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Beyond redemption - Chapter 14


Chapter 14

Alpha Edward POV

We arrived late. Not because of me, but because of Kora. I didn’t complain. I was already done, waiting outside for her, but she didn’t know that. If I told her, she would just feel guilty, and I didn’t want that.

The driver stopped the car in front of the hall. I stepped out first, adjusted my jacket, then walked around to her side. When I opened the door, she looked up at me with that smile of hers, one hand holding the gown carefully so it wouldn’t drag.

I reached for her hand. She placed it in mine, small and soft, and I tightened my grip. Without saying much, I led her inside.

The moment we stepped in, the whole atmosphere changed. The hall was already filled with voices, laughter, glasses clinking—but it all slowed down when people noticed us. Heads turned. Eyes followed. Conversations paused. Some didn’t even bother to hide their shock.

They were surprised I brought her here.

I ignored them. I’ve never cared what these people think, and I wasn’t going to start tonight.

Kora’s hand tensed slightly in mine. She felt it too—the stares, the whispers starting to build up. I leaned down close enough for only her to hear.

“Keep walking,” I said. “Don’t mind them.”

She nodded quickly, though I could tell she was nervous. Her eyes moved around like she was searching for a safe corner, but I didn’t give her the chance. I kept leading her forward, step by step, until we were fully inside.

Then I saw him. Aaron.

He was standing near the far side, dressed neatly as always, his fake smile plastered on his face. I knew he had already seen us, seen her, but he hadn't seen her face since he is far from us; only people close to us can see her face. Our eyes met for a brief second, and I caught the flicker in his expression—anger, shock, jealousy. He masked it quickly, but I noticed.

I didn’t tell Kora he’d be here. Why should I? If she knew, she would’ve been tense the whole time, maybe even refused to come. I thought I was protecting her, sparing her from the anxiety.

But maybe I was wrong. Because sooner or later, she’d have to face him. And maybe tonight was that night.

We walked further inside. I could still feel every pair of eyes on us, judging, calculating, whispering. Kora’s steps were small, careful, almost like she was afraid she’d trip in front of them. She wasn’t prepared for this—not the stares, not the tension, not the weight of being seen as mine in public.

But I was.

I knew this moment would come. And honestly, I wanted it.

I wanted to see how Aaron would behave tonight—with her beside me, with my hand holding hers. He could glare all he wanted, he could fake his smile for the crowd, but I was here. And she was with me.

If he so much as looked at her the wrong way, I’d make sure he regretted it.

Kora had no idea what kind of war was brewing around her. She thought this was just a dinner party, some formal gathering of Alphas and their Lunas.

Kora's POV

The moment we stepped inside, I felt like every single person in that hall stopped breathing just to stare at me. Their eyes followed me like I was some strange animal on display. I held Edward’s hand tighter, because if I didn’t, I was sure my legs would give up on me.

The music was soft, people were smiling, chatting, glasses clinking here and there, but all I could hear was the loud beat of my heart.

I leaned closer to Edward. “They’re all staring.”

He didn’t even look at me, just kept walking straight with that serious face of his. “Let them stare.”

Easy for him to say. He wasn’t the one wearing a long gown that made it impossible to walk properly without tripping. I swear if I fall here, I’ll dig a hole and bury myself alive.

I tried to keep a straight face, tried to smile like the other Lunas, but deep down, I felt like running back to the car. This wasn’t my kind of thing. All these Alphas and Lunas looking so perfect and important... and then there’s me.

I forced myself to sit beside Edward when we reached our table. He pulled out the chair for me like a gentleman, and I could already see a few women raising their brows. Great. Now they’ll think I bewitched him or something.

I was still busy trying not to choke on my own nervousness when I felt a sharp wave of tension in the air. I didn’t know why at first, until my eyes accidentally moved across the hall... and landed on a man staring directly at me.

He wasn’t smiling. He wasn’t even blinking.

