Chapter 44

I didn't think I'd see Alec again so quickly, especially not in this location. With the trial only hours away, my thoughts were racing with uncertainties, fear, and unanswered concerns. I had been standing by myself, attempting to regain my strength for the future while taking in the chilly night air. But he was there when I turned.

I said, "Alec," barely audible above the gentle sound of leaves rustling. As I absorbed the familiar form in front of me, my pulse raced and my mind froze.

He had changed appearance. Not the Alec I had known in the past—the self-assured, cunning individual who had caused so much havoc in our lives. He glanced now. gentler in some way, as if the barriers he had erected around himself had temporarily fallen.

"Corrigan." His low, almost beseeching voice evoked feelings in me that I hadn't experienced in a while. "I needed to see you."