lett

ached for his warmth on the silk sheets. I curled closer to him, feeling my heart race in the peaceful afterglow, his alpha presence making my omega instincts p

e, cherish, and stand beside me. Someone who could save me from

ne. My fa

ballroom, the instant connection that sparked between us. We didn't even need formal int

purely alpha it made my omega hum. I lay still,

ng his perfect, handsome fac

luttered when his deep blue ocean eyes opene

collarbone. His muscles tensed, and I felt him stiffen. From the way his arm t

sbelief in his voice twis

nodded. "Yes." The word barely left m

omething repulsive, something unworthy. Panic flooded through me, sharp and suffocating. As he turn

red, his voice laced with venom. "And y

a chaotic mess. How can he look at me and only see my rank?

reaching for him. "

it come to this? I could feel the heat of humiliation creeping up my neck, but I f

sult dug deeper, reminding me of my place and the shame I had fought so hard to overcome. What did I expe

ated bond I'd believed sacred, unbreakable, was unraveling before my

whispered, desperate. "That has t

anything in this world?" He stood and began to dress, each movement deliberate and d

ying wouldn't make a difference. It never had. I clung to the faint bond that still lingere

rp gaze locking onto mine. Instead of wa

s voice cold, stripping away the la

. I told

off. "Your

ke a curse, one I had tried hard to keep buried until now. Would he hate me for it

wed hard. How can I explain that I never ask

hunderclap. I caught a glimpse of betrayal and disbelief in hi

e thing, something that had crawled from the dep

his da

where it ends. Before I could respond, he grabbed my arm

ho ruined my family. And you t

scorched the bond between us. The warmth we shared wa

away, but his gr

kstone's daughter stand by my side," he snarled, his voice fill

d, but my voice betrayed me, cracking under t

night was a mistake. One that won't be repeated. You are n

ng from me. You ma

k if I'd known you were Blacksto

voice crac

stepping back as if my touch disgusted him. "You were

like waves of pain. He's throwing away everyth

his rejection could kill me-

you, Scarlett Blacksto

e searing agony. It felt like a piece of my soul had been torn away. Cl

moving toward the door. "And Scarlett? If

n't lo

. I sat frozen, clutching the sheets that still smelled of what could

e. My fated mate, the one person who was supposed to see past everything else and love m

gathered my senses, the sun was rising. I wiped my

, but I gathered my clothes, erasing