Chapter 16: Unspoken Truths

Unspoken Truths

Alexander took another step forward, his golden eyes gleaming with something raw and untamed. The room felt smaller, the air charged with something dangerous—something inevitable.

Aria swallowed, the weight of his gaze igniting every nerve in her body. She should have looked away, should have stepped back, but she didn't.

She couldn't.

The distance between them vanished in a heartbeat.

Before she could even take another breath, Alexander was in front of her, his large frame towering over hers. His scent—smoke, cedar, and something undeniably him—wrapped around her like a trap. A warning.

And yet, she didn't run.

She lifted her chin, refusing to be intimidated. "You left," she murmured, her voice softer than she intended.

His jaw tensed. "I had to."

"Why?"

Silence stretched between them, heavy and unspoken.