I felt something strange inside me, like my chest just tightened up. The light in the hall was dim, so I couldn’t see his face clearly. But the more I looked at him, the more his features stood out. The jawline, the height, the way he carried himself...

My heart dropped. No. It can’t be. But it was.

Aaron.

The one person I wished I would never see again in my life. The one person who ruined everything for me.

My hand trembled on the table, and I quickly tried to hide it under my gown. I didn’t want Edward to notice, but he already did. His eyes were on me, watching me closely like he knew what was going on in my head.

“Breathe,” he said calmly, his voice low so only I could hear.

But how was I supposed to breathe when the ghost from my past was standing right there, staring at me like he owned me?

I looked down at the glass in front of me, not daring to raise my head again. I didn’t want Aaron to see my fear, but I knew he already had.




Chapter 15

Aaron POV

I stared at the woman sitting beside Alpha Edward. From where I was standing, I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She looked too much like Kora. But that couldn’t be... right?


I’d heard rumors she was with Edward, but I never wanted to believe it. That was why I sent him that message back then. Still, I didn’t want to believe Alpha Edward—of all people—would have anything to do with a woman like her.


That’s why I made sure this party happened. I pushed another Alpha to invite Edward, just so I could see with my own eyes. To confirm my curiosity.


But if that was really her... how? How did she survive that night?


I clenched my jaw, ignoring the Alpha who was still talking to me. I couldn’t even hear him anymore. My eyes were fixed on her.


Without thinking twice, I excused myself and left him standing there. My steps were slow but firm as I made my way across the hall. Each step I took, her face came clearer.


It was her. Kora.


I smirked to myself. Let’s see what they’ve got for me. At least this night won’t be boring anymore. This party just got interesting.


Before I could reach their table, she suddenly stood up and headed toward the restroom.


Running away?


I smirked. She could try, but she wasn’t escaping me tonight.


So instead of following her, I made myself comfortable. I walked straight to their table and pulled out a chair beside Edward.


“Your Luna is beautiful,” I said casually, starting the conversation.


But Edward... being Edward... didn’t even bother to sit and chat. He stood up, calm as ever, and walked off toward the other Alphas like I wasn’t even worth his time.


I leaned back in the chair, stretching slightly, refusing to move. My eyes stayed on the path to the restroom. Let her take her time. I’ll still be sitting here when she comes back. She has no idea what’s waiting for her.


Kora’s POV

I stood up from the table because honestly, I was feeling pressed, and I thought maybe it would also give me a little break from all the stares in the hall. When I reached the restroom, I didn’t even get peace.


A group of Lunas were already there, standing in front of the mirror, gossiping. The moment I walked in, all their eyes turned to me.


“Is that the one Alpha Edward brought?” one of them whispered, loud enough for me to hear. Another chuckled. “She doesn’t even look like Luna material. She looks... ordinary.”


I ignored them. I went straight to wash my hands, but before I could even finish, one of them suddenly splashed water on my dress.


I froze, staring down at the wet spot.


“Oh, sorry,” she said, but the smirk on her face told me she meant it.


The old me would have kept quiet, walked away, swallowed the insult. But not anymore. I turned slowly to face her, my voice steady.


“Next time you try that, I promise you won’t like the outcome,” I said. My tone wasn’t loud, but sharp enough to make them blink.


The Luna’s smile faded for a moment. She looked shocked, maybe because she expected me to cower. But she quickly scoffed and turned back to the mirror, pretending she didn’t care.


I let it go and walked out. I wasn’t about to waste my night on people like them.


But the real shock hit me when I got back to the table. Alpha Aaron was sitting there. Right in my seat.


For a second, my whole body stiffened. My chest felt tight. It was him. The man I hated more than anyone. The man I swore I’d never see again.


But I didn’t let it show on my face. I forced my steps to remain calm as I walked over.


“Sit,” he said with a smirk, sliding his eyes over me like I was prey.


