Charles' POV:

On the way back to the packhouse, I replayed every moment of my encounter with Selena. Despite everything, she still felt connected to me. The gentle way she had nudged her nose against my fur—it was almost like a dream.

In that instant, I realized that I couldn’t give her up. I loved her, I missed her, and I wanted her back in my life. Thoughts of reconciliation flooded my mind, but I forced myself to hold them back.

Our relationship had never been built on a stable foundation; it was a transactional arrangement from the beginning. Even without the complications with Penelope, it might have still ended...