The last few days of heat were torture. My body had burned with a need I couldn’t control, the pain nearly unbearable. I’d been locked away, alone, my thoughts constantly circling back to Ryder. The pull of the bond, the ache of being apart—it was more than I ever imagined.
But finally, it was over.
I pulled on a light sweater and made my way downstairs, my legs weak but grateful to be free of the agony. I expected Ryder to be there, waiting, like always, but the house was oddly quiet. Too quiet.
Where was he?
I wandered through the hall, anxiety creeping in. He was never far from me, not since the bond had been made clear. As I reached the living room, I heard the familiar footsteps of my father. His face was more serious than usual, brows furrowed like he had something weighing heav
