All Chapters of Alpha Draven's Regret: The Return of His Rejected Mate: Chapter 71 - Chapter 75

Nyra's POVWe left before dawn.The forest had a particular silence in the hours before the sun rose, neither hostile nor welcoming, just… waiting. I’d come to recognize that stillness, to treat it like a warning. Like breath held before a storm.Three warriors moved with me: Alek, Kora, and Thane. The best of their ranks, hand-picked by Draven himself. We were heading toward the northern ridge, where strange energy had been reported, birds migrating out of season, animals turning feral, even a cluster of trees that had begun to rot from the inside out.Zaira’s magic had always been more subtle than Kael’s brute force or Selene’s manipulation. Hers crept. It took root like fungus and waited.I started to see the signs.We moved in silence. Our boots pressed gently against the dew-covered earth, barely making a sound. Kora was ahead, tracking, her keen senses reading the forest like a map. Alek guarded our rear, his hands twitching near the daggers at his hips. Thane, the tallest and q

Nyra's POVThere was something sacred about mornings like this, when the sky was soft and silver, and the world, for a brief heartbeat, didn’t feel like it was at war with itself.For the first time in days, I didn’t wake with dread clinging to my ribs.There were no urgent knocks at my door. No scouts out of breath. No burned walls or cursed dreams to chase down. Just the gentle scent of thyme and eggs drifting in from the kitchens and the distant sound of a boy laughing.I lingered in bed for a moment, savoring it.Peace.I didn’t trust it, not really. But I knew better than to waste it.When I stepped into the dining room, I was met with a sight that stopped me in my tracks.Draven was at the hearth, sleeves rolled to his elbows, hair mussed and damp from a quick rinse, holding a spatula like it was a weapon he’d half-forgotten how to use. Auren sat at the table, feet swinging beneath the chair as he munched on a slice of fruit, watching his father with gleaming amusement.“You’re

Nyra's POVThe wind felt different in the late evening. Cooler, slower, like the forest had finally let out a long breath.Dinner was quiet and easy. Simple in a way that felt like a gift. Auren told us about his magic rock with the bright excitement only kids have. He turned an ordinary river stone into something special in his mind. He asked if we could go back to the river next week. His small hands are still dirty today. Draven said they would find a better tree to climb next time. Maybe one with thicker branches that would not make noise. Auren's eyes lit up, and I smiled, thinking about his laughter by the water.The boy was different today. Lighter. More like himself than I had seen him in weeks. The careful way he usually held his shoulders was gone by the river. Instead, he moved easily, like a child who felt safe enough to just be.Now, the manor halls were quiet with a golden glow. The servants had finished their evening work and most had gone to their rooms. Even the kitc