In the days that followed, Asher's visits to Kaia became a routine. Each afternoon, he would arrive at the sage-walled house, clutching a different sweet treat for his newfound aunt. Kaia would sit quietly in the garden, her eyes filled with a mixture of pain and happiness, while Asher played around her, his mischievous antics a welcome distraction.
Kaia watched the young pup with a heart that ached yet felt a flicker of warmth. She couldn’t believe that her brother had a son so big and full of life. When Azriel had told her a few weeks back that he had found his second chance mate, she had dismissed it as a ruse to coax her out of her isolation. The word "mate" itself was enough to send shivers of agony through her, the memories of her rejection still raw and bleeding within her.
The ni
