Lara had always known there was something extraordinary about the night of the party. The instant she locked eyes with him, the pull was undeniable-his scent, the way he made her pulse race. She had never felt anything like it before. But the heat of the moment led to something she wasn't prepared for-a steamy night with her mate, followed by an unexpected rejection the next day. The cold words he spoke haunted her, leaving her heart shattered. But as time passed, life moved on. Or so she thought. A month later, her world shifted. The discovery that she was pregnant left her reeling. The shock of it all made her decide to keep it a secret, fearing the consequences. It wasn't until four years later, when their paths crossed again, that she realized just how much had changed. Fate was a strange thing, and sometimes, it had a way of throwing you into unexpected moments. Lara had no idea that the secrets she'd been carrying for years would soon come crashing into her reality-forcing her to face not just her past, but the future she never saw coming. Vous avez dit : Traduit en français ChatGPT a dit : Chapitre 09 : Des chemins imprévisibles Lara avait toujours su qu'il y avait quelque chose d'extraordinaire dans cette nuit de fête. Dès qu'elle croisa son regard, l'attirance fut indéniable-son parfum, la façon dont son cœur s'emballait. Elle n'avait jamais ressenti cela auparavant. Mais la chaleur de l'instant les mena à quelque chose pour lequel elle n'était pas prête-une nuit torride avec son âme sœur, suivie par un rejet inattendu le lendemain. Les mots froids qu'il avait prononcés la hantaient, laissant son cœur brisé. Mais au fil du temps, la vie continua. Du moins, c'est ce qu'elle pensait. Un mois plus tard, son monde bascula. La découverte de sa grossesse la laissa abasourdie. Le choc de cette nouvelle la poussa à garder le secret, redoutant les conséquences. Ce n'est que quatre ans plus tard, lorsqu'ils se croisèrent à nouveau, qu'elle comprit à quel point les choses avaient changé. Le destin était une chose étrange, et parfois, il avait une façon bien à lui de vous projeter dans des moments inattendus. Lara n'avait aucune idée que les secrets qu'elle avait gardés pendant des années allaient bientôt s'écraser dans sa réalité-la forçant à affronter non seulement son passé, mais aussi un avenir qu'elle n'avait jamais imaginé.
Chapter 1 01
Chapter One:
I could barely keep my eyes open as I rested my head heavily onto the palm of my hand. My cheek going slightly red from the impression my fingers and palm had made. The relentless tick of the clock on the wall behind the teacher echoed in my ears, its rhythm only adding to the weight in my head.
My brain barely took in the words my English Literature teacher was relaying, my mind unable to comprehend the information she was providing. I didn't even know what lesson we were supposed to be discussing today, let alone the text that was supposedly the focus of the class.
What I did hear seemed to follow straight through one ear and out the other.
My absence of attention or care was due to a lack of sleep and exhaustion. I hadn't gotten home until past 1am last night, and for a reason unknown to me, I could barely get an hour of sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, my thoughts would spiral back to everything that had happened-the loss of my parents, the constant shifts in my life since that night. It was like I could never escape it.
My wolf had been scarce, she had moved further into the back of my mind since my parents passed, but lately, she had made her presence more known. She would stir in the back of my consciousness, whispering, though I couldn't quite make out what she was saying. She had always been a part of me, but now she was louder, more urgent, and it felt like something was coming-something I wasn't prepared for.
I had thrown myself into border patrol shifts, doing more than 4 night shifts a week and the occasional double shift. It was a distraction and it allowed me to grow stronger and stronger. The work kept my mind focused on something other than the ache of loss that seemed to live in the pit of my stomach.
Something the Beta of my pack, Julian, had agreed with. He would encourage me to take more patrol shifts ever since my wolf turned up on my 16th birthday. The date a werewolf finally gets their wolf. But even before that, Julian had always been there-an older brother figure, a friend, someone I could rely on when everything felt like it was falling apart.
That was nearly two years ago, and I only had two months until my 18th birthday. A milestone that carried so much weight. Not just because it marked the transition from a child to an adult, but because it meant that I would have to finally step into my role in the pack. A role I wasn't sure I was ready for.
Julian had been a close friend to my father before he died. He had promised to look after me. My father had been a pack warrior, strong and respected, and Julian had been like a second father to me. Since my father's death, Julian had taken it upon himself to ensure that I was prepared to carry on my father's legacy. He had pushed me harder than I could ever imagine, especially when it came to training. But it was never out of malice-it was because he cared. He needed me to be strong, to be ready.
My wolf was a pack warrior, and with the reputation my father had, I needed to be up to par. To follow in his footsteps. But sometimes, I couldn't help but wonder if I was capable of filling those shoes. Would I be able to lead the pack the way he had? Could I live up to the expectations of those who had known him as more than just my father, but as the warrior he had been?
When my dad died, my mother took her life shortly after. She couldn't bear the thought of being without him. The grief had been too much for her to handle. He had died while protecting his Alpha-rogues had attacked them during a visit to a pack up north. My father had saved the Alpha's life, but in doing so, he had lost his own.
The pain was instant. I could still remember the day they told me. The look in Julian's eyes as he broke the news to me. I hadn't even fully grasped it at first. And then it had hit me like a wave, overwhelming me with a flood of emotions I couldn't control. My mother had been devastated.
She had always been so in love with him, her soul tied to his. She couldn't go on without him. The day my father had died, she had ceased to exist in any real sense. The life drained from her eyes, her body simply going through the motions until she gave up completely.
The pain was too much for her, and she chose to leave this world rather than live without her mate.
A mate connection is so delicate and precious that the moment you see the person who holds half your heart and soul, time stops. It's as if the universe itself bends to your will, aligning everything to bring you together. It's not just a bond-it's a calling. When you meet your mate, it feels like everything else falls away. You know, without a doubt, that this is the person who is meant to be with you forever.
Only werewolves have the ability to identify who their soul mate is. Unlike a human, they can sense their mate from touch, smell, and eye contact. It's something primal, something that calls to every part of who you are. And once you meet them, once you experience that connection, there's no turning back.
To a werewolf, a mate is their entire universe and more. They complete you in every way. They are your strength when you're weak, your peace when you're troubled. Without them, it's like a piece of you is missing. And I had felt that loss-deeply. My parents had been each other's mates. They were supposed to grow old together. But fate had ripped them apart, and in doing so, had left me with a hole in my heart that I couldn't fill.
I blinked, trying to focus on the teacher's voice again, but it was no use. My thoughts were scattered. The classroom felt too small, too suffocating. It wasn't just the lack of sleep or the weight of my responsibilities. It was something more-something I couldn't quite put my finger on.
I glanced out the window, my gaze unfocused, watching the trees swaying gently in the breeze. A part of me wanted to be out there, running free, like I used to before everything changed.
But I couldn't. Not yet.
There was too much I still had to do. Too much I still had to figure out.
And then, in the silence of my thoughts, I felt it. A sharp, almost instinctual pull in the pit of my stomach.
It was faint, like a whisper on the wind.
But it was there.
Something was calling me.
I shook my head, willing myself to concentrate.
I couldn't afford distractions right now.
But deep down, I knew that whatever was coming-whatever force was stirring inside me-was something I couldn't ignore for long. It was only a matter of time before everything I had been trying to avoid would come crashing down around me.
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