Chapter 179

Sylvia's POV I sat on the weathered bench overlooking the gray Atlantic, the rhythmic crash of waves against the shore matching my tumultuous thoughts. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the sand as I tipped back my second beer, welcoming the bitter burn down my throat. I stared at my phone's blank screen for the hundredth time. Nothing. The salt air filled my lungs as I exhaled deeply. What did I expect? That she would realize her mistake and call, begging me to return? That Selene's manipulation would suddenly become crystal clear to her after all these years? "Idiot," I muttered to myself, taking another long swig. Three years I'd spent making myself smaller, suppressing my Alpha nature to fit into someone else's expectations. Never again. The beer in my hand couldn't wash away the bitter taste of that memory, but at least the alcohol took the edge off my pain. Frost whined inside me, wanting to break free, to run along the shoreline until exhaustion claimed us both. My