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Betrayed, Then Cherished englishsub watchfull⚡️🍿⚡️
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00:00The night we were supposed to bond as mates, bar manager Silas had the bouncers drag me out of the
00:05back chamber of the hollow and fang.
00:07He walked out with the new female bartender instead. He looked at me like it meant nothing.
00:11Nova's baby needs a father on paper. Once I divorce her, I'll marry you.
00:16Everyone thought I'd swallow my pride and wait another month. After all, I'd already waited seven years.
00:24Dad!
00:25But that night, I accepted my father's arranged match and left Dusk Hollow entirely.
00:34I vanished from his world completely.
00:40Three years later, I was back to the town. My husband had a work emergency, so he had his people
00:46in Dusk Hollow to collect me.
00:47I'll go along with whatever you say.
00:49The demon spirit tournament here was about to begin. I was here helping my husband holding this.
00:54I spotted someone holding a carved bone marker. My formal name, Ren.
00:58Nova stood beside him, along with a handful of the bar's regulars.
01:02Two wolf luds, a half-blood witch, a vampire.
01:04Hey, isn't that you obsessed ex? Isn't that waiter Lena?
01:08See? I told you. She'd come crawling back.
01:11She vanished without a trace. Now she sees Silas is rich.
01:15She probably cries herself to sleep every night.
01:17But Lena, if you were going to stage a reunion, at least show up in something decent.
01:22You can't afford better than that?
01:23You look this pathetic?
01:24I used to dress sharply every single time I knew I'd see Silas.
01:28Best clothes. Best version of myself. Not anymore.
01:31No point. I was pregnant now.
01:33My husband had told me to wear whatever was comfortable.
01:35The clothes I'm wearing were chosen by him.
01:37I noticed. They only knew my old name.
01:40They had no idea I was the person they'd been sent here to collect.
01:42Lena! Hey, it's good you're back.
01:45Silas been asking after you for years.
01:47Yeah, our son is entering the young training co-court soon.
01:50From now on, you're in charge of the drop-off.
01:52He was still so incredibly arrogant, but I wasn't that naive or all anymore.
01:55Hey, Lena. This is Nova.
01:57I didn't want to waste another second on them.
01:59Please don't blame Silas. He's just trying to take care of you.
02:02Who knows what kind of shady stuff you had to do to survive these years.
02:05Maybe a hooker. Three years.
02:07Nova still wore that exact same expression. It still made my skin wrong.
02:11Alright, Lena. Drop the attitude.
02:12You clearly can't survive out there, so stop throwing tantrums and learn your place.
02:17Damn, Lena. Look how good Silas is to you. He's given you free room and board.
02:21Isn't babysitting better than whatever trashy life you're doing now?
02:24Hurry up and say thank you!
02:26Don't worry, dear. If my son acts up, I'll handle him myself.
02:30You won't be mistreated.
02:31Why would she be mistreated?
02:33She bolted over nothing.
02:35She's back because the outside world didn't want her.
02:37A little humility is good for her.
02:40The Silas who used to love me was long gone.
02:42He was no longer the one who protected me when I was sexually assaulted in the bar.
02:46That was fine. It was over. No point.
02:49I was about to have my second child.
02:51Aren't you here to pick me up? Let's go.
02:56Pick you up? Please.
02:58Read this carefully.
02:59We're here for Rin. You even know who that is?
03:02Rin is the Lady of the Ashwheel line.
03:03She's mated to the Lord Caius, our bar's mistress.
03:05Yeah, Caius is a legend, child of the dark.
03:07He is coldest creature alive in the field, but completely devoted to one mate.
03:10Rumor is he refused every offer for years, just waiting for win.
03:14Everyone who matters knows the rule.
03:15You want Caius' favor, go through Rin.
03:17She is everything to him.
03:19Three years of marriage, Caius' bussiness had doubled.
03:22So had his reputation as the most fiercely devoted mate any supernatural alive had ever witnessed.
