ALPHA XAVIER POV

The night stretched endlessly, its oppressive weight bearing down on me as sleep eluded my weary eyes. Tossing and turning in my bed, I found myself consumed by a relentless cycle of thoughts and questions, each one more perplexing than the last. What had transpired to evoke such palpable anger from Isabel, my mate? Where had I faltered in my actions, or worse yet, in my understanding of her needs and desires?

With the first hints of dawn on the horizon, I conceded defeat in my battle against insomnia, rising from my bed with a heavy heart and a troubled mind. As I dressed in the dim...