Chapter 452\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien\u2019s POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
My grandma shot me a glare sharp enough to skin flesh from bone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
& a 176.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
If looks could kill, I\u2019d have dropped right there in front of the entire pack, the proud Alpha Regent of Stormridge felled by a slip of a she-wolf with tearstained eyes and a mouth too honest for her own good.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But I didn\u2019t flinch.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sentencing you to redo the embroidery,\u201d I said coolly, lifting a brow. \u201cYou\u2019re not to leave the estate until the piece is finished.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Riley\u2019s eyes shot up to mine, shimmering and damp, like twin moons on the verge of drowning. Something flickered inside me at the sight-something warm and unwelcome, curling under my ribcage and tightening its hold.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damn it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I tugged at my collar, the silk of my shirt suddenly too close, too stifling. My tie felt like a leash I didn\u2019t remember fastening. I could feel my pulse in my throat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t argue. Didn\u2019t pout. Just gave me the smallest nod, lips parting as she rasped out a soft, \u201cOkay.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Like I\u2019d offered her freedom instead of a sentence.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The corner of my mouth quirked, unbidden. Not a full smile-gods forbid-but a crack in the armor nonetheless.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She really was easy to fool.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She is still as innocent as when I first saw her in the hospital corridor.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I narrowed my eyes slightly, letting them roam across her features. Delicate. Pale. A wolf too breakable for this world-but she\u2019d survived hell and somehow walked out looking untouched.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Deceptive, that kind of strength.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Matriarch was watching me from her seat like a hawk, and I could almost hear her thoughts: That boy is finally catching on. Took him long enough to mark what\u2019s his.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She wasn\u2019t wrong. Though my way of marking wasn\u2019t the usual fang-to-neck display. I preferred mine through inked contracts and locked doors, a quiet kind of claiming.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
15:16 Fri, Jan 16\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 452\u00a0<\/p>\n
76\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
A binding she didn\u2019t even notice until the threads wrapped around her throat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Eventually, I was dragged off by a throng of councilmen in charcoal suits, the kind that recked of politics and perfume. Numbers. Trade deals. Pack alliance talks. I listened, responded, made the right expressions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But my mind wasn\u2019t there.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was on her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When I finally turned back toward the banquet hall, something made me pause.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There-on the second-floor terrace, curled like a lost cub against the iron-railed balcony-was her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Riley.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She was alone. Her body slumped forward, chin resting on folded arms, her hair catching the moonlight like silver thread. She looked small. Breakable.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My chest tightened again, the same damned tug I\u2019d been feeling since the first time I caught her scent in that corridor.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I walked to her in silence, not caring that I\u2019d left my guards and aides confused behind me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Up close, I could see the red mark on her cheek, left by resting too long against her sleeve. Her breathing was shallow but even. She hadn\u2019t stirred.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I hesitated.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Touching her always came with consequences-for both of us.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But then the wind shifted, and I caught that faint, lingering scent of blood and crushed herbs- her scent-and the decision made itself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I took off my coat, wrapped it gently around her shoulders, and bent down.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She murmured something I couldn\u2019t make out, then leaned instinctively toward me, curling slightly as if seeking warmth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My arms moved without thought. I lifted her easily, cradling her to my chest, careful not to jostle her sleeping form.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She fit against me perfectly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Like she belonged there.\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
15:16 Fri, Jan 16\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 452\u00a0<\/p>\n
Like the gods had carved that spot out just for her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
76\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
As I turned to leave the balcony, footsteps approached from the far end of the hall. I didn\u2019t have to look to know who it was.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAlpha Regent,\u201d my assistant-Duke, the nosy bastard-grinned far too widely for his own good. \u201cYou\u2019re really taking care of Miss Riley, huh? If I didn\u2019t know better, I\u2019d say you were-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCareful,\u201d I warned, voice low.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He paused mid-step. \u201cWhat? I was just going to say you were fond of her.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I tilted my head, casting him a look that made younger wolves flinch. \u201cAnd I was just about to say your bonus this quarter has been revoked.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His jaw dropped. \u201cWait, what-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFor speaking without permission.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAlpha Regent,\u201d he groaned. \u201cI just replaced my boots. You know I was counting on-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSpeak again,\u201d I said, arching a brow, \u201cand I\u2019ll revoke your sock stipend too.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He shut his mouth instantly, sulking like a pup denied dinner.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I smirked.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The memory of Ronan Duskcliff with Duke\u2019s sock shoved in his mouth was still fresh in my mind, and spirits above, it was satisfying. The arrogant mutt had finally gotten a taste of helplessness.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maybe next time, he\u2019d think twice before trying to ruin what belonged to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Because Riley?\u00a0<\/p>\n
She did.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even if she didn\u2019t realize it yet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I shifted her gently in my arms, her head resting against my chest now, a soft sigh escaping her lips as if she could sense the heartbeat beneath her ear.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I tightened my hold and kept walking.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Let the world stare. Let them whisper.\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
15:17 Fri, Jan 16\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 452\u00a0<\/p>\n
Stormridge\u2019s future Luna had been humiliated, exiled, and forgotten.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But now?\u00a0<\/p>\n
76\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Now she slept peacefully in the arms of the most feared Alpha this side of the Moonlands.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And no one would ever touch her again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not without answering to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1.0K\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 452 Chapter 452\u00a0 Lucien\u2019s POV\u00a0 My grandma shot me a glare sharp enough to skin […]<\/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-20727","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pack-princess"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20727","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=20727"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20727\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20727"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20727"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20727"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}