For the first time in my life, I stood beyond the border. No title. No wolf. No pack.<\/p>\n
Just an exiled outcast.<\/p>\n
My wrists throbbed from where the guards had gripped too tightly, a few bruises forming and my cheek burned from the stone someone had thrown as I was dragged through the crowd.<\/p>\n
Despite the pain I forced my feet to move.<\/p>\n
I can\u2019t collapse here. Not where they could still see me from the walls.<\/p>\n
I walked until the torches of the pack lands disappeared, swallowed by shadows. Only then did I let myself stumble, knees buckling against the damp earth.<\/p>\n
This is how they want me to die, I thought bitterly.<\/p>\n
Alone. Forgotten.<\/p>\n
Like I hadn\u2019t been their Luna for three years.<\/p>\n
Now,I\u2019m nothing more than a common criminal to them.<\/p>\n
Moving a little into the forest that\u2019s when I heard it.<\/p>\n
A growl\u2014low, throaty.<\/p>\n
Then a clash of claws, the sickening rip of flesh. Snarls echoed through the trees, snapping me out of my daze.<\/p>\n
Instinct snapped my head toward the sound. At first, I thought it was a rogue\u2014but then I saw him.<\/p>\n
I ducked behind a thick oak, heart hammering.<\/p>\n
The fight ended as abruptly as it began.<\/p>\n
A shadow stumbled into the moonlight, collapsing to the ground a few feet from me.<\/p>\n
I froze.<\/p>\n
The man before me was tall, broad-shouldered, his black cloak soaked in blood. Even unconscious, power bled from him, raw and commanding.<\/p>\n
My instincts screamed for me to leave but I couldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
I rushed to the spot. There, a man lay half-buried in leaves, blood soaking his side. His chest rose and fell shallowly, eyes half-lidded with pain.<\/p>\n
His clothes\u2014dark leathers torn by claw marks\u2014spoke of power, not weakness.<\/p>\n
And the aura that clung to him\u2026 My breath caught.<\/p>\n
He wasn\u2019t just any man. He was an Alpha.<\/p>\n
I should have run. Should have left him. But when I saw the crimson pool spreading beneath him, something inside me broke.<\/p>\n
Blood. Smoke.<\/p>\n
The metallic tang of blood thickens in the air.<\/p>\n
I should\u2019ve walked away\u2014goddess knows I\u2019d had enough of saving people who\u2019d only call me traitor later.<\/p>\n
But then I felt it.<\/p>\n
That pull.<\/p>\n
That weight that bends the air when an Alpha breathes.<\/p>\n
Even half-dead and half-mad from exhaustion, I knew. I could recognize an Alpha even in my half-dead state.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t just his scent\u2014it was the way the world seemed to pause around him, waiting.<\/p>\n
His pulse was weak under my fingers, but steady. Stubborn. Like mine.<\/p>\n
Maybe that\u2019s why I stayed. Maybe that\u2019s why I pressed my hands against his wounds and whispered, \u201cDon\u2019t you dare die on me, stranger.\u201d<\/p>\n
My training surged to the surface before fear could. I crawled to his side, pressing my hand to the wound. Hot blood pulsed against my palm.<\/p>\n
When I tried to move him, more blood spilt out. He was drifting away from consciousness.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo\u2026 no, not like this,\u201d I whispered, my hands trembling.<\/p>\n
My trembling hands tore open the satchel at my hip. I had little left, a strip of cloth, a crushed root, a single vial of salve, I always kept this with me for emergencies.<\/p>\n
Thank goodness, it came in handy.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2026Wha..t,\u201d the injured man struggled to speak.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re bleeding out,\u201d I muttered, scanning the damage. \u201cIf I don\u2019t stop it now, you won\u2019t see the next moonrise.\u201d<\/p>\n
The man\u2019s lips curved faintly, even through the pain. \u201cThen\u2026 save me, healer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kneeling beside him, I tore what was left of my torn dress. I pressed the cloth hard against his wound where the blood wouldn\u2019t stop seeping through. His breath hitched, shallow but steady.<\/p>\n
The wound was deep; too deep for any normal wolf to survive. But he wasn\u2019t ordinary. I could feel that even before his eyes fluttered open.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d treated enough bodies to know the difference between those clinging to life and those already gone. He clung. Fiercely.<\/p>\n
My hands moved quickly, memory guiding me.<\/p>\n
I got a few herbs,ground them between stones, and pressed the paste to his wound.<\/p>\n
I tied thewound with my torn dress, binding it.<\/p>\n
I whispered steadying breaths, urging him to stay awake. Slowly, the flow of blood lessened. His breathing steadied.<\/p>\n
His breath rattled, low and uneven. \u201cWhy\u2026 help me?\u201d<\/p>\n
I almost laughed. It came out rough. \u201cBecause you\u2019re alive. For now.\u201d<\/p>\n
He tried to move, but I pushed him down with a firm hand. \u201cDon\u2019t be stupid, Alpha. You\u2019ll tear it open again.\u201d<\/p>\n
The title slipped out before I could stop it. He looked at me then\u2014really looked\u2014and something flickered behind his pain.<\/p>\n
Surprise, maybe. Or curiosity.<\/p>\n
