Chapter 40\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2013Kaia\u2013\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
3D\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u03a3 55 Vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Shadowclaw courtyard was unusually quiet this morning, a little too quiet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I had barely stepped out of the training field when I spotted someone jogging toward me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alisha, the young warrior-in-training I had helped out a few times. She usually greeted me with a wide grin and endless chatter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But today, her smile was gone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Instead, her eyes darted nervously around us, and her breathing was uneven as she skidded to a stop.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cKaia,\u201d she whispered urgently,grabbing my hand. \u201cCome with me. Please.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I blinked. \u201cAlisha? What\u2019s wrong?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Aliaha didn\u2019t answer. She grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward a narrow side passage wedged between the\u00a0<\/p>\n
barracks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A place only used when someone didn\u2019t want to be overheard.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alisha checked both ends of the alley twice and when she didn\u2019t see anyone else, she finally exhaled.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t want you to hear this from someone else,\u201d she said. \u201cBut\u2026 something is happening.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I frowned. \u201cWhat do you\u00a0<\/p>\n
mean?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alisha bit her lip and looked almost guilty.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are things being said around the pack.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My heartbeat faltered. \u201cAbout me?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A sad, reluctant nod.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I scoffed softly. \u201cWhat now? That I breathe wrong? That I walk wrong? That I\u2019m somehow a threat by existing?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
But Alisha didn\u2019t laugh. She didn\u2019t find it funny.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the thing,\u201d she murmured. \u201cI don\u2019t believe any of it. And I don\u2019t think anyone close to you does either. But others? They might.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stared at her. \u201cAlisha\u2026 what exactly are they saying?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alisha hesitated, long enough for me to understand it was something bad.\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:28 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 40\u00a0<\/p>\n
164\u00a0<\/p>\n
El 55 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want to repeat it,\u201d Alisha whispered,her voice shaking. \u201cAnd I think it will hurt more if it comes from me. Just\u2026 be careful today. Watch how people look at you. And don\u2019t react, that\u2019s what they want.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My chest tightened. \u201cThey?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alisha stepped closer, lowering her voice even more.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou already know who doesn\u2019t want you here. Who wants the spot beside Alpha Theo.\u201d Her expression darkened. \u201cAnd when power is involved\u2026 people lie without shame.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I inhaled sharply. I understood what she meant immediately.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elara. Cara. Someone had stirred things up and the ripples were already spreading.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you for telling me,\u201d I said quietly, forcing strength into my voice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alisha squeezed my hand. \u201cWhatever they\u2019re planning\u2026 you\u2019re not alone, Kaia. I\u2019m right here.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I nodded. \u201cI know.Alisha. Thank you\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I nodded, but as Alisha walked off to rejoin training, a cold knot twisted in my stomach.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Because I could already feel it. The shift, the way everyone is staring at me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And I hadn\u2019t even heard the rumour yet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
***\u00a0<\/p>\n
I felt something was off the moment I stepped into the packhouse after training.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The pack members fell silent when I walked past.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Only staring at me as if they were seeing me for the first time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Some whispered behind their half-covered mouths while stealing glances at me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
While others didn\u2019t bother hiding the disgust in their eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maliya practically ran up to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cKaia,\u201d she whispered urgently, grabbing my wrist. \u201cSomeone has been spreading things about you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I blinked. \u201cWhat things?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She swallowed hard. \u201cThat you\u2026 bewitched Alpha Theo.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My stomach twisted. \u201cWhat?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat you seduced him.\u201d Her voice dropped to a whisper. \u201cThat you used rogue herbs to manipulate his emotions and get into his bed.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:28 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 40\u00a0<\/p>\n
I just\u2026 stared.\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bewitched? Manipulated?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Into his bed?\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat the hell-\u201cI began, but Maliya cut me off.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s more.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Of course there was.\u00a0<\/p>\n
64\u00a0<\/p>\n
E55 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re saying you only pretended to save the King to gain power.\u201d Maliya whispered, catching her breaths.\u201d They also claimed you\u2019re trying to replace Elara as Luna. And you\u2026 have a history of sleeping with Alpha- ranked men to climb higher.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maliya didn\u2019t look at me after saying this. Afraid, I\u2019d get mad at her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I felt heat rise up my throat-not embarrassment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rage.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Searing, white-hot, blinding rage.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd who started these rumors?\u201d I asked quietly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maliya didn\u2019t answer. She didn\u2019t need to.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elara.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Perfect, poisonous Elara.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And the fact that wolves believed this so quickly?\u00a0<\/p>\n
That stung more than the lie itself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going to my chamber,Maliya. Don\u2019t let anyone disturb me\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I tried to keep to myself all afternoon, but I had some work to do.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I left my room but the whispers burned behind me every step I took.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When I finally walked into the pack grounds, the stares were worse.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A group of female warriors blocked my path.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Their leader crossed her arms, glaring like she\u2019d caught me committing murder.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo,\u201d she drawled, \u201cwhich Alpha are you planning to sleep with next?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My spine snapped straight.\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:28 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 40\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know what you\u2019ve been told,\u201d I said evenly, \u201cbut-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
64\u00a0<\/p>\n
EL 55 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, we know,\u201d she cut me off. \u201cEveryone knows. The truth of everything is right in front of us.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My pulse froze.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elara.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before I could speak again, the door swung open.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Theo walked in.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And every single woman turned to stare at him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then at me. Then back at him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Perfect.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Exactly the trap Elara set for me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I look guilty simply by standing here.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Theo frowned, picking up on the tension.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
One warrior smirked. \u201cJust the stray explaining why she\u2019s been bewitching ranked-men to climb higher\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A sharp silence fell.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My cheeks heated-not with shame, but fury.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Theo\u2019s eyes snapped to mine, confused, defensive, ready to tear through anyone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But it didn\u2019t matter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The rumor had done its job. Exactly what Elara wanted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Now,there\u2019s nothing I would say that wouldn\u2019t appear as guilt in front of them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I turned away before Theo could say anything.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before he could try to defend me. Which I think would make matters worse.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I walked out of there afraid I\u2019d explode at the wrong person.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Because defending myself here would only make me look guilty.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Denying it would make it seem true. And fighting back would make me seem an unstable stray.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Exactly how they think of me; an unstable stray, Alpha Theo took pity on.\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:28 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 40\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elara didn\u2019t need claws or a crown to hurt me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
All she had to do was stir up whispers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I walked out of the pack grounds silently, my pulse thundering.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Clenching my fists to keep my breath steady. But inside?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Inside, something dark unfurled.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If Elara wanted a war\u2026 she should\u2019ve picked someone weaker.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u66f2\u00a0<\/p>\n
64\u00a0<\/p>\n
E55 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
AD\u00a0<\/p>\n
Comment\u00a0<\/p>\n
Send gift\u00a0<\/p>\n
No Ads\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 40 Chapter 40\u00a0 \u2013Kaia\u2013\u00a0 :\u00a0 3D\u00a0 \u03a3 55 Vouchers\u00a0 The Shadowclaw courtyard was […]<\/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-27285","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\/27285","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=27285"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27285\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27285"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27285"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27285"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}