Alexander sat alone in his darkened penthouse, staring at his bruised knuckles. The skin was split where his fist had connected with Stefan's jaw, dried blood marking the moment when he had completely lost control of himself. His hand throbbed with each heartbeat, a physical reminder of how far he had fallen from the man he used to be.

The silence in the apartment was deafening. No sounds of Camille moving through their shared space, no gentle humming from the kitchen ...