Chapter Ninety One - Pieces

Valkyrie Behati

The weight of the truth in her words settled over me like a heavy fog, thick and undeniable. Alex had always been the one to put us first, no matter what it cost him.

He carried the burden of responsibility with a quiet strength, a strength that I had come to admire deeply. Now, it was my turn to step up, to protect the very things he had fought so hard to keep safe.

“I don't think that's entirely true,” I began, my voice steady but thoughtful. “Alex doesn't just prioritize us. He prioritizes everything—his duties, and his responsibilities. We’re a part of that, yes, but he would never abandon his obligations just for us.”

The conviction in my words was as firm as my belief in Alex. “He's a responsible man, Shie. He wouldn't do something so reckless.”

Shie’s smile was gentle, a knowing curve of her lips that held a mixture of understanding and concern. “That's exactly what I told Arnold. But he just doesn't grasp the kind of stress your mate is under right now.”

I no