บททั้งหมดของ Dying Was Easier Than Loving Him: บทที่ 71 - บทที่ 80

Serena’s POVThe silk banners hung straight from the central keep’s high stone arches, their golden fabric catching the bright morning light. I adjusted my leather cuff, smoothing down the hem of my dark tunic while reviewing the security roster for the upcoming mating ceremony.Everything was running with remarkable precision. The guard posts were manned, the patrol routes were cleared and Damien was currently sitting in the strategy hall with Lucas, laughing over wine casks instead of worrying about rogue threats. Watching him over these past few weeks, seeing the cold, heavy tension melt away from his shoulders, had made every past battle worth fighting.“Beta Serena,” a low voice called from the shadow of the stone archway.I turned my head, stepping away from the silk banners as Scout Marcus approached, his mud-splattered leather armor showing he had just ridden in from the outer rim.“Report, Marcus,” I said, leaning my hip against the stone wall while keeping my voice down so t

Amelia’s POVThe early morning sun trickled through the high stone window, casting a warm honey light across the foot of the bed. I rolled over, stretching my tired legs under the soft linen sheet and turned my head to find Lucas lying on his back, staring up at the ceiling beams with a look of terrifying concentration.Clara was fast asleep on his bare chest, her tiny head resting right over his dark wolf tattoo while one microscopic fist was tightly curled around his collarbone.“If you move so much as an inch, she will wake up and scream for two hours,” I whispered, resting my chin on my hand as a lazy smile tugged at my lips.“I haven’t moved my left arm in forty-five minutes,” Lucas rasped back, his blue eyes shifting toward me while keeping his head completely still. “My hand is officially numb, Amelia.”“The fearsome Enforcer Chief, defeated by seven pounds of baby,” I teased, reaching over to gently trace the curve of his shoulder. “Whatever happened to the terrifying warrior

Damien’s POVThe strategy map on the long council table was covered in red ink marks, but none of the lines felt safe enough. I dragged my thumb across the border of the neutral territory, the rough parchment scraping against my skin while my wolf paced restless circles behind my ribs.“We put three squads along the northern ridge, Lucas,” I said, pointing my finger toward the narrow pass leading into the valley. “If this meeting turns into a trap, my men can flank the clearing in two minutes.”Lucas leaned against the edge of the table with his arms crossed over his chest, his jaw set in that stubborn, unyielding line I knew all too well. “And the moment your squads step onto that ridge, their scent carries downwind straight into the clearing. The hooded figure runs and Amelia loses her only chance at an answer.”“We don’t even know if this message is real!” I snapped, throwing my pen down onto the table with a loud clatter as old frustration flared hot in my chest. “You are taking m

Lucas’s POVThe moment the word 'daughter' left Marianne’s lips, my arm clamped around Amelia’s waist, jerking her three inches back against my ribs.My wolf went completely savage inside my chest, baring its teeth at the moonless dark as my mind flashed straight to the inner keep, where Clara was currently sleeping peacefully in Serena’s care. Every protective instinct I possessed snapped from cautious suspicion straight into raw, lethal threat assessment.“Explain that,” I snarled, stepping fully between Amelia and the older woman, my hand tightening on the grip of my blade until my knuckles groaned. “No more cryptic warnings. No more ghost stories. What does an ancient buried power want with my newborn baby?”Marianne flinched from the sharpness in my tone, but she didn’t step back. She pulled her frayed grey cloak tighter around her frail shoulders, her hazel eyes glistening with cold starlight.“I don’t know the full mechanics, Enforcer Chief,” Marianne admitted, her voice trembl

Amelia’s POVMabel’s words seemed to freeze the air inside the stone vault. I sat staring at the ancient parchment, the faded black ink blurring slightly as the reality of her warning settled heavy into my bones.This wasn’t a rogue pack I could outsmart or a blade I could dodge. It was a complete unknown, a threshold that might demand everything from me and give nothing back.I spent the morning away from the strategy tables, choosing instead to sit near the nursery window while the autumn sunlight warmed the wooden floorboards. I nursed Clara slowly, deliberately lingering over every tiny movement, feeling the gentle rhythm of her breathing and the solid weight of her small body against my chest. Every touch felt precious, every second stretched out like fine gold thread.A soft knock sounded against the doorframe and Marianne stepped cautiously into the room. Her hazel eyes looked weary, her thin hands trembling as she stopped a few feet away.“May I?” Marianne asked softly, her v