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Chapter 103: A Reflection

Author: Sand Kastle
last update Last Updated: 2025-08-10 06:00:58

CADE

“Thank you for doing this,” I said softly as soon as Arden was gone. “It means a lot to the both of us.”

Bethany had just finished explaining the danger of everything—what the fight ahead would look like, what we could lose—but none of it compared to the fact that she had chosen to stand with us anyway. I met her gaze fully, filled with gratitude. “We wouldn’t be able to do any of this without you.”

She sat behind her desk, her back straight, arms folded.

Bethany nodded once. “You’re welcome,” she said. Then, after a pause, she tilted her head. “Are you two… mates?”

I was surprised by the sudden shift in topic. “Oh. Yes,” I answered, joy blooming in my chest. “Second chance,” I added, running a hand through the back of my hair.

She raised a brow. “So, you weren’t her original mate?”

I shook my head. “No, I wasn’t.”

My tone instinctively darkened as I added, “It was originally Jaxon Trevane from the West.”

Bethany hummed thoughtfully, but I rushed on before she could say
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MD Loves Books
Oh Arden. Kieran is an absolute jerk! I cannot believe he kissed her. I’m sure he did it just to shatter her. The conversation Cade had with Bethany really has me thinking that Bethany is Arden’s mom. I want to know how Arden ended up with her terrible family!
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  • Bonds at War: The Untouched is Mine   Chapter 103: A Reflection

    CADE “Thank you for doing this,” I said softly as soon as Arden was gone. “It means a lot to the both of us.” Bethany had just finished explaining the danger of everything—what the fight ahead would look like, what we could lose—but none of it compared to the fact that she had chosen to stand with us anyway. I met her gaze fully, filled with gratitude. “We wouldn’t be able to do any of this without you.” She sat behind her desk, her back straight, arms folded. Bethany nodded once. “You’re welcome,” she said. Then, after a pause, she tilted her head. “Are you two… mates?” I was surprised by the sudden shift in topic. “Oh. Yes,” I answered, joy blooming in my chest. “Second chance,” I added, running a hand through the back of my hair. She raised a brow. “So, you weren’t her original mate?” I shook my head. “No, I wasn’t.” My tone instinctively darkened as I added, “It was originally Jaxon Trevane from the West.” Bethany hummed thoughtfully, but I rushed on before she could say

  • Bonds at War: The Untouched is Mine   Chapter 102: Venom

    ARDENIt was a very serious moment. Cade was nodding along to Bethany’s warnings. But despite everything, I felt the call of nature. “I’m so sorry,” I blurted, sitting up straighter. “Can I go to the restroom, please? I’ve been holding it in since... like, an hour ago.”Both of them turned to look at me.Bethany’s stern expression faltered just slightly. Cade, on the other hand, let out a soft breath of amusement and leaned in to kiss the side of my head.“Cute,” he whispered. “Go ahead.”Bethany tilted her head toward the door. “There’s one at the end of the hall. Second door on your right.”I stood up but paused, tilting my head. “Wait. You don’t have a bathroom in here?”Bethany raised a brow. “All the other singular rooms in the upper tower don’t have one. It’s only fair I also don’t have it.”That made me smile. She was just so... Bethany. Righteous and careful and strict, even with herself. That kind of self-discipline was something I had a hard time with, so I admired her even

  • Bonds at War: The Untouched is Mine   Chapter 101: By Your Side

    ARDENCade and I sat on the long leather couch across from Bethany, our legs brushing together. He had unwrapped one of the candies and popped it into his mouth, then opened another one and fed it to me.Bethany Spirit didn’t say a word at first. She leaned back in her chair, her gaze shifting back and forth between us. The silence was thick, broken only by the sound of our chewing.Finally, she narrowed her eyes. “Young man,” she said, breaking the silence. “Do you truly want to become Praetor? Or is it simply because Arden told you to?”Cade choked slightly on the candy, coughing before turning toward me with wide eyes. I covered my mouth to stifle a laugh, biting down on my lower lip. Bethany’s expression remained unchanged.Cade leaned in slightly. “So, it was actually Bethany Spirit you managed to get on your side,” he whispered, awe evident in his voice. “You’re amazing.”My cheeks warmed at his words. “You’re even more amazing for speaking like that out there,” I whispered back

  • Bonds at War: The Untouched is Mine   Chapter 100: Her Nomination

    ARDEN I could hear the others whispering about my identity. Who was this girl who came forward to defend Cade Callahan? In their eyes, I was just a nobody. Their voices weren’t even trying to hide their doubt. Mr. Winters let out a small breath. “What nonsense are you talking about? Cade Callahan running as the Praetor? That cannot be.” But the murmurs grew louder, prickling through the clearing. I felt Cade reach out for my hand, intertwining our fingers before pulling me closer to him. It hadn’t been long since we last saw each other, but I already missed him. “Arden,” he whispered, leaning in even closer while giving my hand a gentle squeeze. “What is happening?” I squeezed back but didn’t look at him. I kept my eyes focused forward, my heart pounding from nervousness, yet my voice remained calm. “Trust me,” I whispered back. “Please.” Then I turned to face the crowd, holding my ground. “There are no contraindications,” I said clearly, addressing everyone present. Mr. Winter

  • Bonds at War: The Untouched is Mine   Chapter 99: The Perfect Candidate

    ARDENThe moment Cade pressed play on his phone, the entire clearing fell under a heavy silence. At first, the recording sounded grainy, typical for a recording of this nature, but then Mr. Winters' voice emerged with clarity. “This is the start of your downfall. Of everything. You should be grateful you have your parents… because quite frankly, you’d be six feet under if you didn’t.”Gasps fluttered through the crowd. I could see the disbelief on their faces. Someone whispered, “Is that real?”“It sounds just like him…”Our heightened hearing, a gift of our werewolf blood, captured every word with piercing clarity. There was no mistaking the cadence of Winters’ voice, the subtle arrogance laced within every phrase.Cade lifted his phone higher, determined to drive the words deeper into the hearts of everyone gathered. “You triggered something in me… That woman. Arden Stone. Her family doesn’t want her. And now I’ll ensure you don’t get to live properly either. I’ll take everythin

  • Bonds at War: The Untouched is Mine   Chapter 98: For the Better

    ARDENCade stood tall in the center of the clearing, his back straight, daring anyone to look away. Despite the guards holding me back and the crowd forming an ugly ring of judgment around him, he showed no signs of backing down. Nothing could stop him now. I could see it in his posture—that quiet, thunderous determination. He had made a choice. He would be heard. It broke something inside me to witness how they looked at him. The same people who had praised him before, who had bowed their heads in reverence when he passed by, and who once praised his mere existence—they were now looking at him like he was dirt beneath their shoes. All because of a name. I hated it. I hated the hypocrisy. How quickly people could forget everything you’ve done the moment they learned who you were not. They saw Cade stripped of a title and suddenly disregarded all the moments he had carried them, protected them, and fought for them. It was disgusting. And so very cowardly. But he didn’t shrink. Not

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