Lahat ng Kabanata ng My Human Husband, Shades of You : Kabanata 21 - Kabanata 30

KIERAN'S POVI stood at the doorway watching Thessara sleep. She'd finally passed out an hour ago after Mara stitched up her side.My wolf paced inside me. Restless. I want to go there. Mark her properly. Make sure everyone knew she was mine.But I couldn't. Not yet. She was still healing. Still processing everything that happened tonight.Still probably thinking about him."Alpha." Jackson's voice came from behind me quietly. "Got the security footage from the hospital."I turned away from Thessara's room. Followed Jackson down the hall to my office. I tried to ignore my wolf howling to go back.Jackson pulled up the footage on my computer. "This was taken two hours before the attack."I watched the screen. Thessara walking through the parking garage. Then a man appeared beside her. Tall. Clean cut. White coat.The human doctor.They talked for a few minutes. He touched her arm. She smiled at him. Actually smiled.My wolf snarled loudly inside me."Who is he?" My voice came out rough

THESSARA'S POV"Of course you're gone."I said it to the empty room. To the cold sheets beside me where Kieran should have been.A note lay on his pillow. Neat handwriting. Brief message.*Pack business. Stay inside. Train with Mara at noon. - K*No explanation. No apology. Just orders.My wolf whined disappointed. I wanted him here. Wanted his presence close.I crumpled the note. Tossed it aside. Sit up slow. Every muscle still ached from yesterday. The bandages pulled tight against healing wounds.My phone sat on the nightstand. Screen dark. Seventeen missed calls now. Twenty-three unread messages.All Simon.I picked it up carefully. Like it might explode. Thumb hovering over the voicemail icon.Don't listen. Just delete them. Move on.But I couldn't. My finger pressed play before I could stop myself.Simon's voice filled the quiet room. Worried. Strained. Real.*"Thessara, it's me again. I know you're getting these. Please just... call me back. I'm worried sick. The hospital said

THESSARA'S POV"You came."Simon was already standing when I walked into the coffee shop. His whole face lit up with relief first, then something else crossed it. Something that looked like it hurt.I sat down across from him, moving carefully. Everything still ached from the pack training earlier. Every muscle protested."I said I would," I told him quietly.He looked awful. There were dark circles under his eyes like he hadn't slept in days. His hair was all messy, like he'd been running his hands through it over and over. He looked exhausted."I thought something terrible happened to you," he said, and his voice came out rough. "You just disappeared from the hospital. No explanation. No contact. Nothing."The guilt hit me hard in the chest. "I'm sorry. I really am.""Sorry doesn't explain anything, Thessara." He leaned forward, searching my face like he was trying to find answers there. "Where have you been? What happened?"I'd practiced this on the walk over. Rehearsed the lie a d

**Thessara's POV**"You could have been killed!"Kieran's voice exploded the second we pulled out of the parking lot. The truck felt too small. Too contained. Like a cage."I went for coffee," I shot back. My hands clenched in my lap. "Not into a war zone.""You left pack grounds without protection," he snarled. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel. "Without telling anyone. While there's someone hunting you.""I told Marcus," I said. Defensive. "He knew where I was.""Marcus isn't your Alpha," Kieran growled. "I am. You answer me."Something snapped inside me. Hot. Angry. Final."I don't answer to anyone," I said. My voice was cold. Hard. "You don't own me, Kieran."He turned to look at me. Just for a second. His eyes flashed gold. Dangerous. "You're my mate. My responsibility.""That means nothing if I don't choose it," I interrupted. "The mate bond doesn't make me your property.""I'm trying to keep you safe," he said. Breathing hard. Fighting for control."By monitoring my

**Thessara's POV**Three days.Three days since I slammed that door. Since I chose distance over the mate bond. Since I last spoke to Kieran.Three days of hell.The bond pulled constantly. It ached. Screamed. Like part of me was missing. Like I was incomplete.But I stayed away. Stayed strong. Trained with Mara instead.Mara didn't ask questions. Didn't push. Just worked me hard. Made me focus on physical pain instead of emotional.We were sparring in the clearing. The sun is barely up. Dew still on the grass. Just us."Good," Mara said as I dodged her strike. "You're getting faster. Stronger."I didn't feel stronger. I felt broken. Torn in two."How do you do it?" I asked. Panting. Catching my breath between rounds. "Balance everything?""What's everything?" Mara asked. Circled me slowly. Ready for another round."Being a wolf," I said. "Being human. Being both. Being neither."She paused. Lowered her guard slightly. "You were human once?""I was," she confirmed. "A long time ago. B