96: The elderly maid

Aurora’s POV

With a heavy sigh, I turned on my heel, my steps carrying me away from the lingering presence of Alpha Caden. The weight of his scrutiny still hung in the air, a constant reminder of the unresolved tension that simmered between us. As I made my way back to the solitude of my room, a sense of unease gnawed at the edges of my consciousness.

Avoidance had become my default strategy in recent days—a desperate attempt to sidestep the inevitable confrontations that seemed to lurk around every corner. Alpha Caden's imposing presence only served to amplify my sense of discomfort, each encounter leaving me feeling more exposed and vulnerable than the last.

Retreating to the confines of my room offered a fleeting respite from the relentless pressure of pack politics and personal turmoil. Here, in the quiet solitude of my own space, I could briefly escape the weight of expectations and obligations that seemed to loom over me at every turn.

Yet even as I sought refuge in the familia