ha, this quietude only amplified the tumult that reigned in his mind. Alone in his apartments, he felt the memories slipping throu

ed her hand on his, hesitant, before offering him total, unrestrained trust. It was the first time he had allowed himself to open

the one he had confronted earlier that evening? What kind of pain, what betrayal, had driven her to build such strong walls between

m, he knew she was there, somewhere, living a life he didn't yet know, playing a role he had never been invited to. The weight of this ignorance made him clench his fists. How

iant and confident, he became aware of his mistake. She was no longer the hesitant young woman he had known. She had changed, had risen, and had carved out a new identity, a n

to find out who she had become. He wanted to understand the shadows that darkened her eyes, the reasons for her escape,

ds the home of his trusted advisor. Arriving in front of her house, he knocked gently, unt

gruffly, but with a spark of curiosity in her eyes. She had known this man long enough to underst

e was trying to contain. "She came back... but she escapes me. I need to kno

his words, before sighing softly. "You know I'm not a magician. What you

him, ready to hear everything," he replied in an almost pleadin

whispered. "I can try to tell you more about what happened to her, about her successes and her new

onger just another female in the pack; she had become an influential, respected, admired figure. Her skills, intelligence and stren

a very specific idea in mind. No matter how much she tried to push him away, no matter what obstacles s

e found a way to meet her, to observe her from afar, to show that he was not ready to disappear from her li

f the other guests. He called her name, in a soft but firm voice, forcing her

f pain. "No matter how many times you say we don't know eac

whispering in a cutting voice: "You are wrong, Alpha. The

n her. "You can pretend all you want, but I know you felt somet

fleeting but very real moment. She hesitated, as if struggling with herself

pered, almost scornfully. "But th

ush him away, he felt that gap, that moment when she hesitated. There was still a part of her that rememb

e tried to forget him, he would prove that he wasn't just a fragment of her past. He would become the one who would acc

kind of peace. He had a mission, a cause that h