The night was already late, but Adrian couldn’t sleep. His mind was a chaotic mess, replaying the moment he’d rejected Ashley over and over—the sting of his hand as it connected with her face, the betrayal in her eyes as she turned and ran. Katrina was still there, hovering nearby, her voice soft and coaxing as she tried to come up with another excuse to keep him from leaving. “Adrian, you need to stay,” she said, her tone almost pleading. “You’re upset. Let me help you.”
But he couldn’t stand to hear it. Her words felt like chains, trying to tether him to a mistake he couldn’t undo. Without responding, he walked out of the pack house, the door swinging shut behind him. His wolf, usually a constant presence in his mind, had gone silent, retreating so far that Adrian felt hollow. It terrif
