Chapter 78\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2013Kaia\u2013\u00a0<\/p>\n
Theo grabbed a towel seeing my hair was still damp.\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me do it,\u201d I said, taking the towel from him. \u201cGet dressed, big bad alpha\u201d I winked.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you tease me like this, I will lose all control, blue eyes,\u201d he mouthed, sniffing my neck.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t want to?\u201d I asked. \u201cToo bad!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, I want to!\u201d Theo scampered over and grabbed my waist.\u00a0<\/p>\n
62)\u00a0<\/p>\n
55 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh you little horny alpha,\u201d I laughed, and Theo\u2019s face dropped. \u201cIt\u2019s still morning. You have a meeting, let\u2019s see what you\u2019ve got later\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPromised?\u201d Theo asked. He looked like he\u2019d lost a biscuit.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ll have to find out later, dear alpha\u201d I turned away and began wiping my hair.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAah, blue eyes!\u201d Theo breathed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
By the time I finished braiding my hair after drying it and folding the sleeves of Theo\u2019s oversized shirt, Theo was already dressed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He wore a black shirt with rolled sleeves; he had his brushed back, with a few strands falling over.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He looked unfairly good. I can\u2019t believe how lucky I am to have a man like him in my arms.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s go, you are going to be late\u201d I looked at the clock.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Saying that, I walked ahead. As I was reaching for the door Theo spoke.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBlue eyes\u2026.please wait.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I turned.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He stood near his drawer, his fingers tapping the drawer like he was nervous.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Theo never looked nervous. Not in front of anyone. But now his shoulders were tight, his eyes softer than usual.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI-uh\u2026\u201d He cleared his throat. \u201cI have something for you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me?\u201d I blinked. \u201cWhy? I mean what for?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He hesitated. And that alone made my chest tighten.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause\u2026 I wanted to,\u201d he said quietly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:41 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 78\u00a0<\/p>\n
He opened the drawer and pulled out a small velvet box.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My stomach did a flip.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cTheo,\u201d I mouthed. \u201cWhat-?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
(62)\u00a0<\/p>\n
55 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not a mating gift,\u201d he blurted. \u201cNot yet. I don\u2019t want to pressure you. I just\u2026 saw this months ago. Before I even knew you were mine.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My breath hitched.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before he knew we were going to become a couple.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What a thoughtful person he was. I wish the goddess would take all his pain and give it to his enemies.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He stepped closer and opened the box.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Inside was a necklace; thin gold chain, intricate, with a tiny crescent moon charm.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It shimmered faintly, warm as sunrise.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s\u2026 beautiful,\u201d I whispered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Theo looked almost shy, his eyes dropping to the necklace like he wasn\u2019t sure I\u2019d like it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt reminded me of you,\u201d he said. \u201cSmall, but stronger than anyone gives you credit for. Quiet, but\u2026 full of light.\u201d He paused. \u201cAnd the moon has always been sacred to us. To our kind.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He lifted the necklace gently. \u201cMay I?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I turned around, gathering my hair aside.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His fingers brushed the back of my neck careful and reverent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A soft shiver rolled down my spine as he clasped it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When he finished, he didn\u2019t step back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His hands stayed on my shoulders. Then he slowly turned me to face him\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not just a gift,\u201d he murmured, his soothing voice gracing my ear. \u201cIt\u2019s a promise. That I\u2019ll protect you. That you\u2019re not alone anymore.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I swallowed hard and nodded at him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cTheo,\u201d I said softly. \u201cYou already gave me more than enough.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He frowned faintly. \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou see me,\u201d I whispered. \u201cYou don\u2019t treat me like a burden. Or an outcast. Or a mistake. You make me feel like I belong.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:41 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 78\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cA mess?\u201d I echoed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
She gave me a sad smile. \u201cWhen Elara broke his heart and left him wrecked\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Aa662\u00a0<\/p>\n
55 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh,\u201d I mouthed, not sure what to say. I hesitated, then asked, \u201cWhat happened to Theo\u2019s fated mate?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She blinked. \u201cOh, Theo never found his fated. Not a glimpse of her once. The Moon Goddess didn\u2019t reveal anyone to him.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her voice lowered. \u201cHe fell in love with Elara instead. He loved her deeply and he was willing to reject his fated if she ever showed up just to be with her.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cShe betrayed him,\u201d Justine continued. \u201cAnd he never really recovered.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My chest tightened painfully.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If I had met him back then, he would\u2019ve never looked at me the way he looked at her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I breathed out slowly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m lucky,\u201d I said softly. \u201cLuckily he moved on with me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Justine looked at me for a long second before asking the one question I wasn\u2019t prepared for.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat would you do,\u201d she said gently, \u201cif Theo\u2019s fated mate suddenly shows up one day?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My breath caught, and my fingers froze around the warm cup.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The room suddenly felt too small.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2026I\u2026I\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The word caught in my throat. I had never once thought about it so I had nothing to say.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Because if I did\u2026If I did, I\u2019d break.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Justine placed a gentle hand on mine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not saying she will,\u201d she said softly. \u201cBut you deserve to think about it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My heart pounded painfully.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Would Theo still want me? Or would the mate bond rip him away from me?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Would I lose everything all over again?\u00a0<\/p>\n
I can\u2019t be selfish, right? He deserves to be with his fated, even if that person is not me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I forced a small, tight breath.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d I whispered. \u201cI don\u2019t want to think about it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:41 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 78\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Justine squeezed my hand. \u201cI hope you never have to.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
:.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But the fear had already curled into my chest like a stubborn fly\u00a0<\/p>\n
And it wouldn\u2019t let go.\u00a0<\/p>\n
AD\u00a0<\/p>\n
62\u00a0<\/p>\n
55 vouchers\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 78 Chapter 78\u00a0 \u2013Kaia\u2013\u00a0 Theo grabbed a towel seeing my hair was still […]<\/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-27323","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\/27323","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=27323"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27323\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27323"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27323"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27323"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}