KAI
The sting of Alexis's rejection throbbed like a fresh wound. Her words, telling me to stay away, echoed through the caverns of my mind, each repetition a hammer strike to my resolve. I'd told myself it was for the best. I'd made promises to another, yet the truth gnawed at me with relentless jaws: Alexis was my fated mate.
I leaned back against the wall of the clinic's corridor, away from prying eyes, as another report came in. Jason Hendrix, loyal friend and confidant, approached with his usual swagger diminished by the gravity of the situation.
"She's stable," Jason murmured, his eyes reflecting the weight he carried. "Resting more comfortably now."
Nodding silently, I shoved my hands into the pockets of my jacket, fighting the urge to barge into her room and take her pain onto m
