ia's

ldness was suffocating me. During the ceremony, he had ignored me. After the attack, he had pushed past me to corner a

for even a shred of comfort from my family. Instead, I found my f

said softly, b

desk. His voice was laced with pure ice. "Taria. Why are yo

Father," I swallowed hard,

looking up with a cold, disgusted glare. "If you fail to seal that union an

no such thin

ss. "Not like you have much choice anyway. You are useless to this family without that cr

have been used to his arrogance by now, but eve

o freeze near an open door. Scattered across the floor were old childhood

nt-wave across the space. The moment the air hit

ding beside the shelf was

voice was ba

his true mate was actually my cousin. When I found out back then, my world collapsed. My wolf spiraled into a dark, manic grief. I stopped eatin

d out softly, using hi

forward and threw my arms around his neck, sinking into his chest as d

you so muc

, gently wiping my tears. "I came because s

to the quiet, moonlit courtyard. The night air w

from the shadows of the hallway. He had seen the brutal, heartless way my father

ke the silence, his voice shaking. Seeing the wa

g about?" I asked, p

y about how things ended between us, Bunny. But when I left for the human world... I didn't just leave because of my mate. I saw you spiraling. I s

ard grew d

protection would keep you alive. Seeing your father treat you like dirt, seeing you desperately chase a man whose feelings aren't even re

rcastic laugh ripped from my throat as I c

whispered, wide-eyed with terror.

sorry,

L

his face echoed through the gard

illing over my lashes. "My savior?! You think I ne

, his coldness, his unpredictable behavior...it wasn't just Alpha arroga

e grass, clutching my arms around my r

ve minutes than people experience i

eaching out with hands full of pity. "You

ambling backward on the wet grass. "I would have healed on my

he back of my hand. My heart was shattered, but as I looked back toward Hilton

pride, my sanity, and my soul for it. I was not going to let a dark s

er as I turned my back on Collins. "Get out of my territor

trailing in the dirt. It was always obvious that my father was so about pleasing Vin

r, my fists clenching until my nails bit blood f

ave to drown this entire pa