Chapter 28: Bonds and Vulnerabilities
(Scarlett's POV)
My heart hammered in my chest as Steven's icy blue eyes flicked over the glowing messages from my crystal. The air felt heavy, and my palms were clammy. The messages I had written were floating there, exposed, every personal thought about our mate bond laid bare before his piercing gaze.
"I just don't know if I want him or just his Alpha status," my own foolish words echoed back to me. The shame was suffocating. "The power and resources are nice, but..."
I wanted to vanish into thin air. Steven was silent, his expression unreadable, but his presence was like a looming storm. His gaze moved back to my flushed face, as if he was trying to piece together what kind of wolf I truly was. Was I the mate he’d chosen for political stren
