Kael's POV.
I slammed the bedroom door behind me, my breath catching in my throat, my heart pounding like a drum.
The image of Aria's wrists, red and bruised from my grip, burned in my mind, her scream echoing in my ears. I'd hurt her, my Luna, my mate, and I hated myself for it.
I knew she was Aria, not Celeste, hiding her true name, and I was playing along, waiting for her to trust me with the truth.
She didn't know I knew, and now I'd scared her, pinned her to the bed, my claws digging into her skin.
My chest ached, guilt and fear twisting like a knife. I didn't know why it happened, why I froze, why I saw something so terrifying. I needed air, space, anything to clear my head.
I ran to the fields behind the packhouse, my boots pounding the dirt, the cool evening air hitting my face.