Luna Catherine sat quietly in the living room, her eyes fixed on the flickering fireplace, when Alpha Jackson returned home—very late into the night.
His arrival without a word or a call was unlike him, and her silence spoke louder than any scolding could.
Jackson paused at the doorway. He immediately felt the cold wall of her disappointment, and he wasn't about to pretend he didn't understand why.
Without a word, he walked toward her, then slowly lowered himself onto one knee in front of her. His expression was calm, yet filled with quiet remorse.
"Catherine," he said softly, "I know I was gone too long. I left without telling anyone—not even you. And I'm sorry. But I had to. It was for everyone's good."
He reached out and gently held both of her hands.
She met his gaze, her voice stern and laced with hurt. "What do you mean it was for the good of everyone?"
