Chapter 463\u00a0<\/p>\n
Riley\u2019s POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
The silence came back like a ghost I thought I\u2019d buried.\u00a0<\/p>\n
42.0D\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
It started as a distant numbness-a soft ringing in the back of my skull-but quickly swelled into the kind of silence that pressed against my eardrums like a scream I couldn\u2019t hear. No footsteps. No wind. No voices. Just the cruel quiet I thought I\u2019d left behind in prison.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien had come in.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But I hadn\u2019t heard it. Not the creak of the hinges, not the sound of his boots on the floorboards. Nothing. His mouth had moved, his brows furrowed like he\u2019d said something sharp. Urgent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But I hadn\u2019t caught it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Because I couldn\u2019t hear him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My hearing had been failing more and more lately-especially when I was exhausted, when my wolf Nyra was too weak to hold it together. The beatings in prison had left more than scars on\u00a0<\/p>\n
my\u00a0<\/p>\n
skin. Sometimes it was like my ears just\u2026 stopped working. And tonight, they had.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t want Lucien to know. Didn\u2019t want to see the pity in his eyes, the way everyone used to look at me like I was broken beyond repair.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So I forced Nyra to rise, even though she barely stirred. I tapped into the dregs of her power, enough to make out fragments of sound-a muffled syllable here, the low hum of Lucien\u2019s voice there-but nothing clear.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t enough.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So I fell back on what I\u2019d trained myself to do since prison: watch. Study. Read lips like depended on it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
my\u00a0<\/p>\n
life\u00a0<\/p>\n
Because it had.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And still does.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien\u2019s lips moved again, and I focused hard, catching the shape of his words even as the world around us blurred into nothing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I think he was asking if I was okay.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t answer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/5\u00a0<\/p>\n
15:18 Fri, Jan 16 T\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 463\u00a0<\/p>\n
Couldn\u2019t.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
75\u00a0<\/p>\n
#Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not with the way my throat closed up,\u00a0<\/p>\n
the\u00a0<\/p>\n
way my chest constricted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then I heard it-sharp and sudden, slicing through the void.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His voice wasn\u2019t always clear to me these days, but when he screamed, when he spat poison into the air, somehow it still reached me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Like a curse that refused to die.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI swear to the Goddess, Riley Vale! Keep whoring around with that Stormridge Alpha, and one day when you die in his bed, don\u2019t expect the Ebonclaw Pack to claim your corpse! We won\u2019t bury your shame!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His voice thundered through the night, wild and unhinged, shattering the silence like claws raking across stone. I didn\u2019t need to look out the window to know he was outside. I could feel his rage pulsing through the walls like a storm begging for something to destroy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But I didn\u2019t flinch. Not this time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not when Lucien\u2019s arms were suddenly around me, grounding me with a steadiness I didn\u2019t know I needed. His hand was pressed firm but gentle against the small of my back, holding me close-too close. I could feel every inch of him through the flimsy fabric of my sleep shirt. The heat of his body, the power in his frame, the tension simmering just beneath his skin.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He looked down at me, his gaze sweeping over my face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And I\u2026 I just stood there. Watching him. Breathing him in. Trying to pretend the whole world wasn\u2019t tilting underneath my feet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I shouldn\u2019t be here.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not when I now knew exactly who he was.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien Duskgrave.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The infamous Alpha of Stormridge.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The male with the curse in his blood and a body count in his past. The one they whispered about in Ebonclaw Pack halls like a warning. A predator wrapped in velvet, cursed to bring ruin to every she-wolf who ever dared love him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I knew now. The signs were too obvious. The surname. The stories. The rumors I\u2019d once scoffed at and dismissed as campfire tales.\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/5\u00a0<\/p>\n
15:19 Fri, Jan 16 T.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 463\u00a0<\/p>\n
434\u00a0<\/p>\n
:..\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
But he was real.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And he was holding me like I was something fragile. Precious.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And Goddess help me\u2026 a part of me felt happy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Happy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even though I should\u2019ve been terrified. Even though every instinct in me-every broken shard of logic-screamed that this was the moment to run.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Because this was the Stormridge Alpha with bloodied hands and a dark legacy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But instead of fear, there was this flutter in my chest. This ridiculous little flicker of something I couldn\u2019t quite name.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fate?\u00a0<\/p>\n
