Chapter 60\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2013Theo\u2013\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was in my study, looking after the pack\u2019s affairs, when a frantic knock came at my door.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before I can say anything, Beta Zane steps inside, eyes tight.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAlpha\u2026 It\u2019s Elara. She\u2019s not in her quarters.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
4663\u00a0<\/p>\n
55 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
I looked up. \u201cWell, what should I do about it? She doesn\u2019t report her whereabouts to me. Does she?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, you don\u2019t understand,\u201d Zane said, looking worried.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat about it? Make me understand, then,\u201d I replied.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I do not have time for petty issues today.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zane stiffened. \u201cElara\u2019s assistant reported her missing to me\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I raised a brow, surprised.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Missing? Why would Elara go missing, for damn\u2019s sake?\u00a0<\/p>\n
I cold dropped in my stomach. Something that came with a bad feeling when something dangerous slips out of its cage.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I hopped to my feet. \u201cHow long has this been?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been six hours. Elara\u2019s attendants assumed she was resting.\u201d Zane said. \u201cHowever, a guard says he saw her slip toward the east side of the compound.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDamn it,\u201d I cursed under my breath.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What the hell is Elara up to now? Fuck.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFind her. Keep watch. Don\u2019t approach.\u201d I ordered, clutching my temple.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zane bowed and disappeared.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I left the study right after him, my pulse thudding with a heaviness I hated.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien\u2019s words still echo behind my ribs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re one heartbreak away from the grave.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
When I got to the hallway, the guard approached me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The guards bow uneasily. \u201cAlpha\u2026 we checked her entire floor. Elara isn\u2019t in her room nor the packhouse.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:35 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 60\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
I felt my pulse spike-sharp, instinctive.\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019m not worried about Elara. I\u2019m concerned about what she might be doing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI will go look for her myself. Keep searching and report back to me,\u201d I said and walked away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
(63)\u00a0<\/p>\n
55 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
I cut through the forest path, following the faintest trace of Elara\u2019s scent, a cloying sweetness I\u2019ve grown to despise.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Minutes later, I found her outside, near the east forest wall, sitting on a log, her face tight, with no trace of emotion.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She was playing with leaves when I spotted her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She had turned back to me, perfectly straight.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t look bothered at all. Just selfishly whiling around.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elara turned when she heard me approach, a slow smile curving her mouth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWell\u2026 look who\u2019s come running.\u201d Elara tilted her head. \u201cYou look tense. What\u2019s wrong, Theo? Afraid I\u2019d run away?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stopped several feet away from me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My jaw tightened. \u201cYou\u2019re not supposed to leave your quarters without an escort. You know that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elara laughs softly with a hint of mockery.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, Theo. You sound like a guard, not an Alpha.\u201d She got up and walked closer to me, smiling. \u201cBut tell me\u2026 why do you sound so breathless? Afraid I\u2019d disappeared forever?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My expression doesn\u2019t shift. \u201cYou\u2019re unpredictable when you feel cornered. I have every right to be cautious.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elara lifted a brow. \u201cCornered? Is that what you think I am?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She let out a small, amused laugh that didn\u2019t reach her eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, darling. I\u2019m focused.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFocused on what?\u201d I asked.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t reply. Instead, Elara circled me slowly, like she was inspecting prey.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOn reclaiming what\u2019s mine. On fixing what should never have broken. On-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I cut her off. \u201cOn manipulating the Council behind your father\u2019s back?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elara didn\u2019t like that very much. Her fake mask cracked a little.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just a second.\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:35 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 60\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elara\u2019s jaw tensed before she smoothed it over.\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u0b2e\u0b42 \u0b2c\u0b43 63)\u00a0<\/p>\n
55 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI did what needed to be done. Your father promised me your hand. I refuse to let a little inconvenience,\u201d her lips tilted, \u201cget in the way.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stepped forward, leaning into her until we were inches apart.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I muttered, \u201cYou wanted the title, not me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWrong,\u201d she touched my chest lightly, right over where my heart falters. \u201cI want both.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I grabbed her wrist and dropped it. I felt reminded of her words before she left.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou left me when this heart wasn\u2019t strong enough for your taste.\u201d I reminded her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elara smiled slowly and venomously.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI left because I thought you\u2019d die,\u201d she shrugged. \u201cI didn\u2019t want to waste my youth on a man who might collapse during a council meeting.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The words land like punches on my heart, but I don\u2019t react. Not the way she wants her words to affect me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSay what you want, but you\u2019re not Luna. Not now and not in the future\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I saw Elara\u2019s eyes darken, fury twisting through them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou think Kaia can survive in this world? You think she can survive me?\u201d Elara asked, her voice laced with threats.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My voice dropped cold \u201cTry touching her. I will choke the air out of your lungs. Try it and see what happens.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
For a moment, Elara fell silent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then she burst out laughing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou really are afraid. Not of me but of the truth getting out.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My jaw flexed. \u201cYou\u2019re done here.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elara pushed her face to mine and softly held her hand to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRelax. I don\u2019t run away from my problems.\u201d She moved a little further. \u201cI face them head on, and I take back what\u2019s mine.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My expression hardened with annoyance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI were never yours, Elara. We both know that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her smile faltered for a second before she masked it up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you say so,\u201d she shrugged lightly, acting unbothered. \u201cBut you came looking for me the moment they said I\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:35 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 60\u00a0<\/p>\n
