Chapter 415\u00a0<\/p>\n
00\u00a0<\/p>\n
+5 Pearls\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael Vale lay curled on the sofa in his darkened room, the thick shadows outside the Ebonclaw Pack estate casting long fingers across the floorboards. His hands clutched a pillow tightly against his chest, and his face was buried deep within it, muffling the sound of the occasional, involuntary sob.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But even with the fabric pressed against his face, he couldn\u2019t block out the visions in his mind.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Riley.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Every thought, every breath, every beat of his heart seemed to summon her. Her silhouette. Her voice. Her soft hands patting his back during another of his stomach flare-ups. The way her eyes held no blame even when she was the one hurting.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And now she was gone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It had been days since she vanished, and still, not a single whisper of her whereabouts. Kael\u2019s mind tormented him with cruel possibilities-starving on the streets, collapsing from pain, hunted by Rogues\u2026 or\u00a0<\/p>\n
worse.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A new wave of guilt crashed through him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Why hadn\u2019t I done more? Why didn\u2019t I believe her?\u00a0<\/p>\n
If he had stood up for her when she was dragged through the courts like a criminal\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
If he had protected her when everyone else turned away\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
If he had just shown her a fraction of the kindness she so freely gave\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maybe she wouldn\u2019t have left. Maybe she would still be here.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And now\u2026 after five years in that cursed prison, her body was permanently damaged. Her wolf hadn\u2019t fully healed. And yet he-Kael Vale-had dared to question her loyalty? Her worth?\u00a0<\/p>\n
The pain in his gut twisted viciously, but it was nothing compared to the ache in his chest.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From the doorway, Luna Zara watched with wet eyes as her son broke down in silence. She stepped inside slowly, placing a hand on his shaking back, gently rubbing circles in a futile attempt to soothe him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s alright, Kael,\u201d she whispered. \u201cWe\u2019ll find her. Your father\u2019s already sent scouts.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael didn\u2019t respond. His shoulders trembled, his body racked with guilt and physical pain.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zara cast a glance toward the hallway, where Alpha Alaric stood, arms crossed. His face was impassive, but the hard glint in his eyes betrayed his irritation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cShe made her choice,\u201d he muttered. \u201cShe ran. If she wants to live like a Rogue, let her.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zara shot him a warning look. \u201cNot now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
But Alaric wasn\u2019t finished. He stepped forward, lowering his voice just enough that Kael could still hear.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd don\u2019t forget who let her into this house. She brought nothing but chaos. Fighting with Scarlett.. Disrespecting elders. Do you really think she\u2019s not out there plotting something now?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
10:02 Tue, Jan 6\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 415\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael flinched.\u00a0<\/p>\n
66%\u00a0<\/p>\n
+5 Pearls\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zara ignored her mate\u2019s bitter words and pulled a blanket over Kael\u2019s trembling form. \u201cRest, sweetheart. I\u2019ll have the kitchen prepare you something warm.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A while later, a young she-wolf servant arrived with a tray and a soft voice. \u201cAlpha Kael, I brought some millet and pumpkin porridge. It\u2019s good for your stomach.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael slowly sat up, his movements sluggish and shaky. The familiar scent wafted toward him-sweet and earthy-but the moment the porridge touched his tongue, he grimaced and pulled away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt tastes wrong.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The servant blinked. \u201cBut it\u2019s pumpkin millet porridge. It\u2019s always the same.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael shook his head, setting the bowl aside with a clatter. \u201cNo. The one I used to have\u2026 it was different. Smoother. Richer. It helped.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Understanding dawned on the servant\u2019s face. \u201cAh\u2026 you mean the one Mia used to make.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael stilled.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMia always said it wasn\u2019t about the ingredients, but the time and care. She simmered it on low heat for two hours, stirring it constantly to bring out the rice oils. Said that was how it truly \u2018nourished the gut. And-\u201d the servant hesitated, \u201c-she said she learned the method from the young Miss. From Riley.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael\u2019s heart clenched painfully.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Riley\u2026 who had grown up in an underfunded rogue settlement, yet still managed to learn how to make porridge that soothed his pain better than any medicine Riley, who had remembered he had stomach issues and gone out of her way to share what she knew with Mia. All for him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cShe told Mia\u2026 that if she didn\u2019t have time to care for you herself, at least someone else should.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The words sliced through Kael\u2019s guilt like claws through flesh.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After Riley was imprisoned, Mia had continued the porridge ritual for a time. But without Riley\u2019s gentle reminders, the effort had waned. Days stretched into weeks between proper meals. Slowly, Kael\u2019s stomach condition returned-and worsened.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMake it like she did,\u201d Kael rasped. \u201cExactly like she did.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The servant bit her lip. \u201cAlpha Kael, I\u2026 I\u2019m sorry. I don\u2019t know the full method. Mia said it required constant attention. Stirring, watching for consistency. No one else has the time. It takes over two hours\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThen make time,\u201d he snapped, his voice suddenly sharp \u201cIf you can\u2019t do it, bring Mia back.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The servant stepped back with a nervous nod and quickly retreated from the room.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael dropped back against the cushions, staring up at the ceiling with hollow eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even in absence, Riley\u2019s presence lingered in everything\u00a0<\/p>\n
The food. The air. The aching silence.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And now that she was gone, only pain remained..\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\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 415 Chapter 415\u00a0 00\u00a0 +5 Pearls\u00a0 Kael Vale lay curled on the sofa in his […]<\/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-20690","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pack-princess"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20690","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=20690"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20690\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20690"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20690"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20690"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}