Chapter 97\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I think we can spin it in a way that still saves face,\u201d I add.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHow do you mean?\u201d he asks cautiously.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that\u2026 there may be some explanation that we can come up with that would account for you not knowing my whereabouts and for the level of patrol activity here, without admitting the full situation.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nolan tilted back in the chair slightly, his tall frame stretching back as he looked at the ceiling as if he might find an answer there.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cTraitors,\u201d he muttered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d I asked wide-eyed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI could say that you were taken to a hidden location by a trusted ally because I suspected that there were traitors in the pack that had assisted your attacker,\u201d he explained. \u201cThat way it makes sense that I truly didn\u2019t know your location, and that I was frantic to shake out anyone hiding in the territory, but at the same time I wasn\u2019t completely out of control of the situation.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I nodded slowly. \u201cYes, I think that may work.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nolan sat forward again, running his fingers through his dark hair as he seemed to consider the possible explanation. A tense silence fell between us.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I poked at my food for a few more minutes before I couldn\u2019t stand the awkwardness anymore. Sitting with those thoughts was making me feel guilty again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo\u2026 for the election you need me for, what? Dinners with elders, public appearances, that kind of thing?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d he said simply. \u201cEarly receptions, a few strategy sessions with the council. Nothing strenuous, but your involvement matters. It will help me more than you realize.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I hesitated, my pulse a little too loud in my ears. The thought of stepping back into that role, even temporarily, left my stomach in knots. But as much as I wanted to resist, I couldn\u2019t ignore the truth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nolan was a good leader. Infuriating, impossible, cold as the moon sometimes-but still, a good leader. He had always put the pack first, even if it meant stepping on hearts along the way.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAll right,\u201d I said at last, exhaling slowly. \u201cI\u2019ll stay. I\u2019ll go to your events, sit through the endless elder meetings, smile when I have to. Because-\u201d I paused, biting my lip before forcing the words out. \u201cBecause I actually believe in you, Nolan. You\u2019re a jerk, but\u2026 you\u2019re a good alpha.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
For a moment, silence stretched between us. His eyes-stormy, assessing-softened just a fraction. And then, to my complete surprise, his mouth curved into the ghost of a smile.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou think I\u2019m a jerk,\u201d he said, sounding faintly amused.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the part you focus on?\u201d I demanded, incredulous.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll take it,\u201d he said with a shrug. \u201cIt\u2019s better than what I expected you to say.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Something in my chest twisted painfully. He was still himself-cool, controlled, always with that edge of distance \u2013but there was something else now, something warmer threaded through the coldness.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A flicker of heat in the way he looked at me, an undertone in his voice when he said my name.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/2\u00a0<\/p>\n
S\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 97\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
And gods help me, I realized I\u2019d missed it. Missed him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The thought startled me so badly I nearly knocked over my glass. Why on earth would I miss Nolan of all people? The man who had broken me down, who had made me feel small more times than I could count?\u00a0<\/p>\n
And yet\u2026 here I was, my heart betraying me with every traitorous beat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I shifted in my chair, tearing my gaze away. \u201cThis doesn\u2019t mean I forgive you,\u201d I said, my voice sharper than I intended.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI know,\u201d he replied, quiet but steady. \u201cI\u2019m not asking you to.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
And that was the problem. He didn\u2019t have to ask. Because somewhere deep inside, against all reason, I wasn\u2019t sure I could stop myself from forgiving him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/2\u00a0<\/p>\n
A Cold Marriage That Turned Warm 97 Chapter 97\u00a0 \u201cBut I think we can spin it in a way that […]<\/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":[62],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23666","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-unremembered-mate-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23666","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=23666"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23666\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23666"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23666"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23666"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}