The icy water felt like needles against Kael’s skin, but he didn't flinch. He stood under the shower in the Alpha’s private quarters, watching Thorne’s dark, grimy blood swirl down the drain. He scrubbed his hands until they were raw, but the phantom sensation of Thorne’s last heartbeat beneath his claws lingered.
He stepped out of the steam-filled bathroom, wrapped in a dark robe, and stopped dead.
Elara was sitting on the edge of the massive mahogany bed. She had changed into a soft, oversized grey sweater and leggings, her damp silver hair cascading over her shoulders. She looked fragile, but when she looked up, her gaze was as sharp as a diamond.
Kael stood by the door, his heart hammering against his ribs. Usually, the mate bond would have filled the room with a magnetic pull, draw
