153. Dawn of Quiet Strength
Marcelline woke before the sun.
Not with tension.
Not with pain.
But with lightness.
For the first time in days, her body felt whole—no ache in her bones, no residual burn in her veins, no weight pressing on her chest. Sister Florence's embrace had done what no incantation, no potion, no training ever could.
A mother's love.
It had wrapped around her through the night, sinking into her mind, her soul, her very marrow—healing her mentally, physically, emotionally. Even her power felt calmer, steadier, like a storm finally resting beneath the surface.
Marcelline smiled softly to herself.
No magic works better than this, she thought.
She slipped out of bed quietly, freshened up, and changed into simple clothes before stepping into the prayer hall.
It was 4:00 a.m.
Silent. Sacred.
Except—
Two massive shadows were already there.
Paradus stood barefoot, calm and composed, hands folded in prayer.
Alpha yawned loudly beside him, clearly dragged out of sleep by sheer instinct.
Marcelline blinked. "You both woke up?"
Alpha scratched his head. "Commotion. You breathe too loudly when you wake."
"That's a lie," she deadpanned.
Paradus opened one eye. "You smiled when you woke. The aura shift was… loud."
Marcelline laughed softly.
They prayed together—quiet, grounded, powerful.
When they finished, Alpha stretched his arms wide.
"So," he grinned, cracking his neck, "time for a run then??"
Paradus was already stretching his limbs, muscles flexing, ready to march like a disciplined war god—
"No."
Paradus straightened instantly. "We're visiting Godmother."
Marcelline paused, surprised. "You… knew?"
Paradus glanced at her calmly. "I sensed the summon."
She smiled. "No doubt. Divine beast indeed."
Alpha froze.
"…Wait. WHAT?"
Paradus smirked. "Oh, now you're alert?"
Alpha crossed his arms. "Why didn't I sense it?"
Paradus tilted his head innocently. "Hard to sense divine calls when you're busy eating, sleeping, and playing pony rides with Mia."
"That was IMPORTANT BONDING," Alpha snapped.
"You enjoyed it," Paradus added smoothly.
Alpha growled. "She said I'm stronger than you."
Paradus's eye twitched.
Marcelline burst out laughing.
Jealousy. Mockery. Chaos.
And dawn smiled quietly around them.
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Hello lovely readers 🥰✨️,
I hope you enjoyed this chapter—I know it's a little short, but it truly comes from my heart. With my workload finally easing just a bit, I'm slowly beginning to find time to write again, and as I get more space, I'll be writing longer chapters too. I owe my deepest apology to my loyal readers for being away for so long; continuous projects and heavy responsibilities kept me occupied more than I expected, but I never forgot about you. I'm incredibly proud and grateful for every reader who stayed, waited, and continued to support this story. Even now, I'm writing whenever I get even a small pocket of time, and I'll try my best to stay consistent, even though the workload hasn't completely disappeared yet. Seeing my loyal readers alongside so many new ones waiting for new chapters fills my heart with motivation and love. Thank you for your patience, your constant involvement, and your unwavering support. I hope you enjoy the upcoming chapters just as much. I love you all—happy reading... 🤍📖✨..
Writer
Grace_w 👑✨️🌱