“Jaxen, you… you can’t be serious,” I managed, voice soft, almost teasing, the way I’d always tried to soften him when he got like this. A little pout, a hint of that old playfulness.
“You’re gonna hurt my feelings with jokes like that.”
He didn’t even blink. Just arched a brow, irritation flashing in those sharp eyes.
“You deaf now? Or just stupid?”
My heart slammed against my ribs, painful, like someone had reached in and squeezed.
The room spun for a second.
I didn’t dare look around, but I felt every stare burning into my skin.
No one spoke up.
No one ever did when Alpha Hale drew the line.
I forced a dry laugh that scraped my throat raw, blinking back the sting behind my eyes.
My wolf paced restlessly, claws scraping at the edges of my mind, tail lashing with frustrat