After tightening up his wounds, I stood up looking at the weak man in front of me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope this is enough to keep you alive,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
I shook my head,saying. \u201cI could recognize an Alpha even in my half-dead state. And I\u2019ve never been good at walking away from trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n
He smirked, faint but real.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy did you save me?\u201d he asked, weakly, his eyes drooping.<\/p>\n
I hesitated, swallowing whatever was in my throat tightly.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause\u2026\u201d I faltered, the words clawing their way out. \u201c\u2026because I couldn\u2019t save myself.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou shouldn\u2019t\u2026 have risked yourself,\u201d he rasped, eyes half-lidded.<\/p>\n
His voice was deep, edged with command, though weakness dragged it down.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou would have bled out before dawn,\u201d I muttered, binding his side tighter. \u201cI don\u2019t care who you are. I don\u2019t leave people to die.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cStrange\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Suddenly, he catches my wrist, his grip surprisingly strong for a dying man.<\/p>\n
His eyes, a stormy grey, locked on mine.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour name,\u201d he rasped. \u201cTell me your name.\u201d<\/p>\n
I hesitated, my throat tight. \u201cKaia.\u201d<\/p>\n
The ghost of a smile touched his lips. \u201cI\u2019ll remember it.\u201d<\/p>\n
For a heartbeat, something unspoken passed between us. Then his grip slackened, his body sagging.<\/p>\n
\u201cStay with me,\u201d I urged, applying more pressure but he fell unconscious again.<\/p>\n
But the forest shifted again\u2014voices, hurried footsteps.<\/p>\n
I rose slowly, wiping my bloodstained hands on my torn dress.<\/p>\n
Three men burst into the clearing, all wearing the same uniform.<\/p>\n
Their eyes widened at the sight of him.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlpha Theo!\u201d one barked, rushing to lift him.<\/p>\n
I jerked back, stunned. Alpha\u2026Theo<\/p>\n
\u201cStep away from him,\u201d another, who I presumed was the Delta yelled.<\/p>\n
His tone made it sound less like a warning and more of a threat.<\/p>\n
I lifted my hands, palms open. \u201cHe was dying. I helped him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another man knelt beside the Alpha, checking his pulse, his expression grim. \u201cShe\u2019s right. But we don\u2019t know who she is.\u201d<\/p>\n
I bit back the sharp reply forming on my tongue.<\/p>\n
They wouldn\u2019t believe me anyway. Not with the state I was in; mud-caked, thin, half-starved, and reeking of exile.<\/p>\n
The leader, a tall wolf with a scar across his jaw, stepped closer.<\/p>\n
His eyes raked over me, suspicious and cold. \u201cWhatever debt you think you\u2019re owed, girl, leave it. You\u2019ll get no reward from the Alpha.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stiffened. \u201cI didn\u2019t do it for a reward.\u201d<\/p>\n
He scoffed. \u201cThen do yourself a favor and disappear before you regret staying.\u201d<\/p>\n
They lifted the Alpha between them, moving with a practised urgency.<\/p>\n
They worked quickly, lifting him as though he were weightless.<\/p>\n
One warrior turned to me, gaze sharp. \u201cForget you ever saw him. You never speak of this. For your own sake.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of them spared me a glance;a fleeting flicker of something like pity\u2014before they vanished into the trees.<\/p>\n
Before I could respond, they vanished into the night, leaving only the blood-soaked earth as proof he\u2019d been there at all.<\/p>\n
And just like that, the clearing was silent again.<\/p>\n
I stood there for a long time, staring at the crushed grass where he\u2019d been lying. His scent still lingered in the air\u2014smoke, cedar, and command.<\/p>\n
\u201cI could recognize an Alpha even half-dead,\u201d I whispered to no one. \u201cAnd somehow, that makes it worse.\u201d<\/p>\n
I sank back onto the ground, staring at my stained hands. My chest tightened, not with fear, but with something I couldn\u2019t name.<\/p>\n
An Alpha nearly died at my feet\u2026 and I would never forget the storm in his eyes.<\/p>\n
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella\u2019s storytelling style is immersive and addictive\u2014perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Shadows Follow Lonely Minds \u2014 Christopher Harris 5 Chapter 005 For the first time in my life, I stood beyond […]<\/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":[80],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27250","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-nightshade-heir-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27250","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=27250"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27250\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27250"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27250"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27250"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}