Chapter 109\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ellie POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
The packhouse felt different without Felicity.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Of course, it wasn\u2019t just her who was gone. Half the staff was sent away the same day. I was pretty sure Nolan didn\u2019t sleep at all that night. Now, days later, I still wasn\u2019t sure he\u2019d slept much.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The packhouse was too quiet in some ways, too tense in others. The feeling of being watched, of being followed, was gone. But the absence wasn\u2019t peace-it was the heavy silence after the chaos of a storm. We were all waiting to see the damage in the aftermath.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nolan was unraveling.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He tried to hide it, but I saw the cracks. The way his hands balled into fists when warriors hesitated to follow his orders. The clipped, harsh tone he used with the kitchen staff when the food wasn\u2019t ready fast enough.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The shadows under his eyes from nights spent buried in reports instead of sleeping.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Felicity\u2019s supporters had been rooted out, one by one. Some left willingly, tails tucked, while others had to be escorted from the territory in disgrace. Nolan had ordered the entire household staff investigated, and the process left everyone twitchy and raw.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even the most loyal servants looked over their shoulders like they expected to be accused next.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And the worst part is that he was fully justified. This wasn\u2019t a witch hunt. He had all of the proof of betrayal from those we had thought could be trusted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I watched some of them leave, feeling my stomach twist with disgust and anger as I saw many of the people I had entrusted my safety to leave in disgrace for actively working to harm me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I understood why he was doing it, all of us did. She had poisoned me once. If Nolan hadn\u2019t dug deep enough, if he\u2019d missed someone\u2026 well, it didn\u2019t bear thinking about.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But still, watching the fear spread through the pack like wildfire unsettled me. This wasn\u2019t just an Alpha ensuring loyalty. This was Nolan on a knife\u2019s edge, lashing out at anyone close enough to touch.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And it scared me, just a little.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not because I thought he\u2019d hurt me-never that\u2014but because the man who once carried his burdens so carefully was now letting them bleed through every crack.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He\u2019d banished the woman who knew him best, and now it seemed he didn\u2019t quite know how to hold himself together without her shadow looming nearby.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She had broken his trust completely.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When he snapped at a young warrior in the courtyard-barking so sharply the poor boy nearly dropped his training spear-I found myself flinching. Not at Nolan\u2019s voice, but at how emotional his tone was. A dangerous edge, born from wounds too deep to heal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t know how to help him. I didn\u2019t even know if he wanted help.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Which was why, when Rae arrived, I nearly collapsed into her arms with relief.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She came breezing in like sunlight after weeks of storms, her smile warm, her laughter easy. \u201cEllie, you look like hell. Have you left the house at all this week or have you decided to waste away like some tragic novel character?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 109\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her teasing tone pulled a laugh out of me before I could stop it. \u201cYou\u2019re exaggerating. He hasn\u2019t locked me away. Just\u2026 hovering. Constantly.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMm. Sounds romantic,\u201d she said dryly, wrinkling her nose. \u201cOr suffocating.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
We slipped into my sitting room, away from the watchful eyes of warriors and staff, and for the first time in days, I felt myself breathe freely.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rae poured herself a cup of tea from the tray and curled her feet under her on the couch, as comfortable as if she lived here. \u201cSo, have you thought any more about Moonstone?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The question stilled me. I had, of course-I thought about it every night when I lay awake staring at the ceiling, picturing my boys. Wondering if they were eating enough, if they were crying for me. The ache of not holding them was its own form of torture.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d I admitted softly. \u201cI think\u2026 I think I need to go soon. I can\u2019t stand being this far away anymore.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rae reached across the table and squeezed my hand. \u201cThen let\u2019s go together. A few days at Moonstone would do you good. And the boys. Plus, I haven\u2019t actually met them yet. I\u2019m dying to pinch their cute little cheeks.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her certainty steadied me. I nodded, fighting the lump in my throat. \u201cAll right. Soon.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rae leaned back, a sly smile tugging at her lips. \u201cGood. Because I hear Cassian\u2019s been a very doting uncle, but I\u2019m sure he\u2019d like a break\u2026 or maybe we could visit with him, too.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The shift in her tone was enough to make me arch a brow. \u201cOh?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She pretended not to notice, taking a long sip of tea that didn\u2019t quite hide the faint flush creeping up her cheeks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My lips curved. \u201cRae\u2026 do you have a crush on Cassian?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her eyes snapped to mine, wide with mock outrage. \u201cWhat? No. Absolutely not.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I tilted my head, enjoying this far too much. \u201cYou got defensive awfully fast.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI did not!\u201d she shot back, setting her teacup down with a little too much force. \u201cI\u2019m simply saying that Cassian has been taking care of the boys, and if you\u2019re going to see the boys, chances are he\u2019ll be around. That\u2019s all.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I smirked, leaning on my hand. \u201cUh-huh. And I suppose the fact that you just turned red has nothing to do with him.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not red,\u201d she muttered, fanning her face. \u201cIt\u2019s just warm in here.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I laughed, the sound bubbling up so easily it surprised me. \u201cRae, it\u2019s fine. You can admit it. He\u2019s handsome. And\u2026 honestly, you could do worse.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her glare softened into reluctant amusement. \u201cYou\u2019re insufferable.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you\u2019re blushing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She threw a cushion at me, and I caught it, still laughing. It felt good, like a weight had lifted for just a little while.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The laughter faded after a moment, though, and I found myself looking out the window toward the training grounds where Nolan\u2019s voice had thundered earlier. \u201cThings are hard here right now. He\u2019s\u2026 different since she left.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rae\u2019s expression sobered. \u201cDifferent how?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 109\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
I hesitated. I didn\u2019t want to make it sound worse than it was. \u201cAngrier. He\u2019s pushing everyone, testing everyone. He doesn\u2019t trust anyone anymore. Not fully.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat makes sense,\u201d she said softly. \u201cHe loved her and she betrayed him in the worst way.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI know\u2026 I don\u2019t blame him for being angry. I just hope that his anger doesn\u2019t stay this strong for long. The pack needs him to be strong and in control. This has shaken everyone. I don\u2019t want people to doubt him as alpha because of this.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rae studied me for a long moment. \u201cAnd you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I forced a smile, though it felt thin. \u201cI\u2019m fine. Just\u2026 trying to keep up.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t call me on the lie, though her eyes said she knew. Instead, she reached over and squeezed my hand again. \u201cA trip to Moonstone will be good for you. For both of you, maybe. He could use some space. Sometimes stepping away from the storm is the only way to survive it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her words lingered long after she left.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Because I couldn\u2019t help but wonder-when I went to Moonstone, when I saw my sons again\u2014what storms would still be waiting for me here when I came back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A Cold Marriage That Turned Warm 109 Chapter 109\u00a0 Ellie POV\u00a0 The packhouse felt different without Felicity.\u00a0 Of course, it […]<\/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-23678","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\/23678","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=23678"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23678\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23678"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23678"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23678"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}