I didn’t move right away. “That’s my seat,” I replied, my voice firm.


He chuckled. “Still stubborn. I like that.” He leaned closer, lowering his voice. “But tell me, Kora, how did you survive that night? You should have been dead.”


My jaw clenched. Hearing his voice, hearing him call my name—it almost pulled me back to that horrible night. But I wasn’t the same Kora anymore.


I sat down anyway, keeping my back straight. “You think you can scare me with the past?” I asked, meeting his eyes directly.


That seemed to surprise him. He blinked, then smirked again. “You’ve changed. You used to tremble whenever I walked into the room.”


“I don’t tremble anymore,” I shot back. “Not for you. Not for anyone.”


His smile faltered just a little. He wasn’t expecting me to answer him like that.


He leaned closer, his voice dropping darker. “Careful, Kora. You might regret talking to me this way.”


I leaned closer too, refusing to back down. “No. The only regret I have is ever crossing paths with you.”


The table went silent. His eyes burned into mine, searching for that old fear. But it wasn’t there anymore. All he found was the hatred I no longer bothered to hide.


I let out a low laugh, shaking my head. “And tell Sharon this—ask her if she’s enjoying my trash. Because that’s what you are, Aaron. Trash. You were never any good. Back then, I was just managing you because of the bond we shared.”


His face hardened, the smirk fading. I leaned closer, lowering my voice so only he could hear. “But now that the bond is gone? I expect you to disappear from my life as well. Still... maybe not just yet. Not until I see you crumble down together with your so-called Sharon.”


The fire in his eyes almost made me laugh. I could see how badly he wanted to react, how badly he wanted to put me in my place like before. But things weren’t the same anymore. I wasn’t the same anymore.


He opened his mouth, ready to strike back with words, but before he could, I heard it.


“Kora.”


Alpha Edward’s voice.


I turned instantly, standing up with a bright smile on my face, my whole energy shifting. I wanted Aaron to see, to burn inside, to know he was nothing compared to Edward.


“That is my man,” I said proudly, making sure Aaron heard every word. I reached for Edward’s arm, looking at him like he was the only person in the room.




Chapter 16

Kora’s POV

Edward’s arm was warm beneath my hand, solid and unyielding, like a wall I could lean against without fear of it crumbling. In that moment, I clung to him as if the entire hall had dissolved into nothingness, as if the music, the lights, the murmuring voices, and the countless eyes watching us had all faded away. There was only Edward. Only his presence. Only the unspoken message I wanted Aaron to see and choke on.


I wanted Aaron to understand, to feel, that I was no longer his to intimidate, no longer his to manipulate or break. I wanted him to see that whatever hold he once had over me was gone — burned away by pain, by time, by survival. I wanted him to see me standing here, unbroken, wrapped in the arm of a man who would never allow him to touch me again.


But deep inside, beneath the calm mask I wore so carefully, I wasn’t as steady as I pretended to be.


My heart was still racing, pounding violently against my ribs as if it wanted to escape. My chest felt tight, the air thick and heavy in my lungs. The exchange with Aaron replayed over and over in my head — the way his eyes had locked onto mine, the way his voice had carried that familiar, dangerous confidence, the way he had tried to peel back the layers I had worked so hard to build.


I wasn’t that fragile girl anymore. I refused to be.


But the shadows of who I used to be still lingered, whispering doubts in the quiet corners of my mind. They reminded me of nights filled with fear, of words that cut deeper than claws, of a version of myself who had learned to survive by shrinking.


Edward didn’t say a word.


He didn’t need to.


His hand slid over mine, his fingers closing firmly around it, his grip strong and steady — protective, possessive, almost claiming. It sent a strange mix of comfort and tension through me. His sharp gaze flicked once toward Aaron, just once, and in that brief glance I felt the restrained violence beneath Edward’s calm exterior.


It was like standing beside a storm held back by sheer will.


