I\u00a0looked\u00a0up\u00a0at\u00a0him,\u00a0trying\u00a0to\u00a0analyze\u00a0his\u00a0face.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy\u00a0the\u00a0sudden\u00a0surprises?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked\u00a0him.\u00a0\u201cWhy now?\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u00a0studied me\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0realized\u00a0what\u00a0I\u00a0almost\u00a0lost.\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0blinked\u00a0at\u00a0him\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0reached\u00a0his\u00a0hand out\u00a0to\u00a0touch\u00a0mine,\u00a0his\u00a0fingers\u00a0brushing\u00a0across\u00a0mine.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m\u00a0not going\u00a0to\u00a0make\u00a0that mistake\u00a0again.\u00a0I\u00a0promise.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201d<\/p>\n
Ignoring\u00a0the flutter\u00a0in my\u00a0heart,\u00a0I\u00a0fixed\u00a0my\u00a0attention\u00a0on\u00a0my food.\u00a0We\u00a0ate\u00a0mostly\u00a0silently;\u00a0he\u00a0kept\u00a0stealing\u00a0glances\u00a0at\u00a0me,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0kept\u00a0suppressing\u00a0my\u00a0smile.\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0still\u00a0upset\u00a0with him\u00a0for\u00a0his\u00a0behavior\u00a0at the\u00a0Redcliff\u00a0pack,\u00a0and\u00a0a\u00a0few\u00a0sweet\u00a0words\u00a0along\u00a0with<\/p>\n
dinner weren\u2019t\u00a0going\u00a0to\u00a0change\u00a0that\u00a0right\u00a0now.\u00a0But\u00a0I\u00a0did appreciate the\u00a0sentiment.<\/p>\n
When\u00a0we\u00a0finished,\u00a0the\u00a0waiter returned\u00a0and\u00a0brought\u00a0us\u00a0dessert,\u00a0my\u00a0favorite\u00a0chocolate\u00a0mousse.\u00a0I\u00a0looked\u00a0up\u00a0at\u00a0Gavin,\u00a0who\u00a0was<\/p>\n
grinning\u00a0at\u00a0me\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0grabbed\u00a0his\u00a0spoon.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy\u00a0favorite\u00a0dessert,\u00a0too?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked\u00a0him,\u00a0narrowing\u00a0my\u00a0eyes.\u00a0\u201cYou\u00a0really\u00a0do\u00a0pay\u00a0attention.\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u00a0shrugged.<\/p>\n
\u201cActually,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0my\u00a0favorite\u00a0too,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0admitted.\u00a0\u201cThis\u00a0was\u00a0just\u00a0a\u00a0lucky\u00a0shot.\u201d<\/p>\n
We\u00a0ate,\u00a0and\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0time\u00a0we\u00a0finished,\u00a0the\u00a0waiter\u00a0returned to collect\u00a0our\u00a0things.\u00a0Everything\u00a0was\u00a0already\u00a0paid\u00a0for,\u00a0so\u00a0there\u00a0was\u00a0no bill\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0end\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0meal.\u00a0Gavin\u00a0stood\u00a0and\u00a0took\u00a0hold\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0hand,\u00a0pulling\u00a0me\u00a0to\u00a0my\u00a0feet.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome\u00a0with\u00a0me,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0said\u00a0softly,\u00a0tugging\u00a0me\u00a0along with\u00a0him.\u00a0I\u00a0followed\u00a0him\u00a0without\u00a0hesitation;\u00a0honestly,\u00a0I\u2019d\u00a0probably\u00a0follow<\/p>\n
him\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0end\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0earth.\u00a0My\u00a0wolf\u00a0was\u00a0practically\u00a0purring\u00a0in\u00a0contentment,\u00a0and it\u00a0made\u00a0me\u00a0smile\u00a0knowing\u00a0that\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0happy\u00a0in\u00a0our current\u00a0situation.<\/p>\n
We\u00a0got\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0back of\u00a0Erik\u2019s\u00a0car and we\u00a0drove\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0bit;\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0no\u00a0idea\u00a0where\u00a0we\u00a0were\u00a0going,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0excited\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0what\u00a0the<\/p>\n
next\u00a0surprise\u00a0was.\u00a0I\u00a0mentioned\u00a0when\u00a0we\u00a0reached\u00a0the\u00a0academy\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0graduated\u00a0a\u00a0few\u00a0weeks\u00a0ago.\u00a0I\u00a0looked\u00a0at\u00a0Gavin,\u00a0who<\/p>\n
