Chapter\u00a0751\u00a0<\/p>\n
Judy\u2019s\u00a0POV<\/p>\n
+15\u00a0BONUS\u00a0<\/p>\n
The\u00a0chatter\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0dining\u00a0hall\u00a0faded\u00a0the\u00a0further\u00a0we\u00a0walked.\u00a0Leaving\u00a0Gavin\u00a0behind\u00a0was\u00a0difficult,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0would\u00a0be\u00a0lying\u00a0if I\u00a0said\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0curious\u00a0as\u00a0to\u00a0what\u00a0secrets\u00a0his\u00a0manor\u00a0held.\u00a0This\u00a0whole\u00a0place\u00a0was\u00a0like\u00a0an\u00a0urban\u00a0legend\u00a0to\u00a0most,\u00a0so\u00a0being\u00a0here\u00a0piqued\u00a0my\u00a0interest\u00a0more\u00a0than anything.<\/p>\n
Esme,\u00a0the\u00a0grandmother,\u00a0had\u00a0recently\u00a0come\u00a0to\u00a0me\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0dreams.\u00a0She\u00a0kept\u00a0staring\u00a0at\u00a0me\u00a0throughout\u00a0the\u00a0dinner,\u00a0and\u00a0she\u00a0spoke\u00a0no\u00a0words.\u00a0Apparently,\u00a0she\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0spoken\u00a0in\u00a0years,\u00a0and\u00a0yet\u00a0she\u00a0spoke\u00a0to\u00a0me\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0sleep.\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0without\u00a0a\u00a0doubt\u00a0that\u00a0it\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0just\u00a0a\u00a0dream,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0entirely\u00a0sure\u00a0how\u00a0to\u00a0explain\u00a0this\u00a0to\u00a0Gavin.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0knew\u00a0whatever\u00a0was\u00a0happening,\u00a0whatever\u00a0it\u00a0meant,\u00a0I\u00a0would\u00a0find\u00a0the\u00a0answers\u00a0somewhere\u00a0in this\u00a0manor.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0carry yourself\u00a0well,\u00a0my\u00a0dear,\u201d\u00a0Selen\u2019s\u00a0voice,\u00a0low\u00a0and\u00a0smooth,\u00a0brought\u00a0me\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0head\u00a0and\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0present\u00a0moment.\u00a0\u201cMot\u00a0would\u00a0tremble\u00a0under\u00a0so\u00a0many\u00a0eyes.\u00a0But\u00a0not\u00a0you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0forced\u00a0a\u00a0smile.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve\u00a0faced\u00a0worse.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her\u00a0lips\u00a0curved.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0was\u00a0very\u00a0beautiful,\u00a0more\u00a0so\u00a0than\u00a0her\u00a0pictures.\u00a0It\u00a0was\u00a0almost\u00a0intimidating\u00a0to\u00a0look\u00a0at\u00a0her.\u00a0I\u00a0felt\u00a0like\u00a0I\u00a0should\u00a0bow\u00a0or\u00a0curtsy\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0presence.\u00a0I\u00a0dismissed the\u00a0thought\u00a0because\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0not\u00a0like\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0royalty\u00a0or\u00a0anything.\u00a0Even\u00a0if\u00a0that\u00a0were\u00a0the\u00a0case,\u00a0Gavin\u00a0held more\u00a0power\u00a0than\u00a0the\u00a0Blackwell\u00a0family,\u00a0despite\u00a0the\u00a0literal\u00a0power\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0Blackwell\u00a0blood.<\/p>\n
Her\u00a0expression\u00a0grew thoughtful\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0seem\u00a0almost\u00a0familiar,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0suddenly\u00a0said.\u00a0\u201cLike\u00a0a\u00a0name\u00a0I\u00a0should\u00a0remember,\u00a0but\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0just\u00a0beyond\u00a0reach.\u201d<\/p>\n
Something\u00a0in\u00a0me stirred\u2013not\u00a0my\u00a0wolf,\u00a0not\u00a0the\u00a0mate\u00a0bond,\u00a0but\u00a0something\u00a0older,\u00a0stranger.\u00a0It was\u00a0the\u00a0same\u00a0pull\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0felt\u00a0when\u00a0Esme\u2019s\u00a0pale\u00a0eyes\u00a0refused\u00a0to\u00a0leave\u00a0me.\u00a0It\u00a0was\u00a0as\u00a0though\u00a0threads\u00a0I\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0see\u00a0tightened\u00a0around\u00a0my\u00a0ribs,\u00a0binding\u00a0me\u00a0closer\u00a0to\u00a0this\u00a0family\u2026\u00a0to\u00a0this\u00a0manor.<\/p>\n