“Let’s go,” Edward said softly.


His voice was calm, controlled, but there was an edge to it that made my skin prickle. It wasn’t a request. It was a decision.


I nodded immediately, tightening my grip on him as we turned away from the table. I didn’t look back, but I could feel Aaron’s stare drilling into my back, heavy and burning. The old me would have folded under it. The old me would have lowered her head, would have felt shame, fear, guilt — emotions that never truly belonged to her.


But this time, I didn’t shiver.


I lifted my chin and walked beside Edward with my head held high, matching his stride as best as I could. I moved like he had taught me to move, like the Luna I was expected to be, even if I still felt like I was pretending. Every step away from that table felt like reclaiming a piece of myself.


When we reached a quieter hallway outside the main hall, the noise dimmed, the music becoming distant, muffled by thick walls and closed doors. The sudden quiet made everything crash down on me at once.


The moment we were alone, I finally let out the breath I had been holding for what felt like hours.


My knees weakened, a tremor running through my legs, and I swayed slightly before I could stop myself. Edward noticed instantly. He always did.


Without hesitation, he guided me into a secluded corner, his body shielding mine from view. His hand came up to cup my face, warm and firm, his thumb brushing gently over my cheek. The contrast between his tenderness and the fury simmering beneath it made my chest ache.


“You shouldn’t have faced him alone,” Edward murmured.


His voice was low, dangerous, threaded with restrained anger that wasn’t directed at me — never at me — but at the thought of anyone daring to make me feel small again.


“I wasn’t alone,” I whispered back.


The words came out softer than I intended, my voice betraying the bravery I was trying to cling to. “You were here.”


For a fleeting second, something shifted in his eyes. The sharpness softened, replaced by something almost vulnerable. But it vanished as quickly as it appeared, swallowed by tension. His jaw tightened, his thumb pausing against my skin.


“What did he say to you?” he asked.


I swallowed hard.


I didn’t want to answer. I didn’t want to give Aaron’s words a voice, didn’t want to breathe life into them by repeating them out loud. Saying them would make them real again, and I had spent so long trying to bury them.


But Edward didn’t push. He didn’t raise his voice or demand answers. He simply waited, his silence heavy, pressing against me until it became impossible to ignore.


“He...” My voice faltered, and I had to steady myself before continuing. “He asked how I survived.”


Edward’s grip tightened almost imperceptibly.


“And then,” I added quietly, “he reminded me of who I used to be.”


The air around us shifted.


Edward’s nostrils flared, his eyes darkening as his wolf surfaced just beneath the surface. I could practically feel it — the raw power, the instinct to protect, to destroy any threat that dared come near what was his. For a terrifying moment, I thought he would turn and storm back into the hall, that he would confront Aaron openly, consequences be damned.


Fear surged through me, sharp and sudden.


“Don’t,” I whispered urgently, grabbing his wrist.


My fingers curled around him, grounding him as much as I was grounding myself. “That’s what he wants. He wants you to lose control here.”


His gaze snapped back to mine, intense and blazing. The weight of it pinned me in place. For a heartbeat, I thought he might argue, might tell me Aaron wouldn’t leave this place alive if he tried anything again.


But then Edward exhaled slowly, deliberately, forcing the tension down. It didn’t disappear — it never really did — but it eased enough for him to stay still.


“You are mine now,” he said firmly.


Each word landed like a vow, heavy and unbreakable. “He has no right to speak to you. No right to even look at you.”


A strange warmth spread through my chest at his words, unsettling and comforting all at once. My heart responded before my mind could stop it, fluttering traitorously. But I pushed the feeling away, locking it down where it couldn’t hurt me.


I couldn’t afford to fall for sweet promises.


Not when this marriage was nothing more than a contract. Not when I had only a year. Not when the future was so uncertain it scared me to think about it too deeply.


Still... a small, dangerous part of me wanted to believe him.