03:28Caius had a one-of-a-kind piece commissioned.
03:30The Night Groom Pendant, an enchanted moonstone set in black iron.
03:34He paid a witch lord's ransom for it, just to give to Rin.
03:38She's the most envied woman in every territory.
03:44That pendant! That's it!
03:46Everyone quieted down and looked at me.
03:49Silas grabbed my wrist, looked at the pendant, then laughed.
03:52Nice knockoff.
03:55Is this your salary for fucking man?
03:57I pulled my arm back.
03:59I ran my thumb over the moonstone.
04:01Silas saw me smiling, and his expression changed.
04:03He grabbed my wrist again and ripped the pendant free.
04:06I wasn't ready for that.
04:07He got it.
04:08Better quality than the replica I had made.
04:11Not that I'd ever wear mine outside.
04:13This outer territory imitation is something else.
04:16Then she laughed.
04:20Wait, don't tell me you're Rin.
04:22Rin, don't tell me you're Lord Caius' mate.
04:24The whole group fell apart.
04:26Of course they did.
04:27It was absurd to them.
04:29Three years ago, I was just the wolf girl who'd been abandoned.
04:33Caius was a myth-walking.
04:34No one had ever seen his face and lived to gossip carelessly about it.
04:38They certainly wouldn't believe that two people like that could have any connection.
04:42Nova swung the pendant around her finger.
04:44I'll buy it off you, Lina.
04:45Double what you paid.
04:47Give it back.
04:48Caius gave me that.
04:50Shut up!
04:51You do not say that man's name.
04:53You want to spread rumors about being connected to him?
04:55You're trying to get us all killed?
04:57Caius is the bar boss.
04:58We all answer to him.
05:00Everything depends on staying in his favor.
05:02Whatever he saw in my eyes made him flinch.
05:06Pathetic.
05:08For old times' sake, I'm letting this go.
05:11Take the gold.
05:12Get yourself something decent to wear.
05:13If you don't want to watch my pup, I'll find you something tolerable.
05:16Don't worry.
05:16No thanks.
05:17I don't take things from strangers.
05:19The Hollow and Fang is hosting the Grand Convocation in three days.
05:22I was going to bring you.
05:23Show you something real.
05:24But you'd need to actually look the part.
05:25You can't embarrass me.
05:26I'm good.
05:26But thanks.
05:27Fine.
05:28I'll take Nova.
05:29I won't let you down.
05:31Hope you're still this confident in three days.
05:36I put on a little charm ink, wore my comfortable travel leathers,
05:39and made my way to the Hollow and Fang alone.
05:42Silas saw me the second I pushed through the iron door.
05:45His eyes lit up.
05:46Couldn't stay away.
05:47But if you're trying to win me back, you have to put in more effort.
05:49You can't show up to the Grand Conclation dressed like that.
05:52I'm talking to you.
05:52Our staff table is over here.
05:54Where do you think you're going?
05:55That's your table.
05:56Mine is up there.
05:57He followed my gaze to the raised platform at the far end of the bar.
06:00His face went pale.
06:02Nova spotted my pendant from across the room and screamed.
06:05How did she get in here?
06:06How dare she wear that pendant tonight of all nights?
06:10Tonight is Lord Caius' first public appearance with his mate at the Congeration.
06:14Is she trying to humiliate Rin?
06:18Silas, is this woman with you?
06:20No.
06:21Take that pendant off and get out.
06:24You sure you want me to leave?
06:31It's trash.
06:32Acting like it's something sacred.
06:35Moonstone shards scattered across the old wood.
06:38Throw her out.
06:40Stop.
06:41I'm Caius'...
06:43Oh, now.
06:44You're his what, exactly?
06:46His kept wolf?
06:48You wish!
06:49I hadn't planned to make a scene tonight.
06:51Wasn't worth it.
06:52Are you done?
06:52But she'd made it worth it.
06:54You show up chasing after me?
06:55Wearing the pendant?
