Chapter\u00a0772\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd\u00a0I\u00a0suppose\u00a0this\u00a0is\u00a0the\u00a0rest\u00a0of\u00a0your\u00a0lovely\u00a0family?\u201d\u00a0Jeremy\u00a0asked,\u00a0peeking\u00a0around\u00a0us\u00a0to\u00a0look\u00a0at\u00a0the<\/p>\n
others.<\/p>\n
Gavin\u00a0stepped\u00a0aside.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis\u00a0is\u00a0my\u00a0daughter,\u00a0Irene,\u00a0and\u00a0son\u00a0Matthew,\u201d\u00a0Gavin\u00a0introduced.\u00a0\u201cThis\u00a0is\u00a0my\u00a0Beta,\u00a0Taylor,\u00a0and\u00a0his\u00a0mate,\u00a0Eliza.\u00a0She\u2019s\u00a0also\u00a0our\u00a0pack\u00a0doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh\u00a0yes,\u00a0I\u00a0know\u00a0Eliza.\u00a0She\u2019s\u00a0helped\u00a0out\u00a0at\u00a0this\u00a0pack\u00a0more\u00a0times\u00a0than\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0count,\u201d\u00a0Jeremy\u00a0said,\u00a0nodding\u00a0at\u00a0Eliza,\u00a0who\u00a0looked\u00a0a\u00a0bit\u00a0sheepish\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0compliment.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0good\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0you\u00a0again,\u201d\u00a0Eliza\u00a0said,\u00a0nodding\u00a0at him.\u00a0\u201cAnd\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0just\u00a0doing my\u00a0job.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0do\u00a0it\u00a0superbly,\u201d\u00a0Jeremy\u00a0replied.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u00a0she\u00a0does,\u201d\u00a0Gavin\u00a0agreed.\u00a0\u201cAnd\u00a0these\u00a0are\u00a0our\u00a0friends\u00a0Nan\u00a0and\u00a0Chester;\u00a0they\u00a0are\u00a0mates.\u00a0I\u00a0suppose\u00a0they\u00a0are\u00a0pretty\u00a0much\u00a0part\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0family.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSister\u00a0by\u00a0choice,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0added,\u00a0smiling\u00a0at\u00a0Nan,\u00a0who\u00a0smiled\u00a0back\u00a0at\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd then\u00a0one\u00a0of\u00a0my gammas,\u00a0Erik,\u201d\u00a0Gavin\u00a0said,\u00a0motioning\u00a0for Erik,\u00a0who\u00a0gave\u00a0Jeremy\u00a0a\u00a0slight\u00a0nod.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0a\u00a0pleasure\u00a0to\u00a0officially\u00a0meet\u00a0all\u00a0of\u00a0you,\u201d\u00a0Jeremy\u00a0said,\u00a0nodding\u00a0at\u00a0each\u00a0of\u00a0them.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0hope\u00a0you\u00a0enjoy\u00a0your stay\u00a0in\u00a0my territory\u00a0and\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0hesitate\u00a0to come\u00a0to\u00a0me\u00a0if\u00a0you\u00a0need\u00a0anything.\u00a0The\u00a0masquerade\u00a0will\u00a0be\u00a0tomorrow\u00a0evening, and\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0looking\u00a0forward\u00a0to\u00a0seeing\u00a0you\u00a0there.\u00a0My\u00a0mate,\u00a0Cecelia,\u00a0is\u00a0busy\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0moment,\u00a0but\u00a0she\u2019s\u00a0looking\u00a0forward\u00a0to\u00a0meeting\u00a0you.\u00a0You\u00a0should\u00a0come back\u00a0later\u00a0this\u00a0evening\u00a0for\u00a0dinner\u00a0and\u00a0meet\u00a0her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u00a0that\u00a0sounds\u00a0great,\u201d\u00a0Gavin\u00a0said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m\u00a0sure\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0all\u00a0exhausted\u00a0from\u00a0your\u00a0travels,\u201d\u00a0Jeremy\u00a0said\u00a0before\u00a0turning\u00a0to\u00a0Raul.\u00a0\u201cBe\u00a0sure\u00a0that\u00a0their\u00a0rooms\u00a0are\u00a0ready\u00a0and\u00a0help\u00a0them\u00a0get\u00a0settled.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u00a0Alpha,\u201d\u00a0Raul\u00a0said\u00a0without\u00a0hesitation.<\/p>\n
