~ Isabella’s POV

“Do I have to guess?” Kate asked.

A blush crept up my cheeks, and I felt my face heat up. “Kate!” I protested, playfully pushing her arm. “You can’t just ask that!”

“Oh, I absolutely can,” she laughed. “Come on, Bella. We need to lighten the mood a bit. Was it... you know, was it painful? Or did the big, bad Alpha know what he was doing?”

I couldn’t help but laugh, despite everything. Trust Kate to turn my sadness into something a little more ...