Alle Kapitel von Taking a Chance with the Crippled Alpha: Kapitel 31 – Kapitel 40

Dustan's POVI wheeled towards my study. My mind was still churning with thoughts of Elara, of my uncle, of Cassian's sudden return. The pieces were moving too fast, too chaotically. I needed to get ahead of them, to find the pattern before it was too late."Tavish, what were you saying about Ela—"I looked up.And stopped.Lyria was standing in front of Tavish, her hands raised as if she'd been reaching for something. Tavish had her backed against the desk, his expression stern, his body positioned between her and the papers scattered across the surface.She was scrambling. I could see it in the way her eyes darted, the way her fingers twitched, the way she was trying to appear innocent while clearly being caught doing something wrong.As soon as she spotted me, her mouth dropped open. The mask slid into place so quickly it was almost impressive—one moment she was flustered and guilty, the next she was the picture of delicate femininity."Oh!" She pressed a hand to her chest, her e

Elara’s POVI sat on the edge of the ruined bed, staring at the attendants as they tiptoed around the wreckage of my room. Their eyes darted nervously toward me, as if I might explode at any moment. They weren't wrong to be afraid. Every muscle in my body was coiled tight, ready to spring.But I didn't move.I just sat there, watching them pick up shattered porcelain and splintered wood, my hands resting in my lap. The skin where the silver cuffs had been was raw and red, but already I could feel my wolf working to heal it. She was waking up properly now, stretching inside me like she'd been asleep for a hundred years.“Took you long enough”, I thought at her.She didn't respond. She was too busy basking in her freedom, probably. I wouldn't blame her. She was like me. We function better under desperation. That's our zeal. One of the maids approached me with the bowl of soup. It smelled rich.Fragrance of herbal steam curled up from the surface. I couldn't help but notice, none of the

Elara’s POVWe stared at each other.The air between us crackled with something electric. His eyes—those stormy eyes—bore into mine with an intensity that made my breath catch. I could feel every inch of him beneath me. "You should let me go," I whispered, but my voice came out breathless. Weak. My wolf protested. "I should?" His voice was rough as gravel. "But I won't."His hand came up to cup my cheek, and I should have flinched. I should have pulled away. I should have done anything other than lean into his touch like a flower turning towards the sun.The mate bond sang through my veins like wildfire. It hummed beneath my skin. It was like a constant, aching pull that I'd been resisting with every fiber of my being.And now, in this room, with his hands on me and his scent filling my lungs, I couldn't fight it anymore."Elara," he breathed, and the sound of my name on his lips sent a shiver down my spine. "Tell me to stop."I opened my mouth to do exactly that.Instead, I leaned

Elara’s POVDawn broke soft and golden, painting the room in shades of rose and amber.I woke slowly, disoriented by the warmth surrounding me. Then I felt the arm draped across my waist, the steady beat of a heart against my back, and everything came flooding back.Oh, Moon!!! I'd slept with him. I'd made love to him—again and again and again—and I'd fallen asleep in his arms like it was the most natural thing in the world.I should have felt ashamed. I should have felt like a traitor to everything I'd fought for.Instead, I felt... peaceful."You're thinking too loud."His voice was rough with sleep, and I felt his lips press against the back of my neck."Sorry," I murmured. "Did I wake you?""Mm." He pulled me closer, and I could feel him stirring against my thigh. "Woke me in the best way."I laughed, and the sound surprised me. It was easy, this—being with him. Natural. That was surprising too. "I should get up," I said, though I made no move to leave his embrace. "I should—""

Dustan's POVI had to figure out what my uncle was really planning.I was so lost in thought that I almost didn't hear the whistling.It was a cheerful tune, completely at odds with the tension of the Upper Palace. I looked up, and there was Ruth, strolling down the corridor, her hands in her pockets, that infuriating grin on her face.She spotted me and her grin widened. "Well, well. If it isn't my favorite cousin. You look like someone just pissed in your wine.""Ruth." I forced myself to keep my voice neutral. "What are you doing here?""Just taking a stroll." She fell into step beside me, her eyes scanning my face. "You look terrible, by the way. Didn't sleep?""Didn't have time.""Ah." She nodded sagely.I just kept wheeling, hoping she'd take the hint and leave me alone.She didn't."So," she said, her voice casual, "I heard you were meeting with dear old father. How'd it go? Did he give you the 'I'm doing this for your own good' speech? The 'you're too young to understand' spee