+25\u00a0BONUS<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a0762\u00a0<\/p>\n
Judy\u2019s\u00a0POV<\/p>\n
\u201cWell,\u00a0that\u00a0was\u00a0weird,\u201d\u00a0Nan\u00a0said,\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0following\u00a0Erik\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0disappeared\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0bathroom.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u00a0what\u00a0do\u00a0you\u00a0think\u00a0that\u00a0was\u00a0all\u00a0about?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked,\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0finding\u00a0Irene.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s\u00a0just\u00a0being\u00a0dramatic,\u201d\u00a0Irene\u00a0said,\u00a0rolling\u00a0her\u00a0eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve\u00a0never\u00a0seen\u00a0him\u00a0like\u00a0that\u00a0before,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0pointed\u00a0out,\u00a0raising\u00a0my\u00a0brows.\u00a0\u201cThat\u00a0boy\u00a0was on\u00a0a\u00a0serious\u00a0mission.\u201d<\/p>\n
Erik\u00a0returned\u00a0after\u00a0a\u00a0few\u00a0minutes\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0biggest\u00a0grin\u00a0on\u00a0his\u00a0face.\u00a0Just\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0sat\u00a0down,\u00a0Amelia\u00a0returned\u00a0to\u00a0take<\/p>\n
our\u00a0orders.\u00a0After\u00a0she\u00a0walked\u00a0away,\u00a0taking\u00a0our\u00a0menus\u00a0with\u00a0her,\u00a0we\u00a0all\u00a0turned\u00a0to\u00a0Erik\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0same\u00a0time.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay,\u00a0spill\u00a0it.\u00a0What\u00a0are\u00a0you\u00a0up\u00a0to?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0say,\u00a0narrowing my\u00a0eyes\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0gamma who\u00a0had\u00a0become\u00a0one\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0closest<\/p>\n
friends.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo\u00a0my\u00a0buddy,\u00a0who\u00a0I\u00a0went\u00a0to the\u00a0academy\u00a0with,\u00a0happens\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0Alpha\u00a0Jeremy\u2019s\u00a0head\u00a0gamma,\u00a0Raul,\u201d\u00a0Erik\u00a0said,\u00a0making\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0widen.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0called\u00a0him\u00a0to see\u00a0if\u00a0he\u00a0could\u00a0come\u00a0up\u00a0with\u00a0some\u00a0excuse\u00a0as\u00a0to\u00a0why\u00a0Alpha Gavin\u00a0would\u00a0need\u00a0to\u00a0go\u00a0to\u00a0their\u00a0territory.\u00a0Turns\u00a0out,\u00a0this\u00a0weekend\u00a0is\u00a0Alpha\u00a0Jeremy\u2019s annual\u00a0masquerade.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve\u00a0heard\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0masquerade,\u00a0but\u00a0he\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0usually\u00a0invite\u00a0other Lycans,\u201d\u00a0Irene\u00a0said,\u00a0frowning.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot\u00a0yet,\u201d\u00a0Erik\u00a0said\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0sly\u00a0grin.\u00a0\u201cBut\u00a0after\u00a0Raul\u00a0speaks\u00a0to\u00a0him,\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0thinking\u00a0that\u00a0might\u00a0change\u00a0this\u00a0year.\u00a0I<\/p>\n
told\u00a0him\u00a0I\u2019ll\u00a0need\u00a0at\u00a0least\u00a0four\u00a0invites\u00a0with\u00a0plus\u00a0ones.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd\u00a0who\u00a0would\u00a0be\u00a0included\u00a0in\u00a0this\u00a0trip?\u201d\u00a0Nan\u00a0asked,\u00a0staring\u00a0between\u00a0us.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll\u00a0of\u00a0us,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said\u00a0without\u00a0hesitation.\u00a0\u201cObviously,\u00a0I\u2019d\u00a0be\u00a0Gavin\u2019s\u00a0plus\u00a0one\u2026\u00a0you\u2019d\u00a0be\u00a0Chesters,\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0a\u00a0ticket\u00a0for\u00a0Irene\u00a0and\u00a0Erik\u00a0would\u00a0just\u00a0go\u00a0solo.\u00a0Boom,\u00a0four\u00a0tickets.\u201d<\/p>\n
Erik\u00a0nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cExactly,\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo\u00a0you\u00a0really\u00a0think\u00a0my\u00a0father\u00a0would\u00a0go\u00a0for\u00a0that?\u00a0What\u00a0if\u00a0he\u00a0declines\u00a0the\u00a0invitation?\u201d\u00a0Irene\u00a0asked,\u00a0folding\u00a0her<\/p>\n
arms\u00a0across\u00a0her\u00a0chest.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0hurt\u00a0to\u00a0try,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0stated\u00a0calmly.\u00a0\u201cI\u2019ll\u00a0talk\u00a0to\u00a0him\u00a0once\u00a0we\u00a0get\u00a0the\u00a0invites,\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0we\u00a0will\u00a0go\u00a0from<\/p>\n
there.\u201d<\/p>\n
1\/3<\/p>\n
12:25\u00a0PM\u00a0Fri\u00a03\u00a0Oct<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a0762<\/p>\n
88%<\/p>\n
+25\u00a0BONUS<\/p>\n
