16.5 % Chapter 19 Chapter 19 When they got to the comm , Ales went into the bathroom in wash up while Nora made his bed . pot then , Alexs phone screen lit up , and a melodious ringtone filled the room , Nova glanced at it and noticed the caller ID : Aunt Linda Alex rushed out of the bathroom , his face still lathered with soap , and grabbed the phone . He looked at Mora nervously and warily , as though afraid she might hang up the call . I had been months since Alex had shown any desire to connect with her , yet he spent long stretches talking to Linda every day . Nora Inwered her gaze , masking the heartbreak that flickered in her eyes . She had finished tidying the room and was crady to leave . Before stepping out , she instructed gently , Dont look at your phone for too long . Its bad for your eyes . Go to bed eatly , okay ? Alexs tone was impatient as he pushed her toward the door and muttered under his breath . Stop being so nagry . Aunt Linda never nags like this Knowing that his mom was free tomorrow , he needed to explain to Aunt Linda that they wouldnt be able to meet. The thought of Linda being disappointed made Alex feel even more annoyed with Nora . In his mind , it was all her fault . If only she werent around , hed be able to go out with Aunt Linda tomorrow ! As soon as Nora left the room , Alex locked the door . From behind the locked door , his excited voice carried faintly into the hallway . Aunt Linda , sorry I took so long to call you back . My mom was nagging again Nora didnt linger to listen to Alex bad mouth her to Linda She chose not to dwell on it or let it bother her . Returning to her room , Nora took a shower . Afterward , seeing that it wasnt too late , she turned on her computer and began organizing the information she had recently compiled . rwork Time passed , and her eyes grew sore from staring at the screen . Blinking to ease the strain , she finally completed her The clock in the corner of her screen read * 11 : 30 PM . Yet Arnold still hadnt returned . Despite being MATES , Arnold had always resisted coming near her . For years , he had believed that her bond with him was some kind of ploy. Because of this , he actively resisted the MATE connection and flat out rejected her . Through tireless effort , Nora had managed to soften Arnolds attitude over the years . Their relationship had slowly started to improve . he picture . But then Linda entered the Linda bad effortlessly undone everything Nora had fought so hard to build . She had captured Arnolds affection with ease , and from that moment , both Arnold and Alex began to drift away from her . After that , Arnold barely even touched her At first , Nora would stay up night after night , waiting for Arnold to return , her eyes reddened and weary as dawn broke , but that familiar figure never appeared . 17.0 % Chapter 19 Eventually , she realized Arnold was deliberately avoiding her . Now , she didnt want to wait anymore . Shaking off those thoughts , Nora went downstairs to get herself a glass of ice water before bed . Just as she reached the kitchen , voices drifted from the hallway , Why are you still smoking here at this late hour ? Is it because Noras in the room , and you dont want to go back ? It was Josiahs voice . Arnold stood across from her , a lit cigarette in his hand , remaining silent . From her vantage point , under the dims hacklight . Nora couldnt see his expression . Josiah continued , man could fail to be attracted to her . Her parents prioritized her education , she I get it , actually . Ive met Landa a few times shes beautiful . No graduated from one of the best colleges in the werewolf world , studied abroad in the human world , speaks a foreign language fluently like Nora , and has been groomed to manage both the pack and her family since she was young . Shes practically a Luna made for you . But- Josiah paused for emphasis . The Snow Moon Pack is too weak compared to Silver Moon . Her origins dont match yours , Arnold . You deserve better . Arnold exhaled smoke and replied calmly . I know what kind of woman I want . Josiah frowned . Though she despised Nora , she didnt fully approve of Linda becoming Lana either . In her mind , no woman under the sun was worthy of Arnoki . She wanted to press further but caught the flash of displeasure in Arnolds eyes and decided to stop . Youre so protective of her that you wont even let me say a word . Ill stop talking . Whatever . From her hiding spot , Nora clenched her fists . The night breeze stung her cheeks as she listened to their conversation . Her lips curled into a bitter smile . She lost interest in hearing more and turned to leave , As she stepped away , Josiah spoke again . Oh , by the way , I heard Nura handed over the project she was working on for the pack . Is that true ? Arnold replied lightly . She made a mistake in her work a few days ago . We agreed that if she couldnt do her job well , shed step down and focus on Josiah sneered . So thats what happened . The way she talked about it earlier , it was as if she chose to quit . Shes not even a good wife , and she wants to act like a real Luna ? Ridiculous . This time , Arnold didnt defend Nora as he had defended Linda earlier . He remained silent , as if the topic had nothing to do with him Hey , dont listen to them . A young male voice startled Nora as she turned away . She nearly s screamed but stopped when the faint glow of a phone illuminated Harrisons face . Harrison offered her an apologetic smile . Sorry , I didnt mean to scare you . I just wanted to say dont listen to what theyre saying . I think youre amazing . Out of the entire Lancelot family , aside from the old lady . Harrison was the only one who openly showed her kindness . Nora shook her head , smiling weakly . Im fine ! When she married Arnold , Harrison had still been in very young , too young to understand the complexities of adult relationships . Chapter 20 Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!