The day of my trial arrived quickly, a looming specter of uncertainty and dread. I stood before the mirror in my small, dressed elegantly in a midnight-blue gown that clung to my form like a second skin. The dress was a choice made with purpose - to defy the accusations thrust upon me and to showcase my confidence in the face of adversity.
Beside me, the person I had grown closer to with each p*ssing day, Xander, watched in silence. His brooding eyes, a stormy gray that mirrored the turmoil of his wolf, held a hint of surprise as they roamed over my figure. His presence was a balm to my frayed nerves, but there was no time to linger in the embrace of our budding emotions.
"Grace," he whispered my name, a promise and a plea in one, his voice low and soothing.
I turned to face him, aware
