Alpha's Regret: Losing His True Mate

Elodie’s POV

Then I heard his voice, that deep Alpha timbre that used to make my pulse quicken, but makes my chest tighten so much now.

“Have you eaten yet?”

“Not yet, but Mommy’s almost done cooking!” Liora’s voice carried from the living room, bright with excitement.

“Really? Is that so?”

I stood in the kitchen, gripping the edge of the counter so hard my knuckles went white.

The mate bond, so thin and frayed as it was, pulsed weakly in my chest. Even after everything, my wolf still recognized him. Still wanted to go to him.

I shoved that instinct down and forced myself to walk out with the serving platter. I would never do that again. I was never going anywhere near Dante.

When I entered the dining room, Dante was coming in from the foyer with Liora practically bouncing beside him. He’d loosened his tie, and even exhausted from travel, he carried himself with that effortless authority that came with being Alpha of one of the most powerful Packs in the country.

“Mommy! Look, Daddy came home early!” Liora beamed.

I let my gaze flick toward him for barely a second before looking away. “I can see that.”

My voice came out flat, and cold I felt my wolf whimper at the coldness. Good. Slowly, we were detaching. The earlier the better.