We\u00a0said\u00a0goodbye\u00a0to\u00a0Jeremy,\u00a0and\u00a0we\u00a0headed\u00a0back\u00a0outside\u00a0and\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0SUV.\u00a0I\u00a0glanced\u00a0at\u00a0Irene,\u00a0who\u00a0was\u00a0fiddling\u00a0with\u00a0her\u00a0fingers and\u00a0nibbling\u00a0on\u00a0her\u00a0lower\u00a0lip.\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0nervous;\u00a0this\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0just\u00a0a\u00a0trip\u00a0for\u00a0her\u2026\u00a0we\u00a0were\u00a0here\u00a0to\u00a0find\u00a0out\u00a0the\u00a0truth\u00a0about\u00a0Chuck.\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0Gavin\u00a0the\u00a0entire\u00a0truth\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0plane,\u00a0and\u00a0though\u00a0he\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0happy\u00a0about\u00a0being\u00a0part\u00a0of\u00a0this\u00a0scheme,\u00a0he\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0as\u00a0upset\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0thought\u00a0he\u00a0would\u00a0be.\u00a0He\u00a0was\u00a0more\u00a0upset\u00a0over\u00a0the\u00a0fact\u00a0that\u00a0Chuck\u00a0might\u00a0be\u00a0playing\u00a0his\u00a0daughter\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0fool.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny\u00a0sign\u00a0of\u00a0him\u00a0yet?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked\u00a0Irene,\u00a0drawing\u00a0her\u00a0attention\u00a0to\u00a0me.\u00a0She\u00a0shook\u00a0her\u00a0head,\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0fixed\u00a0out\u00a0the\u00a0window.\u00a0I\u00a0reached\u00a0over\u00a0and\u00a0grabbed\u00a0hold\u00a0of\u00a0her\u00a0hand.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0going\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0okay.\u00a0No\u00a0matter\u00a0what\u00a0happens,\u00a0we\u00a0are\u00a0here.\u201d<\/p>\n
1\/3<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a0772<\/p>\n
+25\u00a0BONUS<\/p>\n
She\u00a0glanced\u00a0at\u00a0me,\u00a0letting\u00a0out\u00a0a\u00a0breath,\u00a0before\u00a0she\u00a0nodded.\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0push\u00a0her\u00a0to\u00a0speak;\u00a0we\u00a0remained\u00a0silent\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0rest\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0ride\u00a0until\u00a0we\u00a0reached\u00a0one\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0biggest\u00a0buildings\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0ever\u00a0seen.\u00a0It\u00a0looked\u00a0more\u00a0like\u00a0a\u00a0manor\u00a0than\u00a0a\u00a0resort\u2013white\u00a0stone\u00a0wall\u00a0climbing\u00a0with ivy,\u00a0wrought\u2013iron\u00a0balconies\u00a0lined\u00a0with\u00a0lanterns,\u00a0and\u00a0arched\u00a0windows\u00a0that\u00a0glowed\u00a0like honey\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0fading\u00a0light.<\/p>\n
\u201cWelcome\u00a0to\u00a0your\u00a0temporary\u00a0home,\u201d\u00a0Raul\u00a0said\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0stepped\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0car,\u00a0opening\u00a0the\u00a0back\u00a0door<\/p>\n
for\u00a0us\u00a0to\u00a0get\u00a0out.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0doors\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0hotel\u00a0swung\u00a0open,\u00a0and\u00a0bellhops\u00a0rushed\u00a0out\u00a0to\u00a0collect\u00a0our\u00a0luggage,\u00a0and\u00a0within\u00a0minutes,\u00a0we\u00a0were\u00a0swept\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0marble\u00a0lobby.\u00a0Everything\u00a0gleamed\u2013polished\u00a0floors,\u00a0soft\u00a0candlelight,\u00a0a\u00a0chandelier\u00a0that\u00a0looked\u00a0like\u00a0it\u00a0had\u00a0been\u00a0stolen\u00a0from\u00a0a\u00a0royal\u00a0ballroom.\u00a0I\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0help\u00a0but\u00a0feel\u00a0underdressed\u00a0standing\u00a0there\u00a0in\u00a0travel\u00a0clothes\u00a0while\u00a0tourists\u00a0and\u00a0pack\u00a0members\u00a0in\u00a0elegant\u00a0coats<\/p>\n
passed\u00a0by.<\/p>\n
Raul\u00a0walked\u00a0us\u00a0towards\u00a0the\u00a0front\u00a0desk,\u00a0where\u00a0a\u00a0pretty\u00a0brunette\u00a0stood,\u00a0a\u00a0smile\u00a0lighting\u00a0up\u00a0her\u00a0face.\u00a0She\u00a0was\u00a0young,\u00a0maybe\u00a0around\u00a0my\u00a0age,\u00a0with\u00a0warm\u00a0brown\u00a0eyes\u00a0and\u00a0rosy\u00a0cheeks.<\/p>\n