was gone. So maybe you\u2019re more confused than\u00a0<\/p>\n
I grabbed her shoulder, shaking her coldly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
you\u00a0<\/p>\n
think.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u0f3c (63\u00a0<\/p>\n
55 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t flatter yourself. I came because you\u2019re unpredictable and dangerous when things don\u2019t go your way\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, sweetheart\u2026 I\u2019m not the one who\u2019s going through it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She brushed past me, deliberately bumping my shoulder as she walked back toward the packhouse.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t worry. I\u2019m not running. Not when the real fun is just starting.\u201d Elara said, looking over her shoulder.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I watched her go, a dreadful feeling curling in my stomach.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Because I can feel it, Elara is planning something.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And Kaia might be targeted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2013Kaia\u2013\u00a0<\/p>\n
I spent the entire day replaying my conversation with Theo in my head.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The way Theo looked tense when he saw me with Lucien.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It felt as if something was closing in on him, and he was struggling to stay afloat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was almost at my door when a voice slipped from the corner of the hall.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGoing somewhere, healer? Or do I say Luna Kaia?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stopped. Slowly turning to face Elara.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elara walked over and stopped in front of me, wearing a big smile.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I looked at her, confused. Constantly side-eyeing her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t understand why she was talking to me with a big smile on her face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019m supposed to be her enemy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you want?\u201d I asked, not ready for a petty chat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elara waved her hand lightly. \u201cI would like to have a word with you\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I wanted to refuse. Knowing Elara, this was a bad idea, and she would ruin the rest of my day.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But before I could decline, she cornered me, pinning me to the wall.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRelax. I\u2019m not here to fight you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her eyes swept over me. Not with curiosity, she liked calculative.\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:35 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 60\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
A\u00a0<\/p>\n
63\u00a0<\/p>\n
55 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou must be so happy after what happened at the ceremony. Congratulations, by the way.\u201d She tilted her head, and annoyance flashed in her face. \u201cLuna.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My stomach twisted with disdain.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know,\u201d I raised my head. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to pretend to be polite.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Looking at me, Elara smiled wider.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, I\u2019m not pretending. I\u2019m just trying to warn you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stiffened. \u201cWarn me about what?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elara stepped a little closer to me, her perfume cloying and suffocating.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re playing a dangerous game,\u201d she tapped my chin slightly,\u201d and you don\u2019t even know the rules.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I knock her hand away. \u201cWhatever you think you\u2019re doing, it won\u2019t work.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She laughed terrifyingly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSweetheart, I don\u2019t need to think. I know.\u201d She leaned in, her voice dropping. \u201cYou have a powerless wolf. And you certainly don\u2019t have the strength to defend yourself when this pack turns on you again.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My breath hitched, but I held her gaze, refusing to look away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI saved two of your pack\u2019s kids from a fire. They won\u2019t turn on me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ll love you today.\u201d She raised a brow with a grin. \u201cBut love is a fragile thing, Kaia. It\u2019s very easy to twist and shatter.\u201d She paused. \u201cAnd I\u2019m quite good at twisting things.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elara\u2019s words felt creepy and eerie, like they were dipped in poison.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re threatened. That\u2019s why you\u2019re here.\u201d I muttered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For the first time, her smile slipped.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThreatened? No. Annoyed? Absolutely. You\u2019re an obstacle that shouldn\u2019t exist. And obstacles\u2026\u201d She stepped close enough for our noses to almost touch. \u201c\u2026tend to disappear from my life.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I felt air leaving my lungs. \u201cYou\u2019re not scaring me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elara shrugged, unbothered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t need to scare you. I need you to understand this-\u201d She gestured between us. \u201c\u2026.is temporary. Theo will come to his senses. And when he does, I will be the one standing beside him. Not you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I panicked a little. But I masked it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not your choice to make\u201d, I replied, refusing to back down.\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:35 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 60\u00a0<\/p>\n
C63\u00a0<\/p>\n
55 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
Slats scoffed, shaking her head. \u201cYou really think he\u2019ll choose you? A girl who\u2019s already breaking from the pressure? A girl who knows nothing about being Luna?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Only if she knew.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe chose me before.\u201d I scoffed. \u201cIt wouldn\u2019t hurt if he did it again\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hearing this, Elara\u2019s jaw ticked. Just once.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She clenched her fists tightly, trying to keep her anger in check.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll give you one bit of advice. Leave before things get ugly. Before the pack turns. Before Theo sees what you really are.\u201d She suggested.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I swallow hard but keep my head high.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd what do you think I am?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elara smiled slowly and viciously. \u201cDisposable.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elara turned around and left before I had the chance to defend myself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Disposable.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That\u2019s what she thought of me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It reminded me of Silvermoon; this is precisely what they thought of me back then, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maybe she\u2019s not necessarily wrong.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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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 60 Chapter 60\u00a0 \u2013Theo\u2013\u00a0 I was in my study, looking after the pack\u2019s […]<\/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-27305","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\/27305","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=27305"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27305\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27305"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27305"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27305"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}