Bailey’s POV
It had been four days since Rider marked me.
Four long, confusing days.
And during all that time, he had not entered the room even once.
At first, I told myself he was busy. An Alpha ruled more than emotions; he ruled people, territory, and endless responsibilities. But as the days passed, the silence began to feel deliberate.
Avoidance.
I spent most of my time indoors now. The room that once felt temporary had slowly turned into a cage. Meals arrived without conversation. Servants avoided my eyes. The palace outside continued its life while I remained hidden inside.
Sometimes it felt as if Rider had never existed at all.
As if the marking, the bond, the heat that connected us, everything, had only been a dream my lonely mind created.
But deep inside my chest, I felt
