Chapter 34

Alpha Noah's POV...

On the morning of my wolf mating ceremony with Kylie, I woke at the first crack of dawn. My room was bathed in soft shades of orange. The world outside was cheerful and bright, as though mocking the turmoil I felt inside.

I hadn't had enough good sleep. Goddess, my dreams had been punctuated by thoughts after thoughts of Astra.

I groaned and sat up, then turned to find Kylie still asleep beside me, her features peaceful in slumber. As I gazed at her, a mixture of emotions churned within me. The day had arrived—one that was supposed to mark a new beginning for both of us. Yet, my heart remained haunted by the ghost of another woman.

Astra, the woman I had banished, still lingered in my thoughts. I squeezed my eyes shut, then pulled it away from her sleeping form almost painfully. The accusations that had driven Astra and I apart felt like a betrayal of our bond, a chain that tugged at my heart with every beat. I knew this union with Kylie was necessary, that the pac