Fell for the Alpha-less Queen

Chapter 371 Trust or Trap

Maybe... she could try trusting him.

After six months of training together, Tessa smiled at Nathan for the very first time.

When she smiled, joy flashed in Nathan's eyes.

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Back then, she thought it was because he felt accepted. She didn't realize it was something else entirely- the thrill of a predator watching his prey finally drop its guard.

During their time at the training camp, Tessa had truly considered Nathan a friend. They shared stolen chocolate on rest days, fought back-to-back during simulated battles, and she even patched up his wounds while cursing him out.

But little by little, that friendship twisted into something else. His protectiveness started to feel more like control. His loyalty? Possession.

One day, all she did was pick up a dropped magazine for a guy on the team next door.

The next day, that guy collapsed in the dining hall. His tray hit the floor, shattering, as he let out a muffled choke-his tongue had been cut out. The wound was coated with the blood-clotting powder used by Yalvaria shamans.

a chair for her like nothing had happened and set down a tray with her favorite- perfectly roasted potatoes. He smiled, like the nightmare she'd just

complimented their captain's tactics in

to the sharp stench of blood. Nathan was crouched on her windowsill, blood dripping from his fingertips. In his hand was the captain's strategy notebook, soaked in

the training ground scaffolding, the word unworthy carved into his wrists in crooked, messy

to see it-what

keep her distance. But all that did was

would suddenly vanish-only the outfits he had gifted her remained. Every guy's name in her contacts turned into random, unreadable symbols. And if she looked a male instructor in the eye for more than a few seconds? The next day, she'd find a

found the photo

all centered on a silver-haired woman wearing the Frost Pack Luna's crown. Nathan stood behind her in most shots, his

looked just like

behind, low and calm. His hands gripped her shoulders, and his thumb pressed hard

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IVI

Trust

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made me promise not to mourn. Said she'd come back to me... in a better form." He leaned in, inhaling her scent like it belonged to him. "The moment

that, everything made