Chapter 43

Ryan’s POV

I felt relieved, honestly relieved, when Sophie’s dad didn’t take it angrily and instead accepted it with respect, because for a second I was certain it was going to end badly, but it didn’t, and I was thankful for that.

But even as the table went back to its calmness, my mind wasn’t on him, it was on Anna, because under the table when I held her hand, I felt it, her skin was hot, so terribly hot, and it made my chest tighten in fear. She smiled at me, but it was forced, I could see it quite clearly, she was struggling to even lift her fork and put food in her mouth, as if she was forcing herself to act fine, but I knew something was wrong, something was very wrong, and I couldn’t ask her there in front of everyone, so I just squeezed her hand tighter and rubbed her thigh, hoping she would know I was here, hoping she would know I could see it.

As soon as Alpha King George and Sophie left, Mom turned quickly to Anna, her face already written with w