The nightmares were worse alone.

Without Dante’s presence, without the mate bond’s warmth anchoring me, I woke screaming three times that first night. Each time, I reached for him instinctively. Each time, I found only empty space.

By morning, I was exhausted and questioning everything.

Had I made a mistake? Should I have stayed? Should I have let him help even though his help felt suffocating?

“No,” my wolf said weakly. “Need space. Need to heal. Can’t do that with mate ...