06:56Dressed down on purpose?
06:58You wanted me jealous?
06:59Just say it and I'll give you what you want.
07:01Silas, you're a dead man!
07:04The enchanted chandeliers above the bar pulsed once.
07:08Deep gold.
07:09That light only activated for one person.
07:11The child of the dark.
07:15Boss is coming.
07:17Behave.
07:19Nova and I broke it off, by the way.
07:23I don't understand what this has to do with me.
07:25Did he think I still like him?
07:27Gross.
07:32And every supernatural in that bar went quiet, watching him.
07:36His guardian scrambled to keep up.
07:38Lena, I'll forgive you for the three years.
07:40I'll give you another chance.
07:41Have my pup.
07:42I promise I'll get rid of Nova.
07:46Mom!
07:47What happened?
07:48Who hurt you?
07:50Why is there so much blood?
07:51One word, Mom.
07:53Every creature in that venue turned from the boy to me.
07:56I'm okay.
07:57The ones who'd watched me get knocked around without doing a thing.
08:00All of them staring.
08:02Who did this to you?
08:03My chest ached, looking at him.
08:05Caius was already toward us.
08:07That quiet, controlled walk that made the air in a room feel different.
08:11Supernatural creatures moved aside without knowing why.
08:13I felt him before I saw him.
08:15He was going to be angry.
08:16I knew that.
08:17Since I'd started carrying our second, the sickness had been brutal.
08:21Caius had barely let me out of his sight.
08:23The only reason I'd arrived separately was because of his business.
08:25If I'd known this would happen, I wouldn't have come ahead without him.
08:29Our son's white shirt made the blood on my wrist look worse than it was.
08:34Dad!
08:35Someone hurt Mom!
08:36Lena!
08:37What happened?
08:38I'm right here and you're already hurt.
08:40I can't take my eyes off you.
08:41Whoever did this!
08:42He didn't finish the sentence.
08:44He didn't need to.
08:45The whispers completely stopped.
08:46Not the comfortable silence of last call.
08:49The kind that fell when every predator in a room recognized something far above them on
08:53the food chain.
08:54Silas' friends shaking hard.
08:57The female they'd spent three days calling Silas' pathetic ex was Lord Caius' mate.
09:02They'd seen the pendant.
09:03She told them multiple times.
09:06Nice performance, Lena.
09:08Where'd you dig up these two?
09:10Nova can get them booked with a traveling carnival if they need the work.
09:13Not that you could afford the commission.
09:15Petra had arrived late.
09:16She had no idea who Caius was or what his child looked like.
09:21She dressed up tonight to find a high-ranking mate.
09:25The fastest way to do that, in her experience, was to make Nova happy.
09:30Making Nova happy meant making me miserable.
09:32The entire venue stared at her like she'd lost her mind.
09:35That finally got to her.
09:37You're actually quite something.
09:39For someone standing next to her.
09:41If you ever want to leave, I wouldn't mind taking care of you.
09:45My mouth twitched.
09:46She was propositioning my husband.
09:48In front of me, I genuinely could not decide if that was brave or catastrophically stupid.
09:54Caius found it funny in the way a man finds something funny right before he makes it permanently
09:59stop.
10:00Over the years, anyone who tried to get close to him, slipping notes under the bar's private
10:05door, sending signals through intermediaries, making moves at the Convocation, had vanished
10:12from every territory entirely.
10:14Petra finally registered the bar's energy.
10:17Nova wanted nothing to do with her.
10:21You just insulted Lord Caius and his mate?
10:24Do you want to be exiled from every territory at once?
10:27Lena is Wren?
10:29I just offered to take care of Lord Caius.
10:32Caius' reputation as the most protective mate in any supernatural circle was not a rumor.
10:38Petra's magic had misfired completely.
10:41It happened to witches when their nervous system went into freefall.
10:44Every suppressed spell she'd been holding activated at once.
10:48And the result was a spectacular, humiliating, involuntary display.
