Kael’s breathing started to slow and settle so I wriggled out from under his arm, limbs all numb and tingly. The bond really knocked him out. He always looked so damn strong lying there, like nothing could touch him, but honestly, trust was his Achilles’ heel. That guy would hand over his heart to a stranger if they smiled the right way.
The room felt like it was closing in. You ever get that thick Alpha scent? Like, yeah, it’s supposed to be a comfort, but it just chokes you, especially when you know what’s hiding under it—pure panic, sharp as blood. I went to the window, Lysandra’s letter nearly tearing in my grip. Ink all faded, but the pain? Still fresh as hell. Kael spent five years mourning her, and for what? Lies. All of it.
I stared at her words, reading them until they burned: “
