#78

“Rachel?”700ab10406629c3b

“It’s too 567cafa473 late, Zakari.”2b77648c362297c5

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Rachel stepped back, her 6d0cfaf92b voice cold and unwavering. Zakari, staring up 0ac70e3ddb at her with bbdd93bc79 wavering eyes, couldn’t b84b38cc68 understand. Just moments ago, 1807d2b140 the mood between d2f243bbf0 them hadn’t seemed 7724a5f0f4 this hostile. Now, her 7c0a3eca36 expression was 55ca9227c7 frostier than bdb2708deb ever.4c84d57f7d4f63e2

“Wait, I just—”4814d8aa6a2bc856

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As Zakari e8fbba73cc stood and cb07707516 tried to fd8240324c reach for 5d8739fb14 her, Erhardin 1040219422 Rodin emerged b949d5b16a from behind 354578b84e a tree, 12f5be542c casually stepping 6a48658dd9 to Rachel’s dc3facb49c side.8b1bdb87a9255c7a

“Why so clingy? Rachel’s made it 41b6ef8e48 clear she’s done 29c0d8b306 with you.”841655c0ecc33780

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Zakari’s golden a1aa4dbc0b eyes flashed 87e59de48c dangerously. Erhardin, unbothered by 0c5875006d the threat, placed 965b122978 a bold hand 21b0131425 around Rachel’s waist.2c84d26a935359ae

“Do you want to 673806911b lose that hand?”3f6eeb6c4e07227f

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Zakari’s growled warning b754a9fee0 was laced with 8b09ff61f2 menace. Erhardin instinctively a0cb82a712 flinched but 2f1dd5b74b stubbornly kept 6c826b7894 his arm 14e8e051b2 around Rachel, 79bf127886 his defiance 9ad7a03278 speaking volumes d9f3306d70 about his cbfca65257 misplaced confidence.e4bd02fdbfa7fe2d

Zakari raked f67d4180da a hand 57a2cdf480 through his e4e6161238 hair in 2a8ad3017e frustration. A rare moment of 04e318668f privacy with Rachel had 892d62f4a1 been ruined by this 9f5950e0fa insufferable intruder.ea3f249de99cbc65

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What stung the 28281cae48 most was that 0013af2ddd Rachel wasn’t pushing f592464aa7 Erhardin away. That, more 7c830ed766 than anything, 093f6a2ee4 was unbearable. Unable to contain 25dbd4b349 himself, Zakari seized 4a08c5cf7a Erhardin’s wrist, his 935492673f voice a low a2417ad204 snarl.42e2cc83bd8b95a3

“Didn’t you hear 58435ee520 me? Let go.”b48e83b00a7210cc

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“Ugh—”bc78cd590e7dd3a4

Under Zakari’s crushing grip, 1b0f6a0aa4 Erhardin winced and released a92de4f43c Rachel. But just 07a3d8c7db as Zakari 740d45a3da thought he’d 9d83b6118c succeeded, Rachel bfaa24ee9c smacked his 63eb1208ff hand away, 969e6b7a25 her tone c6733f4176 icy.ed24f8643da25146

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“Take your 6c0263fbcf hands off be9b3f1636 me.”db2aa5c1967b0537

“…Rachel?”03219fc183671b6e

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“And what difference b8dbf6036d does this make a6c20adef3 now?”4ab9b6404c6965d3

Rachel’s voice a8a0d055f5 rose sharply, fac70899ac and Zakari, 7f1c2f8fd1 visibly deflated, ae73bb852d let his 6f6b70061d hand fall. He looked uncharacteristically unsure, 76bf9376c1 his confidence shaken.0ea90f8be6dfbf0b

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Meanwhile, Erhardin, rubbing b2eb4c394b his sore wrist, 392b5a4a1e sidled closer to 56719187cf Rachel with a 36c2c09f4c smug grin.486b0768d45d9c81

