Chapter 149\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cassian didn\u2019t push, but his eyes said he didn\u2019t believe me. \u201cCome on, Alaric\u2019s inside. He\u2019s been waiting to see the boys all week.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The twins immediately became the center of attention once we stepped into the main hall. A few of the pack\u2019s attendants paused to coo over them, and Alaric appeared at the top of the stairs, smiling faintly as his gaze softened.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEllie,\u201d he greeted, the warmth in his tone catching me off guard. \u201cYou\u2019ve been scarce.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I managed a small smile. \u201cWe\u2019ve been settling in.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He came closer, his presence calm and commanding without ever feeling heavy. I\u2019d come to realize that was what set Alaric apart from other alphas. He didn\u2019t fill a room with dominance-he filled it with steadiness.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It worked for him. He was tall, slim, soft voiced. Not what you pictures when you thought of an alpha. With the silver streaking his hair, he came across as more of a gentle presence than a commanding one. Yet he was one of the most well respected alphas in the kingdom.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cassian looked very different, he was broad shouldered, tall and deep voiced with scars scattered across his forearms, but he had that same calm, quiet demeanor. Control without intimidation. It was refreshing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But when Alaric\u2019s gaze settled on me, that steadiness shifted into concern. \u201cYou look drained.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The words were gentle, but they landed like a stone in my stomach.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d I said automatically, but then sighed when he didn\u2019t look convinced. \u201cJust\u2026 not sleeping well.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNightmares?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething like that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He motioned for me to follow him down a quieter corridor while Cassian stayed behind to fuss over the twins. I hesitated, then pushed the stroller toward Cassian. \u201cYou\u2019ve got them?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGo,\u201d he said with a reassuring grin. \u201cI\u2019ll keep them entertained.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The corridor was lined with tall windows, the kind that let in thin ribbons of light that danced over the floor. I walked beside Alaric, folding my arms as if I could hold myself together that way.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI keep having dreams,\u201d I said finally, staring straight ahead. \u201cThey\u2019re\u2026 strange. I see a woman. Sometimes I think she\u2019s trying to speak to me, but it\u2019s like hearing words underwater. I wake up exhausted, like I\u2019ve been walking in circles all night.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alaric didn\u2019t interrupt. He simply listened, nodding once as if confirming something to himself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not just dreams,\u201d I added quietly. \u201cLast night, I woke up and the room smelled like rain. It was dry outside, but I could hear thunder. And the air felt-different. Charged.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
We stopped near a window, the light spilling across his face. I expected disbelief, or at least confusion. Instead, there was understanding.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat doesn\u2019t surprise me,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/2\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chanfox ta\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
I blinked at him. \u201cYou\u2026 you believe me?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI do,\u201d he replied, his tone steady, \u201cThe Moonstone line has always been close to the goddess. Some hear her only in prayer. Others-\u201cHe paused, studying my face carefully. \u201cOthers are chosen to feel her presence more directly.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I frowned. \u201cChosen for what?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat depends on the message.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His words lingered, vague but heavy. I wanted to press for more, but the way he said it-like it was both a comfort and a warning-kept me quiet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He glanced down at my trembling hands and smiled softly. \u201cDon\u2019t let it frighten you. The goddess doesn\u2019t reach out without purpose. Perhaps she\u2019s preparing you for something important.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I laughed weakly. \u201cI\u2019ve had enough \u2018important\u2019 things for one lifetime.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
That earned the faintest glimmer of a smile from him. \u201cEven so, you are not alone, Ellie. Whatever she\u2019s showing you, whatever you feel-it belongs here. With us. Don\u2019t carry it by yourself.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Something in his tone broke through the tightness in my chest. For the first time since leaving Silver Fang, I felt safe enough to breathe.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When we returned to the main hall, Cassian was sitting cross-legged on the floor with both boys in his lap, telling them an animated story that involved a lot of growling and exaggerated hand gestures. Ian was giggling so hard he had hiccups.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The sight made something warm bloom in my chest, and something else ache right beside it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For all the peace Moonstone offered, guilt still followed me like a shadow. I could build a new home, a new life, but the knowledge that Nolan was out there, alone and probably furious, kept me tethered to the past.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As I bent to pick up August, Alaric\u2019s voice drifted to me again, low and certain. \u201cRest while you can, Ellie. The goddess never whispers for long.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/2\u00a0<\/p>\n
A Cold Marriage That Turned Warm 149 Chapter 149\u00a0 Cassian didn\u2019t push, but his eyes said he didn\u2019t believe me. […]<\/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-23718","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\/23718","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=23718"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23718\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23718"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23718"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23718"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}