CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY ONE


    +25 Bonus


    CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY ONE


    Talia’s POV


    After leaving Leslie’s cabin, I felt like a weight had been lifted from my chest. I felt energized. I knew that wouldn’tst due to myck of sleep, but I wanted to take full advantage of it while I could.


    I headed toward the training grounds to release some of my pent-up energy.


    I walked the usual path, but I did not see Nn anywhere. Normally, he trained at this hour or sparred with Marco. Today, he wasn’t there. Only a few younger warriors practicing their forms and a pair of instructors shouting corrections.


    Colin’s voice echoed in my mind: Distance yourself from him. If he truly cares about you, he’ll make the effort.


    That advice made sense when I heard it. Now, I wasn’t so sure. It felt like I was switching from one thing to another to worry about. Two days remained before I was expected to make my decision and yet, Nn was nowhere to be seen.


    Had something happened to Nn? Or had he taken my silence as a sign that I no longer wanted him as my mate? The longer I walked without seeing him, the heavier that pressure felt.


    “I am overthinking this,” I told myself. “He’s probably handling something important with his pack.”


    Still, when the sun started to set and I realized I had wandered the pce grounds half the day without finding him, my anxiety returned with a vengeance.


    Something was wrong.


    By the time I arrived at dinner, I had no appetite. I pushed food around my te and kept ncing at the door, half-expecting


    Nn to walk through it.


    De found me before dessert arrived. She slid into the seat across from me and lowered her voice. “You look like you have not slept. What happened?”


    “Nothing. I am simply tired,” I lied.


    “You’re a terrible liar, Talia,” De said, rolling her eyes. “Tell me what’s wrong.”


    I hesitated and then decided it was pointless to hide anything from her. “I have not seen Nn all day,” I admitted.


    “And that’s a bad thing because? I thought you were upset with him,” De said.


    “I’m not upset with him. I wanted him to put forth an effort to pursue me and not just make demands or try to control the situation,” I responded.


    “Oh, you really don’t know what today is,” De said as she ate a spoonful of pudding.


    “What are you talking about?” I asked.


    “Today is his father’s Memorial Day,” De replied.


    “Oh.” I sat back in my chair, “How do you know that?”


    “Because Marco is with him right now. He stays with him all day,” De exined. “Nn does not train, he does not leave his room, and he does not speak unless necessary. He basically drinks himself into unconsciousness.”


    All day, I had been restless. It made sense now. I was responding to Nn’s sadness that I was feeling through the mate bond.


    “There is nothing wrong with checking on him, you know,” De suggested. “You can take the initiative this time. It will show him that you care about him regardless of the mate bond.”


    “I am not sure about that. This is a very sensitive time for him,” I said.


    CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY ONE


    +25 Bonus


    “And?” De countered. “He has seen you at your lowest multiple times. I think it is about time you’ve seen him at a low point.” “I barely know him,” I said, though my voicecked conviction.


    “That is exactly why you should go,” De said. “This is actually the perfect chance to see him as a person, not as an Alpha or a potential mate.”


    She was right. If I wanted to judge Nn fairly, I needed to understand him beyond all the walls he put up.


    De leaned forward. “Go to him. If he pushes you away, then at least you know where you stand and the decision will be easier.”


    I took a slow breath and nodded. “You are right.”


    “Of course I am,” she said, softer this time.


    By the time I left the dining hall, the sky had darkened into shades of deep blue. The closer I got to Nn’s room, the more anxious I became. I had no idea what I was walking into and the thought of him rejecting me was frightening.


    I reached Nn’s room. Before I could knock, Marco stepped into the hallway. He looked surprised to see me as he closed the door.


    “Princess? What are you doing here?” Marco asked.


    “I… I wanted to check on Nn,” I answered. “I hadn’t seen him all day.”


    Marco nced back at the door before looking back at me. “Tonight isn’t really a good time,” he said.


    I frowned but I didn’t push. Marco knew Nn better than me, so he would know if it was safe for me to engage. “I cane back tomorrow,” I said quietly. “If that is better.”


    Marco hesitated. He looked torn, as if he wanted to say yes but knew Nn would not approve. Before he could respond, Nn called out, “Marco, bring more wine.”


    Marco pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. I could tell that he wanted to argue with Nn, but being that Nn was his Alpha, he had no choice but to obey.


    “I will handle it from here,” I told him. “From your reaction, I’m sure he doesn’t need any more wine.”


    Marco studied my face as if trying to determine if this was a terrible idea. “If you insist,” he said as he opened the door for me. But be prepared. He is not himself today.”


    (


    BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you


    P


    Support


    Share


    get it