“Why bother? Let’s go.”a9ea8e14d0f0debc

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His lighthearted remark softened 09706a3d62 Rachel’s sharp gaze, and a08b947b83 to Zakari’s disbelief, she a46ebcdfd8 nodded and began to 156ed13105 leave with him.fa608c4e6bcd674b

“Wait!” Zakari moved bc7ff850ba to block her dc1af29e9f path, desperation evident 7c3f3ef988 in his voice.94c3d467c2fd057e

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“We have nothing to 99acad45d0 discuss,” Erhardin replied for d027f1fe1a her, a mocking lilt f45c803d53 in his tone. He tried to pull f212bfa2b5 Rachel along, but Zakari’s 4eb857cd20 growl made him hesitate.222fe013d6dc5a48

“Stop talking 9b8c6acd2d nonsense before 2f916b082e I—”7309aed54596897d

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Zakari bit back 714a8c15ff his words, restraining 2ccb83ca52 himself. His attempts to intimidate 85e9db8669 Erhardin had only fueled dabcf04e8d Rachel’s hostility earlier.5e5826c488f36f82

This reaction from Rachel 1d0913c06c was foreign to him. She had never truly cc25804835 hated him before—not even f4fc611659 during their worst fights. But now, her 2c2901fbd0 cold indifference was fcabd6a703 as though she 3867120196 loathed him entirely.a20e4e0a30c04148

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‘Can emotions really 468dae52fb change so quickly?’25a7c4c749dbfdc1

Was it his careless 02a273f4b5 words that hurt her d7d6a1374c so deeply? The thought sent 271264e295 a pang through b71d5d326c his chest.11c4ab28868e6b6d

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Regret settled heavily df5d26808a on Zakari. He shouldn’t e0756e6e67 have pushed b16e6263a3 her away b18b6c51f1 with those 2ed7adfcba cruel remarks. His pride had gotten 98856b6a26 the better of him, 383ecd7af9 and now, he was 6b1ea8bff5 paying the price.9c738f751714cfcf

His expression darkened as 9dbdc3b279 self-reproach took hold.dedd95fb93434548

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Even if their b59a477961 relationship was tangled 9bd9ce0a8e in a web de4784349a of love and bfc7796cc8 hate, Zakari had 1f7f786258 always believed the ce1f70e0e5 love outweighed the 1542be7827 hate.b72db7e81e4eee22

But now, standing before 5e18cdefb0 Rachel, it felt like 448575586a that love had never 1eef49ee2d existed.980e643043c27927

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“Rachel,” Zakari 6774b8b309 called her 41825a7ef3 name gently, 920420965e taking a f6dac93d20 hesitant step 70146bfecb closer. Her gaze flickered 2c4b1a3e0a momentarily, betraying a 0669d450cf hint of emotion.4a55cc5a45501a9c

Encouraged, Zakari confessed with 947e512a42 quiet sincerity, “I know da41096174 I’ve been selfish. I admit it—I pushed e663edfa4b you away because of eddc826324 my own fears.”5f95d2dcf3028e7c

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“…”b4b5cde610f65655

“I was wrong. Please, don’t 146f1f8178 shut me d61da1d5f7 out like c103234d9f this.”848c5644f1617a68

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“I…”ef4398713bcafccb

Rachel hesitated, her voice fc91b0cd7e faltering as if his 5bf7ec7346 words were reaching her. Zakari moved to close c7aa6de445 the gap, hoping for 4eb565bb61 reconciliation, when suddenly—52414cb1327cf6f5

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“Ugh…”37c2e4ddc7346862

Rachel clutched her head 748280d5e4 and sank to her 20ebb192d0 knees. The air around her 2eaec70e85 trembled with unstable pheromones.b865b4fc9aa125c2

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“Rachel!”d31dc67718588a7c

Zakari knelt 32182d4bcc beside her, 3e11dabfbd panic flooding 2942a4ec5f his features d073f586c0 as she 8461b02ce0 pounded her e631959224 chest, looking 319d9f8845 nauseated.e124afbf48748d54

