Chapter 150
Chapter 150
Ellie POV
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The next few days blurred together. Work at the hospital filled the daylight hours, and the twins filled everything else. Between the late-night feedings and the goddess’s restless whispers, sleep came only in scattered pieces.
By Thursday morning, I’d convinced myself the dreams were starting to fade. That was before the knock at my door.
It was firm but familiar, and my pulse jumped before my brain caught up. Only one person knocked like that, polite enough not to startle, confident enough not to wait
long.
When I opened the door, Kieran stood there, smiling the way people do when they’ve rehearsed it in the mirror first.
“Ellie,” he said softly. “You look well p>
It was a lie and we both knew it. I hadn’t looked well in months. But Kieran had a gift for saying things that sounded like truths, even when they weren’t.
He was dressed sharply as always, dark slacks, a white shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, no jacket despite the crisp air. A bouquet of small white lilies rested in one hand, and a wrapped package in the other.
He looked good, there was no denying that. I suddenly felt hyper aware of my frizzy hair and messy bun.
“For you,” he said, offering the flowers before I could speak. “And for the boys p>
I hesitated before stepping aside to let him in. “You didn’t have to do that.” “Maybe not,” he said lightly, setting the gifts on the counter, “but I wanted to. Word travels fast between packs, you know. I thought you might appreciate a familiar face p>
The apartment suddenly felt smaller with him inside it. He filled the space too easily, moving as though he belonged there. The twins were napping in their cribs, and I found myself glancing toward their room more than once, as if I needed to make sure they were still safe.
Kieran followed my gaze, then smiled faintly. “Relax. I’m not here to cause trouble. I just wanted to see how you’re doing p>
I folded my arms. “You heard I left p>
“Everyone heard,” he admitted. “Silver Fang doesn’t lose its Luna quietly. People are hyper aware of your absence, especially when you haven’t been back for long p>
The title made me flinch. “I was never truly Luna,” I murmured.
He tilted his head. “You were Nolan’s mate. That counts for something p>
“I was his prisoner, Kieran. Don’t dress it up.” The words felt wrong as I spoke them, as if I was trying to hard to make a point.
Maybe it was a reaction to the guilt that spiked through me when he mentioned the pack’s reaction to me
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Chapter 130
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leaving again. Nolan must be dealing with a PR nightmare. I hadn’t even considered it when I stormed off.
Something flickered across his face-sympathy, maybe, or guilt. But it vanished before I could be sure. He reached for the lilies, fussing with them just to keep his hands busy.
“They’re beautiful,” I said, if only to fill the silence.
He glanced up with that easy half-smile. “I remember you liked lilies. You told me once that they were the only flowers that didn’t make you think of the packhouse garden p>
I smiled faintly. I was angry when I told him that. There are no lilies at the packhouse in Silver Fang. Nolan hates them.
Kieran had been charming during those first few interactions between us. He’d swooped in to save me from the awkwardness that clung to me in those formal settings. I’d appreciated it at the time, even though I’d been
warned about him.
Now his charm felt heavier, sharper around the edges.
“The boys are sleeping?” he asked quietly.
“Yes p>
“May I see them when they wake p>
I hesitated. “They can be fussy when they first wake up p>
He nodded as if he expected that answer. “Then I’ll wait. I have time p>
I didn’t know what to do with that. My instincts screamed to keep him at arm’s
length, but part of me-tired, lonely, guilt-ridden-was glad for the company.
I busied myself making tea, pretending not to notice the way he watched me. His gaze wasn’t predatory, but it wasn’t neutral either. It carried a kind of quiet study, as though he was memorizing me.
“I wanted to tell you,” he said after a while, “that I’m not angry p>
The words startled me more than I wanted to admit. “Angry p>
“For leaving. For running p>
My hands stilled around the teacups.
I had left the park with the boys in such a rush. I had left Kieran standing there with Nolan in the aftermath of everything. For all I knew, Nolan had attacked him in a fit
of rage.
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