Alec’s

I walk out of the bathroom and head toward the bedroom. Despite spending most

of the day in bed, I still feel so tired-like my bones are weighed down with something I can't shake.

The moment we'd returned to the pack house, Aspen had immediately abandoned me in favor of her new friends, and Alec had been swept away by pack duties. He'd been missing in action for three days, and even though Jason and Micah had been holding things together, there were still matters only the Alpha could handle.

He left right after promising he'd check in on me later, and I'd barely made it to my bedroom before crawling under the covers for a nap.

I didn't do much after that. I just... existed. Let myself rest. My body's still recovering from the moon heat, and I needed every ounce of stillness to feel like myself again—at least physically-before I could continue with my training.

Now, with a towel wrapped around my body, I step into the bedroom and find Aspen curled up, fast asleep. Today had been one of those rare days where we shared a meal in bed, just the two of us. She'd spent the entire time chattering nonstop, filling every quiet space with tales from the past three days and the friends she'd made in the pack.

I didn't mind one bit. I'd missed her. Missed her tiny voice, her energy, and her warmth. I could never be annoyed with her-not when I'd gone three days without holding her.

I quickly change into my pajamas and slide into bed, gently pulling her into my arms. She doesn't stir. Her mouth is slightly open, a tiny snore escaping in a steady rhythm. It's the sweetest sound I've heard all day.

I close my eyes, willing sleep to come, but it doesn't. Not because I'd spent the entire day resting-no, it's Raven. Or rather, what she told me.

My insides were in turmoil and no matter how hard I tried thinking about what she had found, nothing came to mind. My mind won't stop spiraling. She'd said she might have found a way around the curse. Then, as if she hadn't just dropped a bomb in my lap, she told me we'd talk tomorrow and cut the link.

I'm an anxious person by nature, so you can imagine what that's doing to me. The not knowing. The unanswered questions. The what ifs. It's gnawing at me like a splinter I can't dig out.noveldrama

What did she find? How does it work? Is it dangerous?

I am so desperate for answers and I hate not having them. I need a way to deal

with the whole issue about Kaden, Xena and the spell.

The fact that Xena's trying to break Kaden out is bad enough. He was locked away by a goddess; that tells me everything I need to know about him. But my question is, how did Xena end up with Kaden as her mate? I get that the twin sisters have special powers but how did one of them end up mated to a demigod?

The thought spirals me into more questions, all unanswered. I force myself to

stop. To breathe. I need to focus on tomorrow. I'll talk to Raven then.

I'm just starting to drift when there's a knock on the door.

I already know who it is. Alec.

"Come in," I call softly, careful not to wake Aspen.

There's a brief pause, then the door creaks open and Alec steps inside. His scent kits my senses and his presence fills the entire room. His greeneyes pin me to my spot and pull me under a spell that I can't undo.

My breath catches for a minute. Goddess, it's so cliché, but it's like the whole room shifts. My heart skips-no, stumbles and suddenly it's just him. Only him.

Everything else blurs out. My whole

focus is centered on him and everything else just disappears. I

know I was in love with him, but

damn it, I don't think things were this

bad. It wasn't this intense. Maybe

the mate bond just intensifies things?