"You are his mate, Grace. Even if his pride blinds him, his wolf cannot ignore that truth."
My chest felt tight, my emotions a jumble of pain and something almost like hope. "It doesn’t matter," I said flatly, though my voice cracked slightly. "He’s made his decision. The bond is broken—"
"It is not broken," Helena interrupted firmly, her voice rising just enough to make her authority clear. "Strained, yes. But not broken."
I didn’t respond, unsure how to process her words.
"And yet," she continued, her tone softening once more as her sharp gaze seemed to pierce through me, "there is something you’re keeping hidden, Grace."
My breath hitched at her words. A pang of fear surged in me, but I masked it quickly. "I don’t know what you mean."
Helena leaned forward slightly, her viol
