Fated To Three, Betrayed By All… Until She Rose novel Chapter 38

**Healing Slowly But Surely**
**By R. Joseph**

**Going Low.**

Leilani.

A fierce heat radiated from my cheek.

That was undoubtedly the most accurate way to describe the electric sensation that coursed through the very spot where Zevran had just pressed his lips against my skin before dashing out of the house like a man possessed, as if a wild beast were nipping at his heels.

What in the world just transpired?

Did Zevran really just kiss me?

I found myself rooted to the spot, unable to muster the energy to throw open the door and yell after him for that audacious act. Instead, I stood there, paralyzed by shock, my heart racing as I struggled to process what had just happened.

Was he out of his mind?

Had he truly lost it?

These questions swirled chaotically in my mind as I wandered into the kitchen, mechanically warming up my now lukewarm bowl of ramen. I returned to the living room, plopping down on the couch, the television flickering to life as a distraction.

But trust me, I was still in a haze. My body quivered at the mere recollection of that kiss, and my skin—oh, my skin—tingled as if jolted by an electric current whenever I replayed the moment in my head.

Absentmindedly, I brushed my fingers over the spot where his lips had touched, flinching as steam from my bowl seared my lap. “Shit! Shit, shit, shit!” I groaned, sitting up straight to assess the damage… but to my surprise, there was nothing there.

I frowned, pondering, “Really strange things have been happening lately.”

As soon as those words left my lips, my thoughts drifted back to my promise to Zevran—to end things with them without enduring the painful ritual of severing our bond.

But now, reflecting on it, a pang of guilt settled in my chest. I was overwhelmed with fear and confusion—not because I was hesitant to let go of them, but because I dreaded the thought of shifting.

The last time I attempted it, the agony was so intense that I nearly lost my life, my wolf far too weak to handle the transformation. So weak.

And my body, it mirrored that weakness. But I would never admit that to them.

Truth be told, I didn’t care if it meant my own ruin; I would rather cut ties with them than remain shackled to this bond.

The evening slipped away as I immersed myself in the antics of *Family Guy*, slurping up my ramen and sipping on wine—a questionable combination, I know. By the time I finally crawled into bed, thoughts of the triplets had completely evaporated from my mind.

I felt weightless… liberated from the looming unknown.

However, that lightness was short-lived. I woke up hours later, the realization hitting me like a ton of bricks—I had overslept! I was supposed to be at work in just forty minutes.

Oh, shit, shit, shit!

Panic surged through me as I wrestled with the zipper of my pants, racing out of the house with my Saint Laurent heels clicking against the marble floor in a frantic rhythm.

As I stepped onto my porch, my eyes fell upon an unexpected sight—a lavish bouquet of roses sitting by my front door. I froze in disbelief. “What the hell?”

Tentatively, I approached the bizarre offering, plucking one of the flowers to inhale its fragrance. It was fresh, clearly placed there that very morning.

No tags, no notes—nothing. For a fleeting moment, I wondered if this was from the same secret admirer who had sent me flowers at the hotel.

‘Maybe they are the same person,’ I mused, tossing the bouquet into the trash.

A few minutes later, I pulled into the parking lot of Frostclaw Inc. My heart sank when I spotted my mother and Chalice standing there, seemingly waiting for me.

As soon as my mother caught sight of me, she waved frantically, her brow furrowing when I pretended not to see her. “Leilani!” she called out, her voice rising with urgency, “Don’t act like you can’t see me because I can see you—clearly.”

My steps hesitated, but I refused to stop. “I need to talk to you!” I shouted back, still moving forward.

But then, a sudden grip on my arm halted me, and before I could process what was happening, my mother spun me around so quickly that I nearly lost my balance. I winced, irritation flooding my senses. “What?”

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