Omg.... Cedric just confessedš„°š„ŗš„ŗ please like and comment
EMMELINE'S POV I stared out the window with a soft smile. Ever since Cedricās confession, Iād been in such a good mood. It felt like the goddess had finally taken pity on me⦠or maybe, just maybe, Iād finally redeemed myself.Grinning, I dipped my brush into the paint again and brought it to the canvas. Iād been working on a portraitāone of Cedric and me by the lake. I couldnāt shake the look on his face when he told me he loved me. It had etched itself into my memory so deeply, I had to capture it.I was so lost in thought I didnāt even hear the footsteps until there was a knock on the table beside me. I jumped slightly and rushed to move the painting.I carried it to the inner room and quickly draped a sheet over it. I didnāt want anyone seeing itānot yet. It felt too personal, too precious.When I turned around, a smile stretched across my face at the sight of Cedric standing in the doorway, holding a tray of food.I raised a teasing brow. āA lord bringing food for this lowly con
EMMELINE'S POV Tears streamed down my face as I stumbled into the room. My legs gave out, and I collapsed to my knees. The pain hit me all at once; it was sharp, suffocating. Like someone had reached into my chest and ripped out my heart with their bare hands.āWhy?ā I gasped, my voice hoarse and cracked. āWhy did you make me believe you loved me?āWas this my punishment for my father's sins? Maybe I was never meant to be happy. Maybe the goddess had never forgiven me.The door slammed open behind me, and I flinched. I turned slowly, dread sinking into my stomach.Cedric.He stood in the doorway, breathing hard, eyes locked on mine. My breath caught in my throat.I let out a bitter laugh. āDonāt,ā I hissed as he bent down to help me. āDonāt touch me.āI shoved his hands away, anger surging up through the heartbreak. āWhat, Cedric? Did you come here to finish the job? Or maybe just laugh in my face?āHis jaw tightened, fists clenching at his sides, but he said nothing.My eyes dropped
CEDRIC POV I stood in my room, staring out the window as rain battered the rooftops of Elgin. It poured relentlessly, like the sky itself mourned the choices Iād made.The wine burned down my throat, but it did little to quiet the storm within me. The silence in the room was loud, oppressive.Avaās help came with a priceāmarriage. To protect my pack, I agreed. It had to be done.I slipped the ring from my finger and tossed it into the cupboard without a second thought. There was no love in my heart for Ava. Not even a flicker. I knew what I did had shattered Emmeline, and though it gutted me, my pack would always come first.Still⦠I couldnāt shake the feeling that the Council had their own reasons for approving the union. Their timing, their pushāit all reeked of manipulation. But Iād deal with them later.Right now, there was a war knocking at our gates, and I had to lead.When this is over⦠Iāll find Emmeline. Iāll fix whatās been broken. Even if it kills me.The door creaked open
EMMELINE'S POV The journey to Dogar was far more stressful than Iād anticipated. The rain was relentless, drumming steadily against the carriage roof like an unending echo of my thoughts.I leaned against the carriage wall as the coachman pressed on through the downpour. Lord Devlin remained silent throughout the tripālost in his own world, it seemed. His brooding expression mirrored the storm outside.My fingers tapped endlessly against the wooden paneling, a futile attempt to clear my thoughts of Cedric. But it wasnāt working. No matter how hard I tried, I couldnāt erase the image of his eyes when he told me he loved me.How could that look have been a lie?Maybe my father had been right all along. Maybe I was too naive to survive in Elgin. But then again⦠his actions had left me with no choice.āAre you alright, Emmeline?āLord Devlinās voice pulled me from my thoughts. I turned to him with a smile that didnāt quite reach my eyes.āIāll be alright,ā I replied, trying to convince m
CEDRIC POV My blood boiled as the last warrior returned with the same pathetic report.āIām sorry, my Lord... we still canāt locate Lady Emmeline.āI was on him in a heartbeat, my hand closing around his throat like a vice. His eyes bulged as I lifted him off the ground, my voice low and venomous.āKeep searching for her,ā I snarled. āDonāt return without her or Iāll skin you alive.āHis legs kicked as he struggled for breath. I released him, and he collapsed to the floor, gasping.āGet out now!āHe scrambled to his feet and ran like death itself was at his heels.I sighed, dragging a hand through my hair as I paced the room, boots striking the marble floor in an impatient rhythm. A full week of relentless searching. And stillānothing.No trace. No scent trail. No signs of struggle. Just... gone.After Ava's pathetic attempt at deception, I forced her to take me to the dungeon where she claimed Emmeline had been locked away. But the room was empty- completely abandoned, not even a sp
EMMELINE'S POV For a whole week, I hadnāt stepped out of my room. Belle had been kind enough to bring my meals, never asking too many questions, just offering small smiles and a few gentle words before disappearing again.Lord Devlin had come by more times than I could countābut Iād managed to avoid him every time. I still couldnāt wrap my head around it⦠he brought me here not just for safety, but to be his bride?It felt like betrayal all over again.A knock pulled me from my thoughts. āMatilda, itās Belle,ā her voice called softly through the door.I stood and opened it and there he was.Lord Devlin stood beside her, his eyes meeting mine, unreadable. I bit my lower lip, not sure what to say or how to act. I couldnāt slam the door in his faceānot after all heād done for me.So I forced a smile and stepped aside, letting them in. āGreetings, Lord Devlin.āHe gave me a gentle nod, returning the greeting with that same calm smile that used to make me feel safe. Belle walked in behind