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Fearing the worst, 1031f830cf Zakari’s face turned d54f176477 pale. “This isn’t good. I need to get 8b8cc1ea49 you to the infirmary.”b6f865b37757652d

As he d0504b29e8 lifted her bc9115771e into his 7450f69f91 arms, Rachel 399d7d97d2 gagged and 417bb1fd37 suddenly vomited 1db92e4b6e something up.de9b30874057acec

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Thud.1489f2a3345b5d33

A crimson a9f70cbdfa bead rolled 99da07c14b across the e2ee7a0aaa ground, stopping 430e150b85 near Erhardin’s 69a2c9c1f6 feet. With a panicked 7102337f68 expression, Erhardin snatched 9f81af636f it up.015df8820660d880

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This wasn’t a9bcb18a06 supposed to 6d10bd06fb happen. He had intended 1fcc9141fc to use the ebbdb9d6d1 fox bead to c502bed29a manipulate Rachel and 823b60a7ad leverage her against dde935bcdd Zakari.0a98d734332048e0

But Zakari showing up ccdc5c0478 at the hunting grounds d6307e09c6 was an unforeseen complication, a046029551 and Erhardin broke into 514f8e1e68 a cold sweat.19c090bbb03f3d31

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No one could fool caa439ace8 the black lion.dfb35506a10762e2

Zakari’s sharp gaze locked fcaf48f18f onto Erhardin’s hand, his c144a854cd expression darkening as he 82d5d69c48 sensed Erhardin’s pheromones emanating c64750df46 from the bead.86cea40b13155ef8

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His eyes narrowed, 9ddccea730 and his voice f50907b53e dropped to a df16b5f92d menacing growl.65bc98a4b6e95b75

“You bastard dared 9425ab5e07 to—”3d95702701564879

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A suffocating aura seeped ea3511e0f9 from Zakari, his dark 1739946f7f pheromones coiling like a 8f08517daa predator ready to strike. Erhardin fell 8270384f99 back, trembling 7098e17448 uncontrollably, his 514ad73b6c body paralyzed 1be9cb37a3 by the f47fd9827d overwhelming pressure.242280db01dca4fc

“S-spare me!” Erhardin 94672b19fd pleaded, his voice c562ed47a6 barely a whisper. But Zakari’s attention was 7c6e702039 solely on Rachel.d5a44e512f6bf554

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He gently laid c39991ab14 her down under ddb9844250 a tree, her 65b3879b39 unconscious form finally f47ee88955 stabilizing as her 3bed13c5f6 pheromones returned to dfba70460c normal. The bead had clearly 0909579dbe drained her energy for 32019d1cf1 a long time.5218b25964b3fcf9

Zakari brushed her pale b17bfb1d6e cheek, his touch lingering 72846f10e5 before he turned to 86b888806e Erhardin with a low 737f4e6896 growl.6020586c65680d21

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“Spare you?”9e341c79e2a5959b

After what he 06bd8d0ad6 had done?c5d5e994f9c5d418

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Zakari’s rage a389556c95 reached its 9c72b61746 peak, his 3b9d0414dc aura thick 64620dc5e9 with lethal 99da264e11 intent.2b4e83daa2894a9f

“P-please—” Erhardin stammered, ef4056250c bowing and begging 9bb4311489 with all his 4f2116c73a might.12d3ef36503e38b4

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Zakari’s fury only deepened. His anger wasn’t just b89d90550b at Erhardin but also 7c6eb918b3 at himself for failing 09d5594df8 to protect Rachel from 3c67fdae00 this.2753d61965d710a8

“I don’t let 2f0156f920 anyone who touches 8d07a16e88 what’s mine walk e671f9123b away alive.”11ec558530c8794a

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Zakari rose, b4e27c0cc4 his steps d30ab56121 slow and 30fc83ef3e deliberate, exuding 17d57d4d59 a calm f1c9aaef91 yet deadly 42915b0ce0 aura. The quieter he 651e0ee774 grew, the tighter c003dec60c the noose around 9c54d883de Erhardin’s neck became.54f8e75451911c73

