Chapter 148 Chapter 148

Chapter 148 Chapter 148
RESTLESS 

EZEKIEL’S POV

The gentle flush that had begun to return to Tiana's cheeks after hours of recovery drained away in an instant, when Ethan finished speaking, leaving her looking pale and fragile again.

“Gone?” she whispered. “What do you mean gone?”

She gaze up at Ethan, confusion clear in her wide eyes. Ethan sat on the edge of the bed and took her hand gently. 

“He has been banned from the pack. We warned him never to return. If he ignores the order, he will face the consequences. He is no longer welcome here.”

Tiana let out a slow, shaky breath. Her shoulders dropped a little, but her eyes still held a storm of mixed emotions. 

I could see the relief, but also the pain. Lucas had hurt her deeply. He had used her as a tool in his games. 

Hearing that he was simply sent away instead of punished more harshly must have left her feeling unsettled.

“Will he really stay away?” she asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ethan nodded, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand. “Lucas is too proud to risk returning after such a public disgrace. He knows what will happen if he shows his face here again. You don’t have to worry about him anymore.”

The conversation gradually shifted as Ezra moved to her other side. 

He brushed a stray strand of hair from her face with tender care, his fingers lingering against her cheek 

"You’re safe now,” he said softly. “The rogues are gone. Lucas is gone. We’re here with you. You can finally start healing.”

I stood a little further back, and continued to watch her carefully. Tiana smiled broadly, but it did not reach her eyes. 

I could noticed the small things others might miss. 

Her fingers kept brushing the scarf around her neck, as if checking it was still there. She hesitated before every answer, choosing her words with care. And behind her smile, there was a deep sadness she tried hard to hide.

Something was terribly wrong with Tiana. It was obvious she had no intention of confiding in anyone. Not even us, her most closest friends.

My thoughts drifted back to Lucas’s words from earlier.

“If you do what I say, I will tell you Tiana’s little secret. A thing she’s trying so hard to hide from you guys.”

What could this possibly mean?

I decided to inform my brothers about it. My father always said that two heads are better than one. Maybe if I tell them, we could team up and find out what it is. Maybe if I tell them, Tiana might finally open up.

I stretch my hands to tap Ezra, but stopped abruptly as a thought crossed my mind.

Lucas has treated Tiana unfairly in the past. If I suddenly repeated those words to Ethan and Ezra now, they would probably dismiss them as another one of Lucas’s mind games, a desperate attempt to sow distrust between us and Tiana.

I heaved a deep sigh and began to wonder what to do.

Later, after Tiana finally fell asleep, the three of us quietly left her chamber. We walked down the corridor in silence, our footsteps echoing softly in our ears.

Suddenly, Ethan let out a long breath. “I finally feel like we can all breathe again. The rogues are gone. Lucas has been restricted from coming here. I believe our greatest threats have been removed.”

Ezra nodded with a smile on his face. “Tiana can finally begin healing. She deserves peace after everything she’s been through.”

I nodded along with them, but inside, I disagreed.

My instincts refused to settle. The unease gnawed at me like a persistent itch beneath my skin. The way Tiana kept touching that scarf.

The sadness behind her eyes. The way she hesitated before answering even the simplest questions. It all pointed to one thing, she was truly hiding something important.

Then an idea suddenly struck me.

"My wolf."

For sometime now, my wolf had been urging me to mark Tiana. Perhaps if I completed the mate bond, I would be able to sense what she was hiding. 

I would be able to understand the emotions and memories she refused to put into words. Maybe then I would finally know why sadness lingered behind every smile she gave us.

Determination surged through my mind instantly, burning away the uncertainty.

But before I marked her,I needed her all to myself. I needed to take her away from the Palace. I needed to take her away from royal duties, and curious eyes.

I wanted to take her somewhere peaceful. Somewhere we could spend uninterrupted time together, strengthen the bond between us, and perhaps simply enjoy each other’s company without danger or secrets hanging over us.

Ezra tapped my shoulder, bringing me out of my thoughts. “What are you thinking about?”

I stammered for a second, heat rising briefly to my face, then quickly recovered with a casual shrug. “Nothing important. I’m just… thinking about everything that happened over the past few days. It’s a lot to process.”

Ethan patted my back. “It’s okay now. The rogues are dead. Lucas has been handled. There’s nothing to worry about. We can finally move forward."

I nodded, but deep down, my resolve had hardened into something unbreakable. I would take Tiana away soon. And that would be without my brothers consent.