He stared down at the desk for a long moment before continuing.
"She's always acted like being with me was just another duty she had to carry out."
His fingers tapped slowly against the wood.
"Winter after winter, it started getting worse."
His jaw tightened slightly. "It even began affecting the way I handled pack matters."
He leaned back in his chair and looked away.
"Now she acts like sharing my bed is some exhausting chore."
Silence settled heavily inside the chamber.
Brandon stayed still.
All these winters, neither he nor Elara had noticed anything wrong. The High Luna always carried herself perfectly, calm and composed, while the King smiled easily whenever they were around.
From the outside, they looked like the perfect bonded pair.
"She stays longer at her duties now," the King muttered.
His mouth flattened into a thin line.
"She'll spend hours wandering through the market aisles for no reason at all, just to avoid coming back to our chamber."
