All Chapters of Too Broken To Be Loved : Chapter 31 - Chapter 36

Kieara falls asleep slowly.Not peacefully. Not easily. But eventually, her breathing evens out, her body loosens, and the tension in her shoulders melts just enough for her to rest.Oakley is curled at the foot of the bed, magic humming softly around him like a protective shield. He’s half-asleep already, head tucked into his arms, exhaustion pulling him under.But me?I don’t move.I don’t blink.I don’t sleep.I sit in the chair beside her bed, elbows on my knees, hands clasped, watching the rise and fall of her chest like it’s the only thing anchoring me to the earth.My wolf lies just beneath my skin, restless and alert. Stay awake, he growls softly. Watch her.“I’m not going anywhere,” I whisper.He settles, but only barely.The room is dim, lit only by the soft glow of the lamp. Shadows stretch across the walls, but none of them feel threatening now. Not with me here. Not with Oakley’s magic humming. Not with her wolf curled protectively inside her.Still, every tim

The bathroom is still warm when I step out, steam curling around my ankles like fog. My hair drips down my back, the ends soaking into the collar of the shirt I pulled on. It’s soft, oversized, and definitely not mine — Oakley shoved it into my hands last night when I was too shaken to argue.It smells faintly like him.I try not to think about that.The hallway is quiet, but the scent of breakfast drifts toward me — sweet, warm, comforting. Something buttery. Something sugary. Something that makes my stomach twist in a way I’m not used to.No one has ever made me breakfast before.Not for me. Not because they wanted to. Not because they cared.I take a slow breath and walk toward the kitchen.The moment I step into the doorway, I stop.Colton is at the stove, flipping pancakes with a focus that looks almost… intense. Oakley is whisking eggs, humming under his breath, magic flickering faintly around his fingers like sparks he’s not paying attention to.They look up at the sam

When we reach the small wooden cottage nestled between two large oaks, I stop.It’s… cute.Warm. Inviting. Covered in vines and flowers.Nothing like the sterile, cold infirmary I grew up with.Colton turns to me. “Ready?”I nod, even though I’m not.Oakley squeezes my shoulder gently. “We’ll be right here.”And for the first time in a long time…I believe him.The healer’s cottage sits tucked between two massive oaks, sunlight filtering through the leaves and scattering across the roof like gold dust. It looks… peaceful. Too peaceful. Like something out of a storybook.I stop a few feet from the door.Colton notices immediately. “We can turn back if you want.”I shake my head quickly. “No. I’m fine.”Oakley, walking beside me, leans in. “You don’t have to be fine. You just have to be here.”I swallow hard and nod.He’s trying to sound casual, but I can feel the tension rolling off him. He’s new here too. He moved in with me — or rather, because of me — and even though