next morning with my ner

the time I tied the apron behind my back, my patience was already low. Ruth gave me a brief glance, then h

hour was t

simple rhythm of taking orders and wiping tables. My wolf was unsettled under my skin, pacing, unhappy with the distance, unhappy with the cons

he bond surged without warning - sharper than it had been all morning. A wave of frustration and raw tension th

feeling

n hit harder t

ying to build with Selene, the bond was not letting him escape cleanly either. The knowled

nt of the entire pa

fer quietly and stil

l, wiped my face with cold

rs smiled, I gave the smallest polite response and moved on. There was no room left in me for softness today. Sof

sh had passed. Ruth studied m

"That's good enough for me. T

It shouldn't have mattered this much. But it did. It was proof that I could stand somewhere that had no

ake it,

"Be here at the sa

. The walk back to the motel felt longer than usual. Every step seemed to drag the conn

hair and stood in the middle

we

enough. One week of silence. One week of the bond clawing at me

s of it made

. They had to hold. But the anger underneath them was growing harder to cont

why we were staying away. She only understood that our mate was on the other si

ice rough. "He stood there and chose

he emotion bleeding through was so clear it stole my breath

s not a

e cut in bot

o fade outside. The mate bond settled into a low, angry rhythm, like a storm that refused t

not ca

not com

not b

hard, as if it h

nd held onto my an

ould return

building the life he h

ould keep ch

bond kept

till loved him enoug

the satisfaction of w