CEDRIC POV I watched the rain droplets as they fell into the fountain. The door creaked open, and Ava walked ināshe had surprisingly been avoiding me.Without a word, she headed to the inner room to take off her wet clothes. I didnāt bother acknowledging her presence.My mind lingered on the memory of seeing her that night by the lake, talking to an unidentified man. By instinct, Iād started observing her more closely. I noticed she left the manor more often than anyone else.āWhere were you?ā I asked, turning to face her.Ava frowned, her glare sharp with fury. āItās none of your business, Cedric!āI rolled my eyes at her outburst. If anyone had the right to raise their voice, it was me. But I needed to tread carefullyāI still had no idea what the Councilās plan was.āWith the witches ready for war, itās dangerous to walk around so carelessly, donāt you think?āShe scoffed. āAs if you care about me, Cedric. Besides, the witches are no longer a threat. Weāve already subdued them.āSu
EMMELINE'S POV I stared at the sky with a paintbrush in handāI had requested a canvas from Devlin out of boredom. But unfortunately, I had no zeal to paint anymore. I sat there, staring blankly at the paper as if I had forgotten how to use a brush at all.With a sigh, I dropped it. Itās been like this since I left Elgin. No matter how hard I tried, every thought led back to Cedricāit was almost impossible not to think of him.I couldnāt understand the torture the moon goddess was putting me through.Why give me what others desire so deeply, only to make it feel like a curse?The worst part was that I still couldn't stop thinking about how the pack was faring⦠even after everything they did to me.A knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts.āCome in. The doorās open,ā I muttered, barely glancing up.Belle strolled in with a grin stretched across her face. I frowned immediatelyādays of being around Belle had taught me to be wary of that grin. It always meant she was up to someth
EMMELINE'S POV My body froze, caught somewhere between shock and confusion as Devlin pulled away. He gave me a sly smile.āIāve always wanted to do that,ā he whispered near my ear.A shiver ran down my spine- not one of pleasure, but something else entirely. Devlinās smile faded the moment he saw my face. āIām sorry⦠I shouldnāt haveā¦āI didnāt let him finish. I stood abruptly, the chair scraping back behind me, and bolted from the room like my feet were on fire. He didnāt follow. Maybe he understood that I needed space. Or maybe he just didnāt know what to say.I slammed the door shut behind me and locked it, then threw myself onto the bed. My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might burst through my chest.Why did he kiss me?I chewed on my fingernail, spiraling through a mess of thoughts. Does he actually like me?No. No, I couldnāt go there.I couldnāt let myself believe thatācouldnāt believe anyone else would find me lovable. Not after what Cedric did. Not when my own m
EMMELINE'S POV I stared at the sky with a paintbrush in handāI had requested a canvas from Devlin out of boredom. But unfortunately, I had no zeal to paint anymore. I sat there, staring blankly at the paper as if I had forgotten how to use a brush at all.With a sigh, I dropped it. Itās been like this since I left Elgin. No matter how hard I tried, every thought led back to Cedricāit was almost impossible not to think of him.I couldnāt understand the torture the moon goddess was putting me through.Why give me what others desire so deeply, only to make it feel like a curse?The worst part was that I still couldn't stop thinking about how the pack was faring⦠even after everything they did to me.A knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts.āCome in. The doorās open,ā I muttered, barely glancing up.Belle strolled in with a grin stretched across her face. I frowned immediatelyādays of being around Belle had taught me to be wary of that grin. It always meant she was up to someth
CEDRIC POV I watched the rain droplets as they fell into the fountain. The door creaked open, and Ava walked ināshe had surprisingly been avoiding me.Without a word, she headed to the inner room to take off her wet clothes. I didnāt bother acknowledging her presence.My mind lingered on the memory of seeing her that night by the lake, talking to an unidentified man. By instinct, Iād started observing her more closely. I noticed she left the manor more often than anyone else.āWhere were you?ā I asked, turning to face her.Ava frowned, her glare sharp with fury. āItās none of your business, Cedric!āI rolled my eyes at her outburst. If anyone had the right to raise their voice, it was me. But I needed to tread carefullyāI still had no idea what the Councilās plan was.āWith the witches ready for war, itās dangerous to walk around so carelessly, donāt you think?āShe scoffed. āAs if you care about me, Cedric. Besides, the witches are no longer a threat. Weāve already subdued them.āSu
