Drake's POV:
Leila had been acting off for days before Raphael's arrival. She was distant, almost jittery, and I couldn't shake the feeling that she was hiding something again. It wasn't just the secrecy anymore—it was her entire demeanor. She tried different things to avoid my questions, like suddenly donning wigs, claiming she was going for a new look. But I knew her well enough by now to sense when she was nervous. And this wasn't about fashion.
Whenever I mentioned her strange behavior, she brushed it off, smiling sweetly and telling me not to worry. But the mate bond between us had a way of betraying her. I could feel the tension rolling off her, the anxiety bubbling beneath the surface. And the closer it got to Raphael's arrival, the worse it became.