Her\u00a0name\u00a0tag\u00a0read:\u00a0Clarissa.<\/p>\n
Raul\u00a0greeted\u00a0us\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0French\u00a0and\u00a0he\u00a0checked\u00a0us\u00a0into\u00a0our\u00a0rooms,\u00a0switching\u00a0between\u00a0French\u00a0and\u00a0English\u00a0effortlessly.\u00a0Clarissa\u00a0spoke\u00a0pretty\u00a0good\u00a0English\u00a0as\u00a0well\u00a0and\u00a0greeted\u00a0us\u00a0all\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0handed us\u00a0each\u00a0a\u00a0room key.\u00a0When\u00a0she handed\u00a0one\u00a0to\u00a0Irene,\u00a0Irene\u00a0completely\u00a0froze,\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0wide.<\/p>\n
Clarissa\u00a0frowned,\u00a0cocking\u00a0her head\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0side,\u00a0clearly\u00a0confused\u00a0by\u00a0Irene\u2019s\u00a0sudden\u00a0reaction\u00a0to\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
\u201cIrene?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked,\u00a0nudging\u00a0her\u00a0towards\u00a0the\u00a0key.<\/p>\n
Irene\u00a0blinked\u00a0a\u00a0few\u00a0times,\u00a0snapping\u00a0herself\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0her\u00a0stupor\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0grabbed\u00a0the\u00a0key,\u00a0forcing\u00a0a\u00a0smile\u00a0at\u00a0Clarissa\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0turning\u00a0away.<\/p>\n
That\u00a0was\u00a0strange.<\/p>\n
Gavin,\u00a0Taylor,\u00a0and\u00a0Raul\u00a0talked\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0few\u00a0minutes\u00a0off\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0side,\u00a0probably\u00a0going\u00a0over\u00a0things\u00a0with\u00a0Raul\u00a0before\u00a0he\u00a0left.\u00a0I\u00a0went over\u00a0to\u00a0Irene,\u00a0who\u00a0was\u00a0staring\u00a0out\u00a0the\u00a0window,\u00a0trying\u00a0to\u00a0avoid\u00a0Clarissa,\u00a0it<\/p>\n
seemed.<\/p>\n
\u201cIrene,\u00a0what\u00a0happened?\u00a0What\u2019s\u00a0wrong?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0started\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0sound\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0voice,\u00a0but\u00a0when\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0met\u00a0mine,\u00a0I\u00a0saw\u00a0the\u00a0tears\u00a0in\u00a0them.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s\u00a0carrying\u00a0his\u00a0scent\u2026\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0whispered.\u00a0\u201cShe\u00a0smells\u00a0like\u00a0my\u00a0mate\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
2\/3<\/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 772 Chapter\u00a0772\u00a0 \u201cAnd\u00a0I\u00a0suppose\u00a0this\u00a0is\u00a0the\u00a0rest\u00a0of\u00a0your\u00a0lovely\u00a0family?\u201d\u00a0Jeremy\u00a0asked,\u00a0peeking\u00a0around\u00a0us\u00a0to\u00a0look\u00a0at\u00a0the others. Gavin\u00a0stepped\u00a0aside. \u201cThis\u00a0is\u00a0my\u00a0daughter,\u00a0Irene,\u00a0and\u00a0son\u00a0Matthew,\u201d\u00a0Gavin\u00a0introduced.\u00a0\u201cThis\u00a0is\u00a0my\u00a0Beta,\u00a0Taylor,\u00a0and\u00a0his\u00a0mate,\u00a0Eliza.\u00a0She\u2019s\u00a0also\u00a0our\u00a0pack\u00a0doctor.\u201d \u201cOh\u00a0yes,\u00a0I\u00a0know\u00a0Eliza.\u00a0She\u2019s\u00a0helped\u00a0out\u00a0at\u00a0this\u00a0pack\u00a0more\u00a0times\u00a0than\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0count,\u201d\u00a0Jeremy\u00a0said,\u00a0nodding\u00a0at\u00a0Eliza,\u00a0who\u00a0looked\u00a0a\u00a0bit\u00a0sheepish\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0compliment. […]<\/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-21841","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\/21841","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=21841"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21841\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21841"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21841"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21841"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}