88.

The inner turmoil that consumed Adam threatened to consume him entirely as he fought to maintain composure beneath the table. With every fiber of his being, he resisted the overwhelming urge to unleash his anger upon Isabella, berating her for the choices she had made and the life she had taken away. He clenched his hand into a tight fist, seeking solace in the painful pressure that turned his knuckles an ethereal white. His nails dug deeply into his own flesh, a feeble attempt to distract himself from the shattering of his heart. The realization that he could never possess her, that she now belonged to another, tore him apart piece by agonizing piece.

His mind wandered into the realm of what-ifs, envisioning a life where Isabella stood by his side as his partner, ruling the pack together. In this alternate reality, his brother would be consumed by seething jealousy, left to wither in the shadow of their love. The depth of his desire for Isabella was unparalleled, surpassing even his