Chapter 296
Chapter 297
Ezra’s POV
40
Finished
I had never been a patient man, but that wait had been worth every moment-rewarded in the quiet radiance of Lylah’s happiness. The way her smile unfurled in the glow of candlelight settled something restless inside me. Made me feel whole.
By the time we returned to Moonclaw, the first snow had begun to fall, reclaiming the land after years of absence. It settled over the estate roofs in a pale hush, blanketed the earth in soft white, and quieted the pack beneath its embrace.
I left her briefly to see to a few matters, but the pull of her presence drew me back soon enough.
When I entered my chamber, the door closing softly behind me, I found her standing by the window.
She didn’t turn at first.
“Ezra, look,” Lylah said, her voice soft with wonder. “It’s already snowing… the lawn’s turning white.” She trailed off, catching herself. “I-I’m so sorry. I forgot you can’t p>
“It’s alright,” I murmured, moving closer. “I remember what it’s like. The stillness, the way the air feels.” I came to stand behind her, close enough to feel her warmth. “Is it beautiful p>
“It is,” she said softly. “I’m glad you still remember how Moonclaw looks in winter. I’ll capture this for you. So maybe in the future… when your vision comes back, I can show you. Or we could shift and run through it together. It has to be freezing p>
A faint smile tugged at my lips.
She had no idea how adorable she looked in that moment,
and how it wasn’t Moonclaw in winter that lingered in my memory.
Lylah carried none of it. None of what we had been before.
It had been winter then, too-the second time we met. Snow fell like feathers over the lands of Lunareth Kingdom as I crossed into her territory by accident, half-dead and bleeding out into the frost. Crimson hot blood soaked my side, staining the white beneath me as I collapsed.
And she found me there.
She knelt in the snow without hesitation, wrapped in a fox fur-lined cloak. Delicate hands, far gentler than anything that world deserved, pressed against my wound, tending to a stranger who had no right to trespass
on her land.
“Ezra p>
“Yes?” I closed the distance between us, pressing into her back, lowering my head until my breath brushed the curve of her neck.
My nose grazed her skin, drawing in her scent.
13:02 Thu, Apr 16 MOD
Chapter 297
Lylah shivered.
“Stay still, beautiful,” I murmured, my voice rougher now. “You can keep watching the snow p>
I had meant to let her.
Truly.
Finished
But the moment I touched her, something deep and unyielding stirred to life. It coursed through my veins like fire, sharpening every sense, every instinct. My wolf roused, restless and drawn to her, a low, possessive warmth blooming beneath my skin.
Her scent alone was enough to unravel me.
“T-there are guards patrolling outside,” she whispered, her breath catching as my hand slipped beneath the soft fabric at her waist, finding the heat of her skin. “Maybe we should move to the bed p>
“It’s snowing,” I said quietly, my voice edged with something more primal. “They won’t notice p>
My hands moved before I could stop them, I lifted her leg with care, resting it against the couch in front of her, holding her there.
“Be good,” I murmured near her ear. “It’ll be fine p>
“You haven’t even changed,” she protested weakly. “Your clothes, they’re still cold from outside p>
“Then they’re in the way p>
Patience had never been my strength-not when it came to her.
Within moments, the barrier of fabric was gone, discarded without care. The chill of winter clung to the air, but it never reached me-not when my blood ran this hot, not when she was pressed against me like this.
Lylah melted into me instead, seeking that warmth, clinging as though she belonged nowhere else.
“Ezra…” My name fell from my mate’s lips in a soft, unsteady, breath.
Her long lashes fluttered down, veiling her eyes as they closed in surrender. We intertwined completely, bodies fused in a seamless dance.
I felt whole.
This was the part of my life I had once lost… now returned to me. And no matter how long I was bound to walk this world, it would be with her beside me. I would trade everything I was, wage endless wars beneath skies just to keep her safe.
Just to ensure that this time…
She would never be taken from me again.
13:02 Thu, Apr 16 MOD.
The Betrayed Princess Rising
Ruby Walker
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.