Hart Sloan lingered in the shadowed courtyard of the Sloan mansion, the cold night air biting at his skin as the full moon hung low, casting a silver glow over the cobblestones. His heart was a storm of guilt and desperation, a churning weight that hadn’t eased since Serena’s scathing words in the grand hall—*“You’re no mate, you’re a coward.”* The mate bond, once a fierce pull that fueled his obsession to control her, now felt like a frayed thread, its warmth replaced by a hollow ache. Her fire witch powers, her defiance, her choice of Gary and Jack’s loyalty over his fractured promises had shattered his facade, exposing a man he barely recognized—weak, afraid, and drowning in regret. Alpha Maveric’s expectations, the cloaked figure’s threats, and Olivia’s cryptic warnings loomed, but Har
