[Celeste]
My breath caught in my throat. My mind scrambled for answers, for anything to make sense of what he was saying. Mallory? Did he mean his former mate? Why would he think of something so foolish?
I clutched his hand that pressed tightly around my neck, struggling for breath.
"You thought you could hide in plain sight, didn't you?" He let out a twisted laugh. "You thought I wouldn't notice, that I'm still the foolish boy you used back then."
"Ryder—I don't—"
"Don't lie to me!" His voice thundered, silencing me as he lifted me out of my chair. His fingers tightened around my neck and I clawed at his hands. "Don't pretend that you came to make amends," his voice cracked, "like you haven't been laughing behind my back this whole time?"
Tears stung my eyes as I half glanced at him
