Chapter 71

Caden Why the fuck was she so temperamental?! The moment she walked away, I felt the ache deep in my chest, a pull so strong it nearly dragged me after her. My wolf stirred restlessly, growling low, urging me to chase her, to make her stay. But I stayed rooted to the spot, staring at the space she left behind, pretending like I wasn’t considering following her out. I clenched my fists and forced myself to move to do anything but look as pathetic as I felt. Heading back to our table, I grabbed the nearest glass of wine and downed it in one go, ignoring the burn as it slid down my throat. It wasn’t enough to dull the need to claw at my insides, but it was a start. Just as I slammed the empty glass back on the table, Ronan and Joan returned, flanked by Ethan and Emily. They were all laughing, the warmth of their shared joy starkly contrasting with the cold storm brewing inside me. Ronan’s sharp gaze landed on me almost immediately, his brow furrowing slightly. “Where’s Lila?” he asked, hi