10:53Caius' jaw tightened slightly.
10:55Two of his people materialized from the shadows and quietly walked her out.
11:00Nearby, a healer Caius had summoned was cleaning the wound on my wrist.
11:04Could you be slightly more careful?
11:05The healer's hands started trembling.
11:07He's helping me.
11:08Stop.
11:08They immediately turned identical wounded expressions on me.
11:12Okay.
11:13I know.
11:13I'm sorry.
11:14Keep going.
11:15She's fine.
11:16The baby is fine.
11:17The wrist is the worst of it.
11:18I'll use the best healing balm we have.
11:20Do everything possible to make sure there's no scarring.
11:22Caius said nothing.
11:23I knew that silence.
11:25It was the one that came right before something irreversible.
11:28Silas was sweating.
11:29He'd spent the last three days telling his ex to care for his pup.
11:32And she was, in fact, his boss's mate.
11:34Watching Caius with me now, Silas felt something he hadn't expected.
11:38He recognized it as jealousy and hated himself for it.
11:41But he couldn't afford to act on it.
11:43Not with his position on the line.
11:45I want to know exactly what happened.
11:49Everything.
11:50From the beginning.
11:51If I have to piece it together myself, the outcome will be significantly worse for every
11:56single one of you.
11:58It was a misunderstanding, my lord.
12:00It was a misunderstanding, my lord.
12:02As Lena's, as her former intended, I was, I was simply connecting with her.
12:07Things got out of hand.
12:08He said former intended with a particular emphasis.
12:11Male ego.
12:11The absolute worst moment for it.
12:13Caius was holding a glass.
12:15I heard it crack.
12:16You probably know she was quite devoted to me before she left.
12:19Reconnecting after years apart, it's natural that emotions...
12:21The glass shattered in Caius's grip.
12:23Blood ran down his fingers.
12:24Stop!
12:25Stop trying to get between us.
12:27You had your chance and you threw it away.
12:30Don't flatter yourself.
12:32I have loved exactly one person my entire life and it's you.
12:37Every creature here can hear me say it.
12:40Lena.
12:42Nova and I are finished.
12:43Completely done.
12:45I know you made it with Caius to punish me.
12:47I get it.
12:48I'm not angry.
12:49Just come back.
12:51Nova can disappear.
12:53Just come home with me.
12:54I stared at him for a long moment.
12:56I honestly could not believe what I was hearing.
12:58His arrogance had no floor.
13:00Caius's blood was smearing onto my wraps.
13:02But as I urgently pressed the binding to his palm, he suddenly let out a low, genuine laugh.
13:07Why are you laughing?
13:09Lena.
13:10You just said I'm the one you love most.
13:12Our son made a face and looked away.
13:14His cold, fearsome father was currently acting like a lovesick hatchling.
13:19All because I defended him.
13:21The rumors are real.
13:22He is completely devoted to his mate.
13:25Silas stood there, his knuckles white with humiliation.
13:29Cub tender?
13:31My mother is the most protected one in our den.
13:34You think you deserve her?
13:36I know all about you.
13:37You're the one who broke my mother's heart.
13:39You're not as impressive as my father.
13:41Not as strong.
13:42Not as well formed.
13:43And you smell like someone who peaked too early and never recovered.
13:46It's making my eyes water.
13:47Is your hatchling gonna grow up leeching off others just like you?
13:52The guests surrounding us erupted.
13:53They couldn't help it.
13:55Everyone in that clearing knew the truth.
13:57He had coasted for years on Nova's family resources.
14:00It was not a secret.
14:03Hearing all of this, Nova had completely lost her grip on rational thought.
14:08Talked bad about her son made her mad.
14:10You little rat shit!
14:12I'll kill you!
14:14I didn't think.
14:15I let go of Caius' hand and threw myself entirely over our son.
14:19A blinding, searing pain ripped through my back.
14:23The color drained from my face.
14:25Joel, where are you?
