Semua Bab The Rise Of The Last White Wolf: Bab 191 - Bab 200

Traci’s POVMy eyes widened so fast they almost hurt.Zayden leaned closer before I even had a chance to speak. His eyes followed mine, locking onto the side of Raiden’s neck.“What the hell…” he muttered under his breath.I blinked several times, convinced my eyes had to be playing tricks on me. Slowly, I lifted my hand toward Raiden’s neck, my fingertip hovering only inches away from his skin. The strange black markings vanished. My brows pulled together.Raiden turned toward me, confusion replacing the sadness that had been sitting in his eyes all morning. “Love?” His voice was cautious. “What’s wrong? You look…” He hesitated, fear creeping back across his face. “Did I do something wrong again?” The way he asked shattered my heart.I immediately shook my head. “No. No, you didn’t do anything.” The words stumbled out awkwardly. “It’s… uh…” I couldn’t finish the sentence. How was I supposed to explain something that had disappeared before I could even point it out?I slowly turned to

Zayden’s POVThe moment Traci slipped out of the room, I already knew where she was headed. The library. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind. Once she latched onto an idea, she refused to let it go until she’d exhausted every possible answer. If she believed those strange black marks meant something, she’d tear through every book in the palace before giving up. Knowing her… She wasn’t coming back empty-handed.I glanced across the room toward Raiden. He hadn’t moved since we’d carried him upstairs and laid him on the bed. His breathing remained slow and steady, but that was the only reassuring thing about him.The swelling around his forehead looked even worse now. Two large knots stood out against his skin where he’d slammed his head, first onto the floor in his office and later against the dining room table. Dark bruises had spread around them overnight, leaving angry shades of purple and blue across his face.Normally those injuries would’ve been halfway healed by now. Instead… Nothing

Traci’s POV Last night changed everything. After Kael and Ryker uncovered the security footage proving Mary had poisoned Raiden, Zayden immediately ordered a mandatory staff meeting for first thing this morning. Every member of the palace staff was expected to attend. No exceptions. I wished the meeting meant Raiden was downstairs with us. Instead, he was still unconscious. I glanced over my shoulder as we walked through the palace hall, my feet slowing for just a second outside his bedroom door. Frederick had checked him again before sunrise and said there wasn’t any change. His breathing remained steady, but he still hadn’t opened his eyes. It made my chest ache. I wanted him awake. I wanted him arguing with Roman, rolling his eyes at Zayden, or teasing me just to get under my skin. Anything was better than this. Zayden gently rested his hand against the middle of my back. “He’ll be okay.” I looked up at him. “I hope you’re right.” He gave me a reassuring smile before we co

Traci’s POV The meeting was finally coming to an end. I let out a slow breath as I returned to my seat at the long dining table. My eyes drifted toward Raiden. He was wrapping up his speech, thanking everyone for coming before dismissing the palace staff back to their duties. The room slowly emptied. Conversations picked up as cooks returned to the kitchens, the housekeeping staff headed back to work, and the guards resumed their posts throughout the palace. I barely noticed any of it. My attention returned to the journal lying open in front of me. Three curses. Three possibilities. One of them had nearly taken Raiden’s life. I rubbed my temples before reaching for the journal once more. The moment I opened it, something slipped free. A folded piece of paper drifted onto the table. I frowned. “I don’t remember seeing that.” Picking it up, I turned it over in my hand. There wasn’t a name. No seal. Nothing. Just a neatly folded piece of paper. For a second, I wondered if it had

Traci’s POV With what we just found out I could tell Raiden was seconds away from blowing up. Zayden left a few minutes ago to go to the kitchen and grab Raiden something to eat. I watched Raiden on the bed, his jaw tightening with every passing minute. His eyes kept flicking to the door, his hands clenching and unclenching in the sheets over his lap. He was retreating into that dark place in his head, the one where he replayed every mistake and imagined every possible disaster. I couldn't let him go there. Not now. Not with what we already knew would happen. Pushing myself up from the chair, I crossed the small space in a few silent steps. I didn't hesitate, just carefully swung a leg over his lap and settled myself on top of him. The movement jolted him from his thoughts, and his eyes, clouded with anxiety, finally focused on me. "Hmmm," a low hum rumbled in his chest, and a ghost of a smile touched his lips. "What's this?" I leaned down, bracing my hands on his shoulders,