Chapter 022\u00a0<\/p>\n
~~Kaia~~\u00a0<\/p>\n
The drive back to Shadowclaw was quiet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I hadn\u2019t said a word since we left the King\u2019s North Packhouse.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My head throbbed from the strain of the healing; the world tilted a little each time I blinked\u00a0<\/p>\n
Neither Beta Zane and I spoke to each other.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But I could feel him stealing glances at me for a fleeting moment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Council king had regained consciousness and told everyone he felt much better.\u00a0<\/p>\n
We were allowed to leave after that.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They couldn\u2019t hold anything against me so they didn\u2019t stop Beta Zane and I from coming back home.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I could tell a few people were disappointed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Of course they would be.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This trip was supposed to entrap me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Or maybe ruin Theo along with me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Thank goddess.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Disappointed I couldn\u2019t find who\u2019s behind the attack on the council king.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Theo didn\u2019t want me to stay longer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Afraid, they\u2019d do something to sabotage me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And he\u2019s right.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Who knows what the attackers are capable of?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fortunately, Beta Zane said I could trust the Moon Attendant with the king\u2019s treatment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t openly reveal he was being poisoned but since the moon attendant is the king\u2019s most trusted aid, I told him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Of course, Theo suggested it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I caught Zane looking at me again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d I growled.\u201cDo you have anything to say?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zane paused, realising I caught him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d he said. \u201cYou shouldn\u2019t have done that\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zane\u2019s tone wasn\u2019t harsh, more like he was angry and worried at the same time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI should have let him die instead?\u201d I asked quietly,not looking at him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t understand. You were being tested. If things went wrong\u00a0<\/p>\n
Casually. I muttered. \u201cThen, I\u2019d be dead\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I smiled faintly, obviously not reaching my eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t funny. Just funnily said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDeath? It\u2019s nothing new,Beta Zane\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
12\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2013\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zane sighed. \u201cYou\u2019re either the bravest person I\u2019ve met or the most reckless.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been called both,\u201d I said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Silence.\u00a0<\/p>\n
We stopped talking again, looking out the carsGULAT\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u0b9a\u0bbe\u0baa\u0bc6\u0b9f\u0bbe\u0b9f\u0bcd\u00a0<\/p>\n
Successfully unlocked!\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 022\u00a0<\/p>\n
We were getting closer to Shadowclaw.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I could feel Zane\u2019s gaze flicker toward me every now and then, like he wanted to ask something else.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finally,he did.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHow did you know about the poison\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt wasn\u2019t a quick guess,\u201d I whispered. \u201cMy grandmother was a great healer,who was vastly knowledgeable\u00a0<\/p>\n
about poison. I learnt about Blackbane from her. I could recognize it\u2019s pattern so I did\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNot everyone can recognise this poison. That\u2019s why it\u2019s the best for killing kings. Unsuspectingly dangerous.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I revealed.\u201cI think it was secretly added to the king\u2019s tonics. A very safe spot\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zane\u2019s jaw tightened.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not something a normal healer would catch\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I met his eyes for the first time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI never said I was normal,Beta Zane\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2013\u00a0<\/p>\n
He gave a short laugh at that the first genuine one I\u2019d heard from him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Since my arrival, he\u2019d been grumpy and suspicious of me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zane shook his head. \u201cYou and the Alpha are going to drive me insane sooner than later\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThen, we\u2019re even. You almost left me to die that day\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He went quiet,his smile fading.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI know. And I was wrong\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
That caught me off guard. He didn\u2019t look at me when he said it, but there was weight in the words.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou saved him once. Whatever anyone says that matters\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I wanted to believe him. But I\u2019d seen the looks. The suspicion, the murmured accusations.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Healing or not, I was still the outsider. The stray girl who didn\u2019t belong.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I sighed, tiredly. \u201cThey will still find another way to blame me. I\u2019m not saying they are wrong but still\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThen, let them. You did everything they wanted already\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t expect Zane to speak in my favour but it felt good to hear him defend me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, good to know someone thinks positively of me for a change\u201d I joked.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBut seriously,\u201d Zane begins, \u201cI\u2026I wanted to say you did great back there. If it wasn\u2019t for you, the king wouldn\u2019t have regained consciousness\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I looked out the window.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI just did what I had to do\u201c, I swallowed.\u201d As a healer. And to save my skin\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s true. But still,you saved the king\u201d Zane nodded.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Yeah,I guess.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not like I had a choice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cUmm,\u201d Zane cleared his throat.\u201cKaia, I know we started on a wrong path but I hope you don\u2019t hate me for how things started.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHate you?,\u201d I scoffed.\u201cI don\u2019t blame you for anything. You did what every responsible Beta should do\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s so sweet.\u201d Zane smiled a little. \u201d Kaia, come to me if you need anything I can help you with\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay. I\u2019m holding you tight by your words,alright?\u201d I said,jokingly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course. Hahah\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
