Gino’s POV
My phone buzzed against my thigh, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. It was a message from Harriet, a simple question that carried the weight of our unspoken bond.
“Harriet:Hey, everything okay? You were gone longer than expected. Whats going on?”
I stared at the screen, recalling the way she looked at me—full of trust, love, and a slight hint of worry. My resolve crumbled. The irony of the situation nearly choked me. I had wanted to protect her; I had built walls around us to keep her safe, and now they felt like prison bars. She deserved honesty, the kind that grew in the light rather than thrived in shadow.
Aurora should have stayed away, she should never have come to find me or Harriet. If this so called mate of Harriet’s thought that he was going to take her from
