All Chapters of CHOSEN BY RUIN: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

Liliana’s POVI go still, my heart hammering against my ribs the moment Xaden steps into view. His expression is far too calm for the storm he always seems to stir inside me whenever he surfaces. The air has suddenly changed around us, thick with the residual tension from the hall and the quiet fury that never quite leaves his blue eyes.Darian’s arm loosens from around me. He turns slowly to face Xaden. “What exactly do you mean by that, twin brother?” He asks, his voice edged with challenge. Xaden’s gaze doesn’t waver as he repeats himself. “I said Hannah can protect herself.”Darian lets out a sharp scoff that echoes off the stone walls. “Worry about Rhea, Xaden. Stay out of whatever exists between me and Hannah.”Xaden takes a single step forward. The movement feels predatory. His eyes flick to me for the briefest second before locking onto Darian again. “Is that so?” His voice is low, almost conversational, yet every word is threatening. “Last time I checked, you don’t even

Liliana’s POVI no longer know what I am doing. The moment Xaden kissed me earlier, control had slipped from my body like water through open fingers. Now, every inch of me pulses with a wild, aching need that feels almost violent in its intensity. My skin is too tight. My blood runs too hot. The residual steam from the shower still curls around us, carrying the scent of his skin and my own arousal until the air itself feels charged.Xaden’s hands slide to the back of my bra. He works the clasp open with deliberate slowness, as though he has all the time in the world and intends to use every second of it. The soaked fabric falls away and my breasts spill free, firm and heavy, my nipples already tight and aching from the cool water that still drips from my skin. I should feel embarrassed- I have scars that are yet to fade entirely on my skin, but instead- I long for his hands on me again. His eyes have gone nearly black as they lock on my body, then suddenly, they flash a sudden,

Liliana’s POV“I don’t love him. I was just vulnerable.”I whisper the words to myself as I clear the last of the mess from my floor. Last night I turned this room into chaos before Darian came to collect me for the pack dinner. Furniture toppled, glass shattered, clothes scattered. My uncontrollable powers are to blame. I still don’t know where the strength came from when I lifted the wardrobe clean off the floor and hurled it aside like it weighed nothing.I’ve been angry since I left Xaden’s room.Current moves through my body in high, restless waves. It coils under my skin, looking for an outlet. I crave destruction the way other people crave air.How dare he.After touching me the way he did…after making my body understand what it felt like to be really touched for the first time in my life- he tried to erase it. He looked me in the eye and told me it was nothing. How is that even possible? And why did I let him touch me at all?‘Because he’s our mate,’ Kendra snarls inside my h

Xaden’s POVIt turns out that Maeve’s body is already being brought in not long after the omega’s trembling report.The doors to the hall burst open again, heavy footsteps echoing against the floor, and all attention shifts as Zarek and Arthur carry Maeve’s body in between them.My brows furrow.Even before they reach the center, something feels…wrong.Zarek’s eyes look teary. He’s been crying.And that briefly reminded me that he used to be in a relationship with her before Sloane.Corti barely reacts at first.For one suspended second, she just stares at Maeve’s body. Then she breaks.“Noooooo!” The scream tears out of her like something ripped straight from her soul, raw and guttural, echoing against the high ceilings of the hall.She rushes forward, hands already reaching for her daughter.Elders have risen, all making different comments of wonder. Rhea stays behind me, peeking as if she can’t afford to see Maeve’s body fully.Just then, Luna Gwen’s voice cuts through the chaos w

My breath catches as he keeps looking.Xaden doesn't look away. Neither do I.For a moment, I forget about everything else. But not for long.My chest rises and falls evenly, even though my heart is beating much harder than it should. I want to know what he’s feeling, but he had long shielded his emotions from me. He can still feel mine, and that only fucks everything up. Did he feel it when I… No. Any more worries now would fuck me up entirely.Xaden looks away, returning his attention to others. "Is that clear?" "Yes, Apex!"The students answer together.Xaden offers them a small smile.Then he says something that immediately changes the mood."I have a gift for whoever performs best in sparring today."The students grow attentive. Even me."Whoever proves themselves to be the best will receive a private training session with me for an entire week."Cheers instantly erupt.Students start murmuring excitedly among themselves.Even Luna Gwen smiles, as if she is enjoying the author