Semua Bab The Rejected Lycan Heiress: He rejected her, she claimed his: Bab 41 - Bab 50

Alder's POV I was staring at the map spread across my desk, my fingers resting on the edge of it while my mind drifted far from the lines and markings in front of me, when the door opened without warning.I did not need to look up immediately.The presence alone was enough.James.The air shifted slightly, heavier, colder, and I finally lifted my gaze just in time to see him walk in with a brown envelope in his hand, his expression neutral in a way that felt unfamiliar, distant in a way that still unsettled me no matter how many times I saw it.He did not greet me.He simply walked forward and dropped the envelope on my desk.The sound echoed lightly.I stared at it for a moment before looking back up at him.“How long is this going to continue?” I asked, my voice calm but carrying a weight I could not fully hide.He tilted his head slightly, a faint smirk forming on his lips, though it did not reach his eyes.“Alpha,” he said slowly, emphasizing the title just enough to make it feel

Alder's POV I stood in the center of my office long after the council meeting had ended, my thoughts still tangled around the reports spread across my desk. The inked markings on the map felt heavier than they should have, as though every line was a reminder of how many things were slipping beyond control in the territories we were responsible for.Edrick had already left after reporting the last surveillance update, and the silence he left behind only made my thoughts louder. The rogue activity near the border had increased again, and the pattern was no longer random. Someone was organizing them, guiding them, turning scattered threats into something far more deliberate.I exhaled slowly, pressing my fingers against my temple when the door opened without warning.James walked in like he owned the air in the room, his expression unreadable but his presence impossible to ignore. He did not wait for permission before stepping closer and placing a sealed report on my desk.“You look lik

Adella's POV The sunlight pierced through the narrow slats of the window like needles of molten gold, stabbing directly into my eyes as I fought to peel my eyelids open. I groaned, the sound vibrating through my skull and intensifying the rhythmic pounding that felt as though a blacksmith was using my temples for an anvil. My palm flew to my forehead, pressing hard against the skin in a desperate attempt to hold my brain inside my head while the room spun in nauseating circles. Every breath I took felt heavy, smelling of damp earth and some sharp, medicinal herb that made my stomach churn with a sudden, violent protest. I sat up slowly, feeling the bed beneath me shift and groan, a stark contrast to the silence that otherwise dominated the space. My memory was a fragmented mess of dark trees and the guttural, terrifying sounds of pursuit, but I couldn't quite grasp the moment everything had gone black."Adella?" a voice whispered, the sound low and gravelly, cutting through the haze

Adella's POV The air in the chamber felt thick with the remnants of my recent panic, but as I sat on the edge of the bed, the warmth of Tera’s hand in mine provided the only steady foundation I had left. I looked over at Alder, who was still leaning against the window frame with an expression of detached curiosity that made my skin itch. I knew what I had to do, and while the decision felt like a jagged stone in my throat, it was the only way to ensure that the people I loved survived the madness of this mission. I took a deep breath, smoothing the wrinkled fabric of my tunic before I looked Alder directly in the eyes, my voice coming out steadier than I actually felt."Alder, you mentioned that I owe you a favor for saving my life, and while I am loath to admit it, you are right that I cannot repay that debt while I am lying in this bed," I began, my gaze shifting briefly to Tera before returning to him. "I am asking you for a favor now, one that I will add to the tally of what I ow

Adella's POV The weight of my eyelids felt like leaden weights as I struggled to pull them upward, my vision swimming in a sea of hazy greys and muted gold. The first thing I noticed was the scent of home, that familiar and grounding mixture of aged cedar, dried lavender, and the faint, metallic tang of the palace hearth that had always meant safety to me. I lay perfectly still for several minutes, my breath coming in shallow, ragged hitches while I tried to remember how the blood-soaked mud of the Thalassion valley had been replaced by the soft, silken sheets of my own bed. My body felt as though it had been hollowed out and filled with stones, a deep and throbbing ache radiating from my joints and settling in the center of my chest where the transformation had taken its greatest toll. I shifted my hand slightly, feeling the familiar texture of the duvet beneath my fingers, and let out a low, involuntary groan that seemed to echo in the quiet room."Adella? Oh, thank the stars, you