Wanted to believe that his words weren’t just instinct or obligation. Wanted to believe that maybe, just maybe, I was truly safe here.


“Come,” Edward finally said, his hand sliding to the small of my back.


The touch was subtle, guiding rather than controlling. “We’ll leave soon. I’ve seen enough.” I nodded, allowing myself to lean into him just a little as we made our way out.


The drive home was quiet.


The city lights blurred past the window, stretching into streaks of gold and white against the darkness. I held the small bag on my lap, clutching it like a lifeline even though it was empty now. I had eaten the ice cream earlier, but the comfort it had given me lingered — a reminder of something simple, something normal in a night filled with tension.


Edward’s hands stayed firmly on the wheel, his posture rigid, his face carved from stone. He didn’t glance at me, didn’t speak, didn’t even sigh. Whatever storm was raging inside him, he was keeping it locked away.


And for once, I didn’t know whether I wanted him to break the silence... or keep it.


The car hummed softly beneath us as the distance between the pack hall and the place I now called home grew wider. I leaned my head back against the seat, staring at the ceiling, replaying the night in fragments — Aaron’s voice, Edward’s grip, the way my heart had refused to slow down.


I didn’t know what tomorrow would bring.


But I knew one thin

g for certain.


I had faced my past tonight... and I hadn’t shattered.


And that alone felt like a victory.




Chapter 17

Kora’s POV

The day after the gala felt like it had come from another world entirely. The air was thick with silence, the kind that wraps itself around you when things are about to break but haven't quite yet. Edward was... quieter than usual. He stayed mostly in his office, handling business, making decisions with that cool, unshakeable calm. But I could feel his presence hovering in every room, like a constant reminder that I was never really alone.


I spent the morning with the pack’s healer, getting checked over just to be safe. I hadn’t mentioned the tension I felt in my body, the strange, aching weight at the back of my skull, but I could feel it growing with each passing day. The healer—an older woman named Mara, with kind, weathered eyes—had insisted on a few extra scans just to make sure everything was fine with the pregnancy. She didn’t ask questions, which I appreciated.


I returned to the packhouse after that, feeling a strange mixture of relief and unease. Everything was fine, Mara had said. The baby was healthy, strong. Yet I couldn’t shake the sense that something was... wrong.


I barely made it inside before Edward found me. His eyes caught mine from across the foyer, and there was something unreadable in them—something dark that immediately made my pulse spike.


“I need to speak with you,” he said, his tone tight but controlled. I nodded, following him upstairs.


Once we were inside our room, he shut the door behind us with a soft thud. He turned to face me, his expression serious.


“I’ve called a meeting with the Council,” he began. I blinked at him, taken aback. “The Council? Why?”


“Because of what happened last night. I don’t trust Aaron to stay out of our business. He will try something again.” His words were clipped, controlled. He wasn’t asking for permission, just laying down a fact.


I swallowed, unsure how to feel. Part of me wanted to shrug it off, to tell him it wasn’t necessary. But I knew Aaron too well. He had never let go of anything—especially not control over something, or someone, he thought he owned.


“Do you think he’ll do something more? He won’t just leave us alone, will he?” I asked, my voice quiet but tight with the tension building inside me.


Edward’s jaw tightened. “I’ll make sure of it. You don’t have to worry about him.”


“I’m not worried about me,” I replied, before I could stop myself. “I’m worried about the baby.”


Edward’s gaze softened slightly, but he didn’t move closer. There was still a wall between us, one that neither of us seemed willing to tear down completely.


“You don’t need to worry,” he said again, the words soothing but too cold to sound entirely sincere. “I’ll handle everything.”


I nodded, but the knot in my stomach only tightened.


I don’t need your protection, Edward, I thought bitterly. I need you to trust me. Trust me enough to let me fight my own battles.


But I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t.


