Darren
I paced my private office like a caged beast, each step echoing off the stone walls of the castle. My breath came in ragged gasps as I ran my fingers through my hair, tugging at the roots.
“Damn it all,” I growled, my voice barely above a whisper.
The image of my father’s broken expression flashed through my mind, tearing at my heart. But what choice did I have? My own mother, threatening my mate, my Ally…
A wave of protective fury washed over me, setting my blood on fire. My hands clenched into fists, claws extending involuntarily.
“I had to do it,” I muttered, trying to convince myself. “For Allissa. For our child.”
But the doubt gnawed at me, an insidious whisper in the back of my mind. Was there another way? Could I have reasoned with her, made her see she was wrong?
No.
