The Lycan King’s Mark (Nevara) by Tiffanie L. Campbell novel Chapter 70

Chapter 70 – No More Tea

Nevara

Two weeks.

Fourteen days of warmth and care. Of tea, blankets, and quiet reassurances.

My head no longer ached. The bruises had faded. The cut on my temple had vanished entirely.

But my wolf… was still silent.

I didn’t know if it was the trauma. The healing. Some kind of mental block.

But she was gone.

Or at least unreachable.

I tried not to think about it too much. Tried to focus on what I did have. Tobias had been… everything.

Patient. Attentive. Soft where I’d expected him to be cold. He never pushed. Never questioned when I forgot things. Just smiled and reminded me. Let me rebuild at my own pace.

This morning felt like any other.

Fire already going. Tea steeping on the counter. Tobias humming off–tune in the kitchen.

I stood in front of the full length bedroom mirror, which was also the livingroom. I had gotten used to the

small living arrangement.

With a towel tucked around my body, I was debating what to wear. The options were limited–leggings,

hoodies, oversized t–shirts–but after two weeks of pajamas, I wanted to feel human again.

I dropped the towel and reached for the black yoga pants folded at the edge of the bed. As I bent to step

into them, something caught my eye.

Movement.

In the mirror.

I froze mid–motion, glancing up.

Tobias was standing in the kitchen area turned toward me.

Still. Silent, Watching.

His gaze was locked on me–specifically, on the curve of my hips, the arch of my spine as I bent.

It wasn’t the look itself that bothered me.

It was the intensity of it.

Like he was memorizing. Possessing. Worshipping.

< Chapter 70- No More Tea

Maybe it was just too soon.

Still… it didn’t explain the way I recoiled from the thought instinctively, like I was standing on a cliff and

someone whispered, Jump.

I turned back towards the mirror, my reflection stared back–blank, familiar, incomplete.

I needed answers.

I needed my wolf.

And, goddess help me, I needed out of this house long enough to breathe air that wasn’t filtered througl

his stories.

Tobias’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

“Tea’s ready,” Tobias said again, holding out the mug like an offering.

Steam curled lazily from the rim, carrying that same familiar scent–floral, bitter, sharp at the back of my

throat before I even tasted it.

I stared at it for a beat too long.

“I don’t really feel like tea right now,” I said carefully.

His smile didn’t falter, but something in his eyes sharpened–just a fraction.

“Oh, come on,” he coaxed. “I really think the herbal remedy has helped you heal. You’ve been getting stronger every day.”

I took the mug but didn’t lift it. “Or,” I said lightly, “time helped. Time does that, you know.”

He chuckled, as if I’d made a joke, and leaned one hip against the counter. “Yeah, well… I like to think it helped. Besides, I’ve grown fond of our little teatime ritual.”

He tilted his head and gave me a dramatic pout. Puppy–dog eyes and all.

“You’re going to break my heart if you skip it.”

I sighed, rolling my eyes just enough to sell it. “Fine.”

I brought the mug to my lips and took a small sip. Let the heat touch my tongue. Didn’t swallow much.

His shoulders eased immediately.

There it was again–that look. Satisfaction. Relief.

I took another tiny sip. Then another.

“See?” he said, pleased. “Good, right?”

“Mmhmm,” I murmured.

He smiled and leaned down, pressing a quick kiss to the top of my head. “I’m going to use the bathroom.

THER

< Chapter 70–No More Tea

Maybe it was just too soon.

Still… it didn’t explain the way I recoiled from the thought instinctively, like I was standing on a cliff and

someone whispered, Jump.

I turned back towards the mirror, my reflection stared back–blank, familiar, incomplete.

I needed answers.

I needed my wolf.

And, goddess help me, I needed out of this house long enough to breathe air that wasn’t filtered throug

his stories.

Tobias’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

“Tea’s ready” Tobias said again, holding out the mug like an offering.

Steam curled lazily from the rim, carrying that same familiar scent–floral, bitter, sharp at the back of my

throat before I even tasted it.

I stared at it for a beat too long.

“I don’t really feel like tea right now,” I said carefully.

His smile didn’t falter, but something in his eyes sharpened–just a fraction.

“Oh, come on,” he coaxed. “I really think the herbal remedy has helped you heal. You’ve been getting stronger every day.”

I took the mug but didn’t lift it. “Or,” I said lightly, “time helped. Time does that, you know.”

He chuckled, as if I’d made a joke, and leaned one hip against the counter. “Yeah, well… I like to think it helped. Besides, I’ve grown fond of our little teatime ritual.”

He tilted his head and gave me a dramatic pout. Puppy–dog eyes and all.

“You’re going to break my heart if you skip it.”

I sighed, rolling my eyes just enough to sell it. “Fine.”

I brought the mug to my lips and took a small sip. Let the heat touch my tongue. Didn’t swallow much

His shoulders eased immediately.

There it was again–that look. Satisfaction Relief.

I took another tiny sip. Then another.

“See?” he said, pleased. “Good, right?”

“Mmhmm,” I murmured.

bathr

He smiled and leaned down, pressing a quick kiss to the top of my head. “I’m going to use the bathroom.

< Chapter 70 – No More Tea

Don’t go anywhere.”

As soon as the door closed behind him, my pulse kicked up.

I stood silently, every movement measured, and padded to the sink. I tilted the mug and poured the contents out slowly, carefully, letting the liquid disappear down the drain without a sound.

turned the faucet on–just a trickle. Barely audible. Rinsed the mug.

Then I filled it halfway with water.

My heart thudded as I headed to the couch, settling back into the same position, same posture, same calm expression that has become ritual for teatime these last two weeks.

I lifted the mug.

Right on cue, the bathroom door opened.

Tobias stepped out, towel drying his hands, eyes already on me.

I took another sip.

He smiled.

Dark ceramic. No way for him to see the difference.

I swallowed nothing but water and let my gaze drift back to the window, acting relaxed, unbothered. Inside, something small and sharp unfurled.

Not fear.

Resolve.

For the first time since I woke up in this cabin, I felt like I had made a choice that was entirely my own.

And I didn’t miss the way his eyes lingered on the mug long after I’d lowered it.

I only poured it out because I didn’t want to drink the damn tea but his attention to my cup is making me feel like there could be more to this tea.

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