Chapter: 59.Days turned into weeks, and life began to feel strangely steady. Cade showed up on time. He texted her good morning. He remembered small things, her favorite snack, her annoying habit of humming in the shower, the way she hated silence during dinner.He was showing consistency, something she didn’t realize she’d been craving all along.Then one morning, Zara found a folded note stuck to her door. She frowned, thinking it was another of his dirty jokes.But when she opened it, her breath caught.You used to hate my notes. Now it’s my favorite way to tell you I love you.She pressed the paper to her chest, a small smile tugging at her lips.That evening, she slipped one of her own under his door.You talk too much, you tease too much, you’re impossible. But somehow, I can’t imagine a day without you.When he found it, Cade grinned so wide his cheeks hurt.He kept the note. Then the next one. Then the next. Each one a small piece of her heart left for him to find.Soon, his drawer was fu
Last Updated: 2025-11-05
Chapter: 58.Dinner started awkwardly. Her parents asked polite questions, Cade answered carefully, and Zara tried not to die of secondhand embarrassment. But soon, things began to ease.When her father asked about Cade’s work, he spoke openly about his passion for architecture and design, about how he’d learned to rebuild after losing everything years ago. Zara noticed the way her mother’s expression softened as he spoke.“He’s got honesty in his voice,” Mrs. Ahmed whispered later when Cade went to help clear the dishes.“Yeah,” Zara said softly, “he does.”When they finally left, her mother hugged Cade. “You take care of my daughter, young man.”“I plan to,” he said sincerely.In the car, Zara turned to him. “You did great.”Cade smiled. “I think your dad still wants to kill me.”“He probably does. But Mom likes you.”“Then I’ll take that as a win.”She laughed, resting her head against his shoulder as they drove through the quiet streets. “I can’t believe we actually did it.”Cade squeezed her
Last Updated: 2025-11-05
Chapter: 57.She laughed. “That’s because you haven’t seen me at my worst.”“I have,” he said. “Remember when you threw your shoe at me?”Zara burst out laughing. “You deserved it!”He grinned. “Maybe. But I still came back for more.”She looked at him, her smile fading into something more tender. “Why do you keep coming back?”He paused, meeting her gaze. "Because when I'm with you, I don't feel broke anymore."Her chest tightened. "Cade..."He reached for her hand, his voice low. "I mean it. I've messed up a lot of things in my life, but you...you make me want to do better."Zara felt tears prick her eyes. "You don't have to be perfect, you know. Just be honest.""I am," he said simply. "All right now, I'm honestly terrified of losing you."She leaned forward, pressing her forehead against his. "Then don't."He kissed her again, and it felt like a promise.The days that followed were some of the happiest Zara could remember. Cade would show up with coffee in the morning, or text her random jokes
Last Updated: 2025-11-04
Chapter: 56.Cade came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. “You okay?”She nodded. “I just don’t want this to end.”“Then don’t let it.”“It’s not that simple.”He turned her around gently. “It is if we make it that way.”Zara searched his face, her heart twisting. “I don’t want to lose myself in this.”Cade cupped her face. “You’re not losing yourself, Zara. You’re finding the part you’ve been hiding.”She swallowed hard. “And what about you?”“I already lost myself to you,” he said quietly. “I’m fine with that.”Her breath caught, and before she could reply, he kissed her again. This time, it wasn’t wild or desperate, it was slow, filled with everything they hadn’t said.Outside, lightning flashed, and the sea roared, but inside, it felt like time had stopped.Zara clung to him, realizing that no matter how much she tried to fight it, she was already his.And this time, she didn’t want to run anymore.By the time they drove back to the city, the tension that had once existed betwe
Last Updated: 2025-11-04
Chapter: 55.That night, they made love like it was a battle, wild, angry, unstoppable. Every touch was a challenge, every kiss a demand.When it was over, they lay side by side, both silent, both breathing hard.Cade turned his head slightly. “Still think you don’t want me?”Zara closed her eyes. “You’re impossible.”He smiled faintly. “You love it.”She didn’t answer but when his hand brushed hers, she didn’t pull away.Outside, the city buzzed as if nothing had changed but inside that room, every thing had and neither of them could pretend anymore.The morning after was quiet. Too quiet. Zara woke up to sunlight streaming through the blinds, her head resting on Cade’s shoulder. For a moment, she let herself enjoy it, the warmth of his skin, the slow rhythm of his breathing, the way his hand rested protectively on her waist. It felt natural, like something that should have always been.But then reality crept in.She sat up slowly, trying not to wake him. The bedsheet slipped down her body, and t
Last Updated: 2025-10-30
Chapter: 54.Zara avoided Cade for two full days. Every knock on her door, every text that flashed across her screen, she ignored. She tried to convince herself she was doing the right thing, keeping things quiet, protecting her peace but her apartment had never felt so hollow. Even her coffee tasted bland without him stealing sips and grinning about it.On the third morning, she saw him in the hallway. He was leaning against his doorframe, shirt clinging to his chest, hair still damp from a shower. She froze mid-step, pretending to check her phone, but he looked up and caught her.“Morning,” he said casually.Zara forced a smile. “Morning.”He didn’t say anything else. Just nodded and walked past her, the faint scent of his cologne lingering behind. Something in her chest tightened.She went inside, locked the door, and stood there, staring at nothing. The silence felt unbearable. She tried to distract herself with work, movies, cleaning but nothing helped. By evening, she found herself pacing, a
Last Updated: 2025-10-30
