My\u00a0heart\u00a0shattered\u00a0hearing\u00a0her\u00a0words.\u00a0I\u00a0opened\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0and\u00a0saw\u00a0the\u00a0fire\u00a0burning\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0gaze\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0stared\u00a0at\u00a0me.\u00a0Something\u00a0was\u00a0eating\u00a0away\u00a0at\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
\u201cJudy-\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018No,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said,\u00a0pulling\u00a0away\u00a0from\u00a0me,\u00a0making\u00a0my\u00a0hands\u00a0drop\u00a0to\u00a0my\u00a0sides.\u00a0I\u00a0suddenly\u00a0felt\u00a0cold\u00a0without\u00a0her\u00a0nearness.\u00a0\u201cThe\u00a0baby\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0yours,\u00a0so\u00a0you\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0have\u00a0to\u00a0worry\u00a0about\u00a0it\u00a0ruining\u00a0your\u00a0perfect\u00a0little\u00a0life.\u00a0Just\u00a0forget\u00a0about\u00a0it\u00a0and\u00a0forget\u00a0about\u00a0me.\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0embarrassed\u00a0enough.\u00a0I\u00a0need\u00a0to\u00a0get\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Without\u00a0another\u00a0word\u00a0or\u00a0looking\u00a0in\u00a0Sampson\u2019s\u00a0direction,\u00a0Judy\u00a0hurried\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0room,\u00a0tears\u00a0spilling\u00a0down\u00a0her\u00a0cheeks.\u00a0It\u00a0took\u00a0everything\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0not\u00a0to\u00a0chase\u00a0after\u00a0her;\u00a0in\u00a0fact,\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0about\u00a0to,\u00a0but\u00a0Lucy\u00a0rushed\u00a0past\u00a0me,\u00a0calling\u00a0her\u00a0name\u00a0as\u00a0tears\u00a0fell\u00a0down\u00a0her\u00a0own\u00a0cheeks.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0was\u00a0alone\u00a0now\u00a0with\u00a0Sampson,\u00a0who\u00a0was\u00a0staring\u00a0at\u00a0me.\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0he\u00a0wanted to\u00a0ask\u00a0questions,\u00a0but\u00a0he\u00a0wouldn\u2019t\u00a0dare\u00a0pry\u00a0into\u00a0my\u00a0personal\u00a0life,\u00a0though\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0that\u00a0he\u00a0cared\u00a0for\u00a0Judy,\u00a0so\u00a0that\u00a0might\u00a0be\u00a0enough\u00a0to\u00a0push\u00a0him\u00a0into\u00a0asking\u00a0me\u00a0what\u00a0he\u00a0wanted\u00a0to\u00a0know.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0realize\u00a0you\u00a0and Judy\u00a0knew\u00a0one\u00a0another\u2026\u201d\u00a0Sampson\u00a0finally\u00a0said\u00a0after\u00a0a\u00a0long\u00a0silence.\u00a0\u201cShe\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0really\u00a0talk\u00a0about\u00a0where\u00a0she\u00a0came\u00a0from,\u00a0but\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0sent\u00a0here\u00a0by\u00a0Alpha\u00a0Levi.\u00a0I\u00a0never\u00a0asked\u00a0her\u00a0any\u00a0questions.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0looked\u00a0at\u00a0him\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0see\u00a0the\u00a0concern\u00a0lingering\u00a0on\u00a0his\u00a0face.\u00a0It\u00a0was\u00a0clear\u00a0he\u00a0cared\u00a0for\u00a0Judy;\u00a0it\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0make\u00a0me\u00a0jealous\u00a0because\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0short\u00a0time\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0been\u00a0here;\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0infatuated\u00a0with\u00a0his\u00a0mate.\u00a0Mated\u00a0male\u00a0wolves\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0pose\u00a0a\u00a0threat\u00a0to\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s\u00a0from\u00a0my\u00a0territory,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0him.<\/p>\n
Sampson\u00a0tensed,\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0realization\u00a0dawned\u00a0on\u00a0him.<\/p>\n
w<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0see,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0said,\u00a0looking\u00a0away\u00a0a\u00a0bit\u00a0awkwardly.\u00a0\u201cSo\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0how\u00a0you\u00a0know\u00a0her?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said,\u00a0not\u00a0wanting to\u00a0give\u00a0him\u00a0too\u00a0much\u00a0information.<\/p>\n
