Chapter 355\u00a0<\/p>\n
Author\u2019s POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
Inside the Study Ebonclaw Pack\u00a0<\/p>\n
The study was thick with tension.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael Vale stood in front of Alpha Alaric and Luna Zara, his voice rising with disbelief. \u201cDad, Mom-you know exactly what kind of reputation the Stormridge heir has. How can you still force Riley to marry into that Pack? She\u2019s your blood. Even if you\u2019ve never shown her the same love, how can you send her into something that could destroy her?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alaric slammed his palm on the desk with a resounding thud. \u201cEnough! Watch your tone. What do you mean destroy her? With her background, being accepted by Stormridge is a gift. A rare one. She should be grateful.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael stared at his father like he no longer recognized the man. His lips trembled. \u201cHer body\u2019s already broken, Dad. Prison destroyed her health. You\u2019re giving her to a male known for violence, aggression-and you expect her to survive that?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just imagining Riley-frail and wounded-thrown into the hands of a brutal Alpha made Kael\u2019s heart twist with both fury and dread.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alaric\u2019s expression darkened further. \u201cIf she doesn\u2019t go\u2026 what, you want Scarlett to marry him instead?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael froze.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He turned his gaze toward the girl standing silently beside them-Scarlett, with her downturned lashes and soft trembling lip. She looked up at him, eyes filled with sorrow, and he flinched.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t want Riley to be sacrificed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But sacrificing Scarlett?\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2026 I just\u2026\u201d Kael faltered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no just.\u201d Alaric cut him off, his voice a bit calmer now, but no less firm. \u201cIn a few days, the land auction at East Borough will begin. Stormridge Pack is hell-bent on acquiring that territory. Even if Ebonclaw and Blackmaw combine forces, we still might not outbid them.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He leaned forward, voice heavy. \u201cThe regional council has already designated East Borough as a central economic zone. When it\u2019s developed, all major commerce will shift there. Whoever owns it-controls it. And if Stormridge wins it\u2026 Ebonclaw will lose its foothold in Mooncrest.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alaric\u2019s jaw tightened as he continued, \u201cWe can\u2019t fight the Stormridge Alpha. So we do the only thing we can-we join them. An alliance through marriage is the most direct path.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael\u2019s knuckles were bone white from how hard he clenched his fists. The guilt gnawed at him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zara wiped away a tear, voice low and trembling. \u201cKael\u2026 Do you think this is easy for us? We\u2019re not heartless. We haven\u2019t slept for days thinking about this. But the Pack-our company-feeds hundreds of wolves. We can\u2019t afford to be sentimental.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
13:14 Mon, Dec 29\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 355\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019m her mother,\u201d she whispered. \u201cI carried her for nine months. I know how fragile she is\u2026 I love her, Kael. Just as much as you do. But sometimes love means sacrifice.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cStormridge might not be as bad as the rumors say,\u201d she added weakly. \u201cMaybe\u2026 maybe their Alpha heir isn\u2019t as cruel as they claim.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael said nothing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He understood the logic. He understood the stakes. But that didn\u2019t make it right.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The silence hung heavy over the room-until Scarlett\u2019s soft sob broke through.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll go,\u201d she said, voice hoarse. \u201cI\u2019ll marry into Stormridge in Riley\u2019s place.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The three of them turned toward her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett stood with tears pooling in her lashes, but she forced a smile. \u201cIf marrying him will help the Ebonclaw Pack\u2026 then I\u2019ll do it. I\u2019m not even your real daughter. When Riley came home, I should\u2019ve stepped aside.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her voice cracked. \u201cBut I loved you both too much. I couldn\u2019t leave. I know now\u2026 I should\u2019ve done something sooner.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael\u2019s heart twisted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett smiled again, even as her tears fell freely. \u201cEven if you don\u2019t see me as your daughter after this\u2026 I\u2019m willing to do what\u2019s best for the family.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zara broke down, pulling Scarlett into her arms. \u201cDon\u2019t say such things! You\u2019ll always be my daughter, my baby girl. I would never let you marry someone so dangerous. You have a future with Ronan. You\u2019re already promised.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She stroked Scarlett\u2019s hair gently. \u201cDon\u2019t worry. When the East Borough project stabilizes, we\u2019ll finalize your marriage with the Blackmaw heir. You were meant to be his Luna.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett blushed, eyes shyly bright with anticipation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Watching the mother-daughter display, Alaric finally smiled. \u201cGo back to Ronan. Spend time with him. Your mother and I need to speak with Kael.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett and Zara left the room hand in hand.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael stood frozen, watching them go.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Riley was to be offered up-again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She had always been the one who could endure.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She was always the one expected to endure.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael\u2019s heart twisted painfully.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Behind him, Alaric slumped into his chair and rubbed his temple. \u201cKael, I know you care for your sister. But\u00a0<\/p>\n
MON\u00a0<\/p>\n
29\u00a0<\/p>\n
O\u00a0<\/p>\n
P\u00a0<\/p>\n
R13\u00a0<\/p>\n
13\u00a0<\/p>\n
111\u00a0<\/p>\n
O\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
13:14 Mon, Dec 29\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Pack\u2019s Daughter\u00a0<\/p>\n
Joseph King is an editor and storyteller who ensures every chapter is clear, polished, and engaging for readers.<\/p>\n
Midnight Letters by Daniel Crowe 355 Chapter 355\u00a0 Author\u2019s POV\u00a0 Inside the Study Ebonclaw Pack\u00a0 The study was thick with […]<\/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-20628","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pack-princess"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20628","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=20628"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20628\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20628"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20628"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20628"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}