Alara
The evening was supposed to be elegant, one of those events where I could stand beside Kaelen and bask in the pride of being his wife. Yet, as I stood by his side, everything felt distant, hollow. We arrived together, but it felt like I was attending alone. Kaelen, as usual, was absorbed in the details of the evening, speaking with various pack members and business associates, his attention solely on matters that had nothing to do with us.
I sipped from my glass of sparkling water, glancing around the large room filled with important faces. I had to smile, nod, and make polite conversation, all while Kaelen moved in and out of my peripheral vision. He was present, yet absent in every way that mattered.
I approached him once, trying to loop my arm through his. “Are you doing okay?”