He\u00a0was\u00a0quiet\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0long\u00a0moment,\u00a0processing\u00a0what\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0told\u00a0him,\u00a0trying\u00a0to\u00a0fit\u00a0the\u00a0pieces\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0story\u00a0together.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0hope\u00a0you\u00a0know\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0know\u2026\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0said,\u00a0breaking\u00a0through\u00a0the\u00a0silence\u00a0that\u00a0started\u00a0to\u00a0consume\u00a0us.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0narrowed\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0at\u00a0him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u00a0cleared\u00a0his\u00a0throat\u00a0and\u00a0ran\u00a0his\u00a0fingers\u00a0through\u00a0his\u00a0hair\u00a0awkwardly.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout\u00a0the\u00a0baby\u2026\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0said,\u00a0his\u00a0eyes\u00a0fixed\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0ground.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0know\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0pregnant.\u00a0I\u00a0would\u00a0have\u00a0never\u00a0kept\u00a0her\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0force\u00a0otherwise.\u00a0I\u00a0would\u00a0have\u00a0tried\u00a0to\u00a0convince\u00a0her\u00a0to\u00a0return\u00a0to\u00a0her\u00a0home\u00a0where\u00a0she\u00a0has\u00a0family\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0baby\u2019s\u00a0father\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
His\u00a0eyes\u00a0lifted\u00a0when\u00a0he\u00a0said\u00a0those\u00a0last\u00a0words,\u00a0and\u00a0he\u00a0met\u00a0my\u00a0gaze.\u00a0So,\u00a0he\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0as\u00a0stupid\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0beginning\u00a0to\u00a0think.\u00a0He\u00a0put\u00a0the\u00a0pieces\u00a0together,\u00a0and\u00a0he\u00a0understood\u00a0what\u00a0was\u00a0happening\u00a0right\u00a0in\u00a0front\u00a0of\u00a0his\u00a0eyes.<\/p>\n
men<\/p>\n
\u201cHow\u00a0has\u00a0she been?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked,\u00a0hating\u00a0the\u00a0slight\u00a0vulnerability\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0tone\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0asked\u00a0that\u00a0question.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonesty,\u00a0she\u00a0fits\u00a0in\u00a0really\u00a0well\u00a0here.\u00a0She\u2019s\u00a0good\u00a0at\u00a0her\u00a0job.\u00a0I\u00a0know\u00a0she\u2019s\u00a0only\u00a0been\u00a0here\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0couple\u00a0of\u00a0weeks,\u00a0but\u00a0she\u2019s\u00a0made\u00a0an\u00a0impact\u00a0on\u00a0not\u00a0just\u00a0the\u00a0pack\u00a0but my\u00a0mate\u00a0as\u00a0well.\u00a0I\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0know\u00a0if\u00a0you\u00a0know,\u00a0but\u00a0she\u00a0and\u00a0Lucy\u00a0became\u00a0friends.\u00a0Lucy\u00a0was\u00a0only\u00a0trying\u00a0to\u00a0look\u00a0out\u00a0for\u00a0her\u00a0when\u00a0she\u00a0told\u00a0Judy\u2019s\u00a0secret.\u00a0I\u00a0hope\u00a0Judy\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0hold that\u00a0over\u00a0her\u00a0head\u00a0for\u00a0long.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s\u00a0not\u00a0something\u00a0Judy\u00a0would\u00a0do,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said\u00a0without\u00a0hesitation.\u00a0\u201cShe\u00a0wears\u00a0her\u00a0heart\u00a0on\u00a0her\u00a0sleeve\u00a0and\u00a0once\u00a0she\u00a0names\u00a0you\u00a0a\u00a0friend,\u00a0she\u00a0becomes\u00a0a\u00a0thorn\u00a0in\u00a0your\u00a0side\u00a0and\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0hard\u00a0to\u00a0get\u00a0rid\u00a0of\u00a0her.\u201d<\/p>\n
This\u00a0elicited\u00a0a\u00a0snort\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0Sampson\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u00a0you\u00a0ain\u2019t\u00a0wrong,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0said,\u00a0a\u00a0small\u00a0smile\u00a0on\u00a0his\u00a0lips.\u00a0\u201cDespite\u00a0it\u00a0all,\u00a0though,\u00a0I\u00a0know\u00a0a\u00a0lost\u00a0soul\u00a0when\u00a0I\u00a0see\u00a0one,\u00a0and\u00a0Judy\u2019s\u00a0soul\u00a0is\u00a0certainly\u00a0lost.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0raised\u00a0my\u00a0brows.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u00a0do\u00a0you\u00a0mean?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u00a0always\u00a0seemed\u00a0as\u00a0if\u00a0Judy\u00a0was\u00a0running\u00a0from\u00a0something;\u00a0despite\u00a0the\u00a0smiles\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0energy\u00a0she\u00a0brings\u00a0to\u00a0this pack,\u00a0I\u00a0could<\/p>\n
