The silence in the room was louder than any scream. It pressed against my ears, wrapped around my throat, and made breathing a conscious effort.
Aiden stood with his back to me, jaw clenched so tight I could almost hear his teeth grind.
His fists were balled at his sides, arms tense, his broad frame trembling with barely-contained rage. Not at me. Not yet.
But I knew it was coming.
The rage. The words.
The storm.
He took one slow step toward the door. Then another.
My heart thudded in time with his footsteps, and a quiet panic bloomed in my chest.
He was going to leave.
Again.
Not physically...he would never truly walk away from the pack. But emotionally? Mentally? Spiritually?
He was already halfway gone.
I reached into my coat pocket with fingers that trembled just enough t
