Aria's POV
Julian's explanation was so absurd I almost laughed out loud. I rested my chin in my hand and met his gaze, my voice dripping with cold sarcasm.
"Alpha Julian, is that honestly what you think?"
Julian shifted his weight, looking distinctly uncomfortable. The sour, sharp tang of his defensive pheromones spiked in the air, betraying his tight composure.
"At the end of the day, I'm still your Alpha, and you're still mine!" He insisted, his chin held high. "I can't just stand by and watch you parade around with another man! It's a slap in the face to my authority. Was I really wrong to call you out on it?"
If Julian had said something like this to me years ago, I might have been foolish enough to feel touched. I might have mistaken his bruised ego for genuine care.
But not a