was\u00a0only\u00a0grinning;\u00a0he\u00a0looked\u00a0relaxed,\u00a0and\u00a0my\u00a0heart\u00a0fluttered\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0sight\u00a0of\u00a0him.<\/p>\n
Erik\u00a0stopped\u00a0outside\u00a0the\u00a0school\u00a0entrance,\u00a0right\u00a0where\u00a0they\u00a0typically\u00a0dropped\u00a0me\u00a0off\u00a0and picked\u00a0me\u00a0up.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0was\u00a0surprised\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0that\u00a0Beta\u00a0Taylor\u00a0was\u00a0waiting\u00a0there,\u00a0and in\u00a0his\u00a0hands was\u00a0a\u00a0graduation\u00a0gown,\u00a0along with\u00a0a\u00a0hat.\u00a0My\u00a0heart<\/p>\n
stopped\u00a0beating\u00a0for\u00a0a moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cW\u2026what\u00a0is\u00a0this?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked,\u00a0my voice\u00a0coming\u00a0out\u00a0breathy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0messed\u00a0up,\u201d\u00a0Gavin\u00a0told\u00a0me.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0there\u00a0when\u00a0you needed\u00a0me.\u00a0You\u00a0graduated\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0academy,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0there\u00a0to\u00a0support\u00a0you.\u00a0Instead,\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0with\u00a0someone\u00a0else.\u00a0And\u00a0even\u00a0though\u00a0it\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0as\u00a0it seemed,\u00a0I\u00a0still\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0where\u00a0I\u00a0should\u00a0have\u00a0been.\u00a0I\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0exactly\u00a0rewind\u00a0time,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0can\u00a0make\u00a0things\u00a0right.\u00a0I\u00a0can\u00a0make\u00a0new\u00a0memories,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0want to\u00a0make\u00a0these\u00a0memories\u00a0with\u00a0you,\u00a0Judy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before I\u00a0could\u00a0reply,\u00a0Taylor\u00a0opened\u00a0the\u00a0car door\u00a0and\u00a0smiled\u00a0down\u00a0at\u00a0me.\u00a0He\u00a0looked\u00a0tired,\u00a0so\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0he\u00a0had\u00a0been\u00a0going through\u00a0a\u00a0lot\u00a0lately,\u00a0probably\u00a0more\u00a0than\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0comprehend.\u00a0But\u00a0the\u00a0fact\u00a0that\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0here,\u00a0helping\u00a0his\u00a0best\u00a0friend\u00a0and\u00a0Alpha,\u00a0meant\u00a0the\u00a0world\u00a0to\u00a0me.\u00a02<\/p>\n
\u201cHey,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said\u00a0to\u00a0him\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0stepped\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0car.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey,\u00a0yourself,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0replied,\u00a0putting\u00a0the\u00a0robe\u00a0around\u00a0my\u00a0body\u00a0and\u00a0placing the\u00a0hat on\u00a0my\u00a0head,\u00a0making\u00a0me\u00a0laugh.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is\u00a0crazy,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said,\u00a0turning\u00a0to\u00a0Gavin.\u00a0\u201cYou\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0have\u00a0to\u00a0have\u00a0a\u00a0pretend\u00a0graduation\u00a0for\u00a0me.\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u00a0winked\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0took\u00a0my hand\u00a0again.<\/p>\n
1\/2<\/p>\n
\u201cWho\u00a0said\u00a0anything\u00a0about\u00a0pretend?\u201d\u00a0He\u00a0asked,\u00a0guiding\u00a0me\u00a0through\u00a0the\u00a0school\u00a0entrance.\u00a0The\u00a0second\u00a0I\u00a0stepped\u00a0through,\u00a0my<\/p>\n
entire\u00a0body\u00a0froze.\u00a0My\u00a0jaw\u00a0slacked\u00a0and\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0grew\u00a0wide\u00a0as<\/p>\n
I\u00a0saw\u00a0the\u00a0smiling\u00a0faces\u00a0of\u00a0not\u00a0only\u00a0my\u00a0friends\u00a0and\u00a0family,\u00a0but\u00a0my\u00a0entire\u00a0graduating\u00a0class,\u00a0along\u00a0with their families,\u00a0and\u00a0all\u00a0our\u00a0professors\u00a0and\u00a0Dean\u00a0Rivers.\u00a05<\/p>\n
