Chapter 59

Knox's POV Sadness had been clinging to Aubrey like a shadow for days. Though she tried to hide it behind smiles and focused attention during training, I could sense the melancholy in her scent, saw it in the way her shoulders slumped when she thought no one was watching. Tonight was supposed to change that. I had transformed the rooftop garden into something magical—hundreds of tiny lights strung between the trees, creating a canopy of artificial stars. A comfortable nest of pillows and blankets waited beside a table set with her favorite foods. Caroline had helped arrange everything, teasing me about becoming a romantic. *Our mate needs this*, my wolf agreed, eager to see Aubrey smile again. *She carries too many burdens alone.* But when I went to find her, her scent led me away from the pack house and deep into the forest. Following her trail, I caught fragments of laughter on the night breeze—her laughter, mixed with a male voice I didn't immediately recognize. The scene I found ma