Fifty-Four

CJ

In a crappy hotel room, I paced back and forth, my troubled mind consumed with hopelessness. I'd never felt such bouts of emptiness in a long time.

Among werewolves, it was taboo for a male, much less an Alpha, to say he was heartbroken. But there was no other word to describe how I felt right now. I was more than heartbroken; I was devastated.

I hated myself right now and everything I represented. For the second time in my life, I let myself get carried away by the same enemy, the same bastard that was responsible for all my problems.

Stupid, stupid, stupid!

I sank onto the edge of the bed, burying my face in my hands

Because of me, Lenora was in excruciating agony. Because of me, her reputation was tarnished. I stared at the video again, groaning in frustration and that familiar feeling of being stripped of my power.

My pulse rushed in my ears and I got caught in a mental loop of second-guessing myself. Maybe I wasn't so smart after all. Maybe I overestimated myself. That nig