MARKED FOR PRETEND - Chapter 16: Chapter 16
You are reading MARKED FOR PRETEND, Chapter 16: Chapter 16. Read more chapters of MARKED FOR PRETEND.
Chelsea's pov
The East Wing had forgotten her,or maybe she’d just disappeared so well that it stopped remembering she was even there.
For weeks—no, for months now—Chelsea had not left her room. The first few days were a blur of questions and confusion. Then the rumors started. And the stares. And the silence.
She stopped showing up to anything.They stopped asking.
The only person who came in now was her maid Mira: Quiet, young, eyes always down. She didn’t ask questions, didn’t say much. Just brought food and took out plates no one touched.
Sometimes she had linger. Like she wanted to speak. But she never did.
And Chelsea didn’t ask her to.
The palace had grown too large, too unfamiliar. The stares in the halls had become knives. Even the whispers were tired of themselves.
“She was marked, right?”
“I heard she forced him.”
“I heard he never spoke her name.”
“I heard she cursed him.”
Chelsea stopped listening. Stopped moving.
Stopped existing outside four walls.
Until the dream came again.
Same forest, Same quiet.
But this time, the wolf wasn’t just standing in front of her.
It was walking ahead and turning back, like it wanted her to follow.
She woke with sweat at her neck and her mark burning beneath the sleeve of her nightdress.
It wasn’t just a dream.
It felt like a summons.
That morning, she opened her window for the first time since arriving.
The air bit her; Cold, Honest.
And for the first time in weeks, Chelsea breathed.
Later that evening, She told herself she was only going to the courtyard. Just to walk. To stretch. To prove to herself she still could. But her feet moved on their own, down the halls. Past rooms she hadn’t dared go near. Toward the dim lanterns by the training field.
She paused behind the stone arch.
Kaden was there. Alone. Practicing like the shadows were his only friends.
Chelsea didn’t mean to watch, but she did.
Something about the way he moved—calm, focused, dangerous reminded her he wasn’t just the one who marked her.
He was the Alpha.
And he was beautiful.
She stepped forward.
He turned instantly.
“You finally left your room,” he said. Not surprised, Just… noting.
Chelsea tilted her head.
“Are you disappointed?” She asked
“Relieved.”
Silence.
“You’ve been here almost eight weeks.”
“You’ve been counting?”
“The palace feels… different when you’re quiet.”
“…So you’ve noticed me?”
A pause. He looked at her then. Not like a Luna. Not like a stranger. Something else. Something… human.
“Yes,” he said simply.
The East Wing had forgotten her,or maybe she’d just disappeared so well that it stopped remembering she was even there.
For weeks—no, for months now—Chelsea had not left her room. The first few days were a blur of questions and confusion. Then the rumors started. And the stares. And the silence.
She stopped showing up to anything.They stopped asking.
The only person who came in now was her maid Mira: Quiet, young, eyes always down. She didn’t ask questions, didn’t say much. Just brought food and took out plates no one touched.
Sometimes she had linger. Like she wanted to speak. But she never did.
And Chelsea didn’t ask her to.
The palace had grown too large, too unfamiliar. The stares in the halls had become knives. Even the whispers were tired of themselves.
“She was marked, right?”
“I heard she forced him.”
“I heard he never spoke her name.”
“I heard she cursed him.”
Chelsea stopped listening. Stopped moving.
Stopped existing outside four walls.
Until the dream came again.
Same forest, Same quiet.
But this time, the wolf wasn’t just standing in front of her.
It was walking ahead and turning back, like it wanted her to follow.
She woke with sweat at her neck and her mark burning beneath the sleeve of her nightdress.
It wasn’t just a dream.
It felt like a summons.
That morning, she opened her window for the first time since arriving.
The air bit her; Cold, Honest.
And for the first time in weeks, Chelsea breathed.
Later that evening, She told herself she was only going to the courtyard. Just to walk. To stretch. To prove to herself she still could. But her feet moved on their own, down the halls. Past rooms she hadn’t dared go near. Toward the dim lanterns by the training field.
She paused behind the stone arch.
Kaden was there. Alone. Practicing like the shadows were his only friends.
Chelsea didn’t mean to watch, but she did.
Something about the way he moved—calm, focused, dangerous reminded her he wasn’t just the one who marked her.
He was the Alpha.
And he was beautiful.
She stepped forward.
He turned instantly.
“You finally left your room,” he said. Not surprised, Just… noting.
Chelsea tilted her head.
“Are you disappointed?” She asked
“Relieved.”
Silence.
“You’ve been here almost eight weeks.”
“You’ve been counting?”
“The palace feels… different when you’re quiet.”
“…So you’ve noticed me?”
A pause. He looked at her then. Not like a Luna. Not like a stranger. Something else. Something… human.
“Yes,” he said simply.
End of MARKED FOR PRETEND Chapter 16. Continue reading Chapter 17 or return to MARKED FOR PRETEND book page.