Diane turned to Patrick, her eyes filled with questions she didn’t dare voice aloud. The weight of their unspoken conversation pressed heavily in the air, a silent exchange charged with emotion. Patrick met her gaze, and for a moment, his usually steady composure faltered. He looked torn, his inner conflict etched across his face. I could see it, feel it, and more importantly, I understood it.

Patrick wasn’t just any shifter. He was a prince among them, the younger sibling to the Alpha ...