All Chapters of whispers beneath the moon: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

He didn’t let go.Even after everything—the teasing, the filthy promises, the way his fingers had made me see stars through my clothes—he held me like I was sacred. Like if he loosened his grip for even a second, I’d disappear forever. His face stayed buried in the crook of my neck, his breath brushing against my skin like he was trying to memorize the way I smelled.I’d never been held like that before. Not in real life. Not even in my most desperate dreams.And the worst part?I didn’t want it to end.I stayed tangled up in him—legs locked, arms around his bare chest, his warmth sinking into my bones like something I’d never feel again. The tension I always wore like armor melted into something dangerous: comfort. Cherry purred softly in the back of my mind, utterly content, like we hadn’t just lived through the most confusing, arousing, soul-shattering moment of our lives.Eventually, in the silence of the early morning, he carried me to my room.No words. No explanations. No smug

You know that feeling when you don't want to see someone, but life just won't give you a break? That was me this morning. If I could’ve peeled off my skin and grown a new one just to avoid a certain Alpha, I would’ve done it in a heartbeat.But the universe isn’t that kind.Cherry's been silent since yesterday—and honestly, I’m grateful. I couldn’t handle her sass right now. Not when I’m this close to crumbling. I dragged myself through a shower, brushed my teeth like someone battling early-stage heartbreak depression, and stared at my closet like it had wronged me personally.I really need new clothes. I can't keep cycling through the same two outfits and pretending I’m fine. I’ll ask Daisy if she can take me shopping. Eventually.I slipped on a faded top that read, What a beautiful day. The irony wasn’t lost on me. Paired it with some pants. No effort, no spark. Just survival.Breakfast was already at my door, as usual. I sat on the floor and ate mechanically. The food tasted like m

The silence in my office was suffocating.The kind that crawled under your skin, clawing at your ribs until your chest felt too tight to breathe.I sat behind the massive oak desk, pretending to read over border reports, rogue activity breakdowns, and council petitions—but my mind wouldn’t stop replaying the image of her walking out on me.The sound of her voice.The slap.Her anger.My failure.Penelope.Every time I blinked, I saw her.I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the desk, trying to focus. The numbers blurred. I couldn’t tell if I was reviewing the updated trade tariffs with the East Ridge Pack or reading the same damn paragraph over and over.“Status report on rogue threat density…” I muttered, skimming the same line again.It wasn’t sticking.None of it was.I’d been trained for war, raised for dominance. But no one taught me what to do when the only woman I wanted looked me in the eye and told me she’d stab me.And the worst part?I deserved it.And loved it.Every las

You know that feeling when you don’t know where you belong? Like something wanted—but not enough to be needed? That’s how I felt waking up this morning. The silence of my room didn’t comfort me—it mocked me.Cherry hadn’t said a word in two days, and it didn’t take two senses to know she’d been hurt enough to fall quiet. I stared at the ceiling, heavy with the weight of things I couldn’t name. Maybe I wasn’t enough. Maybe I never had been. Ronan had made that clear—he didn’t choose me, he chose Marissa. And now Alex? I sighed. Alex.I sat up slowly, every muscle aching like grief had weight now. I could still feel him under my fingertips—the tremble in his body, the rawness in his sleep. And the name he cried.Zara.I pressed my palms to my eyes, trying to erase the memory, but it had rooted itself inside me. The mate bond must be broken. Glitched. Maybe the Moon Goddess had been drunk the day she made the match.Why else would she pair me with someone whose heart was already gone?I

It’s been two days since Cherry said a word. Two days since my little run-in with Xaden. I was still stuck working here in the soldier’s quarters, and honestly, I don’t think that’s changing anytime soon.Xaden and I? We’ve got this weird… companionship. I clean his weapons personally. He keeps others from bothering me. I was hoping he’d distract me from Alex—and I can tell you right now, that plan’s a total failure.Alex and his mysterious ex have taken up permanent residence in my brain.I keep wondering what she looks like. Probably sexy. Sexier than me, anyway. I mean—I am sexy, if you’re into plus-sized women with thighs and curves and attitude. But something tells me Zara’s the type men get obsessed with.And not knowing what she looks like? That’s the worst part. It leaves too much room for imagination. I stay up all night picturing her, trying to guess what it is about her that Alex couldn’t forget.And Xaden… I don’t know what he wants from me. He’s hot. Like really hot. If I