Chapter 45- Elizah's Unwanted Presence

At the moonshadow pack house

Rafael sat in the moonshadow pack's courtroom, the flickering flame of his lighter dancing on and off as he toyed with it compulsively. Davis, Celine and Elizah were seated in their respective seats, their presence a distant hum against the roaring urgency in his mind.

He had the intense urge to smoke right now, the need gnawing at him with every flick of his lighter. His nerves itched for the familiar comfort of a cigarette, but he knew he couldn't risk it—not with Polly arriving any moment. The thought of her seeing him indulge in such a bad habit made his chest tighten.

He wanted—needed—to appear flawless in her eyes, even if it meant suppressing his own cravings and flaws.