KAI POV
I knew I was being silly.
Absolutely, irrationally, pathetically silly.
But even with Derrick sitting right next to me—his warmth steady and familiar, his arm brushing mine now and then—I felt… empty. Hollow, like there was something missing and I didn’t know why.
What the hell was wrong with me?
The bond was there, unmistakable, buzzing faintly under my skin like a low-grade fever. And yet, it felt… muted. Not broken, no—but fraying at the edges. Was the mate bond already snapping in my soul too? Or was this just a crush gone sideways?
‘You mean the crush that makes you clench your thighs when a certain stalker bastard walks into the room?’ Summer snorted in the back of my mind. ‘Real subtle, Kai.’
Shut. Up.
I didn't answer her. I didn’t need to—because just then, the air
