Zaiden’s POV
Her eyes locked with mine, sharp, calm, but tired. She didn’t say anything at first, and somehow, that silence hurt more than any words she could have thrown.
“Karen…” I started, but she lifted her hand, stopping me.
“You caught him,” she said quietly, voice steady but cold. “Congratulations, Alpha.”
The way she said Alpha cut deeper than I expected. Not like a title like a wall.
I swallowed hard as I closed my eyes tight. “Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“That thing where you sound like you don’t care,” I said, my voice lower now. “Because I know you do. I can feel it.”
Her gaze flickered, just for a heartbeat, before she looked away. “Feeling doesn’t fix everything, Zaiden.”
I stepped closer, cautious. “No, it doesn’t. But it’s a start.”
She let out a bitter laugh soft
