Open contempt dripped from Sylas's last sentence.
Inside him, his wolf stirred uneasily, clearly warning him not to push too far against his Alpha.
But Sylas ignored it.
Even his wolf had become disappointed in Carlisle over the years.
Because to them, the truth had always been simple.
If Carlisle truly did not want Victoria, then he never should have marked her in the first place.
Even if the former Alpha pressured him.
Even if duty played a role.
Nobody could have physically forced Carlisle to complete the mating bond if he truly refused.
In the end, Carlisle made that choice himself.
And once he did, Victoria deserved loyalty.
Respect.
Care.
At the very least, she deserved honesty.
Instead, Carlisle let pride and resentment ruin everything.
And now every single one of the
