Chapter\u00a0660\u00a0<\/p>\n
Judy\u2019s\u00a0POV<\/p>\n
When\u00a0I\u00a0came\u00a0downstairs,\u00a0Nan\u00a0was\u00a0waiting\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0front\u00a0parlor,\u00a0scrolling\u00a0through\u00a0her\u00a0phone.\u00a0She\u00a0looked\u00a0up\u00a0when\u00a0she\u00a0heard\u00a0me\u00a0approaching,\u00a0and\u00a0a\u00a0soft\u00a0smile\u00a0spread\u00a0across\u00a0her\u00a0face.\u00a0She\u00a0looked\u00a0me\u00a0over\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0moment,\u00a0an\u00a0approving\u00a0look\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0eyes.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0was\u00a0wearing\u00a0waist\u2013high\u00a0jeans that\u00a0hugged\u00a0my\u00a0legs\u00a0tightly,\u00a0showing\u00a0off\u00a0my\u00a0curves,\u00a0and\u00a0a white\u00a0crop\u00a0top\u00a0that\u00a0rested\u00a0just\u00a0below\u00a0my\u00a0breasts.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0look\u00a0hot,\u201d\u00a0Nan\u00a0said,\u00a0wiggling\u00a0her\u00a0brows\u00a0and\u00a0making\u00a0me\u00a0laugh.\u00a0I\u00a0shake\u00a0my\u00a0head\u00a0at\u00a0her\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0grab\u00a0my\u00a0purse\u00a0off\u00a0the\u00a0counter.<\/p>\n
Soon,\u00a0I\u00a0won\u2019t\u00a0be\u00a0able\u00a0to\u00a0wear\u00a0this\u00a0stuff.\u00a0I\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0told\u00a0Nan\u00a0about\u00a0my\u00a0pregnancy\u00a0yet,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0sure\u00a0when\u00a0the\u00a0right\u00a0time\u00a0would\u00a0be.\u00a0Nan\u00a0followed\u00a0after\u00a0me\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0made\u00a0my\u00a0way\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0front\u00a0door.\u00a0When\u00a0I\u00a0pulled\u00a0it\u00a0open,\u00a0I\u00a0paused\u00a0when\u00a0I\u00a0saw\u00a0Erik\u00a0standing\u00a0outside.\u00a0I\u00a0frowned\u00a0and\u00a0folded\u00a0my\u00a0arms\u00a0across\u00a0my\u00a0chest.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid\u00a0he\u00a0have\u00a0you\u00a0stand\u00a0guard?\u00a0Like\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0afraid\u00a0I\u2019d\u00a0take\u00a0off\u00a0without\u00a0you?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked,\u00a0narrowing\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0at\u00a0him.\u00a02\u00a0<\/p>\n
He\u00a0shrugged,\u00a0giving\u00a0me\u00a0a\u00a0boyish\u00a0grin.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0know\u00a0Alpha\u00a0Landry\u00a0just\u00a0worries,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0told\u00a0me.\u00a0\u201cHe\u00a0always\u00a0has.\u00a0Besides,\u00a0it\u00a0could\u00a0be\u00a0worse.\u00a0You\u00a0could\u00a0be\u00a0stuck\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0different\u00a0Gamma.\u00a0At\u00a0least\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0your\u00a0friend.\u201d\u00a01<\/p>\n
I\u00a0tried\u00a0my\u00a0best\u00a0to\u00a0roll\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0and\u00a0appear\u00a0unaffected,\u00a0but\u00a0if\u00a0I\u00a0were\u00a0to\u00a0say\u00a0I\u00a0wished\u00a0it\u00a0were\u00a0someone\u00a0else,\u00a0that\u00a0would\u00a0be\u00a0a\u00a0lie,\u00a0I\u00a0liked\u00a0Erik;\u00a0he\u00a0had\u00a0become\u00a0my\u00a0friend\u00a0over\u00a0the\u00a0last\u00a0couple\u00a0of\u00a0years.\u00a0He\u00a0was\u00a0someone\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0trust,\u00a0and\u00a0plus,\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0great\u00a0company\u00a0when\u00a0it\u00a0came\u00a0down\u00a0to\u00a0it.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey,\u00a0Erik,\u201d\u00a0Nan\u00a0said\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0stepped\u00a0past\u00a0him\u00a0and\u00a0walked towards\u00a0the\u00a0waiting\u00a0car.<\/p>\n
\u201cSp,\u00a0Nan,\u201d\u00a0Erik\u00a0said\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0wink\u00a0before\u00a0looking\u00a0back\u00a0at\u00a0me.\u00a0\u201cHe\u00a0just\u00a0cares\u00a0about\u00a0you,\u00a0Judy.\u00a0Plus,\u00a0I\u00a0have\u00a0a\u00a0feeling\u00a0you\u00a0are\u00a0going\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0our\u00a0Luna\u00a0soon,\u00a0and\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0common\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0Luna\u00a0to\u00a0have\u00a0her\u00a0own\u00a0personal\u00a0bodyguard.