always\u00a0tell\u00a0there\u00a0was\u00a0some\u00a0lingering\u00a0sadness\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0eyes.<\/p>\n
My\u00a0heart\u00a0ached\u00a0at\u00a0his\u00a0words;\u00a0was\u00a0it\u00a0true\u00a0that\u00a0Judy\u00a0had\u00a0been\u00a0sad?\u00a0She\u00a0was\u00a0running\u00a0from\u00a0something\u2026\u00a0why\u00a0did\u00a0I\u00a0get\u00a0the\u00a0feeling\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0what\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0running\u00a0from?\u00a0Why\u00a0did\u00a0I\u00a0have\u00a0a\u00a0feeling\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0running\u00a0from\u00a0me?<\/p>\n
The\u00a0look\u00a0Sampson\u00a0was\u00a0giving\u00a0me\u00a0was\u00a0telling\u00a0me\u00a0all I\u00a0needed\u00a0to\u00a0know;\u00a0it\u00a0confirmed\u00a0my\u00a0fears.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0think\u00a0I\u00a0understand\u00a0now\u00a0what\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0running\u00a0from\u2026\u201d\u00a0Sampson\u00a0said\u00a0slowly.\u00a0\u201cThe\u00a0question\u00a0is,\u00a0why?\u201d<\/p>\n
We\u00a0let\u00a0that\u00a0question\u00a0hang\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0air\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0moment\u00a0before\u00a0I\u00a0met\u00a0his\u00a0eyes,\u00a0a\u00a0determined\u00a0look\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0gaze.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s\u00a0exactly\u00a0what\u00a0I\u2019m about\u00a0to\u00a0find\u00a0out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sara is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland\u2019s breathtaking cold.<\/p>\n
We Built a Kingdom From Ashes That Still Remembered Love by Aila Frost 602 My\u00a0heart\u00a0shattered\u00a0hearing\u00a0her\u00a0words.\u00a0I\u00a0opened\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0and\u00a0saw\u00a0the\u00a0fire\u00a0burning\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0gaze\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0stared\u00a0at\u00a0me.\u00a0Something\u00a0was\u00a0eating\u00a0away\u00a0at\u00a0her. \u201cJudy-\u201d \u2018No,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said,\u00a0pulling\u00a0away\u00a0from\u00a0me,\u00a0making\u00a0my\u00a0hands\u00a0drop\u00a0to\u00a0my\u00a0sides.\u00a0I\u00a0suddenly\u00a0felt\u00a0cold\u00a0without\u00a0her\u00a0nearness.\u00a0\u201cThe\u00a0baby\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0yours,\u00a0so\u00a0you\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0have\u00a0to\u00a0worry\u00a0about\u00a0it\u00a0ruining\u00a0your\u00a0perfect\u00a0little\u00a0life.\u00a0Just\u00a0forget\u00a0about\u00a0it\u00a0and\u00a0forget\u00a0about\u00a0me.\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0embarrassed\u00a0enough.\u00a0I\u00a0need\u00a0to\u00a0get\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0here.\u201d Without\u00a0another\u00a0word\u00a0or\u00a0looking\u00a0in\u00a0Sampson\u2019s\u00a0direction,\u00a0Judy\u00a0hurried\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0room,\u00a0tears\u00a0spilling\u00a0down\u00a0her\u00a0cheeks.\u00a0It\u00a0took\u00a0everything\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0not\u00a0to\u00a0chase\u00a0after\u00a0her;\u00a0in\u00a0fact,\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0about\u00a0to,\u00a0but\u00a0Lucy\u00a0rushed\u00a0past\u00a0me,\u00a0calling\u00a0her\u00a0name\u00a0as\u00a0tears\u00a0fell\u00a0down\u00a0her\u00a0own\u00a0cheeks. I\u00a0was\u00a0alone\u00a0now\u00a0with\u00a0Sampson,\u00a0who\u00a0was\u00a0staring\u00a0at\u00a0me.\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0he\u00a0wanted to\u00a0ask\u00a0questions,\u00a0but\u00a0he\u00a0wouldn\u2019t\u00a0dare\u00a0pry\u00a0into\u00a0my\u00a0personal\u00a0life,\u00a0though\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0that\u00a0he\u00a0cared\u00a0for\u00a0Judy,\u00a0so\u00a0that\u00a0might\u00a0be\u00a0enough\u00a0to\u00a0push\u00a0him\u00a0into\u00a0asking\u00a0me\u00a0what\u00a0he\u00a0wanted\u00a0to\u00a0know. […]<\/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":[38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21671","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-shadow-slave-by-author-novelnozi-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21671","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=21671"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21671\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21671"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21671"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21671"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}