The room fell quiet, the air heavy with the scent of polished wood and burning incense. Outside, the sun was dipping below the treeline, casting long amber streaks across the floor. The light painted Darius’s face in gold and shadow, his expression unreadable as he gathered his thoughts.
Marcus and Evan waited in silence, while Blaine leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees — the posture of an Alpha who had spent decades listening before judging.
Darius finally spoke. His tone was calm, but beneath it was a restrained fury — cold and simmering.
“When we arrived at Silverblade, everything was… uneventful,” he began. “Their Alpha, Michael, was polite on the surface, but I could feel it — he and Kathy are dying to asked about Elaine.”
Evan’s brows furrowed. Marcus stilled. Blaine’
