-ALEXANDER-
The lingering scent of my rage, and the raw aftermath of Lilian's defiance, clung to the air in my chambers. I remained by the cold stone wall, my body rigid, trembling with the effort of self-control.
Her last words echoed: "I will never yield to a monster like you!" And then, my own broken promise, the monster almost unleashed. I had pulled back, but the cost was immense. My wolf snarled, confused, furious at the denied claim.
The bond, however, pulsed with a different rhythm now. A low, insistent hum, separate from my own torment. It shifted, grew hotter, pulling me not with rage, but with a deep, consuming uncontrollable heat that radiated from her. She was hurting. She was feeling the bond's hunger, just as I was. But she was denying herself, just as she denied me.
Th