14:28I wanted to tell him not to cry.
14:30I didn't get the chance.
14:33I woke up in the bar owner's private office, which had a bed specifically for the owner to rest.
14:38Oh, thank God!
14:40You're awake!
14:41If you had stayed under any longer, your mate and your son were going to tear this entire bar apart.
14:45What?
14:46She was definitely exaggerating.
14:48You're both fine.
14:49The healer said it was shock and pain.
14:51That's why you went under.
14:52The unborn is completely safe.
14:54That Nova is something else.
14:56Going after a cub with a blade?
14:58My son.
15:00Caius.
15:01Are they...
15:02Both fine.
15:03Physically completely fine.
15:06Slow down.
15:07Drink.
15:08You didn't need to throw yourself in front of him.
15:10Your husband will protect him.
15:12That's Chot.
15:13I know, I know.
15:14He's your whole heart.
15:15That terrifying little creature.
15:17He doesn't need protecting.
15:19He's more dangerous than most full-grown warriors.
15:22Where are they?
15:23Getting revenge.
15:24I wanted to come along, but your mate and your son are genuinely terrifying when they operate
15:29together, so I volunteer to stay with you instead.
15:31When I arrived, you were already under.
15:33From what I pieced together from the witnesses still standing, your son watched you collapse
15:36and went completely still for about two seconds.
15:39Then he picked up the knife Nova had dropped and drove it straight through her hand into the
15:43stone below.
15:45A cub.
15:46I don't know where he gets that kind of strength.
15:48Caius found out about the strike at the border crossing three days ago.
15:51And the pendant.
15:53And everything they said to you.
15:55He had his people hold Silas down.
15:57And they dealt with the hand he used to hit you.
16:02Nova's face received the same treatment.
16:05And then Caius had a chest of gemstones brought into the clearing.
16:08All the shards from your broken pendant.
16:10And he told Nova that since she loved taking things that belonged to you so much, she could
16:14have them.
16:15All of them.
16:19She had to swallow them.
16:21You know what Caius said?
16:26You love taking what is hers.
16:30So here.
16:31I am giving you everything you wanted.
16:34The stones.
16:35And the mail.
16:37She refused at first.
16:38So Caius had her hatchling brought in.
16:41Then she did it.
16:42She swallowed a great many shards.
16:44They worked her over until she was barely conscious.
16:48Then Caius had her dropped beyond the outer bounders.
16:51Face first.
16:52Everyone who stands by and watches you get hurt is banned from the bar's transaction list.
17:01That's my boy Caius.
17:03The child of the dark was precise and he was cold.
17:06But every time I so much as bruised my arm, he acted like he'd personally failed.
17:11He was brutal because he was afraid.
17:13Not of losing power.
17:14Of losing me.
17:18Lena.
17:19It's me.
17:21His face was still swollen.
17:23He'd managed to find a decent cloak.
17:25The one I'd given him years ago.
17:27The one he'd told me was plain and unworthy of his rank.
17:31He had his methods for getting past sentinels, apparently.
17:35I stayed where I was.
17:37Last time I'd moved too fast, it had cost me.
17:40He seemed to read that.
17:43I'm not going to hurt you.
17:45I just needed to...
17:46What?
17:47I still love you.
17:48Every time I think about you with him, I can't breathe.
17:52I know it's too late.
17:53I know what I did.
17:55But I can't just...
17:56Raelynn.
17:57You were with another female while we were still bonded.
18:01You let me humiliate myself.
18:03You abandon me and destroy me.
18:05And then tonight, when you had the chance to do literally anything else,
18:09you stood in front of my mate and told him I was devoted to you.
18:12You've had seven years and three more to figure out what you want.
18:15What you want keeps shifting based on what you can reach.
18:19That's not love.
18:20I was always your contingency.
18:23And you were never mine, not really.
18:28You gave me this for the winter solstice.
18:30I told you it was plain.
18:31I know.
18:31I kept it.
