Back in the small wooden cabin where Roselyn had been staying, the soft rustle of the forest filled the silence between her and Elaine. The fading afternoon light spilled through the window, painting the walls in a warm amber glow. The air was calm, but there was a tension beneath it—a quiet heaviness that seemed to cling to the air ever since Darius had returned from his meeting with Alpha Michael and Council Lucius.
Elaine looked up from where she is sitting the sound of the door opening drew her attention, and when she saw Darius step in, she immediately noticed the tightness around his jaw and the way his shoulders were set. He closed the door behind him and exhaled slowly, as though shedding the weight of everything he had just faced.
“What happened?” Elaine asked gently, searching
