Klaus's POV
I slipped into the driver’s seat and exhaled slowly, the car door clicking shut with a soft finality. The engine stayed off as I sat in the dim light of the parking garage, my hands resting on the wheel, unmoving. I watched the clock tick in silence. One hour passed. Maybe more. It wasn’t until the golden afternoon light turned to a dusky orange that I even realized how long I’d been there.
The whole day had slipped from my grasp. And still, I had no idea how I was going to explain everything to Aria.
The mating ceremony. The rushed preparations. The secrecy. None of it sat right with me. Not because I wanted to lie, but because every choice felt like it carried too much weight. I knew what she meant to me—not just my mate, not just Luna, but the anchor that kept me from sli
