Aria's POV.
I woke up with a start, my heart thumping in my chest. The bed beside me was empty, the sheets cold and straightened. Alpha Kael was gone. I sat up, rubbing my eyes, my stomach twisting with worry.
Where could he be? He was supposed to be resting after last night's big pack gathering, not wandering off.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself, but my inner wolf, Kyra, stirred inside me, her voice sharp and uneasy in my mind.
"Aria, something's wrong," Kyra whined, her presence like a restless shadow pacing in my head. "I don't feel right. Kael should be here."
I swung my legs over the side of the bed, my bare feet touching the cool wooden floor. "He's probably just out for a morning run," I said aloud, trying to soothe her.
My voice wobbled, though, because deep down, I wasn't sure. Kael wasn't the type to slip away without a word, not after everything we'd been through.
