Chapter Twenty-Four – The Weight of Regret
Jalen
The Pearl Pack’s Alpha office felt smaller these days, though nothing had changed. The walls seemed to close in, the steady pile of reports from border skirmishes and trade disputes growing taller by the hour. Jalen rubbed his temples, exhaustion burning behind his eyes.
Chelsea’s perfume still lingered in the air, cloying, heavy. She had left a storm of harsh words behind her—again.
They couldn’t hold a single conversation without it breaking into ash.
Every comment he made seemed to cut her. Every question of hers felt like a trap. Her hands rested possessively on her growing belly, her blue eyes sharp as daggers whenever she caught him staring off into memory.
Into Evandra.
“Stop thinking about her.” Chelsea had spat the words e
