Chapter 147\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nolan POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stood there long after she was gone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The silence hit me harder than I expected. The air still carried her scent-soft, familiar, maddening and the faint warmth of the boys lingered on my hands where their tiny fingers had held mine. It felt unreal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They were real. Alive. Breathing. Laughing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My sons.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And she\u2019d kept them from me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I turned away before anyone could see what was happening on my face. My chest burned, and I couldn\u2019t tell if it was from anger or relief or grief-probably all of it tangled together until I couldn\u2019t tell one from the other.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHell of a thing, isn\u2019t it?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kieran\u2019s voice came from behind me, low and amused. I stiffened. He was leaning against a tree, arms folded like he was watching a play.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou should go,\u201d I muttered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He smirked. \u201cYou know, I really thought you\u2019d be happy for her. She\u2019s done well for herself.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I turned on him. \u201cYou stay the hell away from her.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kieran lifted his eyebrows, all mock innocence. \u201cOh? But we\u2019ve gotten rather close. Ellie and I understand each other.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The growl that tore out of me was instinctive. \u201cYou don\u2019t understand a damn thing about her.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, I think I do,\u201d he said, smiling like he wanted me to hit him. \u201cI think I understand what it\u2019s like to be left behind, what it\u2019s like to want something you can\u2019t have.\u201d He tilted his head, his tone turning razor-sharp. \u201cAnd from where I\u2019m standing, it doesn\u2019t look like she\u2019s yours anymore.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s my wife,\u201d I snapped.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWas,\u201d he corrected. \u201cOnce that divorce goes through.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My hands curled into fists. \u201cIt won\u2019t go through.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
That made him laugh, loud, cruel, and disbelieving. \u201cYou think dragging this out is going to fix anything? You think clinging to her on paper will keep her from walking straight into my arms?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I took a step forward, barely keeping my temper in check. \u201cIf you go near her again-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ll what?\u201d he interrupted, eyes flashing with something dark. \u201cKill me? You\u2019d prove her right, you know. About what kind of man you are.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The words hit harder than I wanted them to.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 1447\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
The truth was, I didn\u2019t know what I would do. What I could do. My life was already too complicated. The rogue attacks, Felicity, the campaign\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
Some small part of me whispered that it was right for Ellie to want to protect the boys from this life, but I quickly pushed the thought aside.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chaotic or not, this was their life. They were the heirs to Silver Fang, they belonged here.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They belonged with me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t answer. Couldn\u2019t. Kieran smiled, satisfied, and walked away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t stop her from choosing, Nolan,\u201d he called over his shoulder. \u201cYou never could.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stood there until he was gone, my pulse hammering in my ears.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He was wrong. He had to be.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ellie and I \u2013 we\u2019d been through too much, burned through too much history for her to just cut me out of her life like this. I wouldn\u2019t let him use her, or the boys, to hurt me. I couldn\u2019t.\u00a0<\/p>\n
By the time I got back to the pack house, the sun had set. I went straight for my office.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As I passed the sitting room, Lance called out to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re late. Did something happen?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I answered without looking at him and continued down the hall to my office. I pushed the door open hard enough that it slammed against the wall.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lance followed me in warily. \u201cNolan, what the hell?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou knew.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cKnew?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout the twins.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t deny it. Just sighed, and crossed his arms over his chest. \u201cI did.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFor how long?\u201d I demanded.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSince the night Cassian took her out of Silver Fang,\u201d he said quietly. \u201cI helped him.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The words knocked the air out of me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou what?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lance met my eyes. \u201cI was planning to help her escape before the attack. Afterwards\u2026 we used my boat to get her to Moonstone.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I took a step toward him, disbelief turning to fury. \u201cYou hid it from me? You watched me lose my mind searching for her and all the time you knew that she was safe?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
*25 Barum\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI did what was best for Ellie.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBest for Ellie?\u201d I laughed bitterly. \u201cYou mean best for you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His expression darkened. \u201cDon\u2019t make this into something it isn\u2019t.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI trusted you,\u201d I said, my voice shaking with something that felt too much like heartbreak. \u201cYou\u2019re my brother, Lance. And you hid my family from me.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
His voice was steady, though I saw the guilt flicker in his eyes. \u201cI did what I had to. She was terrified, Nolan. And you gave her every reason to be.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
That hit harder than a punch.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For a second, I couldn\u2019t breathe. Because he wasn\u2019t wrong-not entirely. But hearing it said out loud still ripped something open in me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI would\u2019ve done anything for her,\u201d I said. \u201cYou know that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThen prove it now,\u201d Lance said softly. \u201cStop chasing her like she\u2019s prey. Let her come to you if that\u2019s what she wants. Let her breathe.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A million thoughts ran through my mind. Lance was in love with Ellie, he\u2019d told me that himself. Did he do all of this with the goal of driving us apart so he could win her over?\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe boys\u2026 have you seen them?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
There was a long pause before Lance nodded. \u201cYeah. I was there when they were born.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
That was like a shard of ice through my heart.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I had missed the birth of my children. He had stood where I should have been. I clutched the edge of my desk hard enough that my claws scored the wood.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I startled at the sight. I was so angry that I was shifting without meaning to.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I lowered my head and breathed slow and steady, forcing my wolf back. This would only make things worse. I couldn\u2019t attack Lance, no matter how much his betrayal tore into me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I had to maintain control.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNolan, this wasn\u2019t personal.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWasn\u2019t personal?!\u201d My head snapped up and I glared at him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cListen\u2026 there was a lot that we didn\u2019t know at the time. Ellie was afraid. She knew\u2026 she kept telling us that she was sure the attack was meant to kill the babies. She was afraid that whoever was after her would come back if they found out the twins were still alive. She\u2019s kept their existence a secret to keep them safe.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom me?\u201d I demanded, my voice breaking on the words.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNolan\u2026 there were spies in the pack house.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stared at him, jaw tight. The words made sense. They were even right. But I couldn\u2019t accept them. Not yet. Not\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 147\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2013\u00a0<\/p>\n
while I still saw the image of my sons\u2019 faces burned behind my eyes her holding them like she\u2019d built a life that didn\u2019t need me in it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I turned for the door, every muscle in my body trembling.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis isn\u2019t over,\u201d I said quietly. \u201cNot with her. Not with you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNolan,\u201d Lance called, but I didn\u2019t turn back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stepped out into the night air and took a long breath, trying to steady myself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ellie had my sons. My blood. My life.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And she thought she could keep them from me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The worst part was, I couldn\u2019t even blame her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
COIN BUNDLE: get more free bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
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A Cold Marriage That Turned Warm 147 Chapter 147\u00a0 Nolan POV\u00a0 I stood there long after she was gone.\u00a0 The […]<\/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-23716","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\/23716","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=23716"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23716\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23716"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23716"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23716"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}