I turned before the mask could slip, retreating up the staircase with steps that grew heavier, leaden with every heartbeat. The instant the bedroom door closed behind me, the fragile composure I had clung to disintegrate. My shoulders shook, my hands pressed over my mouth as tears streamed freely, silent yet unrelenting, like rivers dammed too long. My wolf whimpered deep within, curling into herself, powerless to shield us both from the shattering truth.
When the storm inside me finally ebbed, I wiped my face, forcing the swelling in my eyes to fade. I dressed in a modest but elegant gown, smoothing my hair until not a strand was out of place. I would not give Nyra, or anyone else, another weapon to cut me down with.
On my way downstairs, a sliver of light caught my eye. The door to Alpha Alaric’s study stood slightly open. For five years, I had never stepped into that room, respecting the boundary he had drawn with such quiet finality. I had thought it was where he worked tirelessly to protect his company and the pack’s interests.
But tonight, something stronger than reason guided my hand. I pushed the door open, and the breath was torn from my chest.