บททั้งหมดของ Chasing the Riot: The Alpha's Second Chance: บทที่ 81 - บทที่ 90

JARRETT'S POVThe morning after the trial, the ice wasn't a court anymore, it was just a lake.No red circle, no torches, no chains—the blood had melted away overnight, and the banners were long gone. All that remained was snow packed down by ten thousand feet and a rink carved over years of tension, and kids.By the time Helena and I came down from the shrine, maybe thirty of them were already there. Frostfang kids in oversized jerseys, Blackriver kids with taped-together sticks, and rogue kids who had clearly never owned a pair of skates.There were no guards or Council members in sight. Just Kael standing at the edge, clutching a crate of old pucks with a completely lost expression.Helena stopped at the top of the ridge. She was wearing plain leathers today instead of her old patched armor. "What are they doing?""Waiting," Kael called up, shrugging. "They heard you said they could play."Helena turned to me, blinking. "I said that?""Last night," I reminded her. "After the First

HELENA'S POV"Five more minutes" turned into thirty.I didn't move from Jarrett's side, I couldn't. The gold had left me, but the memory of it was still under my skin, buzzing like a hornet's nest. Healing him had felt like pulling fire through my ribs. Sharing it with him felt like finally exhaling after 26 years.His breathing was even now and deep. The cut on his chest was pink and closed. It would be scary. Good. I wanted something of me on him that wasn't Crown or prophecy.The door didn't knock again. It just opened and Silas stepped in. The old omega from Ashen Peak came in smelling like ink, dust, and panic. He had a heavy book in his arm bound in wolf-hide that had gone stiff with age."You're both up," he said. He didn't sound relieved. He sounded angry. "Good. You need to see this."Jarrett sat up slowly, he didn't wince as he got up, I watched his face, just the tightness around his eyes that meant his ribs still hurt."What is it?" I asked.Silas dropped the ledger on t

HELENA'S POVI woke up to the firelight and Jarrett’s heartbeat.The cabin was still dark. The hearth had burned down to embers, but the heat was still there. His heavy arm was around my waist, sending a warm sensation to course through my body.And I wasn’t wearing the Crown.I lifted my head. The gold was gone from under my skin, the slight hum was gone and there was no voice in the back of my head telling me who to punish and who to spare, it was just... quiet.Jarrett was asleep with his mouth slightly open. The scar on his chest rose and fell with each breath, creating a pink in the low light.I’d kissed it last night. I’d kissed him everywhere last night.My face went hot.“Stop thinking so loud,” he murmured, without opening his eyes. His thumb brushed my hip under the blanket. “I can hear you.”“You’re asleep.” I shot out in embarrassment, my face becoming even more red. “I’m pretending.” One eye cracked open, revealing a blue, tired and amused eyeball. “Morning, Crown-Bearer

JARETT'S POVThe ride north through the pass was brutal and dead quiet.Helena rode in the saddle directly in front of me. I kept my arms wrapped securely around her waist, holding the leather reins because I needed the physical proof that she was safe. She didn't fight the proximity; instead, she leaned back, letting the back of her head rest heavily against my shoulder as the horse negotiated the frozen mountain trail.“You don’t have to push yourself like this,” I murmured, leaning down so my breath warmed her cold ear. “We could have sent Kael and the vanguard.”“Yes, I do,” she replied softly, her voice barely carrying over the crunch of hooves on hard ice. “Those people in the northern camps are chewing on boiled leather tonight because of me. Because Lucian used my bloodline to justify his war, and now his ghosts are punishing them for my freedom.”“They’re starving because Lucian’s sycophants are ruthless bastards,” I corrected gently. “It isn't your fault, Helena. None of it

JARRETT'S POVThe old stone bridge was already soaked by the time we got there.Thirty minutes was a lie. It took twenty. Helena didn’t waste time, and I wasn’t about to let her walk into Vane’s teeth alone.We rode hard through the wet pine trail from the shrine, Kael ahead, me tight on Helena’s left. The rain had started while we were still inside, a cold, thin drizzle that turned the dirt path to mud. Her cloak was already dark with water by the time we cleared the tree line.The mist rolled off the River Bend in thick, slow banks. The river below was black and fast, swollen from three days of northern melt. And one man in velvet at the center of it; Lord Vane.He was everything I expected. Fat, soft, and draped in damp red velvet that had cost more than the entire northern granary combined. His face was flushed, his jowls damp with rain and sweat. Irritable, just like Kael had said. Two archers flanked him, bows strung but not drawn. Yet, the cavalry behind him sat still, but th