chapter 7: A Different Kind of Alpha

The days after the full moon were shrouded in a heavy, grief-stricken silence. Kaden did not return. The shattered door was hastily boarded up, a stark symbol of the fragile barrier between us, both physical and emotional. The memory of his touch, the peace on his face, was a ghost that haunted the cabin. It made his subsequent coldness even more cruel. He had offered me a glimpse of heaven before slamming the gates shut. Lila found me sitting listlessly by the window, staring out at the forest...