CHAPTER THIRTY - TWO

–Xavier pov–

“Sleep comfortably,” I said to the people I had just finished a meeting with. The exhaustion was palpable, and all I wanted was to collapse into my bed. As I made my way down the hall, I thought of Aurelia and worried she might be sleeping on the sofa again. If that were the case, I would carry her to the bed, even if it meant doing so by force. She was too precious to be left uncomfortable.

Aurelia’s childish stubbornness often frustrated me, but I knew it was a defense mechanism born of fear. She had been through so much, and I had inadvertently added to her burdens. My heart ached every time she recoiled from me, avoiding my touch and refusing to speak. It pained me that she wouldn’t even wear the dresses I bought for her, dresses I had chosen with such care, hoping to see her smile.

For a decade, I had searched for my mate, and now that I had found her, she seemed uninterested in me. How were mates supposed to feel towards each other? Could she not sense the bond? Or