Chapter 21

ALINA

I was pacing in my room, my thoughts a tangled mess of confusion and frustration. Even though it was morning, I already felt exhausted. My mind kept racing through everything that had happened since I’d returned—Kai, the baby, the pack, the harem women. It was overwhelming, and I didn’t know how to process it all.

A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. I froze, my heart skipping a beat. “Who is it?” I called out, my voice tense.

“It’s me, Kai,” came his reply from the other side.

I sighed heavily, the tension in my chest tightening. The last thing I wanted was to see him right now. “I don’t want to talk to you, Kai,” I said, trying to sound firm.

“Please, Alina,” he insisted, his voice softer this time. “Just for a minute.”

I hesitated, staring at the door, feeling torn. Part of me wanted to ignore him, to keep the door closed and block him out. But another part of me, a quieter part, was curious. Maybe this would be different. Maybe he’d finally say something I needed