KYLE’S POV
My study was silent yet despite the quiet, my mind was anything but. It was filled with her—Rose.
Her face haunted me. I could still see the disappointed look in her eyes when I announced that Ella would be staying in the palace. That look had been burned into my memory, replaying over and over like a cruel reminder of the pain I had caused her. My wolf growled in frustration, urging me to fix what I had broken. But I couldn’t. I wouldn’t.
Love had made me weak once. It had left me vulnerable, exposed. And I had vowed never to let it happen again. Rose was my mate but I couldn’t afford to give in to the bond, no matter how much it ached. The moment I let my guard down, I would be at her mercy, and I couldn’t—wouldn’t, let myself be controlled by emotions. Not again.
I ran a
