Chapter 324

AURELIA’S POV I waited until the sound of dishes being cleared had faded from the hall. Derek sat across from me, quiet, his gaze lost somewhere between the rim of his cup and the thoughts that haunted him. My pulse hadn’t calmed since my first question, but I couldn’t stop now. I had to know more—about him, about Draven, about the web that somehow trapped me in between them. I leaned forward, folding my hands tightly to keep them from trembling. “I have my second question,” I said quietly. His eyes flicked up at once, sharp and wary, the golden hue in them deepening just slightly. “Go on.” I took a breath. “Your uncle—Alpha Draven. What happened between the two of you?” The question hit him like a physical blow. His expression shifted—not just surprise this time, but something far heavier. Pain. Regret. Anger. And underneath all of that, guilt. For a moment, I thought he wouldn’t answer. He leaned back, gaze lifting to the window where the sunlight barely touched the frost gathering a