Power didn’t disappear all at once; it fractured like ice, forming beneath the surface—unseen until it shattered. Kael felt it the moment he returned to his room, not a loss of strength nor a weakness in his body, but something deeper…the bond was silenced and denied. His wolf paced violently beneath his skin, restless and furious. She rejected us. Kael’s jaw tightened “No,” he muttered under his breath “She’s confused.” But the words rang hollow, because nothing about Aria had looked confused.
She had been clear, more controlled and certain, and that was the problem, “Alpha.” Kael didn’t turn. He stood at the edge of his territory, staring out into the forest as if it could answer him, “Yes.” One of his warriors approached cautiously “The eastern scouts reported movement near the river