\u201cPerhaps\u00a0we\u00a0met\u00a0in\u00a0another\u00a0life,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0tried\u00a0to\u00a0joke,\u00a0though\u00a0the\u00a0words\u00a0fell\u00a0flat\u00a0on my\u00a0lips.<\/p>\n
Selene\u2019s\u00a0fingers\u00a0grazed\u00a0my\u00a0arm,\u00a0deliberately.<\/p>\n
\u201cPerhaps,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0murmured,\u00a0her\u00a0smile\u00a0never\u00a0fading,\u00a0but\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0glowed\u00a0with\u00a0something\u00a0sharper\u00a0than\u00a0fondness.\u00a0\u201cBlood\u00a0remembers,\u00a0even\u00a0when\u00a0the\u00a0mind\u00a0does\u00a0not.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0held\u00a0her\u00a0gaze\u00a0for\u00a0what\u00a0felt\u00a0like\u00a0an\u00a0eternity;\u00a0a familiarity\u00a0in\u00a0them\u00a0that\u00a0not\u00a0only\u00a0called\u00a0to me,\u00a0but\u00a0my\u00a0wolf\u00a0as\u00a0well.\u00a0I\u00a0opened\u00a0my\u00a0mouth\u00a0to\u00a0say\u00a0something,\u00a0but\u00a0was\u00a0interrupted\u00a0by\u00a0Lila,\u00a0who\u00a0appeared\u00a0around\u00a0the<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 751<\/p>\n
+15\u00a0BONUS\u00a0<\/p>\n
corner,\u00a0wheeling\u00a0Esme.<\/p>\n
\u201cAm\u00a0I\u00a0missing\u00a0a\u00a0girl\u00a0chat?\u201d\u00a0Lila\u00a0asked,\u00a0a\u00a0glimmer\u00a0of\u00a0something\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0eyes.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0must\u00a0say,\u00a0Judy,\u00a0you are\u00a0much\u00a0prettier\u00a0in\u00a0person.\u2018<\/p>\n
\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She\u00a0was\u00a0pretending\u00a0she\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0know\u00a0me;\u00a0she\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0want her\u00a0family\u00a0to\u00a0know\u00a0that\u00a0we\u2019d\u00a0met\u00a0before.\u00a0Which\u00a0means,\u00a0they\u00a0weren\u2019t\u00a0the\u00a0ones\u00a0who\u00a0sent\u00a0her to\u00a0Gavin.\u00a0I\u00a0wondered\u00a0what\u00a0her\u00a0involvement\u00a0with\u00a0Levi\u00a0entailed\u00a0and\u00a0how\u00a0they\u00a0ended\u00a0up\u00a0together.\u00a0I\u00a0wondered\u00a0if\u00a0they\u00a0were still\u00a0in\u00a0contact\u00a0or\u00a0if\u00a0the\u00a0Blackwells\u00a0even knew<\/p>\n
about\u00a0it.<\/p>\n
Lila\u2019s\u00a0connection\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0Blackwells\u00a0confused\u00a0me;\u00a0she didn\u2019t\u00a0look\u00a0a\u00a0thing\u00a0like\u00a0them.\u00a0While\u00a0they\u00a0all\u00a0had\u00a0dark\u00a0hair,\u00a0Lila\u00a0had\u00a0blonde\u00a0hair.\u00a0She\u00a0also\u00a0had\u00a0bright\u00a0blue\u00a0eyes,\u00a0while\u00a0Selene\u00a0had\u00a0bright\u00a0green\u00a0eyes,\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0others\u00a0had\u00a0dark\u00a0blue\u00a0eyes.\u00a0Of course,\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0how\u00a0genetics\u00a0worked,\u00a0but\u00a0something\u00a0about\u00a0it\u00a0all\u00a0seemed\u00a0off.<\/p>\n
It\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0just\u00a0their\u00a0looks;\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0also\u00a0their\u00a0scent.\u00a0My wolf\u00a0felt uneasy,\u00a0and\u00a0I couldn\u2019t\u00a0blame her.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0stared\u00a0down\u00a0at\u00a0Esme,\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0never\u00a0wavering.\u00a0It\u00a0was\u00a0as\u00a0if\u00a0she\u00a0were\u00a0peeling\u00a0back\u00a0my\u00a0skin\u00a0and\u00a0seeing\u00a0something\u00a0I\u00a0couldn\u2019t.\u00a0My\u00a0wolf\u00a0shifted\u00a0uneasily,\u00a0ears\u00a0flattening.\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0the\u00a0strangest\u00a0sensation\u00a0that\u00a0she\u00a0knew\u00a0me\u00a0better\u00a0than\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0myself.<\/p>\n
Her\u00a0lips\u00a0didn\u2019t move.\u00a0She\u00a0made\u00a0no\u00a0sound.\u00a0Yet,\u00a0in\u00a0that silence\u00a0of\u00a0that\u00a0corridor,\u00a0her presence\u00a0read.<\/p>\n
Blood\u00a0calls\u00a0to\u00a0blood.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0words\u00a0weren\u2019t\u00a0spoken,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0felt\u00a0them.\u00a0Inside\u00a0me.\u00a0Around\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
