Chapter 279\u00a0<\/p>\n
Third Person\u2019s POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just like Ivy, who was collapsing under the weight of her own fate, Luna Blackwood was on the verge of losing her mind as well.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her son had gone out on a single trip-and returned with a wife.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Staring at the two marriage certificates on the table, the covers stamped in glaring crimson like freshly sealed blood contracts, she clenched her jaw and glared at Damon Blackwood.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI sent you to expand our alliances, to court noble she-wolves from powerful packs,\u201d she snapped. \u201cAnd this is what you brought back?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Across from her, Alpha Blackwood-Damon\u2019s father-had gone numb. He had always known it. Sooner or later, this son of his would fall straight into Celestine Ward\u2019s trap.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damon lowered his head, standing perfectly still as he endured his parents\u2019 disappointment-and Quentin\u2019s barely concealed schadenfreude. He seemed disconnected from the world around him, as if sound and sight no longer reached him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The moment the mating registration had been finalized it was as though iron chains had wrapped around his soul.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He knew it with chilling clarity:\u00a0<\/p>\n
for the rest of his life, he would never escape Celestine\u2019s mark.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Celestine smiled and looped her arm possessively through Damon\u2019s, her fingers tight, territorial.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFather, Mother,\u201d she said sweetly, \u201cwe\u2019ll leave the wedding arrangements to you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mrs. Blackwood\u2019s restraint finally shattered. She flung her teacup to the floor, porcelain exploding like bone\u00a0<\/p>\n
under force.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhoever approved this farce can prepare it themselves. I won\u2019t be involved.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alpha Blackwood rose as well, his face cold.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cA daughter-in-law who\u2019s been imprisoned brings shame to the Blackwood Pack. We can\u2019t afford that disgrace.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Celestine\u2019s expression twisted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
How ironic.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Blackwood elders had once praised her endlessly-her pedigree, her obedience, her usefulness. Now, they looked at her as if she were filth beneath their paws. The reversal was worse than outright hatred.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But no matter what, she had to secure her place in the Blackwood Pack.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After the public fallout at Luna Evelyn\u2019s birthday feast-when blades had been drawn openly-Celestine had already left the Moonvale Pack, renting a small apartment on her own. It was cramped, suffocating, nothing like the sprawling estates she had grown up in.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
16:12 Fri, Dec 19 DD.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 279\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Worse still, her resources were drying up. The money she had once siphoned endlessly was now finite. Every coin spent was gone for good.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She needed the title of Blackwood Luna-to-be.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There was another shadow pressing on her chest: Fenrirwould eventually discover that she had sold the patent to a rival pack. When that happened, he would cone for her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She needed the Blackwood Pack\u2019s protection.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Once the elders left, Celestine dropped the act entirely and turned to Damon, her eyes sharp and demanding.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe must hold a wedding.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A union without public acknowledgment was meaningless. Without witnesses, without celebration, how could she walk among the packs with her head held high?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damon let out a low, broken laugh.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ever since disembarking from the ship, he had looked like a dead wolf-his spirit gutted. Celestine\u2019s irritation flared. She had been counting on him to restore his Alpha prestige, to make her the most envied Luna in the eastern territories.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDamon Blackwood!\u201d she snapped. \u201cWhat is that attitude?!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Without a word, Damon pulled a bank card from his packet and flicked it toward her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It struck her cheek.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you want it,\u201d he said flatly, \u201cdo it yourself.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He looked at her contorted expression and laughed again, hollow and sharp.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIsn\u2019t this what you wanted? Not enough?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He took out several more cards and tossed them at her feet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cTake them. Take everything.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then he staggered away, unshaven, eyes bloodshot, grabbing another bottle of red wine from the table as he left.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Behind them, Quentin, who had enjoyed the entire spectacle, sauntered over with a grin and draped an arm around Celestine\u2019s shoulder.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDidn\u2019t my brother say it already?\u201d he said lazily. \u201cHandle it yourself, Sister-in-Law. Don\u2019t worry-I\u2019ll fully support you. I\u2019ll make sure to prepare a very generous gift on the wedding day.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Celestine slapped his hand away in disgust.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Quentin only laughed, utterly unbothered, and soon left to find company for the night.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He had been right all along.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Celestine Ward was Damon Blackwood\u2019s bane.\u00a0<\/p>\n
212\u00a0<\/p>\n
16:12 Fri, Dec 19 \u2013\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 279\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Damon who had once stood prond beside Aysel Vasharp, driven, radiant with Alpha vitality-was gone. In just two days and one night, he had been dragged back into ruin\u00a0<\/p>\n
Quentin twirled his car keys as he left, humming cheer Bally.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Crippling his greatest rival had taken almost no effort all.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Upstairs, Celestine discovered that Damon had moved all his belongings into the guest room.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Furious, she pounded on the door.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From inside came only a drunk, impatient voice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat more do you want?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He knew exactly what she expected from him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And he refused to give it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If she insisted on dragging him into this bond, then they would sink together.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Standing in the hallway, staring at the man who now looked nothing like the elegant Alpha who had once commanded ballrooms and battlefields alike, Celestine tightened her grip on the bank cards in her hand.\u00a0<\/p>\n
No one believed in her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So she would prove them wrong.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She would host a wedding so grand that every pack would watch in envy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damon Blackwood-this union, this conquest-was her longest war, her greatest investment, and her most beautiful victory over Aysel.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She would not allow it to end in quiet disgrace.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Send Gifts\u00a0<\/p>\n
662\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
Midnight Letters by Daniel Crowe 279 Chapter 279\u00a0 Third Person\u2019s POV\u00a0 Finished\u00a0 Just like Ivy, who was collapsing under the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20552","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pack-princess"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20552","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20552"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20552\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20552"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20552"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20552"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}