The next morning dawned gray, clouds pressing low against the horizon as if the sky itself sensed the storm building within the pack. Ariana sat on the edge of the bed, her body still aching from the night before—raw, bruised, claimed. Kael had not spoken much after, only held her tightly as if letting her go would break him in half.
Now, in the light of morning, silence hung between them like a blade. She watched him dress in muted black leathers, his expression carved in stone. The Alpha mask was firmly in place, every trace of last night’s vulnerability hidden.
“You’re avoiding me,” she whispered, unable to stop the words.
Kael’s hands stilled at the buckle of his belt. He didn’t look at her. “If I face you right now, Ariana, I might lose control again.”
Her heart clenched, confusio
