Kaiden’s Point of View
Avery sat across from me, her fragile frame wrapped in a thick blanket, her pale skin glowing under the dim light of my chamber. To anyone else, she might have looked frail, but to me, she had never seemed more radiant. Her silken hair cascaded down her back like strands of starlight, tempting me to reach out and let my fingers tangle in its softness.
But I held back.
She wasn’t ready. She had yet to acknowledge me as her mate, and I didn’t want to do anything that might scare her away. So, instead, I clenched my fists and listened intently as she recounted her ordeal with the rogues, her voice soft but steady.
The more she spoke, the harder it became to maintain my composure. The thought of anyone laying a hand on her made my blood boil. My wolf growled low in m