Chapter: Chapter 90: The Mother They Buried~Lisa~Ronan went rigid.The voice was no longer coming from the darkness alone. It seemed to fill every corner of the chamber, slipping through the walls and rising from the floor beneath our feet."You have no idea what she sacrificed for you."Ronan bared his teeth."Whatever you are, stop using her face."The woman sighed."I see he hasn't told you everything, Lisa."I looked at Ronan.He looked just as confused as I felt."What hasn't he told me?"The woman's smile widened."Ask him why he never searched for you after you disappeared."My heart stopped.I turned toward Ronan."What?""Lisa, listen to me.""Did you know where I was?""No.""Did you know I was pregnant?"His silence lasted only a second, but it was enough to hurt."I suspected," he said. "My father told me you might be carrying a child, but he never told me where you were."The woman's face twisted with amusement."Half a truth. How convenient."Ronan's grip tightened around my hand."Don't listen to her.""Then te
Last Updated: 2026-10-21
Chapter: Chapter 89: The Mother They Buried~Lisa~The moment the figure reached for me, Ronan pulled me behind him."Don't touch her!"The creature stopped.Its hidden face turned toward Ronan, and a low laugh escaped from beneath its crown."You still believe your strength can protect her."Ronan's claws extended. "Come closer and find out.""Ronan, don't!" Elias shouted.But the warning came too late.The shadows rushed forward.Ronan swung at them, but his claws passed through the darkness as though he were fighting smoke. The force of the movement sent him stumbling, and the shadows wrapped around his arms.I screamed his name.Then something inside me burned.I grabbed the silver moon pendant hanging around my neck, and the moment my fingers closed around it, the entire chamber flashed white.The shadows released Ronan.The creature staggered backward.For the first time, I saw something beneath its crown.Not a face.A wound.A deep, black opening where its face should have been, surrounded by lines that looked like crac
Last Updated: 2026-10-21
Chapter: Chapter 88: Beneath Blackthorn~Ronan~I reached toward the cradle, but Elias caught my wrist.“Don't touch it.”I looked at him.“Why?”“Because the markings are not merely names. They are part of a binding spell. If your blood touches them, the chamber may recognize you as the final heir.”I pulled my hand away.Lisa looked from the cradle to Victor.“You said Daniel was taken because the Circle believed he was the child in the prophecy. Then they took Elias because of his bloodline. Why is Ronan's name here?”Victor shook his head.“I don't know.”Daniel looked at his brother.“Because the prophecy was never about one child.”A faint sound came from behind the wall.Three knocks.Then a fourth.Daniel turned toward it.“Someone is inside.”I moved to the wall and pressed my ear against the stone.A small voice whispered from the other side.“Daddy?”My heart lurched.This time, I knew the voice.It was Milo.“I'm here, son!” I shouted. “I'm coming!”I searched the wall for a handle, a lock, anything that could o
Last Updated: 2026-10-20
Chapter: Chapter 87: Beneath Blackthorn~Ronan~“Daddy, why did you leave me here?”The voice came from beneath the cracked floor.It was a child's voice, weak and frightened, and it sounded so much like Milo that my wolf reacted before my mind could catch up.I dropped to my knees and peered into the darkness.“Milo?”“Ronan, don't!” Elias shouted.I barely heard him.Another small hand appeared through the opening, its fingers reaching toward me. I stretched out my arm, but before I could touch it, the hand disappeared.Then the voice spoke again.“Daddy, it's cold.”I nearly jumped into the hole.Daniel grabbed the back of my jacket.“That's not Milo!”I turned on him.“You told us he was safe!”“He is!”“Then who is down there?”Daniel's silver eyes moved toward the opening.For the first time since he had appeared, he looked genuinely afraid.“The child who was never meant to survive.”A loud crash came from the corridor. Desmond shouted that we had to move, and the sound of approaching footsteps grew louder.I pulled
Last Updated: 2026-10-20
Chapter: Chapter 86: The Child Who Returned II~Lisa~Elias stepped forward.“You're lying. The oath can be broken without sacrificing either child.”Daniel's silver eyes flashed.“You know what happens when the royal bloodline is divided.”“Yes,” Elias replied. “I know what happens when someone tries to control it.”Daniel turned away from him.“Then you know why Milo must remain where he is.”I couldn't bear another moment of uncertainty.“Enough! You keep talking about my son as though he's some object that belongs to your family. He's four years old. He has a heart condition. He needs his parents, not ancient promises and royal bloodlines.”Daniel looked at me for a long moment.Then his face softened.“I know.”His voice was quieter now.“I remember what it feels like to be taken away from your mother. I remember calling for her until my voice disappeared. I remember waiting for someone to come back for me.”He looked at Victor.“No one came.”Victor began to cry silently.Daniel turned back to me.“I won't let that happen to
Last Updated: 2026-10-19
Chapter: Chapter 85: The Child Who Returned~Lisa~“Elias is not the only child who survived the Blood Hall.”Victor's words echoed through the darkness.I clutched the paper against my chest, trying to understand what he had just said. Another child had survived? How many children had the Circle taken, and how many secrets had my mother carried to her grave?Then I heard Milo's voice again.“Mommy, please come and get me.”I nearly ran toward the stairs.Ronan caught my wrist.“Lisa, wait.”“That's my son!”“I know what you heard, but we don't know who's up there.”“What if it really is Milo?”His grip loosened, but he didn't let go.I could see the struggle on his face. He wanted to run up those stairs as badly as I did, but he was forcing himself to think before acting.That was what made him a good Alpha.And it was what made me want to scream.“What if we're wasting time?” I whispered.Elias stepped closer.“The Circle knows how to imitate voices. They use memories and emotions to make people abandon their judgment. If you
Last Updated: 2026-10-19
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