Chapter 251
Chapter 251
The room felt heavier.
Cassian looked away. “I don’t want to believe she’d betray us p>
“I don’t either,” Rae said softly. “But something isn’t right here p>
Cassian took a few steps forward and pulled Rae into his arms. She let herself lean against him, although the tension in her shoulders remained.
“I trust you,” Cassian said firmly. “I’ll keep an eye on her p>
Across the kingdom, in Silver Fang, Lance was feeling a similar tension.
He noticed it when Isla declined to walk with him through the market. It wasn’t that she’d rejected his invitation. He wasn’t so sensitive that a small thing like that would make him tense; it was the way she’d done it.
“I’ll meet you back at the packhouse,” she said quickly. Her eyes were on the ground, avoiding him completely.
He frowned. “Did I do something p>
“No,” she replied too fast. “Of course not p>
But she still didn’t meet his eyes. Her posture was stiff, like she was doing everything she could to not fidget.
It shook him. He’d gone to run the errands he needed in the market. He picked up a few things Ellie had requested for the boys and dropped off some mail for Nolan. But the entire time, his mind was on Isla.
Lance wasn’t sure if he loved her, but he knew that he could grow to.
She was beautiful, strong, hard-headed, competent, and smart. She was everything he liked in a woman. Perfect for him.
And that was starting to worry him.
He was wondering if Isla was pushing herself to play a role. If there was something about herself that she was afraid of Lance finding out.
Later, when he found her in the courtyard, she was still tense, fingers twisting in her sleeves. It looked like she’d been pacing around the entire time he was gone.
Lance’s wolf made a soft sound in his mind, not quite distress but close enough. It made his chest ache.
“You’ve been avoiding me,” he said quietly.
She swallowed. “I just… need space p>
“For what?” he asked gently. “Isla, if I did something wrong, please tell me p>
She shook her head. Her eyes flicked to his for just a moment before darting away again. In that brief glance, Lance saw conflict. Something was eating at her, something that she wanted to keep from him.
“It’s complicated p>
Her voice was small, tense. Sad. Lance stepped closer, and la didn’t move away. In fact, she leaned toward him, like she was being pulled into his orbit.
Lance studied her, worry gnawing at his chest. “You know you can tell me anything p>
Isla smiled faintly. “I know p>
1/2
+25 Bonus
He held his arms out to her in a silent offer. Without hesitation, she stepped into his embrace. She let her head rest against his chest, just over his heart. She was warm
in his grip. This felt right in a way that Lance had never experienced.
This wasn’t the heat of attraction or the thrill of something purely physical.
This warmth was belonging. It was comfort and quiet acceptance. Isla seemed to melt into it the same way he did. They fit together in a way that he couldn’t quite describe. So why was she being distant?
Why was she avoiding being with him in public?
“Is it the press?” Lance asked softly. “Are they harassing you about us p>
“A little, but that’s not it,” Isla answered softly. She looped her arms around his waist loosely and sighed.
“You know that you can tell me anything. I won’t get mad p>
“I know p>
But she didn’t explain.
Lance pulled her a little closer. He didn’t want to pry, didn’t want to dig at something that she wasn’t ready to give up.
So he did the only thing he could right now. He held her.
In time, he hoped that she would come to trust him. That she would let him carry some of the burden. Whatever it was, he could tell that it was wearing on her. It wasn’t just that she was being more cautious with him in public; it was in her eyes.
The way she avoided eye contact with him spoke volumes. There was something she was feeling that she didn’t want Lance to see.
All he could do was be steady for her and hope that she’d realize he wasn’t going to run away, no matter what it
was.
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