Chapter 362 Shifting Alliances

Author ’s pov

Cassian clapped his hands once, loud and too sharp.

“Okay, great. Love the tension. Really thriving in it. But let’s not turn this into a courtroom roast.”

He looked at me.”Cecilia, you hungry ? Sebastian and I can head downstairs and make something real quick.”

Cecilia didn’t answer.

She didn’t even look at him. Her face stayed blank, like she wasn’t even in the room.

Alpha Sebastian gave him a dry look. “You offering to cook, or start a fire ?”

Cassian smirked. “Why not both ?”

The mood lightened, just a little.

Then Cassian added, more grounded now, “But seriously…we still don’t know who poisoned that cake. And nothing about it fits.”

Sebastian’s smile faded.

“We’ll know more in the morning. Once your grandmother wakes up.

He paused, thoughtful.

“There’s also the chance they were used. This feels bigger than just a piece of cake. Your family might be facing a serious power shift.”

He wasn’t exaggerating.

Martha ran the Locke family. Quiet, but total control.

She lived in the mountains and didn’t talk much. When she did, people listened. Some respected her. Some were scared. Not because she yelled. She didn’t have to.

Maggie was nothing like her. She always wanted more. She didn’t do quiet. She stirred things up.

Martha stayed out of it. That was how she kept herself safe.

But Maggie wasn’t the only one watching.

The rest of the family—Martha’s sons and their kids—had their own agendas. And they were waiting.

For twenty years, Martha held it all together. Nobody made a move.

Until now.

Poisoning her wasn’t random.

It was a warning.

Cassian exhaled deeply.As the heir, this mess would eventually fall on his shoulders.

Cecilia watched them both, her face calm.

Cassian rubbed his temples and tried to lighten the mood.

“Sebastian, how about we switch lives ? You take my place at the Locke family mansion, and I’ll move into your estate. Honestly, I think you were born into the wrong family.”

Alpha Sebastian’s lips curled into a faint smirk.

“Not interested.”

“Okay, new offer,” Cassian continued, undeterred.

“I’ll marry you into the family. I need someone ruthless on my side. You deal with the politics, I handle the business. Together, we’ll be unstoppable.”

Cecilia raised an eyebrow.

Not a terrible plan, actually.

Alpha Sebastian ignored him completely.

“It’s late. Goodnight.”

He shoved Cassian toward the door and locked it behind him.

As he turned back,Cecilia’s smile faded.

“Seriously though, would you rather be the Locke family’s perfect little wife or their son-in-law ? Seems like you’re in high demand.”

Alpha Sebastian went quiet.

There was no dodging this conversation anymore.

“Cece, about that…”

She held up a hand.

“No need. I’m just wondering which sibling you’d pick. Brother or sister ? You’ve got options.”

Alpha Sebastian sighed.

“Let’s be serious here.”

“I’m not great with words,” Cecilia said flatly.

Alpha Sebastian softened.He could never stay mad at her.

“I didn’t say anything because it was just a guess. I didn’t want to upset you. If it ever becomes real, it’ll be my choice, not theirs. I never wanted you to feel this way.”

Cecilia frowned, irritation bubbling up.

“It’s fine,” she said sharply. “Your marriage plans are your business. Build your alliances. Form your little power packs. Just don’t drag me into it.”

She believed him. But that didn’t stop the sting.

She hated feeling this way. It was like she was just collateral damage in someone else’s fight. These families swore they couldn’t live without her, and then turned around and treated her like a stranger.

Alpha Sebastian stayed silent for a moment, then gently ran his hand down her back.

“You’re right. This is my problem. Not yours. Let’s just sleep.”

Cecilia rolled her eyes.

“I am going to sleep. You can leave.”

“Not happening,” Alpha Sebastian said firmly.”It’s not safe. I’m staying.”

He kicked off his shoes, pulled back the covers, and slid in beside her, then wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close.

Very close.

Cecilia turned her back to him.

Alpha Sebastian only moved closer, arm looping around her waist, his chin brushing her neck.

“Cece,” he whispered, “I’m cold. Don’t be so far away.

If you’re cold, how are you not frozen solid ? she thought, annoyed.

Still, she didn’t push him away.

Her anger faded, and sleep crept in.

Sometime during the night, feeling uncomfortable, she shifted and curled into his chest, her arm resting across him.

Alpha Sebastian opened his eyes.

He looked down at the woman curled into him, her breath warm against his skin. He gently brushed her cheek with the back of his hand.

He leaned down, trailing his fingers down her back, slipping under her shirt. His lips found the curve of her neck…

“Mmm…”

Still dreaming, Cecilia shifted closer, her body instinctively responding to his touch. Her hand reached out, but Alpha Sebastian caught it before it could go any further.

He froze, his breathing uneven, eyes dark with heat.

After a long pause, he let out a slow breath and pulled away.

It wasn’t the right time.

He gently adjusted her clothes, slipped out of bed, and headed to the bathroom.

A cold shower was the only thing that could help. And even that took a while to work.

—

Morning came early.

Alpha Sebastian and Cecilia woke around seven. They had stayed the night simply because it was too late to leave, and they were both exhausted.

By the time they came downstairs, the servants were already in the kitchen. No one had told them about the events of the night before. Cassian, who had barely slept, had only said Martha caught a cold and asked them to prepare breakfast.

Cassian joined them just as they reached the dining room. The three of them sat down and ate together.

He watched them carefully, relieved to see no tension between them. No arguments, no awkward silences. Just… ordinary silence.

Before they could finish eating, Cassian’s phone buzzed.It was Beta Sawyer.

Levi was up. So were Harper and Tang.

After breakfast, they headed to the clinic.

Inside, Tang was already sitting up in bed, eating rice porridge with shredded chicken.

In stark contrast, Harper sat frozen on her bed, staring at her untouched bowl. Her face was blank, her eyes glassy, as if she wanted to slam her head into the wall just to feel something.

Across the room, Levi had already finished his food. He looked up, hesitant.

“So our food poisoning really came from that honey cream cake ?” he asked. “And… what about my wife ?”

Cassian nodded. “She’s okay. She’s at my grandmother’s place now.”

Levi let out a breath of relief, then got to the question on everyone’s mind.

“But how did poison end up in that cake ? Cassian, this has never happened before.”

“I’ll get to the bottom of this,” Cassian said, voice steady. “But for now, this stays between us.”

Levi nodded. “Understood.”

Not long after, a message came in saying Martha was awake. Zane had shown up too.

Cassian hadn’t told anyone else in the Locke family about the poisoning. He didn’t want panic. Zane’s arrival was probably unrelated. Still, thinking about his increasingly unstable uncle made him uneasy.

He glanced at Cecilia, debating whether to ask her to step out for a while. The last thing he needed was Zane having one of his “episodes” in front of her. If he said something weird, Alpha Sebastian would lose it.

Headache incoming.

Alpha Sebastian noticed the shift in Cassian’s expression.

“What ?”

Cassian looked up from his phone.

“Oh. My grandmother’s awake.”