Alaric's POV
When she tried to reject me, my entire body froze for a moment. I often considered abandoning her because it seemed like the easiest way out of the situation, but the thought broke my heart. I couldn't do that to her; I knew it would cause her immense suffering, and I wasn't able to cause her pain.
For a brief moment, I thought I was underestimating her strength, as I struggled to believe she could resist the mate bond bestowed upon us by the Moon Goddess. However, witnessing her struggle and ultimately giving in brought me a sense of relief. My wolf was deeply saddened for her, whimpering in my mind, but the idea of not being with her again filled me with despair; I longed to protect her and relieve her suffering.
I took a step toward her, and this time, she was so disapp
