CHAPTER SEVENTY -TWO
Alec's eyes search mine, fierce and questioning, a storm of emotions swirling in their depths. "Bella, do you trust me?" he asks, his voice barely above a whisper.
I open my mouth to reply, but the words knot in my throat. Trust? With everything that's happened, with the secrets that lay heavy between us, I'm not sure what trust even means anymore. The moonlight cascades over his sharp jawline, casting shadows that seem to accentuate the seriousness of his question. He steps closer, his hand reaching out as if to bridge the distance our doubts have created.
Before I can sort through the tangle of my thoughts, an eerie howl slices through the night, curdling the air with its menace. Alec's head snaps towards the direction of the sound, and I follow his gaze. My heart
