I nodded, swallowing hard, trying to ground myself. Relief, fear, and grief swirled together in a strange, painful mix. My life was not mine anymore, not truly. But at least—at least my siblings would be safe. And somehow, in that impossible moment, I realized survival would have to be enough for me. At least, for now.
I swallowed, my throat tight, and forced myself to speak, even though my voice trembled.
“What… what will become of me? Where will I live? What am I supposed to do now? Am I… am I just going to stay here forever? I don’t have a job… a home. I need to earn money in order to survive.”
Alpha Varion studied me with that unrelenting, piercing gaze, pale blue eyes so sharp they felt like they could strip everything from me if he willed it. His face was calm, almost serene, but
