Chapter 23

• Two years had passed since Noel lost his mate, Emily. It still felt surreal, like a dream from which he couldn't wake. Yet, he had learned to navigate through the grief, to live with the pain. What lingered, however, was a profound sense of regret.
• He regretted not cherishing every moment with her, causing her unnecessary pain, and making her shed tears in the days following their union. He regretted leaving her side that fateful morning. He regretted all the things he should have done for her but didn't. He regretted allowing them to hurt her. He should have banished them or set strict examples. They would have ceased their torment, and she would have been happy.
• She wouldn't have considered suicide if she were truly happy, right? But he didn't intervene. He believed her lies when she said she was okay.