Lyra's POV
My knuckles rapped against the wooden table surface again, the sharp sound cutting through the quiet room. Alaric's dark eyes lifted from the stack of documents spread before him, one brow arching in mild irritation.
Heat crept up my neck as I pulled my hands into my lap. "Sorry."
"Perhaps you should head upstairs," he offered, his tone gentler than his expression. "Get some rest. Maybe a hot shower would help."
A weak smile tugged at my lips as I pushed back from the table. My feet felt heavy as I climbed the staircase, each step echoing my restless energy. Once inside my bedroom, I collapsed onto the mattress with the same dramatic flair I'd used hours before.
My mind kept circling back to what had happened earlier. After my second episode, Xander had shifted without warning and disappeared into the woods. The memory twisted something uncomfortable in my stomach. What was it about our bond that made him pull away every time we got close?
