When I rose to leave, Ashton caught my wrist before I could step away.Without a word, he led me into our chambers.The room still carried the faint scent of cedar, moon herbs, and his Alpha pheromones.As always, he pulled me into his embrace before lying down, one arm possessively wrapped around my waist.The mate bond should have comforted me.Instead, it suffocated me.“You still have much to learn, Elena,” he murmured against my hair.“I have already ignored the objections of the elders for your sake. I have defended you before the council more times than you know.”His fingers gently combed through my hair.“One day, when you stop letting your emotions cloud your judgment, you will understand that everything I do is for the good of Shadow Fang.”He kissed the top of my head.Soon, his breathing steadied as sleep claimed him.He never noticed the silent tears soaking into his chest, nor the tiny tremors shaking my body until dawn.The next morning, I left the Alpha Manor before As
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