~TWIX~
I watched Alex from the shadows, his strong silhouette outlined by the flames in the fireplace. The Bond of the Phoenix was a legend we were all taught as pups, a myth that most of us had long since dismissed. But the way he talked about Elysia, with such fierce protection, it was hard not to believe in it. I had to find a way to convince him to step up.
Quietly I approached him. "Alex," I murmured, keeping my voice low and calm. "You can't ignore this. The prophecy isn't just about you and Elysia; it's about the future of all of us."
Turning to face me, his eyes reflecting the fire's glow, he muttered, his voice tight. "But I can't go back to being Alpha. I won't."
I studied him, the tension in his muscles, the way his jaw clenched. I knew he was haunted by the past, by the res
