The Rogue Alpha's Refuge

ly noticing the sharp crash as it shattere

on the man standi

ated

ine to become Alpha of the

mn

eyes as he stared at

m like crashing waves-desire, disbelief, longing, h

en disbelief etched into my own body. Neither of u

e were mates the mom

it's suppos

. It hadn't.

oday, and Ronan already twenty-one-but that unexplainable pull? T

Why not y

ai

said my nam

chills through my spine, like a

, but the sound of footstep

li

he entered the kitchen, her smile be

ung gracefully to her waist, highlig

the thick tension in the ai

round Ronan's middle, leaning into

of envy surged through me-but I b

re fr

fri

prayer. No matter how close they wer

, awkwardly adjusting his stance as

unreadable, but I could see t

ing all over. You can't keep t

eery, her light blue eyes gleami

armth of Ronan's presence. And in that instant, my h

, this deep-seated desire

as m

stinctual

d through every fiber of my being, no matt

damned, I wanted to

the eyes and tell her

coul

t

knew it would break her. And I wasn't ready to be

e moment I looked at him. I recog

a right to. It was selfish. They were friends

e turmoil, my wolf thrashed beneath the s

elt

d the bon

re you a

iraling thoughts. I looked up, he

g toward how close she was standing

muttered, voic

atan

again and tilted her head to Ronan, clearly

to myself that they were only fr

t Talia felt for hi

in love with him. S

ful they'd never taken that ste

nded to her that way,

eople who weren't their mates. People like Talia, who thought they could outru

hought they could love, only for everything to

fies the

fore

into our very b

always be eclipsed by what fate intended. Not

't understand Talia's

to her. Of course, it would've made things easier if he had

kless. And

n't have to be me. But no illusion of love could

glanced at Ronan. He'd shifted his focus, pretending

in his expression, though Tal

ailed his hand up and down her arm in a co

t Kaia open her

e mood for any celebration, but her joy softened me. I couldn't say no-not to

f not to recoi