The\u00a0vast\u00a0space of\u00a0the\u00a0student\u00a0quad\u00a0was\u00a0set\u00a0up exactly\u00a0like\u00a0the\u00a0graduation\u00a0ceremony, and everybody\u00a0was\u00a0seated\u00a0in\u00a0their\u00a0seats<\/p>\n
like\u00a0they\u00a0were\u00a0the\u00a0first\u00a0time.\u00a0The\u00a0dean\u00a0was\u00a0standing on\u00a0stage,\u00a0her\u00a0smiling\u00a0face\u00a0shining\u00a0down\u00a0on\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd\u00a0here\u00a0is\u00a0our\u00a0guest\u00a0of\u00a0honor.\u00a0I\u00a0hope\u00a0you\u00a0can\u00a0remember\u00a0your speech,\u00a0Judy,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said,\u00a0speaking through\u00a0the\u00a0microphone.<\/p>\n
My\u00a0eyes\u00a0immediately\u00a0found\u00a0my\u00a0parents,\u00a0who\u00a0were\u00a0smiling\u00a0at\u00a0me,\u00a0tears\u00a0brimming\u00a0in\u00a0their\u00a0eyes.\u00a0Then\u00a0I\u00a0saw\u00a0my\u00a0best\u00a0friend\u00a0with\u00a0her\u00a0graduation\u00a0gown\u00a0and\u00a0cap\u00a0as well.\u00a0She\u00a0quickly\u00a0stood\u00a0and\u00a0rushed\u00a0towards me,\u00a0her\u00a0arms\u00a0outstretched.<\/p>\n
\u201cJudy!\u201d\u00a0She\u00a0squealed,\u00a0wrapping\u00a0me\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0arms.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0was\u00a0speechless.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0understand\u00a0what\u2019s\u00a0happening,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0whispered.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s\u00a0happening is\u00a0Alpha\u00a0Gavin\u00a0is making things right,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0told\u00a0me,\u00a0pulling\u00a0back\u00a0slightly.\u00a0\u201cAnd\u00a0giving\u00a0you\u00a0what\u00a0you\u00a0deserved\u00a0all\u00a0along.\u201d<\/p>\n
My\u00a0eyes\u00a0scanned\u00a0the\u00a0crowd,\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0I\u00a0spotted\u00a0Irene\u00a0and\u00a0Matt seated\u00a0towards\u00a0the\u00a0front\u00a0row,\u00a0both\u00a0of\u00a0whom\u00a0were\u00a0grinning\u00a0at<\/p>\n
me,\u00a0and\u00a0my\u00a0heart\u00a0swelled\u00a0to\u00a0not\u00a0only\u00a0see them\u00a0both\u00a0here,\u00a0but\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0them\u00a0together.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0turned\u00a0to\u00a0look\u00a0at\u00a0Gavin.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0did\u00a0all\u00a0this\u00a0for\u00a0me?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0whispered,\u00a0my\u00a0voice\u00a0coming\u00a0out\u00a0hoarse.<\/p>\n
He\u00a0stepped\u00a0closer,\u00a0cupping\u00a0my\u00a0face\u00a0in\u00a0his\u00a0hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d\u00a0do\u00a0anything\u00a0for\u00a0you,\u00a0Judy,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0told\u00a0me.\u00a0\u201cAnd\u00a0I\u2019m prepared\u00a0to\u00a0spend\u00a0the\u00a0rest\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0life\u00a0proving\u00a0that\u00a0to\u00a0you.\u00a0Because\u00a0the<\/p>\n
truth\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0matter\u00a0is\u2026\u00a0I\u00a0love\u00a0you.\u201d\u00a08<\/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 648 I\u00a0looked\u00a0up\u00a0at\u00a0him,\u00a0trying\u00a0to\u00a0analyze\u00a0his\u00a0face. \u201cWhy\u00a0the\u00a0sudden\u00a0surprises?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked\u00a0him.\u00a0\u201cWhy now?\u201d He\u00a0studied me\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0moment. \u201cI\u00a0realized\u00a0what\u00a0I\u00a0almost\u00a0lost.\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0blinked\u00a0at\u00a0him\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0reached\u00a0his\u00a0hand […]<\/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-21717","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\/21717","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=21717"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21717\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21717"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21717"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21717"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}