They\u00a0all looked\u00a0at\u00a0me\u00a0questionably;\u00a0Irene\u00a0nibbled\u00a0on\u00a0her lower\u00a0lip\u00a0nervously.\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0nervous\u00a0about\u00a0what\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0about\u00a0to\u00a0find\u00a0out\u00a0when\u00a0it\u00a0came\u00a0to\u00a0her\u00a0mate.\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0think\u00a0that\u00a0her\u00a0true\u00a0mate\u00a0was\u00a0stepping\u00a0out\u00a0on\u00a0her,\u00a0but\u00a0none\u00a0of\u00a0it\u00a0made\u00a0sense.\u00a0I\u00a0would\u00a0think\u00a0he\u2019d\u00a0do\u00a0anything\u00a0in\u00a0his\u00a0power\u00a0to\u00a0make\u00a0sure\u00a0Irene\u00a0was\u00a0closer<\/p>\n
to\u00a0him.\u00a0Gavin\u00a0would\u00a0never\u00a0let\u00a0me\u00a0live\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0different\u00a0territory,\u00a0and\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0already\u00a0proved\u00a0that\u00a0to\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
Irene\u00a0deserved\u00a0the\u00a0same\u00a0treatment\u00a0from\u00a0her\u00a0mate,\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0fact\u00a0that\u00a0she\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0getting\u00a0it\u00a0made\u00a0my\u00a0heart\u00a0ache<\/p>\n
for\u00a0her.\u00a0I\u00a0would\u00a0do\u00a0anything\u00a0to\u00a0put\u00a0that\u00a0smile\u00a0back\u00a0on\u00a0her\u00a0face\u00a0again,\u00a0and\u00a0if\u00a0that\u00a0meant\u00a0traveling\u00a0halfway\u00a0across<\/p>\n
the\u00a0world,\u00a0then\u00a0I\u2019d\u00a0do\u00a0it.<\/p>\n
Gavin\u2019s\u00a0POV<\/p>\n
I\u00a0furrowed\u00a0my\u00a0brows\u00a0when\u00a0I\u00a0stared\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0invitation\u00a0on\u00a0my\u00a0computer\u00a0screen.\u00a0Jeremy\u2019s\u00a0Masquerade?\u00a0He\u00a0held\u00a0the<\/p>\n
same\u00a0masquerade\u00a0ball\u00a0every\u00a0year,\u00a0and\u00a0not\u00a0once\u00a0had\u00a0he\u00a0ever\u00a0invited\u00a0another\u00a0Lycan\u00a0to\u00a0this\u00a0event.\u00a0It\u00a0was\u00a0for\u00a0his<\/p>\n
territory\u00a0and\u00a0his\u00a0territory\u00a0alone.\u00a0It\u00a0was\u00a0his way\u00a0of\u00a0giving\u00a0back\u00a0to\u00a0a\u00a0community\u00a0that\u00a0had\u00a0done\u00a0so\u00a0much\u00a0for\u00a0him.<\/p>\n
We\u00a0had\u00a0our\u00a0own\u00a0events\u00a0like\u00a0that\u00a0as\u00a0well,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0respected\u00a0Jeremy\u00a0for\u00a0doing\u00a0the\u00a0same.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0had\u00a0no\u00a0bad\u00a0blood with\u00a0Jeremy\u2026\u00a0or\u00a0even\u00a0Mica\u00a0for\u00a0that\u00a0matter\u2026\u00a0like\u00a0I\u00a0did\u00a0with\u00a0Levi.\u00a0I\u00a0wondered\u00a0why\u00a0there\u00a0had<\/p>\n
been\u00a0a\u00a0sudden\u00a0change\u00a0of\u00a0heart.<\/p>\n
\u201c4\u00a0invitations?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said\u00a0softly.\u00a0\u201cWhy\u00a04?\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0would\u00a0have\u00a0thought\u00a0maybe\u00a0I\u00a0received\u00a0this\u00a0invite\u00a0by\u00a0mistake,\u00a0but\u00a0my\u00a0name\u00a0was\u00a0front\u00a0and\u00a0center.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0pressed\u00a0the\u00a0intercom\u00a0button,\u00a0hearing\u00a0it\u00a0crackle\u00a0to\u00a0life.<\/p>\n
\u201cElana,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0called\u00a0my\u00a0receptionist\u00a0downstairs.\u00a0\u201cWhat\u2019s\u00a0my\u00a0schedule\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0weekend?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0have\u00a0that\u00a0meeting\u00a0with\u00a0Alpha\u00a0Sampson\u00a0on\u00a0Friday.\u00a0Other\u00a0than\u00a0that,\u00a0your\u00a0weekend\u00a0is\u00a0free,\u00a0Alpha,\u201d\u00a0she<\/p>\n
replied\u00a0immediately.<\/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 762 +25\u00a0BONUS Chapter\u00a0762\u00a0 Judy\u2019s\u00a0POV \u201cWell,\u00a0that\u00a0was\u00a0weird,\u201d\u00a0Nan\u00a0said,\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0following\u00a0Erik\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0disappeared\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0bathroom. \u201cYeah,\u00a0what\u00a0do\u00a0you\u00a0think\u00a0that\u00a0was\u00a0all\u00a0about?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked,\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0finding\u00a0Irene. \u201cHe\u2019s\u00a0just\u00a0being\u00a0dramatic,\u201d\u00a0Irene\u00a0said,\u00a0rolling\u00a0her\u00a0eyes. […]<\/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-21831","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\/21831","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=21831"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21831\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21831"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21831"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21831"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}