JULIANS POV
Before I could think through it, I pulled her into my arms. Aliona stiffened for a heartbeat, and then she melted—like all the walls she had built around herself came crumbling down at once.
Her small frame shook against mine, her forehead pressing into my chest. I felt her body wrack with silent sobs, and it tore something deep within me.
“It’s okay,” I murmured, tightening my arms around her. “It’s okay to cry, Aliona. Even in front of your boss.”
She sniffled, trying to compose herself, but I felt the tremor in her hands as she clutched my shirt.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Don’t be.”
For a long time, we stood there in silence. My chin rested lightly on her head, her scent filling my lungs—wild lavender and rain-soaked pine. My wolf, Ryker, leaned into the moment, p
