Darius woke up gasping, clawing at his own chest like he was trying to rip his heart out.
Sweat soaked through his shirt as he sat up in the huge empty bed, breathing hard. His golden-brown eyes were wide and haunted. He reached across the sheets instinctively, searching for the familiar warmth that was no longer there.
“Elara…” he whispered into the dark room, voice cracking.
The name hung in the silence. His hand closed around nothing but cold silk. He pressed his palm hard against his face, dragging it down slowly as if he could wipe away the nightmare.
He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, pacing barefoot across the room. Every step felt heavy. His wolf howled inside him, restless and in pain, like a constant sharp ache behind his ribs.
The door creaked open.
L
