Chapter 42: Pride and Protection
(Steven's POV)
The emptiness of our mate bond was unbearable. It gnawed at my chest and twisted into every fiber of my being. No matter how much I forced myself to focus on council affairs, her absence dug into me like claws.
My wolf growled lowly, pacing within me. I sat at my chamber's desk, staring at nothing, my hands clenched into fists.
"Asher," I growled, sensing his approach outside the chamber door.
He stepped in cautiously. He must’ve noticed the tension rolling off me. "Alpha Steven," he began, standing at rigid attention.
"Go on," I said, sharper than intended.
Asher’s face betrayed nothing, but I knew him well enough to catch the tiniest flicker of discomfort. "Your mate has taken refuge with Evelyn," he reported.
My fingers tap
