At the core of his anguish was the profound loss of his mate, Nicole. She was his everything, his guiding light in the darkness, the anchor that kept him grounded.

The mere thought of her absence, of the uncertainty that surrounded her fate, sent waves of torment crashing over him.

Grief like a merciless beast clawed at his chest, squeezing his heart with a relentless grip. Each beat resonated with a haunting echo of her name, a reminder of the emptiness that now echoed in his ...