The meeting was scheduled for the late afternoon, after the pack had finished their training. I watched as the pack members filtered in and out of the training grounds, the werewolves moving with an ease that came from years of practice. I knew the strength of this pack, knew the loyalty they had to Edward, but there was a strange chill hanging over everything now. The energy in the air felt different, like a storm was coming.


I sat at the back of the room as the Council gathered, Edward standing at the front of the table, his presence commanding and strong. The pack’s elders—a mix of old wolves and younger ones who had been with him for years—sat around him, their eyes all focused on him like he was the sun.


I couldn’t hear all the words they spoke, but the tension in the room was palpable. They were discussing Aaron, of course—his actions, his influence on the pack, and the threat he posed. Edward was giving them all the details, making sure they knew exactly what had happened at the gala.


I sat in the corner, trying to ignore the whispers that occasionally floated my way. It wasn’t my place to be part of this conversation, not really. I was just the Luna—just the bride of the Alpha. But my position was one I didn’t take lightly, and I was beginning to feel the weight of it more and more with each passing day.


The room fell silent as Edward spoke again, his voice calm but firm.


“We will not let Aaron get away with this,” he said, his eyes flashing with determination. “I’m going to handle him, but I need the Council’s support. If he makes another move, we act swiftly.”


One of the elders, a grizzled wolf named Darin, raised his hand. “What if it comes to a challenge?”


Edward didn’t hesitate. “Then we will fight. But we’re not letting him take anything from us. Not the pack, not Kora, not the baby.”


There was a murmur of agreement around the table, but I could feel the weight of the room’s attention on me. Edward had made it clear that this wasn’t just about Aaron trying to control the pack—it was about me, about the baby.


But I wasn’t just a helpless pawn in this. I had my own power. I had my own role to play, even if I hadn’t fully figured out what that role was yet.


I stood up slowly, drawing Edward’s attention away from the Council. His eyes narrowed at me, but I could see the flicker of surprise in them. He hadn’t expected me to speak.


“I’m not just a prize for you to protect,” I said, my voice cutting through the tension like a knife. “I’m not some delicate thing you can hide away.”


The room fell deathly silent.


Edward stared at me, his expression unreadable, but I could see the storm rising behind his eyes. “Kora...”


“No, Edward,” I said, my heart pounding in my chest. “You don’t get to make all the decisions for me. I will stand by you, yes, but I won’t be hidden away like a secret. If Aaron comes after me, I will fight him, too. And if I need to protect my own, I will.”


Edward didn’t respond right away. He just watched me for a long moment, his features hard, his thoughts unreadable. I thought he might explode, that he might tell me I was being reckless or foolish.


But instead, after what felt like an eternity, he nodded.


“I know,” he said, his voice surprisingly soft. “I know you will.”


There was a moment of quiet understanding between us, like a bridge being built over the space that had kept us apart. But even as he gave me that acknowledgment, the threat from Aaron hung over us like a cloud waiting to burst. We weren’t safe. Not yet.


Later that evening, as I sat on the balcony overlooking the darkening woods, the wind cool on my skin, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was coming. Something was shifting, something we couldn’t control.


And though I was tired of pretending everything would be fine, I had to trust that we could handle it—together.





Chapter 18

Kora’s POV

The next morning came with a heaviness that pressed against my chest before I even opened my eyes. The house was too quiet. No footsteps in the hallway, no faint chatter from the maids, not even the sound of Edward moving about. It was the kind of silence that made your heart pound faster because you knew something was wrong before anyone said it.


I sat up slowly, my hand instinctively resting against my stomach. The baby shifted, a small flutter that reminded me I wasn’t alone. That little movement was enough to steady me for a moment, enough to keep the shadows of my mind at bay.


I got dressed and made my way downstairs, the polished wooden floors cool against my bare feet. Edward wasn’t in the kitchen, nor in the study. When I stepped outside onto the wide porch, I finally spotted him at the edge of the training grounds.


