A Warrior's Second Chance (Faye and Alexander) novel Chapter 545

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<Chapter 542

Chapter 542

JASON

By the time I left my father–in–law’s quarters, I felt… lighter.

Not because any of my problems had been solved.

They hadn’t.

The missing shipments were still missing.

The warehouse was still in ruins.

The investigation had only grown more complicated after the discovery of the murdered guard.

Nothing had changed.

And yet…

Something inside me had.

Perhaps I had simply needed someone to remind me that I didn’t have to solve everything all at once.

His advice had been simple.

Focus on one thread.

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If everything truly stemmed from the same source, unraveling one mystery would eventually unravel the

rest.

The thought gave me something I hadn’t had all day.

Direction.

Normally, at this hour, I would have returned to my chambers.

Instead…

I slowed to a stop at the intersection leading toward the residential wing.

I stared down the corridor for several long seconds.

That was where my chambers were.

Where Sage would almost certainly be.

The thought alone made my shoulders feel heavier.

I sighed quietly.

No.

Not tonight.

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<Chapter 542

Iwasn’t angry anymore.

That was the strange part.

The anger had faded hours ago.

What remained was something far more difficult to explain.

Distance.

The argument we’d had earlier kept replaying itself in my head.

Not because I wanted to relive it.

Because I couldn’t stop hearing my own words.

I need my mate.

I had finally admitted something I had buried for years.

Only to have it dismissed before I had even finished saying it.

The conversation had ended.

She had apologized.

I had accepted it.

And somehow…

Everything between us felt even colder than before.

For the first time since our marriage…

The idea of returning to the same room with her felt exhausting.

I didn’t want another conversation.

I didn’t want another apology.

I didn’t even want another argument.

I simply…

Didn’t want to be there.

I turned away from the corridor leading to my chambers.

Instead, my feet carried me back toward the administrative wing.

The familiar route to my office felt almost automatic.

Within minutes, I unlocked the door and stepped inside.

The room was exactly as I had left it.

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<Chapter 542

Reports still covered the desk.

Maps remained spread across one corner.

The lamp continued to cast a warm glow over the office.

I closed the door behind me.

Silence greeted me.

I walked over to the window and rested both hands against the frame.

Outside, darkness had settled completely over Silver Hollow.

Torches burned throughout the compound.

Night patrols had already begun changing shifts.

Everything looked peaceful.

Orderly.

If only appearances reflected reality.

I closed my eyes briefly.

The conversation with my father–in–law had eased my mind.

But it hadn’t eased the tension that had been building inside me since morning.

Every muscle in my body still felt tight.

My thoughts refused to slow down.

I needed…

Something.

Someone.

Not another council member.

Not another investigator.

Not another report.

Just…

Company.

Someone who expected nothing from me beyond my presence.

I opened my eyes again.

Almost without thinking, my hand slipped into my pocket and retrieved my phone.

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I stared at the screen for several moments.

One name eventually caught my attention.

Alice.

I hadn’t called her in quite some time.

Not because she had done anything wrong.

Quite the opposite.

The distance had been intentional.

Sage had made her feelings about Alice abundantly clear.

Every time her name came up, another argument seemed inevitable.

Eventually…

I’d simply stopped calling.

It had been easier than dealing with another confrontation.

Tonight, however…

I found myself caring very little about another potential argument.

I wasn’t thinking about Sage.

In truth…

I didn’t want to think about her at all.

Without allowing myself another moment to reconsider, I pressed the call button.

The phone rang only twice before she answered.

“Hello, Alpha,” Alice said.

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