. "They''re... good. Settling in. She''s working again. The twins are thriving."


    Nn''s shoulders rxed a fraction. "Good."


    Cassian waited for the follow-up question, the inevitable edge of possessiveness or bitterness. It never came. Instead, Nn''s gaze drifted toward the window, thoughtful.


    "I hear Kieran''s been visiting," he said.


    Cassian froze. "Who told you


    that?"


    "No one," Nn said. "But word travels. And Kieran''s never been subtle when ites to his interests."


    Cassian''s voice dropped. "He''s not a threat."


    Nn''s eyes flicked back to him, calm and unreadable. "That wasn''t what I asked."


    Cassian held his gaze, waiting for the explosion that didn''te. Instead, Nn''s expression softened just slightly.


    "I''m not surprised," Nn said quietly. "He''s always been drawn to the things I value."


    The words were simple, but something beneath them carried weight—a memory, perhaps, or a rivalry that went deeper than Cassian understood.


    "You''re taking this well," Cassian said, testing him.


    Nn''s mouth curved in a faint, humorless smile. "Would it make a difference if I didn''t?"


    Cassian didn''t answer.


    "I''m not here to make trouble for her," Nn continued. "Or for you. I came because the world outside these walls is shifting, and I don''t want it to catch Moonstone off guard. Whatever my mistakes with Ellie, I''ll notpound them by leaving her vulnerable."


    The sincerity in his voice startled Cassian. For the first time, he saw something in Nn''s eyes that hadn''t been there before-humility.


    "I appreciate that,” Cassian said after a moment. "Truly."


    Nn nodded once, as if that settled it.


    "I know this is making trouble for you," Cassian added.


    Nn frowned slightly as he looked at him. "You mean the rumors."


    +25 Bonus


    “Ellie is missing from Silver Fang again; it''s bound to get attention.”


    Cassian watched Nn''s expression change. It was subtle, a stiffening of his expression as he tried not to let anything slip. At this point, Cassian knew him well enough to read it. Nn was upset. Not angry, not annoyed, he


    was hurt.


    "That''s not anything that Ellie needs to concern herself with," Nn said softly. "I know that I... that I was wrong to use the pack against her when I convinced her toe ho- to Silver Fang."


    Cassian noted the slip. Nn was really trying to be careful, to be respectful of Ellie''s choice, even though it pained him. He''d never seen Nn show this kind of consideration for anyone''s feelings before.


    "Ellie doesn''t owe me or Silver Fang anything. If she''s happy here, then this is where she should be."


    "And if she''s happy with Kieran?"


    It was an intentional provocation, but Cassian couldn''t help it. He needed to know if Nn''s apparent change of heart was real or if he was ying some kind of a game.


    Nn''s expression hardened and he sat back, putting more distance between them. "That''s her choice. I hate it, but I''ll respect it. Even if I can''t stand the thought of that bastard near my children."


    It took Cassian off guard. He''d been through a lot in thest year or so, they all had. Nn had suffered; he knew that. Just like Ellie had. The two of them had to be the most vtile fated mates Cassian had ever encountered.


    Normally, the mate pull was enough for a couple to work through whatever issues they might have, but not with them. They were both too stubborn to let themself function from an emotional level.


    As a leader, Cassian could understand the pressure that Nn was under to do what was best for the pack, regardless of his own happiness. But as a brother, he was still struggling to forgive Nn for the way he''d treated Ellie in the past.


    Still, he couldn''t deny that he was starting to consider Nn a friend. He didn''t like seeing the pain in his eyes when Ellie was brought up. He felt awful when he saw the tension Nn/carried just at the mention of the boys.


    But it wasn''t his ce to intervene. All Cassian could do was try to support them both and hope that they''d stop being so damn stubborn eventually.


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