Chapter 169

LIAM’S POV The days blurred. Since the last attack, I hadn’t had a moment’s peace. I barely slept. I barely ate. My claws were still stained from the border clash—rogues again. They came fast, clever this time, like they’d studied our patrols and found a hole in our formation. We lost two warriors. One was barely nineteen. I had buried him myself. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw his mother’s face. I could still hear her sobbing. She told me he wanted to be like me. Brave like me. Brave. I felt anything but brave. Since Natalie fainted, I’d kept my distance. Not because I didn’t care. Not because I didn’t think about her every damn second. But because every time I looked into her eyes, I saw the truth: I wasn’t good for her. I didn’t know how to be what she needed. And I couldn’t risk my enemies seeing how much she meant to me. If they ever figured out Natalie was my weakness, my mate… I’d never forgive myself. And then there was Jannie. She’d always been there. Ever since we were pu