Chapter 46

ALPHA LUCIUS’S POV

The heat of passion still lingered in the air as I lay beside Rose, the echo of our lovemaking a haunting reminder of the guilt that weighed heavy upon my soul. I knew that Vesta would feel the betrayal in some form or another, her presence a constant shadow that loomed over me even in the arms of another.

My wolf whined within me, a primal force that pulsed with the rhythm of my heartbeat. It recoiled at the thought of betraying our mate, the bond that tied us to Vesta a tether that bound us together in ways that I could not comprehend.

But I silenced its protests with a grim determination, pushing aside the whispers of conscience that threatened to unravel the fragile facade that I had built around myself. There was no room for weakness in the heart of a king, no place for sentiment in a world consumed by power and ambition.

I rose from the bed, the cool air of the cabin washing over me like a cleansing tide. The weight of my guilt hung heavy upon my shoulders, a b