We burst out laughing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The gates came into view tall, iron, and strikingly intimidating against.\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/4\/0\u00a0<\/p>\n
***\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 022\u00a0<\/p>\n
As we passed, I could feel their stares follow the car.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I sat a little straighter. I wouldn\u2019t flinch. Not here.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When we reached the stop, Theo was already waiting.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He stood at the steps, dark coat unbuttoned, wind tugging at his hair. His expression was unreadable; not anger, not relief\u2026 something deeper.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zane came down from the car first then I followed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cShe did it,\u201d I hear Zane muttered,his voice steady.\u201cThe king is alive\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Theo\u2019s eyes flickered to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd the council?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re trying to twist it but they\u2019ve got nothing. The king himself vouched for her,thanked her for the treatment\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
That seemed to knock some of the tension from Theo\u2019s shoulders. His gaze softened, only a little.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Theo came up to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou should rest,\u201d he said to me, voice softly low. \u201cYou look half\u2013dead\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHalf\u2013dead is better than fully dead,\u201d I muttered, leaning against the car.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He noticed \u2013 of course he did. His jaw tightened again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My legs nearly gave way,but I caught myself just in time before he could reach me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He noticed Of course,he did. His jaws tightened.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou drained yourself,Kaia,\u201d he says.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI had to do what I had to do to save his life\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAt what cost?\u201d he questioned.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMine\u2019s not that valuable,Alpha Theo\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
That made him pause. His eyes darkened, not in anger this time, but something almost like guilt.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t get to decide that,\u201d he grunted softly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The air between us thickened. For a moment, neither of us moved.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His scent, cedar and smoke brushed against me, unsettling and familiar all at once.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zane cleared his throat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll escort her to her quarters. She must be tired\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maybe I need that.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Some rest after the hectic day I just had yesterday.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Theo\u2019s gaze lingered on me before he finally nodded.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMake sure no one disturbs her\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He turned and walked up the steps, disappearing into the shadows of the mansion.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Later, as Zane walked me to my room, the halls seemed quieter than usual. Guards stared as we passed, some whispering, others pretending not to look at all.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThey still think I\u2019m bad for the pack. Don\u2019t they?\u201d I asked.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSome of them. But after you saved the king,and he spoke in your favour,they will see you a lot differently now. That should count for something\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I scoffed. \u201cIn a pack full of wolves and secrets? Not a chance. Or presumably not much\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He gave a soft chuckle.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re learning faster than I thought\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 022\u00a0<\/p>\n
When we reached my door, I hesitated.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you,\u201d I muttered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He blinked.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFor what?\u201d Zane looked taken aback.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFor believing in me,\u201d I said.\u201dEven when you didn\u2019t have to\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He shrugged.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t thank me yet. You\u2019re still under the council\u2019s scrutiny. Tomorrow\u2019s meeting will decide your fate. So, keep it aside for now\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I nodded.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI know. You\u2019re right\u201d I breathed.\u201cKeep it aside for now\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
As he turned to leave, I glanced once more down the corridor toward the Alpha\u2019s chambers, where light still glowed faintly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2013\u00a0<\/p>\n
Theo wasn\u2019t sleeping either. I could feel it \u2013 that strange pull again, like our fates were quietly tangled together.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My heart throbbed with swinging emotions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Theo.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Get out of my head, damn it!\u00a0<\/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 22 Chapter 022\u00a0 ~~Kaia~~\u00a0 The drive back to Shadowclaw was quiet.\u00a0 I hadn\u2019t […]<\/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-27267","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\/27267","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=27267"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27267\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27267"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27267"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27267"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}