Jasper leaned back in his chair, the crackling from the fireplace the only noise in the room for now. For a long while, neither of us spoke. The words he had just confessed about Alpha Dawn erasing his childhood memory rang repeatedly in my head, pressing against my chest like a new burden I couldn't lift.
I stared at him, still trying to process everything. The quiet crackle of the fire was the only sound between us.
He sighed eventually, breaking the silence. "You know," he began softly, his eyes distant, "people think I'm fearless. Reckless even. They think I'm so bold for daring to face the Alpha. They think I act the way I do because I don't care. But the truth is…" He looked at me then, and his tone changed a lower one, more honest. "I'm scared of him, Bambi."
I blinked. "You're scared of Alpha Dawn?"
He gave a half-hearted smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I don't show it, but yes. Terrified, actually."
