Alle Kapitel von Cuffed By My Brother-in-Law: Kapitel 41 – Kapitel 50

VALENI wanted to be buried in her all day, but fuck all the endless obligations demanding my presence.She would have heard rumors of what was happening, but I hadn't for once said a single thing to her about it.The door to the room I was preparing for the night was pushed open, and Liam strode in. “At this rate, I'm sure Zirelle will have to wait for you, when you should be the one waiting out there,” he muttered in a humorless tone.I held back the sharp response that burned on my tongue. He was intentionally trying to get under my skin with those words.I knew he was finally at peace with the fact that this ceremony was actually happening. To him, it was the perfect chance to put whatever I had with Calithea out of my mind for good.“Is everything going as planned?” I asked, my focus back onto the primary task I had to execute tonight. Following Liam’s updates and my own growing suspicions, the threat might show its face tonight. We had to utilize this chance and stay steps ahe

CALITHEAEverything felt strange.The dream was so vivid that it almost felt real.That had to be the only explanation for why the last person I ever expected to see was crouched in front of me.It also had to explain why my palms were stained with blood, and the pain that continued to spread with every passing second from my neck.Yet no matter how many times I blinked, the scene refused to disappear. It stayed exactly the same.My heart pounded wildly against my ribs as the cold night air bit into my skin.When he moved closer, the illusion shattered.He looked just as stunned as I was.If anything, it seemed we were competing over who was more horrified by what had just happened.One of his hands remained suspended in the air, frozen in place like he had forgotten how to move.This wasn't a dream. It was real as hell.Valen had...marked me, just utside my father's house.The thought sounded impossible even inside my own head.Something I had once dreamed of with all my heart had be

CALITHEA"Take this. It'll help conceal your scent," Valen said, handing me a small pouch.I accepted it, adjusting the shawl around my neck to hide the mark that has formed. I had tried acting as though everything was normal. It was a hopeless attempt, because nothing was anymore. Healing takes days, but the bite injury healed in just a few hours.My mind still couldn't process everything that had happened.I'd fallen asleep last night hoping I'd wake up and discover it had all been some bizarre dream. But it hadn't been.Valen stepped closer to me. My heartbeat immediately picked up as his arms slipped naturally around my waist. I simply stared at him, silently. He felt very guilty. Last night I'd been too overwhelmed by my own transformation to notice, but now, it was written all over his face.I wanted to tell him he didn't have to carry all the blame, that I didn't regret...No.I couldn't even finish that thought. The words simply refused to come, because I knew they wouldn't

CALITHEAMy mate...The words surfaced in my mind before I could stop them. My mate?No.He wasn't supposed to be my mate.The single word might not belong to him, but it echoed inside me as though some hidden part of me had already accepted it.My gaze drifted back to them.Zirelle buried her face against his chest while sobs wracked her body. Something ugly twisted inside me.I wondered what her screams would sound like if they came from real pain instead of this pathetic heartbreak.Would they satisfy the fury clawing at my insides?The thought horrified me. I knew I wasn't acting like myself. I was aware of it.Yet no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't force myself to react the way I wanted to.I had been so consumed by the sight before me that I completely missed another scent approaching.Only when someone stepped beside me did I finally notice him. The man from last night.His face was unreadable, but I caught the hesitation there before he spoke up."You should leave. Go fini

VALEN I could sense her discomfort through our bond, at his question. I shot Liam a glare, but it propelled him further. “You know him better than anyone. He won't sit back once he learns about this. He'll seize this opportunity without hesitation." I noticed a slight change in Soren's expression. He agreed. "Something like this..." Liam continued, "...would be the perfect excuse for him to cause trouble." His words made my jaw tighten, but I crossed the room toward Calithea instead. And I hated that it had come to this. I'd never intended to drag her into the conflict between Ryden and me. Yet here we were, and now it was my responsibility to shield her from everything. "I'll handle Ryden myself," I said softly. She searched my face. She wanted to believe me, but she couldn't. Her breathing had become shallow, each breath more uneven than the last. At that moment, I found myself wishing the fierce side of her had surfaced instead. The one who had looked at Zir