No.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Something softer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My heart raced like it wanted to leap straight out of my chest.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His scent was everywhere-cedarwood, smoke, and something darker, more dangerous. A scent that shouldn\u2019t have been comforting, but was. I hated how safe it made me feel. How easily my body leaned into him, like I didn\u2019t know better. Like I hadn\u2019t been taught what happened when you trusted the wrong male.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cTh-thank you,\u201d I murmured, barely louder than a breath-though whether he actually heard it or only saw it on my lips, I didn\u2019t know.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien didn\u2019t say anything.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I tried to step back, but my body wouldn\u2019t obey. My legs were trembling, unsteady-especially the right one. That old injury from prison was flaring up again, like it always did when I was on edge. I lost my balance for a moment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien caught me instantly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He pulled me tighter against him, enveloping me in warmth and something stronger- something that felt like protection. Not the kind that locked you in a cage for your own good. The kind that stood between you and the rest of the world and dared it to try again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was small compared to him, almost swallowed by his broad frame. My face was buried against his chest, only my wide, startled eyes visible as I stared past his collarbone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/5\u00a0<\/p>\n
15:19 Fri, Jan 16 T\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 463\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
473\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t loosen his grip.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Didn\u2019t move a muscle.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien exhaled sharply, his breath brushing my hair as he pulled me closer, cradling me like I was something wounded but sacred.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The warmth of his embrace burned against the ice buried deep inside my chest.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t want this. I couldn\u2019t want this. Not from him. Not from anyone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Because no one stays.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Because no one means it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But Goddess, it felt good. To be held like this. To be looked at like I wasn\u2019t broken beyond repair.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He must\u2019ve known what I was thinking. He always seemed to.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But then-just as I thought he\u2019d release me-he didn\u2019t.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Instead, he shifted closer and let his lips brush against the side of my throat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I froze.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Time stilled.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A jolt shot through my entire body like lightning on a dry night. My breath hitched. My fingers clenched instinctively in the fabric of his shirt, trying to anchor myself, trying not to unravel completely.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien didn\u2019t kiss me-not really.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was a touch, a breath, a claim made without words.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And it set my whole body on fire.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I could barely breathe.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Downstairs, Kael\u2019s shouting had fallen silent-at least for a moment. But I knew he was still there. Watching.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Judging.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His rage would only grow worse after this. He would twist this into something vile, something\u00a0<\/p>\n
4\/5\u00a0<\/p>\n
15:19 Fri, Jan 16 T.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 463\u00a0<\/p>\n
shameful.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But for once, I didn\u2019t care.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For once, I wasn\u2019t afraid of what they thought.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not when Lucien held me like I was worth fighting for.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not when his presence was louder than their cruelty.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Still, reality crept back in.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00c17$)\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
I pulled away slightly, finally finding my voice, my shame, my trembling sense of control.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLucien,\u201d I whispered, staring up at him, \u201cyou\u2026 you can let\u00a0<\/p>\n
go\u00a0<\/p>\n
now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t answer right away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just looked at me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His eyes, glowing faintly in the dim light, were unreadable. And for a moment, I thought he might refuse.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But then, slowly, he eased his hold.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The warmth stayed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even when his arms weren\u2019t around me anymore, I could still feel them. Like a phantom imprint on my skin. A reminder.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He looked down at me, his gaze sweeping over my face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1.0K\u00a0<\/p>\n
H\u00a0<\/p>\n
5\/5\u00a0<\/p>\n
15:19 Fri, Jan 16 T\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 463 Chapter 463\u00a0 Riley\u2019s POV\u00a0 :\u00a0 The silence came back like a ghost I thought […]<\/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-20738","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pack-princess"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20738","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=20738"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20738\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20738"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20738"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}