EMMELINE'S POV For a whole week, I hadnāt stepped out of my room. Belle had been kind enough to bring my meals, never asking too many questions, just offering small smiles and a few gentle words before disappearing again.Lord Devlin had come by more times than I could countābut Iād managed to avoid him every time. I still couldnāt wrap my head around it⦠he brought me here not just for safety, but to be his bride?It felt like betrayal all over again.A knock pulled me from my thoughts. āMatilda, itās Belle,ā her voice called softly through the door.I stood and opened it and there he was.Lord Devlin stood beside her, his eyes meeting mine, unreadable. I bit my lower lip, not sure what to say or how to act. I couldnāt slam the door in his faceānot after all heād done for me.So I forced a smile and stepped aside, letting them in. āGreetings, Lord Devlin.āHe gave me a gentle nod, returning the greeting with that same calm smile that used to make me feel safe. Belle walked in behind
CEDRIC POV My blood boiled as the last warrior returned with the same pathetic report.āIām sorry, my Lord... we still canāt locate Lady Emmeline.āI was on him in a heartbeat, my hand closing around his throat like a vice. His eyes bulged as I lifted him off the ground, my voice low and venomous.āKeep searching for her,ā I snarled. āDonāt return without her or Iāll skin you alive.āHis legs kicked as he struggled for breath. I released him, and he collapsed to the floor, gasping.āGet out now!āHe scrambled to his feet and ran like death itself was at his heels.I sighed, dragging a hand through my hair as I paced the room, boots striking the marble floor in an impatient rhythm. A full week of relentless searching. And stillānothing.No trace. No scent trail. No signs of struggle. Just... gone.After Ava's pathetic attempt at deception, I forced her to take me to the dungeon where she claimed Emmeline had been locked away. But the room was empty- completely abandoned, not even a sp
EMMELINE'S POV The journey to Dogar was far more stressful than Iād anticipated. The rain was relentless, drumming steadily against the carriage roof like an unending echo of my thoughts.I leaned against the carriage wall as the coachman pressed on through the downpour. Lord Devlin remained silent throughout the tripālost in his own world, it seemed. His brooding expression mirrored the storm outside.My fingers tapped endlessly against the wooden paneling, a futile attempt to clear my thoughts of Cedric. But it wasnāt working. No matter how hard I tried, I couldnāt erase the image of his eyes when he told me he loved me.How could that look have been a lie?Maybe my father had been right all along. Maybe I was too naive to survive in Elgin. But then again⦠his actions had left me with no choice.āAre you alright, Emmeline?āLord Devlinās voice pulled me from my thoughts. I turned to him with a smile that didnāt quite reach my eyes.āIāll be alright,ā I replied, trying to convince m
CEDRIC POV I stood in my room, staring out the window as rain battered the rooftops of Elgin. It poured relentlessly, like the sky itself mourned the choices Iād made.The wine burned down my throat, but it did little to quiet the storm within me. The silence in the room was loud, oppressive.Avaās help came with a priceāmarriage. To protect my pack, I agreed. It had to be done.I slipped the ring from my finger and tossed it into the cupboard without a second thought. There was no love in my heart for Ava. Not even a flicker. I knew what I did had shattered Emmeline, and though it gutted me, my pack would always come first.Still⦠I couldnāt shake the feeling that the Council had their own reasons for approving the union. Their timing, their pushāit all reeked of manipulation. But Iād deal with them later.Right now, there was a war knocking at our gates, and I had to lead.When this is over⦠Iāll find Emmeline. Iāll fix whatās been broken. Even if it kills me.The door creaked open
EMMELINE'S POV Tears streamed down my face as I stumbled into the room. My legs gave out, and I collapsed to my knees. The pain hit me all at once; it was sharp, suffocating. Like someone had reached into my chest and ripped out my heart with their bare hands.āWhy?ā I gasped, my voice hoarse and cracked. āWhy did you make me believe you loved me?āWas this my punishment for my father's sins? Maybe I was never meant to be happy. Maybe the goddess had never forgiven me.The door slammed open behind me, and I flinched. I turned slowly, dread sinking into my stomach.Cedric.He stood in the doorway, breathing hard, eyes locked on mine. My breath caught in my throat.I let out a bitter laugh. āDonāt,ā I hissed as he bent down to help me. āDonāt touch me.āI shoved his hands away, anger surging up through the heartbreak. āWhat, Cedric? Did you come here to finish the job? Or maybe just laugh in my face?āHis jaw tightened, fists clenching at his sides, but he said nothing.My eyes dropped
EMMELINE'S POV I stared out the window with a soft smile. Ever since Cedricās confession, Iād been in such a good mood. It felt like the goddess had finally taken pity on me⦠or maybe, just maybe, Iād finally redeemed myself.Grinning, I dipped my brush into the paint again and brought it to the canvas. Iād been working on a portraitāone of Cedric and me by the lake. I couldnāt shake the look on his face when he told me he loved me. It had etched itself into my memory so deeply, I had to capture it.I was so lost in thought I didnāt even hear the footsteps until there was a knock on the table beside me. I jumped slightly and rushed to move the painting.I carried it to the inner room and quickly draped a sheet over it. I didnāt want anyone seeing itānot yet. It felt too personal, too precious.When I turned around, a smile stretched across my face at the sight of Cedric standing in the doorway, holding a tray of food.I raised a teasing brow. āA lord bringing food for this lowly con