Semua Bab An Alpha's Dilemma: Bab 1 - Bab 5

Ava didn’t sleep. She lay awake long after Ashton left, staring at the low ceiling of her cramped room, still feeling the echo of his touch on her skin, his breath on her neck. Her body burned for him, but it was the ache in her heart that kept her from resting. He wanted her. That much was obvious. But he didn’t want the bond. And that, somehow, hurt worse than any rejection she’d ever known. By the time dawn broke, a cold silver light spilled through the tiny window above her bed. Ava rose slowly, pulling on her cloak and lacing her boots with fingers that still trembled. Today, she needed focus. Control. There was no room for vulnerability—not when she had to face him again. The Council had summoned them. Her and Ashton. Together. She made her way out of the packhouse and into the surrounding forest. The trees welcomed her like old friends, their branches creaking softly in the wind. Deep in the woods, past the training fields and patrol rout

The first light of dawn stretched over the horizon, casting an eerie, pale glow on the dark forest. The air was thick with mist, and the ever-present scent of pine and earth seemed to carry something far darker beneath it—a whisper, a pull, as though the land itself was aware of their presence. Ava stood at the edge of the clearing, her hand lightly grazing the surface of the stone altar that sat there, weathered by centuries but still humming with latent energy. This place was old—too old for comfort. There were no signs of life in the area, but the weight of the air felt oppressive, like the ground was holding its breath. She glanced at Ashton, who had been unusually quiet since they’d left the East Pack’s stronghold. His gaze was locked on the horizon, his jaw tight. Tension crackled between them, like the calm before a storm. Ava couldn’t help but feel a twinge of frustration. She could sense that Ashton was trying to push her away again, his internal walls as high