Her fingers tightened around the liniment bottle until her knuckles paled.
Still, she forced her lips into a polite curve.
“I understand,” she replied softly. “Please apologize to her for me.”
That seemed to satisfy him.
He gave a small nod and left.
The door closed with a soft click.
The moment the sound echoed through the room, her composure shattered.
Tears spilled down her cheeks before she could stop them.
This was the wolf she had loved for three years.
Her chosen mate.
And yet, not once had she truly occupied the center of his heart.
The throbbing in her ankle was nothing compared to the ache spreading through her chest. It felt as if her ribs were caving inward, crushing something fragile beneath them.
When the time came to apply the liniment again, she did it herself.
She didn’t expect him to return.
Downstairs, faint laughter drifted up the staircase—light, easy, intimate.
She lay back against the pillows, staring at the ceiling in the dim room, feeling colder than the night air outside.
Eventually, thirst forced her to move.
She pushed herself upright and made her way downstairs, gripping the railing as she descended.
Each step sent a dull wave of pain up her leg.