The morning sun bled through the heavy velvet curtains of the Alpha’s suite, but it brought no warmth to the room. Kael woke up with a sharp, gasping breath, his hand instinctively reaching for the empty space beside him. Usually, the bond would have told him exactly where Elara was—whether she was sleeping, dreaming, or just breathing in the next room.
Now, there was only the cold, heavy silence of the void.
He sat up, his bare chest glistening with a light sweat. His wolf was restless, pacing in the back of his mind, whining for the golden thread that was gone forever. Kael ran a hand through his dark hair, forcing himself to breathe. He had made a choice. He had traded the magic for her life, and he would make that trade a thousand times over.
"I'm right here, Kael."
Elara was stand
