Chapter 177: Whispers Before the Crown

Zane~

After dinner, the hum of laughter and the clink of dishes still echoed in my ears as Natalie and I made our way to her room. The air between us was warm and charged, the kind of heat that simmered in glances and lingered in every touch. Alex had already gone to bed—thank the Moon Goddess—and the house had quieted, leaving just us. Just her and me.