El didn’t sleep.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Ryker’s expression when he looked at her uniform. The confusion. The irritation. The way she must have disappointed him without meaning to.
She knows how important it is for women to be pleasing to the men around them.
She knows what happens when they aren’t.
She knows what Alpha Marcus would do.
And she knows she never wants to go back.
At least here, no one is trying to force a mate bond on her.
At least here, she can breathe.
But the last few days—
The betrothal.
The rejection.
The injury.
The fear.
The constant tension around Ryker—
She realizes she hasn’t run. Not properly. Not freely.
Her wolf aches for it.
It’s early. The sun is barely touching the horizon. She has time before breakfast.
She strips, folding he
