Aidan.
I woke to a familiar scent beneath my nose, warm and soothing, the kind my wolf recognized instantly. My arms were already wrapped carefully around her waist, holding her close as if my body had done it on instinct long before my mind caught up. I inhaled slowly, letting her scent fill my chest, grounding me in the quiet of the morning.
I should have felt peace.
I should have felt whole.
I finally had her by my side.
Vanessa—soft, warm, real, and ours.
But instead of calm, there was a dull, persistent ache sitting heavy in my chest. A restlessness that refused to settle no matter how tightly I held her. My wolf shifted uneasily beneath my skin, not aggressive, not angry, just unsettled. As though something was missing. As though something wasn't right.
I told myself I loved Vanessa. I repeated it like a vow, like a truth I needed to reinforce. I wanted no one else. I chose her. I wanted this. And yet, even with her body pressed against mine, my thoughts betrayed me.