His tall frame stood out easily, dark against the rising morning sun. He was sparring with one of the warriors, his movements sharp and precise, but there was something... different about them. They weren’t just practice swings—every move carried weight, like he was already fighting a battle in his mind.


I stood there for a while, watching him, feeling the pull of something deep inside me. He was strong, yes, but it wasn’t just his strength that held me. It was the quiet fury in the way he moved, the storm he carried with him but never unleashed fully unless he had to.


When the sparring ended, Edward turned slightly, his eyes locking onto mine across the field. Even from that distance, I felt the heat of his gaze. Without a word, he dismissed the warrior and walked toward me, his steps slow, deliberate.


“You’re up early,” he said when he reached me. His voice was calm, but I could hear the undercurrent of tension.


“I could say the same about you,” I replied softly.


He smirked faintly, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I needed to clear my head.”


I didn’t press. I just nodded, but the silence between us was heavy. He didn’t like me seeing him vulnerable, even when his vulnerability wasn’t in words but in the way his shoulders stiffened or his hands clenched too tightly.


“Edward,” I said finally, my voice low. “You’re worried.”


He looked at me for a long time before answering. “I’d be a fool not to be.”


I wanted to tell him I could handle myself, that I wasn’t afraid of Aaron anymore, but before I could speak, one of the pack guards approached, bowing his head.


“Alpha,” the guard said. “We have news. Aaron has been spotted near the northern border.” My heart stopped for a moment. Edward’s jaw tightened.


“Gather the warriors,” Edward ordered immediately. “Double patrol on the borders. No one enters without my command.”


The guard bowed again and hurried off.


Edward turned back to me, his eyes dark and intense. “Stay inside today. Don’t leave the house.”


The command in his tone made my chest tighten. I hated being given orders, but I also knew he was right.


“I’ll stay,” I said quietly. “But promise me something, Edward.” He raised an eyebrow, waiting.


“Promise me you won’t face him alone.”


For a moment, I thought he would brush it off, give me some line about being the Alpha and how it was his responsibility. But then he surprised me. He stepped closer, so close I could feel the warmth radiating off him, and placed his hand over mine.


“I promise,” he said, his voice steady. “Not alone.”


It was such a simple promise, but it meant everything.


The hours crawled by after that. I stayed in the sitting room, pretending to read one of the books stacked on the shelf, but my eyes kept drifting to the window. I kept waiting for the sound of footsteps, for a messenger to come running in with news.


Instead, it was Mara, the healer, who visited. She brought herbs and tonics, insisting they would help me sleep better at night. I thanked her, but my thoughts were far from sleep.


“Kora,” she said softly before leaving, her eyes lingering on me. “You’re stronger than you know. Don’t let fear make you forget that.”


Her words lingered long after she was gone. Stronger than I know. Was that true?


By late afternoon, Edward returned. The moment I heard his steps in the hallway, my body relaxed. He came into the room, his expression unreadable, but I noticed the faint trace of dirt on his boots, the stiffness in his shoulders.


“You found him,” I said.


He didn’t answer right away. He poured himself a glass of water, drank deeply, then set it down with a heavy sigh.


“Yes,” he finally said. “We found signs of him. He wasn’t alone. A few rogues were with him.” My stomach tightened. “What does that mean?”


“It means he’s building something,” Edward said, his voice low. “He’s planning. And he’s testing us.”


Fear prickled at the back of my neck, but I forced myself to stay calm. “What do we do?” I asked.


Edward looked at me then, really looked at me, his eyes searching mine. “We prepare. And we wait.”


I hated the idea of waiting. Waiting meant giving Aaron the chance to make the first move. But Edward’s calmness was its own kind of weapon. He never rushed, never acted out of impulse. That was what made him dangerous.


Still, as night fell and I lay in bed beside him, staring at the ceiling while his steady breaths filled the room, I couldn’t shake the feeling that waiting would cost us.


Because Aaron wasn’t the type to wait.

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