Chapter 46\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2013Kaia\u2013\u00a0<\/p>\n
Three Days Later\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019d managed to avoid Theo for three days.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Staying away from him felt like torture.\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Three days of slipping out early and eating out to avoid meeting him at the dining hall.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Three days of taking different routes, and pretending his scent didn\u2019t pull at me like a magnet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But I should\u2019ve known it wouldn\u2019t last.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Because he soon cornered me on the training grounds one morning.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cKaia.\u201d Theo shouted out my name.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His voice was too calm. Too controlled. It was the kind of calm that came right before a storm.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t stop walking. \u201cI\u2019m busy.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I nonchalantly say while skipping away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cStop.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His hand closed around my wrist \u2014 gentle, but unbudging. \u201cYou\u2019ve been avoiding me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I snatched my arm back. \u201cMaybe you should take the hint.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His jaw flexed. \u201cI\u2019m trying to talk to you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I don\u2019t want to-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFine.\u201d His voice dropped, hardening. \u201cThen fight me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I froze. \u201cWhat?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
63\u00a0<\/p>\n
463\u00a0<\/p>\n
55 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou heard me.\u201d He stepped closer, eyes locked on mine. \u201cIf you win, I\u2019ll leave you alone. I\u2019ll respect whatever distance you\u2019re desperate to put between us.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His chest rose and fell. \u201cBut if I win\u2026 you don\u2019t get to run anymore. You would have to talk to me. That\u2019s my prize for winning\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My pulse skittered painfully. \u201cTheo, that\u2019s ridiculous-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOr are you scared?\u201d he murmured.\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:31 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 46\u00a0<\/p>\n
I laughed once, bitter. \u201cOf you? No. What talking to you does to me? Yes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He swallowed, his throat tightening. \u201cThen stop running.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not fighting you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are.\u201d He stepped back, dropping into stance. \u201cRight now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My fists curled. Anger, frustration, longing, all of it slammed together in my chest.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re unbelievable.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A\u00a0<\/p>\n
63\u00a0<\/p>\n
55 vouchers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you\u2019re avoiding me,\u201d he shot back. \u201cOver one stupid rumor and a lipstick smear that wasn\u2019t even real.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My breath hitched.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDont flatter yourself, Theo\u201d I muttered. \u201cThats not the reason I don\u2019t want to talk to you\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThen what is the reason?\u201d he asked, softly. \u201cPlease tell me. I hate to get pushed away from you\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI have nothing to say to you.\u201d I looked away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Theo held my face, making me face him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t touch anyone, Kaia. I swear it.\u201d Theo held his throat, swearing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy are you telling me this?\u201d I looked away quickly. \u201cIt\u2019s not my business.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is,\u201d he whispered. \u201cYou made it my business.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Heat rushed to my cheeks. \u201cJust stop-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFight me,\u201d he repeated. \u201cOr talk to me. Those are your only choices.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My heart pounded. Everything in me wanted to run. Everything in me wanted to stay.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So I stepped forward.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFine,\u201d I said quietly. \u201cSince this is what you want. I\u2019d rather fight you than talk to you. Let\u2019s fight.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Theo\u2019s breath shook out of him\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2013\u00a0<\/p>\n
part relief, part something else entirely.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For a minute, he looked like I pierced a dagger through his heart.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGood,\u201d he said. \u201cThen stop holding back.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The moment I faced him, the world seemed to narrow.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was just me and him alone in the fighting room.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just every feeling I\u2019d been shoving down my throat for weeks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:31 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 46\u00a0<\/p>\n
Theo moved first.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A quick step forward \u2013\u00a0<\/p>\n
testing, not attacking.\u00a0<\/p>\n
63\u00a0<\/p>\n
55 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
I dodged easily, but he watched me with those steady, infuriating eyes that saw too much.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCome on,\u201d he murmured. \u201cYou\u2019re faster than that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I gritted my teeth and swung.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He blocked my attack. Effortlessly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He\u2019s an Alpha. What else was I expecting?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Frustration shot through me.But, I didn\u2019t give up. I moved again, sharper, forcing myself to think.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I had to win this. So that I can finally get rid of him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019m not sure that\u2019s what I want though.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I kept trying to keep my cool and breathe, but it\u2019s hard.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The more I attacked, the more he kept blocking me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His defense was not mocking. Or playful.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He was reading me. My every movement.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I hated that he could.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFight me, Kaia,\u201d he said softly. \u201cNot the space between us. Me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Something snapped.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I drove forward with a kick, then a punch aimed at his ribs. He caught my wrist, twisted lightly, and I felt my balance falter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I ripped free, spun, and struck again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He grabbed my forearm mid-swing. Firm, solid, \u2013 and stepped inside my guard.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Too close. Way too close.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYour tells are louder when you\u2019re angry,\u201d he breathed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cShut up,\u201d I hissed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But he was right.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My body reacted before my brain did, and he used it. Quick sweep of his leg. Sudden shift of weight.\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:31 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 46\u00a0<\/p>\n
I hit the ground hard.\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
. 63\u00a0<\/p>\n
E55 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before I could roll away, his hand pressed to my shoulder, holding me down just enough to pin me without hurting me. His face hovered above mine, breath uneven.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYield,\u201d he whispered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My heart hammered wildly. His scent, his warmth, the intensity in his eyes, it was all too much.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I felt myself drowning.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d I forced out\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
His grip tightened by a fraction. \u201cKaia\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI said no.I won\u2019t \u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He exhaled sharply then moved.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In a blink, he had my wrists trapped gently against the ground.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His knees bracketing my hips, his chest hovering an inch above mine. Not crushing. Not domineering.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just certain. Completely certain.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou yield now,\u201d he said, voice low and rough, \u201cor I kiss you. And then you\u2019ll blame me for that too.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My breath caught. He was dead serious.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My resolve cracked right down the middle.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2026\u201d My voice trembled. \u201cI yield.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Only then did he release me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Slowly. Carefully. Like I was something breakable.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He stood up and extended a hand to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I ignored it and pushed myself up, humiliated and overwhelmed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But he didn\u2019t look smug. Didn\u2019t look victorious.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He looked wrecked. As if he didnt just win against me in a duet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cKaia\u2026\u201d His voice was hoarse. \u201cNow you talk to me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stared at the ground, my chest tight with pangs, I felt my eyes burning as if I\u2019m about to cry.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Because losing to him wasn\u2019t the worst part.\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:31 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 46\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wanting him so badly I could barely breathe\u2026 That was the real defeat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A \u0b2e\u0b41\u0b1a\u0b4d (63\u00a0<\/p>\n
55 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
AD\u00a0<\/p>\n
Comment\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 46 Chapter 46\u00a0 \u2013Kaia\u2013\u00a0 Three Days Later\u00a0 I\u2019d managed to avoid Theo for […]<\/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-27291","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\/27291","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=27291"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27291\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27291"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27291"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27291"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}