Lila\u00a0leaned\u00a0casually\u00a0against\u00a0the\u00a0wall,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0noticed\u00a0the\u00a0way\u00a0her\u00a0fingers\u00a0drummed\u00a0against\u00a0the\u00a0handle\u00a0of\u00a0Esme\u2019s\u00a0chair.\u00a0Restless\u00a0and\u00a0uneasy.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ll\u00a0get\u00a0used\u00a0to\u00a0her\u00a0staring,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said\u00a0lightly.\u00a0\u201cGrandma\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0blink\u00a0much\u00a0anymore.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0unnerving\u00a0if\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0not\u00a0family.\u201d<\/p>\n
Selene\u2019s\u00a0gaze\u00a0softened\u00a0as she\u00a0turned\u00a0to\u00a0her\u00a0daughter.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow\u00a0about\u00a0you\u00a0take\u00a0Esme\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0patio\u00a0for\u00a0some\u00a0fresh\u00a0air?\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0suggested.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0not\u00a0good\u00a0for\u00a0her\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0cooped\u00a0up\u00a0inside\u00a0all\u00a0day.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf\u00a0course,\u00a0Mother,\u201d\u00a0Lila\u00a0said\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0smile\u00a0of\u00a0her\u00a0own.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0truly\u00a0good\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0home\u00a0again.\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0missed\u00a0you<\/p>\n
dearly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lila\u00a0pecked\u00a0her\u00a0mother\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0cheek\u00a0before\u00a0she\u00a0turned\u00a0and walked\u00a0off,\u00a0wheeling\u00a0Esme\u00a0away\u00a0as\u00a0well.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0seem\u00a0to\u00a0pull my\u00a0gaze\u00a0away,\u00a0my\u00a0heart\u00a0thrumming\u00a0violently\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0chest.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre\u00a0you\u00a0all\u00a0right?\u201d\u00a0Selene\u00a0asked,\u00a0drawing\u00a0my\u00a0attention\u00a0back\u00a0to\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u00a0sorry,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said,\u00a0shaking\u00a0my\u00a0head\u00a0to\u00a0clear\u00a0my\u00a0thoughts.\u00a0\u201cEsme\u2026\u00a0she\u2019s\u00a0Zachary\u2019s\u00a0mother?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ruby is a master of holiday romance and slow-burn love stories that warm the heart like a crackling fire. Her novels weave festive magic with lingering glances and tender moments, drawing readers into cozy worlds where love unfolds one snowflake at a time. Off the page, she\u2019s baking cookies and dreaming under twinkling lights.<\/p>\n
We Built a Kingdom From Ashes That Still Remembered Love by Aila Frost 751 Chapter\u00a0751\u00a0 Judy\u2019s\u00a0POV +15\u00a0BONUS\u00a0 The\u00a0chatter\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0dining\u00a0hall\u00a0faded\u00a0the\u00a0further\u00a0we\u00a0walked.\u00a0Leaving\u00a0Gavin\u00a0behind\u00a0was\u00a0difficult,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0would\u00a0be\u00a0lying\u00a0if I\u00a0said\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0curious\u00a0as\u00a0to\u00a0what\u00a0secrets\u00a0his\u00a0manor\u00a0held.\u00a0This\u00a0whole\u00a0place\u00a0was\u00a0like\u00a0an\u00a0urban\u00a0legend\u00a0to\u00a0most,\u00a0so\u00a0being\u00a0here\u00a0piqued\u00a0my\u00a0interest\u00a0more\u00a0than anything. […]<\/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-21820","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\/21820","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=21820"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21820\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21820"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21820"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21820"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}