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0narrowed\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0at\u00a0him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m\u00a0also\u00a0a\u00a0Gamma\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0can\u00a0handle\u00a0myself,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0him\u00a0firmly.\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0just\u00a0being stubborn.\u00a0In\u00a0all\u00a0reality,\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0grateful\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0Erik\u00a0around.\u00a0Now\u00a0that\u00a0my\u00a0body was\u00a0softer\u00a0than\u00a0it\u00a0normally\u00a0was\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0carrying\u00a0a\u00a0baby\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0belly,\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0so\u00a0sure\u00a0if\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0handle\u00a0myself\u00a0if\u00a0things\u00a0went\u00a0south.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe\u00a0so,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0said\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0shrug.\u00a0\u201cThen\u00a0think\u00a0of\u00a0me\u00a0as\u00a0your\u00a0partner.\u00a0Even\u00a0the\u00a0strongest\u00a0Gamma\u00a0could\u00a0use\u00a0some\u00a0backup\u00a0once\u00a0in<\/p>\n
a\u00a0while.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0studied\u00a0him\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0moment;\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0just\u00a0doing\u00a0his\u00a0job,\u00a0and\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0very\u00a0good\u00a0at\u00a0his\u00a0job,\u00a0or\u00a0else\u00a0Gavin\u00a0would\u00a0have\u00a0fired\u00a0him\u00a0a\u00a0long\u00a0time\u00a0ago.\u00a0Even\u00a0when\u00a0he\u00a0thought\u00a0that\u00a0Erik\u00a0was\u00a0into\u00a0me,\u00a0he\u00a0still\u00a0kept\u00a0him\u00a0around\u00a0because\u00a0Erik\u00a0was\u00a0the\u00a0best\u00a0at\u00a0what\u00a0he\u00a0did.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re\u00a0right,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0finally\u00a0relented.\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m\u00a0just\u00a0being\u00a0difficult.\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u00a0was\u00a0these\u00a0damn\u00a0pregnancy\u00a0hormones;\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0making\u00a0me\u00a0all\u00a0sorts\u00a0of\u00a0crazy.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0not\u00a0like\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0tell\u00a0Erik\u00a0that\u00a0detail,\u00a0though,\u00a0so\u00a0I\u00a0just\u00a0walked\u00a0past\u00a0him\u00a0and\u00a0followed\u00a0Nan to\u00a0the\u00a0car.\u00a0We\u00a0both\u00a0got\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0backseat\u00a0while\u00a0Erik\u00a0got\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0front\u00a0driver\u2019s\u00a0seat.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo,\u00a0where\u00a0to?\u201d\u00a0He\u00a0asked,\u00a0glancing\u00a0at\u00a0me\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0rearview\u00a0mirror.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe\u00a0Redmoon\u00a0Packhouse.\u00a0We\u00a0are\u00a0meeting\u00a0my\u00a0parents\u00a0there,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0him.<\/p>\n
He\u00a0nodded\u00a0and\u00a0threw\u00a0the\u00a0car\u00a0into\u00a0drive.\u00a0Nan\u00a0was\u00a0scrolling\u00a0through\u00a0her\u00a0phone\u00a0as\u00a0the\u00a0car\u00a0moved\u00a0forward,\u00a0and\u00a0when\u00a0I\u00a0glanced\u00a0at\u00a0her\u00a0screen,\u00a0I\u00a0smiled.\u00a0She\u00a0was\u00a0looking\u00a0through\u00a0the\u00a0photos\u00a0she\u00a0took\u00a0of\u00a0Emalyn,\u00a0a\u00a0small\u00a0smile\u00a0placed\u00a0on\u00a0her\u00a0face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0believe\u00a0you\u00a0are\u00a0a\u00a0mom\u00a0now,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0her,\u00a0nudging\u00a0her\u00a0lightly\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0shoulder.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0glanced\u00a0at\u00a0me,\u00a0a\u00a0flush\u00a0to\u00a0her\u00a0cheeks,\u00a0which\u00a0oddly\u00a0enough\u00a0made\u00a0her\u00a0look\u00a0younger.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u00a0still\u00a0feels\u00a0unreal,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0admitted.\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m\u00a0not\u00a0entirely\u00a0sure\u00a0what\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0doing\u00a0yet.\u00a0But\u00a0Chester\u00a0is\u00a0so\u00a0good\u00a0at\u00a0being\u00a0a\u00a0dad.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0like\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0born\u00a0for\u00a0that\u00a0role.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a0660<\/p>\n
