Chapter 454\u00a0<\/p>\n
Riley\u2019s POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
76\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve already paid with a broken leg and a stolen organ,\u201d I said quietly, voice like steel wrapped in silk. \u201cThat should be more than enough to repay them for the so-called \u2018gift of life.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael-no, I refuse to call him my brother anymore-stared at me like I\u2019d slapped him. The words weren\u2019t meant to wound, but they cut deep anyway, slicing through the falsehoods he still clung to like a coward hiding from a storm.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The truth had long been exposed, and I had no intention of dressing it up anymore.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But still, he tried. He pointed at Lucien like an animal backed into a corner. \u201cYou\u2019d really choose to stand by him?\u201d His voice trembled with rage. \u201cYou\u2019re siding with the very wolf who had our parents\u2019 legs broken? Riley, what the hell is wrong with you?!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t answer right away. Maybe because, deep down, I didn\u2019t know how to explain it in a way Kael could understand. How do you explain falling for someone whose entire being is carved out of fire and fury, and yet somehow still manages to hold you like you\u2019re made of glass?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien wasn\u2019t perfect. He was lethal. And maybe that\u2019s what made me feel safe.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But silence, to someone like Kael, was as good as an admission.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve lost your\u00a0<\/p>\n
your damn mind,\u201d he spat, the veins in his neck bulging, face red with disbelief. \u201cYou\u2019re a full-grown she-wolf now. Can\u2019t you tell right from wrong?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He stepped forward, fists clenched, rage boiling just beneath his skin. \u201cThey had their legs broken, Riley! Can you even imagine how much pain that is?!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I laughed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t mean to.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It just\u2026 slipped out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But it wasn\u2019t joy. It wasn\u2019t mockery. It was something colder-emptier.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCan I imagine the pain?\u201d I repeated, lifting my gaze and meeting his eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael\u2019s breath caught in his throat the moment he looked down and remembered. His eyes flickered to my leg-the one that never healed right, the one that reminded me every damn day\u00a0<\/p>\n
of what I\u2019d survived.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Yeah, I could imagine the pain just fine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
15:17 Fri, Jan 16\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 454\u00a0<\/p>\n
76\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t need to imagine it,\u201d I said, voice calm but laced with venom. \u201cI lived it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael took a shaky step back, the wind knocked from him by nothing but my words. His mouth opened, but whatever excuses he was ready to conjure died on his tongue.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t believe Lucien had anything to do with what happened to your precious parents,\u201d I added, casting a sideways glance at the man who stood beside me like a shadow I\u2019d chosen for myself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien\u2019s expression was unreadable-stone-faced, composed-but his eyes glittered with something warm. Something dangerous.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWith me? No,\u201d he said, almost amused. \u201cI\u2019ve been with Riley all day. Ask Duke.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Duke, ever the obedient beta, nodded eagerly. \u201cOur Alpha hasn\u2019t left her side. I\u2019d bet my tail on it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
We turned to the driver, and Lucien gave him a sharp nod. The driver didn\u2019t even blink. \u201cThe Vale couple slipped down the steps outside the hotel. Accidental fall. Broke both legs.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My eyebrow arched.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien tilted his head slightly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even Duke paused mid-breath.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2026Seriously?\u201d I muttered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely,\u201d the driver said without missing a beat. \u201cI witnessed it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael exploded. \u201cBullshit!\u201d he roared. \u201cThose steps are barely ten high! No one breaks both legs falling from that!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t have to take my word for it,\u201d the driver said, still maddeningly calm. \u201cAsk the guards. They were watching.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A small group of security guards had clearly been eavesdropping and now stepped forward, their faces full of strained professionalism and fake smiles.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all saw it,\u201d the captain said quickly. \u201cThe elder Vale couple took a tumble. Clean fall. No one touched them.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYep,\u201d echoed the rest. \u201cTotally saw it. Self-inflicted.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael\u2019s mouth opened and closed, disbelief etched into every angle of his face. He looked like a wolf whose world had just spun off its axis.\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/\u00a0<\/p>\n
15:17 Fri, Jan 16\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 454\u00a0<\/p>\n
47\u00a0<\/p>\n
76\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
I let my lips curve into a cold, cruel smile. I wasn\u2019t proud of it-but damn, it felt good.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFamiliar feeling, isn\u2019t it?\u201d I asked softly, stepping toward him. \u201cWhen everyone around spins the same lie, and no matter how much you scream the truth\u2026 no one listens.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
eyes\u00a0<\/p>\n
His\u00a0<\/p>\n
wave.\u00a0<\/p>\n
you\u00a0<\/p>\n
widened in realization, the memory of five years ago crashing over him like a tidal\u00a0<\/p>\n
Back then, it was Kael and his perfect little Vale family, lining up to lie. Dismissing every word I said. Ignoring the bruises. Ignoring the pain.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Back then, I screamed too.\u00a0<\/p>\n
No one listened.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tonight, I didn\u2019t have to scream.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael staggered back, looking around for something-anything-to prove he wasn\u2019t insane. His gaze locked on a security camera high on the wall. His eyes lit up with desperate hope.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then Lucien spoke. Calm. Low. Icy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMy people clean up after themselves,\u201d he said, his tone like a blade sliding through silk.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The implication landed like a death sentence. Even if there was footage, it was gone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just like the footage five years ago that could\u2019ve saved me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The faint sound of water splashing behind us drew my attention. The fountain lights had come on, illuminating the koi fish below like tiny golden ghosts.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien idly turned his ring around his finger, then flicked a glance at the driver.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWell done,\u201d he said. \u201cDouble your bonus this quarter.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The driver grinned. \u201cThank you, Alpha.\u201d Then, turning to me, he added with a wink, \u201cI owe this one to you, Miss Riley.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael looked like he might actually faint from rage.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2026 you monsters\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His words trailed off, swallowed by the night and the low hum of the city.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And for the first time in a long time\u2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
15:17 Fri, Jan 16\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 454 Chapter 454\u00a0 Riley\u2019s POV\u00a0 76\u00a0 Finished\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve already paid with a broken leg and […]<\/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-20729","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pack-princess"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20729","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=20729"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20729\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20729"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20729"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20729"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}