Chapter 32: SILENT BATTLE

The castle seemed to breathe with an unspoken tension as Irwin walked down the long corridors toward her room. Her footsteps echoed faintly, a rhythmic reminder that she was, as always, alone.

The day had been long, too long. Her body ached from the weight of everything she’d carried today. And now, as she neared the familiar comfort of her chambers, all she wanted was to strip away the layers of expectation and obligation and find a moment of peace.

But peace had become a rare thing for her in Shadowclaw. It was a kingdom built on power, strength, and loyalty, qualities that Irwin had never felt like she truly possessed. Here, she was nothing more than a hybrid, barely tolerated and rarely acknowledged by those who mattered. Even Dorian, the Alpha she had been bound to, treated her like a burden more than a mate.

She felt a wave of frustration building within her, but quickly suppressed it. Now wasn’t the time to break.

As she reached her door, she paused for a brief moment, her ha