Chapter 43\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2013Theo\u2013\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
I knew coming here was a mistake.\u00a0<\/p>\n
(63)\u00a0<\/p>\n
55 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
But I kept walking-straight into the one place an Alpha shouldn\u2019t be when his mind is raging like wildfire.\u00a0<\/p>\n
One he can\u2019t put out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The bar was packed. Wolves everywhere.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The place smells of liquor, sweat and perfume.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Voices layered over each other like buzzing gnats.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The music was loud and people were dancing, twirling in each other\u2019s arms.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But none of them mattered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My head was thundering too loud.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kaia\u2019s voice had me in a chokehold.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My mind drifted to Kaia turning away from me at the pack grounds.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Heck,she wouldn\u2019t even look at me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t know where I went wrong with Kaia. How things got so heated between us.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I wish she would just listen to me. Just once.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I downed my fifth drink. Or sixth glass. I lost count.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The burn didn\u2019t hit fast enough.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I slammed the glass down harder than necessary, and the bartender flinched.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnother,\u201d I said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAlpha, that\u2019s-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDid I ask for a lecture?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He poured it immediately.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I dragged a hand through my hair, gripping the back of my neck. My wolf paced inside my chest, restless.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Agitated.\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:30 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 43\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Searching for her. Someone he could never have\u00a0<\/p>\n
I hated it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I hated how my entire body reacted to one girl who didn\u2019t even know what she meant to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s just a stray, Theo.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cShe doesn\u2019t belong here, Theo.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cListen to me, she\u2019s in trouble..\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cara\u2019s annoying voice replayed in my head, scratching at something raw.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I took another burning mouthful.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I pressed my fingers against my temples. \u201cGods.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A woman slipped onto the stool beside me. Then another. Then a third.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They always recognized me-even outside the packhouse. Alpha or not, drunk or not.\u00a0<\/p>\n
63\u00a0<\/p>\n
55 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
Three of them looked like they were on a mission. They always sensed weakness, or pain, or whatever I was radiating tonight.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alpha Theo,\u201d one of them purred, leaning close enough for me to choke on her perfume. \u201cDidn\u2019t expect to see you here tonight.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The second one had her hand trailing up my arm.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPain looks good on you,\u201d she whispered against my ear.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou look stressed. Rough night?\u201d another whispered. \u201cWe could\u2026 help.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hands grazed my arm. My thighs. My shoulder.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I jerked away. \u201cDon\u2019t.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
They giggled like they thought I was being playful.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I wasn\u2019t.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t have to be alone,\u201d one said, pressing her body to my chest.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Their scents clashed-Overwhelmingly sweet, sharp, spicy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nothing smelled like her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I pushed them back. \u201cNot tonight.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
One of them touched my jaw. \u201cWe promise we can make you forget whoever-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:30 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 43\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t touch me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
They froze.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The entire bar went still for a second because my voice didn\u2019t sound like mine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It sounded like my wolf was one breath from breaking out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A\u00a0<\/p>\n
63\u00a0<\/p>\n
55 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
I pushed away from the counter, a little too fast. The floor tilted. I grabbed the edge of the bar, swearing under my breath.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Great,I was drunk.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Alpha of Shadowclaw reduced to this.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The bartender stepped back, eyes widening. Probably fearing the wrath of an unbalanced Alpha.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then I heard the last voice I wanted, but needed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cUnbelievable,\u201d Zane muttered as he pushed through the crowd. \u201cTheo, of all places, you came here?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The three women instantly brightened. \u201cBeta Zane-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d he said flatly. \u201cAll of you, move away.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
They scattered away awkwardly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zane stared at me, arms crossed. \u201cYou\u2019re drunk.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m\u2026\u201d I hiccupped. \u201c-hydrated.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCome on,\u201d he said, grabbing my arm. \u201cYou\u2019re done here.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I yanked my arm back. \u201cI\u2019m not.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, you are.\u201d he rolled his eyes. \u201cLet\u2019s\u00a0<\/p>\n
go\u00a0<\/p>\n
home\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNot now. I need more drinks,\u201d I snapped. \u201cBartender, get me one more\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cTheo, stop this\u201d Zane tried to grab me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWait,\u201d I muttered, grabbing his sleeve clumsily. \u201cI\u2026 need to tell you something.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He sighed but helped me sit again. \u201cFine. Tell me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stared at the empty glass in front of me, trying to collect the pieces of my head.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s Elara,\u201d I finally said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zane stiffened. \u201cWhat about her?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:30 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 43\u00a0<\/p>\n
63\u00a0<\/p>\n
55 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy did she come back?\u201d I whispered. \u201cWe were happy once\u2026 I thought we were. Then she left without a reason. Without a goodbye.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The memory stabbed my rib.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t interrupt.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd now she shows up pretending nothing happened.\u201d My voice cracked. \u201cAnd everyone wants me to make her Luna like it\u2019s the logical thing. Like she didn\u2019t break me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cShe wants the Luna position like it belonged to her. Like she didn\u2019t walk away the first time\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zane was quiet for a long breath. \u201cYou\u2019re not in love with her anymore.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI know,\u201d I said. \u201cThat\u2019s the problem.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He leaned forward. \u201cThen who do you want?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The answer rushed out before I could catch it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cKaia.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The truth spilled out of me uncontrollably.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t stop thinking about her.\u201d I whispered. \u201cShe has me wrapped around her fingers. She makes everything\u2026 brighter. Gods, Zane, I try to keep my distance but I\u2019m failing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zane didn\u2019t look surprised. He just exhaled slowly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s in my damn head.\u201d I dragged a hand over my face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s not even trying to help,\u201d I said miserably. \u201cShe\u2019s running from me. She thinks she\u2019s trouble. Elara\u2019s back and everything is-\u201d I choked. \u201cEverything is wrong now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My chest aches. \u201cAnd I\u2019m losing grip on everything. All at once.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zane clapped my back. \u201cAt least you finally said it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u201d I muttered, head dropping forward. \u201cToo bad the only person who doesn\u2019t know\u2026 is Kaia.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI want her,\u201d I said, my voice breaking. \u201cI want Kaia. And I\u2019m terrified I\u2019m going to ruin her life simply by wanting her.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zane tightened his hold. \u201cYou\u2019re drunk. But you\u2019re not lying.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d I whispered. \u201cFor once, I\u2019m not.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zane stood and pulled me up. \u201cThen let\u2019s sober you up before you say all this to the wrong person.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I let him drag me out of the bar.\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:30 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 43\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was feeling drunk, almost stumbling.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Despite being heartbroken. One thing is true.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And the truth is Kaia wasn\u2019t just in my head anymore.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She had my whole damn heart.\u00a0<\/p>\n
AD\u00a0<\/p>\n
A\u00a0<\/p>\n
63\u00a0<\/p>\n
55 vouchers\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 43 Chapter 43\u00a0 \u2013Theo\u2013\u00a0 :\u00a0 I knew coming here was a mistake.\u00a0 (63)\u00a0 […]<\/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-27288","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\/27288","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=27288"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27288\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27288"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27288"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27288"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}