He is Innocent

Lately, Vespera has harbored a lot of resentment toward Alaric, convinced he's unreliable, unstable, and dishonest with her. She feels he’s always tangled up with Elowen, that he doesn't understand her, and she can’t seem to see anything good in him—without ever stopping to look at her own flaws.

Maybe Alaric really is just an immature guy who struggles with a lot of things, constantly leaving her feeling disappointed and hurt. But is she really so blameless?

Standing back, Vespera realizes she’s actually been a pretty lousy girlfriend. Alaric’s dishonesty? A response to her sensitivity—he hides things to avoid hurting her. His lack of understanding? Because she never clearly expresses what she wants. As for Elowen… that’s a whole other mystery, one she’s never really tried to unravel.

The first time they nearly broke up, it was over some photos Yvonne posted. She hadn’t even asked Alaric for an explanation; she’d just condemned him on the spot. The second time, it was the smell of sm