Arda fought to steady her breathing. “He just wanted to check on me,” she said.
“Arda.”
“Yes... Alpha.”
“You’re a terrible liar.”
“I’m not lying.” Her voice quivered, and her eyes welled up as anxiety tightened its grip on her.
Gillow studied her in silence, his sharp gaze unwavering. She looked fragile—too fragile—and for a brief moment, sympathy stirred within him. Yet beneath it, he was desperate to test the waters of her trust. The inability to hear her thoughts gnawed at him, and no matter how much he tried, he couldn’t make peace with it.
“What’s going on in that mind of yours?”
Arda flinched slightly at the question. “This is the second time you’re asking me that,” she replied cautiously.
“Does it bother you?”
“It’s a strange question, so yes, it does.”
“I see.” He placed
