_Author’s POV_
Calden’s gaze followed Zarelle as she drove away, a complex mix of emotions flickering across his eyes—regret, confusion, longing, and something else he couldn’t quite name.
Just as he was about to approach Thessaly, still trapped in her overturned vehicle, his phone startled him with its sudden ring.
The shrill tone cut through his thoughts like a knife.
It was Aldrin calling.
“What’s the matter?” Calden answered tersely, concerned that something had gone wrong with the company while he was away.
He couldn’t afford another crisis, not today.
“Alpha, I just received an email from Miss Feymere’s assistant. I believe you should take a look,” Aldrin explained, seated next to the computer as he forwarded the email to Calden.
His voice carried an unusual
