Chapter 35\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 35\u00a0<\/p>\n
I walked to the pack clinic with the news still ringing in my head.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t get Maliya\u2019s voice out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elara has been chosen as Luna. Cara pushed for it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The decision is already made.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I feel hollow. Heavy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Too full of emotions I don\u2019t want to feel.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So I do the only thing that makes sense \u2013 I put distance between myself and everything.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The training yard.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The pack house.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
64\u00a0<\/p>\n
E55 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
Trying to forget everything that\u2019s happening.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I walk fast, hoping the movement will shake off the jealousy burning under my skin.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But halfway down the path that leads to the clinic, I hear footsteps behind me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Firm. Familiar.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Theo called out. \u201cKaia.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My heart stutters.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I force my legs to keep moving.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cKaia, stop.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t,\u201d I say, not looking back. \u201cNot right now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He appears in front of me in one smooth movement, blocking my path. His wolf must\u2019ve helped; he\u2019s too fast otherwise,\u00a0<\/p>\n
His eyes searched my face, I could see his concerned mixing with frustration.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s going on with you?\u201d he asks. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you just talk to me. Tell me what\u2019s going on\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I look away. \u201cI don\u2019t want any more trouble, Theo.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His brows knit. \u201cTrouble? What trouble are you talking about?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:27 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 35\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
A\u00a0<\/p>\n
64\u00a0<\/p>\n
55 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d I clutch my arms around myself. \u201cYou already have the council on your neck. Your father. Cara. Your ex from the past just showed up. And now they\u2019ve picked a Luna-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His jaw tightens. \u201cWho told you that?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter who did,\u201d I retorted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I am not snitching on Maliya. Ever\u00a0<\/p>\n
Theo takes a step forward. \u201cKaia-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t.\u201d My voice cracks, but I stand firm. \u201cPlease don\u2019t make this harder than it already is. I don\u2019t want to stir anything. I don\u2019t want people looking at me like I\u2019m\u2026 causing trouble for you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re not,\u201d he says instantly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBut everyone else thinks I am.\u201d I force a small, painful laugh. \u201cAnd honestly? I\u2019m tired. I really am.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Theo reached out like he wants to touch me but hesitates, his fingers curling back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve been avoiding me,\u201d he says quietly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m trying to protect myself,\u201d I whisper. \u201cAnd you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His chest rises sharply. \u201cKaia-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I shake my head.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou should go,\u201d I say. \u201cGo deal with\u2026 everything else. Elara. The Luna thing. Your family. Your pack.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I feel a sharp pang in my throat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you?\u201d he asks, voice low.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I force the words out. \u201cI\u2019ll keep my distance. For everyone\u2019s sake.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Theo looks like the words hit him harder than a physical blow.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cKaia\u2026 don\u2019t do that,\u201d he murmurs. \u201cDon\u2019t shut me out.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
But I step back, giving him space he doesn\u2019t want and space I desperately need.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d I whisper. \u201cI just\u2026 can\u2019t right now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
And before he can say anything else, I turn and walk away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For once\u2026I hope he doesn\u2019t follow me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After work hours at the clinic, I decided to go for a run.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I walked into the forest, the damp earth streaking my legs as I walked.\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:27 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 35\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was eerily quiet but I didn\u2019t mind.\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
I needed peace and quiet. To let Tamara out for the first time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
64\u00a0<\/p>\n
E55 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
I pushed my legs harder, heart pounding not just from the walk, but from the knot in my chest that wouldn\u2019t\u00a0<\/p>\n
loosen.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My heart tightened with something I can\u2019t name.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Still, I needed to let my wolf stretch, to feel\u2026 alive. To feel free.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Branches scratched my arms, leaves slapped my cheeks. My breaths came in ragged bursts.Tamara stirred in my head.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I rounded a bend and froze. Someone was there.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Theo.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He leaned casually against a tree, arms crossed, watching me like he had all the time in the world.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My pulse jumped. Why here? Why now?\u00a0<\/p>\n
I tried to slow down, tried to act like I hadn\u2019t just been running from\u2026 everything.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFancy meeting you here,\u201d I said, forcing a lightness I didn\u2019t feel.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He straightened, pushing off the tree.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI could say the same. Didn\u2019t expect to see you out here.\u201d His eyes softened slightly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Concern, maybe curiosity, maybe something more dangerous flashed in them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I clenched my fists. \u201cI could say I didn\u2019t expect to see you, either. But apparently, surprises are a thing today.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He took a careful step closer. \u201cKaia\u2026 I\u2014\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I held up a hand. \u201cDon\u2019t. I\u2019m\u2026 I\u2019m fine. Just\u2026 running.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His gaze softened, but he didn\u2019t step back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve been avoiding me. And now you run into me in the middle of the forest. You\u2019re not fine.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI am,\u201d I said, though my voice cracked a little. \u201cI just\u2026 need space. That\u2019s all.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He sighed, stepping closer. \u201cKaia\u2026 I know I don\u2019t have the right to push. But I need to know why you are doing this? Why are you shutting me out?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I hesitated. My wolf howled inside; raw, impatient, restless. But the human part, the part that had learned to survive betrayal, stepped in.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m\u2026 keeping myself out of trouble,\u201d I admitted. \u201cYou\u2019ve got enough on your plate. And I\u2026 I don\u2019t want to\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:27 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 35\u00a0<\/p>\n
make things worse.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
64\u00a0<\/p>\n
55 Vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
Theo\u2019s jaw tightened. \u201cKaia, I don\u2019t care about the Council, or Elara, or Cara right now. I care about you. Don\u2019t act like your distance is protecting me. You\u2019re not.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The words hit me harder than I expected.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My wolf surged, wanting to leap into his presence, but I held back, trembling.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2026 I can\u2019t,\u201d I whispered, finally. \u201cNot yet. Maybe\u2026 maybe later.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He stepped closer, close enough that I could feel his warm breath fanning my face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My face was so close to his chest,I could see his breath rising and falling.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLater?\u201d he echoed. \u201cKaia\u2026 when? You can\u2019t keep running forever.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I swallowed. \u201cI\u2019m not running\u2026 I\u2019m just trying to survive.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
For a heartbeat, we just stood there, neither of us spoke.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just the cold forest engulfing us, and thick tension.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cKaia\u2026Are you-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t let Theo finish as I turned around.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And then, like the wind, I spiraled and ran again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t follow, not yet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But I knew he would.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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18:27 Tue, Jan 20\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
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Shadows Follow Lonely Minds \u2014 Christopher Harris 35 Chapter 35\u00a0 Chapter 35\u00a0 I walked to the pack clinic with 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":[80],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27280","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\/27280","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=27280"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27280\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27280"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27280"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27280"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}