Chapter 40. The Monster Within.

Alpha king keiran.

The chamber was plunged into an oppressive silence as Evelyn, her footsteps nearly soundless, exited. The aftermath of her visit lingered in the air—a bittersweet fragrance that clung to my senses, haunting me. There was no denying the effect she had on me, even as the remnants of her presence dissolved into nothingness.

I sat on one of the many chairs in the chamber, chugging down the bottle of wine I had in my hand, feeling the potent liquid burn down my throat as it made it's way down to my stomach, in line with the fire raging within me. My chest felt tight, my mind consumed by guilt and self-loathing for the way I'd treated her. Evelyn deserved more, deserved better than my rough demands and insatiable desires.

As her soft sobs echoed in my memory, I cursed myself for hurting her, for driving her to tears. I was the alpha king, feared and respected, but in my dealings with her, I had become a monster, a creature that my father had turned me into, a position I s