When morning came, the light creeping through the curtains was soft, pale, and cold. It brushed against my eyelids until I stirred. My body felt heavy, as if sleep had done nothing to ease the ache buried deep inside me.

For a few seconds, I didn’t remember where I was then the memories returned like a blow to the chest. The Alpha. His words. His eyes.

I sat up sharply, my heart thudding as if he were still standing over me. The silence that followed was deafening.

My skin felt clammy ...