18:32I don't know.
18:40You're up.
18:41Are you...
18:42Does anything hurt?
18:43Do you need...
18:43Father.
18:44She was fine two minutes before you got here.
18:46She was talking and everything.
18:48Are you okay?
18:49Tell me you're okay.
18:51I'm okay.
18:52You say that every time.
18:53Because it keeps being true.
18:55Mom, are you upset that father raised his voice at me?
19:00Did he raise his voice at you?
19:03Chal?
19:04He didn't yell.
19:05Caius.
19:08He was scared. We both were.
19:10He wasn't really yelling. He was just loud.
19:16Protecting you is also my job. I'm not sorry.
19:18I know. I know, Mom.
19:20Amy eventually took Chal to find food.
19:23And it was just the two of us.
19:25I'll do better. You won't be alone like that again.
19:28Caius, this wasn't your fault.
19:31You were alone and you got hurt.
19:32I got hurt. That's not the same thing as being alone.
19:36I'm not made of glass. I'm also not leaving.
19:38You understand that?
19:40I'm here. I chose this.
19:43You chose it because your family arranged the alliance.
19:46I chose to stay. Every single day for three years, I chose to stay.
19:49That's not an arrangement.
19:50That's me.
19:51I thought about the hidden chamber behind the clan tapestry.
19:55His quiet, years-long devotion that he'd never once spoken aloud.
20:00The young, unblooded creature eating alone at the edge of the training grounds every day.
20:05While I stuffed a pouch of resource tokens into his pack and told him he was my honorary younger clansman.
20:12You want to know what I was thinking?
20:13I said, every time things got hard and someone told me I'd bonded with the wrong mate.
20:17That they'd never seen you bring me warmth stones when the cold fever took me.
20:22Or stay awake beside me through three full nights because I was homesick and couldn't sleep.
20:29Or look at me the way you look at me when you think I'm not watching.
20:33They were comparing you to whoever they assumed you were.
20:36I know who you actually are.
20:40I don't need you to be fearless.
20:43I just need you to stop assuming I'll leave.
20:46I'm not going anywhere.
20:47He brought my hand.
20:48Didn't speak.
20:49Didn't need to.
20:50They kept me in the healer's den two extra days.
20:53Caius and Dre's insistence.
20:55Not the healer's.
20:56The morning they finally let me return to our den, I walked back through the entrance and stopped in front
21:01of the bonding tapestry.
21:02We were both so young in it.
21:04Caius, already composed, already guarded.
21:07The barest pull at the corner of his mouth, like he'd practiced not smiling until it became habit.
21:12Me, looking sideways, like I hadn't fully believed in the moment yet.
21:16Image after image after image, etched in the old way.
21:19Dragon memory stone, the kind that holds a moment in its surface like pressed light.
21:26Lina, I can explain.
21:30You noticed me first.
21:32I gave you resource tokens at the training grounds because I thought you couldn't afford to eat.
21:36I told you that you were my honorary younger clansman and I never even asked your name.
21:40I didn't know it was you until I found these.
21:43I'm a little upset it took us this long.
21:45Think about all the time we wasted.
21:47You're not...
21:48Upset about the stones?
21:50No.
21:50I'm glad.
21:52I'm glad you kept looking.
21:56I never thought you'd say that.
21:57I know that's the problem.
21:59You've been waiting for me to leave since the day I arrived.
22:03I'm not leaving.
22:04I've told you.
22:05I'll keep telling you.
22:07For how long?
22:09As long as it takes for you to actually believe me.
22:12Outside, the ancient forests of the abyssal reach kept moving.
22:16Wind through the canopy.
22:18The distant sound of wings.
22:20The slow pulse of a territory that had stood for 10,000 years.
22:24And I stayed exactly where I was.
22:26Ampl shifted away from the field as the areas that I�iers
22:26was.
22:26The new generation.
22:26It's made them wait for me to stay there.
22:26It was a beautiful day for me,
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