+25\u00a0BONUS\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ll\u00a0get\u00a0good,\u00a0too,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0assured\u00a0her.\u00a0\u201cYou\u2019re\u00a0new\u00a0at\u00a0this,\u00a0and\u00a0honestly,\u00a0we\u00a0never\u00a0even\u00a0talked about\u00a0it\u00a0before.\u00a0We\u2019ve\u00a0been\u00a0friends\u00a0forever,\u00a0and\u00a0yet,\u00a0I\u00a0have\u00a0no\u00a0idea\u00a0if\u00a0you\u00a0even\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0a\u00a0mom.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She\u00a0nibbled\u00a0on\u00a0her\u00a0lower\u00a0lip,\u00a0her\u00a0cheeks\u00a0growing\u00a0redder.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0always\u00a0wanted\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0a mom,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0admitted.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0wanted\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0a\u00a0better\u00a0mom\u00a0than\u00a0the\u00a0mom\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0had.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nan\u2019s\u00a0mom\u00a0died\u00a0when\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0teenager,\u00a0and\u00a0from\u00a0what\u00a0I\u00a0remember\u00a0and\u00a0from\u00a0what\u00a0Nan had\u00a0told\u00a0me,\u00a0she\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0a\u00a0very\u00a0good\u00a0Mom.\u00a0I\u00a0remembered\u00a0attending\u00a0Nan\u2019s\u00a014(th)\u00a0birthday\u00a0party,\u00a0and\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0so\u00a0excited\u00a0to\u00a0have\u00a0her\u00a0entire\u00a0family\u00a0together\u00a0to\u00a0celebrate\u00a0her.\u00a0Later\u00a0that\u00a0night,\u00a0I\u00a0stayed\u00a0with\u00a0her\u00a0while\u00a0she\u00a0cried\u00a0because\u00a0her\u00a0mom\u00a0never\u00a0showed\u00a0up.\u00a0She\u00a0never\u00a0even\u00a0sent\u00a0her\u00a0a\u00a0happy\u00a0birthday\u00a0text,\u00a0which\u00a0gutted\u00a0her\u00a0even\u00a0more.\u00a0A\u00a0few\u00a0weeks\u00a0later,\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0sent\u00a0an\u00a0expensive\u00a0diamond\u00a0bracelet\u00a0from\u00a0her\u00a0mother\u00a0as\u00a0a\u00a0late\u00a0birthday\u00a0present.<\/p>\n
Nan\u00a0pretended\u00a0that\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0okay\u00a0after\u00a0that,\u00a0and\u00a0she\u00a0wore\u00a0the\u00a0bracelet\u00a0every\u00a0single\u00a0day.\u00a0But\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0her\u00a0better\u00a0than\u00a0that;\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0the\u00a0sadness\u00a0that\u00a0lingered\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0heartbreak\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0facing\u00a0daily\u00a0because\u00a0of\u00a0her\u00a0own\u00a0mother.<\/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 660 Chapter\u00a0660\u00a0 Judy\u2019s\u00a0POV When\u00a0I\u00a0came\u00a0downstairs,\u00a0Nan\u00a0was\u00a0waiting\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0front\u00a0parlor,\u00a0scrolling\u00a0through\u00a0her\u00a0phone.\u00a0She\u00a0looked\u00a0up\u00a0when\u00a0she\u00a0heard\u00a0me\u00a0approaching,\u00a0and\u00a0a\u00a0soft\u00a0smile\u00a0spread\u00a0across\u00a0her\u00a0face.\u00a0She\u00a0looked\u00a0me\u00a0over\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0moment,\u00a0an\u00a0approving\u00a0look\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0eyes. I\u00a0was\u00a0wearing\u00a0waist\u2013high\u00a0jeans that\u00a0hugged\u00a0my\u00a0legs\u00a0tightly,\u00a0showing\u00a0off\u00a0my\u00a0curves,\u00a0and\u00a0a white\u00a0crop\u00a0top\u00a0that\u00a0rested\u00a0just\u00a0below\u00a0my\u00a0breasts. […]<\/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-21729","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\/21729","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=21729"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21729\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21729"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21729"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21729"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}