ull days since Kael had looked me in the eye and told me I was not enough. Seven days of silence. Sev

settled over m

t wor

every day since I left. But underneath it, something darker was growing. The initial shock had burned away.

immediately, as if it had been waiting for the moment I stopped moving. A wave of restlessness and strained

flection in the small

ked t

ked t

n who was surviving

breath. "And you still haven

lsed hard i

bitter breath and

walked back to the motel in silence, each step tightening the connection in my chest. The bond felt

nd me, the control I had be

loor. My hands were shaking. My wolf was pacing so aggressively that it was starting t

en

ays he had

e had not sent

with the consequences of his decision while

e something inside me

and forced myself to face the tr

l love

quiet, stubborn loyalty that asked for very little in return. I had shaped my entire life around

tion bleeding through was so clear it made my throat tighten - agitation, frust

not ind

ost made

hing keeping the weaker parts of me from reaching for the phone. Pride. Rage. The memory of standin

om, my voice low and hard. "I will not come bac

ared in answer, s

yes and refus

week

many more I woul

thing with abso

to a man who had thro

tomo

e day

ond itself gave

ntion of being th