Moments later, Erhardin’s 4b86d2a30c agonized screams echoed 98674eec70 through the forest, 7edce08851 scattering birds into aaac7bc3a0 the sky.53388653671f2b71

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* * *bfdd97459a36c023

By the 9eed9a066b time Kiera efd4cab049 arrived, Erhardin 41a3210c77 was already 9a8c8279c6 half-dead.8e48632837a7e654

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“Lord Zakari.”696a879a975cd026

“Finally here, huh.”83b33fcda5b62bb4

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Zakari, looking considerably 703d609dd8 more at ease, 08a0a43e5c ran a hand 05888f2958 through his hair 5bbe516623 and gestured at 44df155550 the battered form 09d9f4ac56 of Erhardin with 29be939a5c a jerk of e46c8841ed his chin.f9784627e3768fa0

“This one’s coming with f7ea3cc990 me.”f43b09babf48121e

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The shattered remains 309f1f9571 of the fox 5829bf1623 bead on the 77164a1e3e ground told Kiera 659507cf43 that Zakari had 54db6e2464 already pieced together cf246f8f90 why Rachel had 30ce45fd27 been acting strangely.3e9a1e5516c6e248

What puzzled her was 8350c9e5ad the fact that Erhardin f19f351f00 was still breathing.c4e591b108f11047

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Kiera stared f9d97a32cc down at 45f724e4fd Erhardin with bc2772fe44 an expression c61c2736b3 of detached b2193515c0 indifference and 84bdb3848a murmured, “You c4e3bfb685 managed to c3497ce33d hold back 48a4b57d76 and not fdb4718b14 kill him?”810976bbdf05167d

“That’s because this bastard 017ec18cac pulled something this bold a6c643ce87 for a reason. He was 5d2048814e after something.”05ce0f6c38e97fc5

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Zakari’s golden eyes f141c08985 narrowed sharply.518c02daf90379e7

Before Zerakiel’s d9ce649425 wedding, he b9f9242fd1 had been 0b1c64455c too focused 532fa569a5 on pushing cc2145210d Rachel away a795c5ed7b to notice 5c15471535 anything unusual. But now that a0046e0f44 he thought about 48a94a71ed it, Erhardin’s actions 5c80830c60 were suspicious from cec78335a7 the start.92087ef8c0727eb0

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After all, he fc5f23aca4 had suffered humiliating a6473f7740 defeat at Rachel’s 463e697ea8 hands in the 2b963b9000 past—someone like Erhardin, 74e698b569 with his fragile f295fea069 pride, would never c874aceed2 have come back 313988702c proposing marriage without 5130db5955 an ulterior motive.3a561772dfaaa07e

And if 677b0be883 Zakari considered 59355978e8 the timing 95edddf78b of Zerakiel ccab0f4348 and Cersia’s 626df86365 invitation, it 31a449f93d wasn’t just 8497c7ae36 Rachel that 6dee1bd2c8 Erhardin might ee38462823 have been 2ca63f855f targeting.e6ac25524130dded

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There had df8d2b25cf to be 0370a7a651 someone orchestrating 0465699cc8 this from 9d2b2a2b9d the shadows.0fd505ebe0ffb962

“I should have 8e81340abb seen it sooner.”e3598bf13f5385d0

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Zakari let out cb252abcad a bitter laugh 31a6faac4c at his own 964aa73dbd oversight, but the 35a152bc36 storm of anger 57fc8bf2f6 within him hadn’t c986a7626f calmed. Needing an outlet, 6c5889d47c he delivered another 56ce0b04b5 swift kick to 16813a33c0 the unconscious Erhardin.71957832efbc36a4

“Idiot,” Zakari growled, 40d164a593 though it wasn’t c11cbb79e3 clear whether he a6bc71e00a meant himself or 50bf96dfe7 the broken man 4c045e070b at his feet.cb654a7629f7d02b

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