The night was heavy, as though the moon carried the burden of secrets yet to be spoken. The air smelled of pine and storm, thick enough to make my wolf restless under my skin. I tried to sleep, but the bond tugged at me like chains I couldn’t escape. Every time I closed my eyes, his face appeared—sharp jawline, stormy eyes, the Alpha who had rejected me, yet somehow owned every part of me.
Killian.
Even thinking his name made my chest tighten, like fire and ice burning at once. I hated him. I wanted him. I wanted to run. I wanted to stay. My wolf whimpered inside, torn between pride and instinct, loyalty and heartbreak.
The pack house was quiet, but unease crackled through the walls. Rumors had been spreading for days—about me, him, and the bond we pretended didn’t exist. The others fel
