Emily’s POV.
It was supposed to be simple. I was supposed to pretend to be sick until he got irritated and sent me away.
It was supposed to be that simple.
But instead of loathing me, the mate the Moon Goddess gave me cared for me. He stayed with me. He made sure I lacked nothing while I unraveled in the false world of madness I had created.
The harder I tried, the more determined he became—his care unwavering, his protectiveness suffocating me in its sincerity. Even to the point of losing himself.
This morning, watching him reveal his deepest family secret, and his declarations to our bond crumbled the walls of my defense. Guilt clawed at my chest, squeezing so tightly at my lungs that I could barely breathe.
But why? Why did he hide the truth about Randolph from me? Why did he make
