ana

erence that felt cruel, climbing the sky as

onscious effort against the gravity of my grief. Jax was there, laughing

the distance between us, his expression s

h my shoulder. "About last night... Cat

mpty air. The electricity that should have b

ne, Alp

him. "Don't call me that. We're still... fri

drown friends,"

being dramatic. I have a duty to the pack. Catalina is str

d. I understood that his ambitio

ay. I didn'

hanged my training schedule to avoid him. I ate in the k

n't escape

permeate the pack house. I saw her things in Jax's room. A silk scarf str

s lap, whispering in his ear. When she saw me, her fingers tightened

ed across his face. Then Catalina giggled, a sharp, t

lf Jax had carved for my tenth birthday. It was crude, the ears unev

ost and found box in the

*thud* so

side Jax. She adjusted his collar, brushing imagin

ogether," a Beta fem

er agreed. "Eliana woul

No anger. No jealousy. Just a profound, exhausti

I didn't look away. I didn't smile. I

lace for a moment. Catalina touched hi

me. "Why are you acting like this?

ng, Jax," I said softl

he accused, his voice tig

y voice devoid of the warmth he was