But I had one last request, one final act of desperation: Kylo’s trip to the ocean. I was ready to let him go, to set him free. Yet he still refused to spend one last moment with our son. It was one thing for him not to love me, but how could he be so heartless toward Kylo? His own flesh and blood?

I stared at Caspian with a mix of disappointment and fury. The man who once appeared as flawless as a painting now only inspired revulsion in me. His eyes, which had once softened when he looked at me, were now cold and unyielding. I had always found solace in those eyes, but now, they felt like a reminder of how far we had drifted.

Before I could voice my thoughts, Ophelia’s voice cut through the tension. “Alpha, my foot hurts, and so does my face. Can you check if it’s swollen? I wonder if it will affect tomorrow’s Alpha gathering that we will attend.”