Julian's POV
The bar was as it always had been—dimly lit, with the faint scent of aged wood and citrus lingering in the air. It was the one place where I could escape the relentless demands of Pack politics, the expectations of family, and the suffocating constraints of my so-called engagement. Tonight, I needed this escape more than ever.
Amelia's cloying laughter echoed in my memory, her touch lingering on my shoulders like an unwelcome shadow. Every interaction with her was a reminder of the obligations I couldn't shake off, and the puppet strings that seemed to tighten around me with each passing day.
I stepped inside and let the familiar hum of conversation and clinking glasses wash over me. The bar was alive with its usual crowd, regulars perched on their stools, nursing d
