The quiet of the night settled around me as I stared at the ceiling, listening to Alpha Lucian’s steady breathing beside me. Yet beneath the silence, the lingering pull of our mate bond remained, a connection I could neither escape nor deny, constantly reminding me of everything that had happened between us. I needed a moment. I needed time to gather my thoughts and contemplate everything that had been happening to me. I was hurting. I was struggling, and the ache had nothing to do with my body. For years, I had believed I was strong enough to fight these terrifying feelings, but one night had proven just how weak I truly was. Lucian loved me deeply, and somehow, that was what hurt the most. Whenever I thought about him, a painful ache tightened in my chest, stirred by emotions I couldn’t explain, or perhaps wasn’t ready to face. Slowly, I slipped out of bed and picked up the clothes Alpha Lucian had stripped from me hours ago, as though putting them back on could somehow give me
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