I could not move.
I could not think.
All I could hear was the heavy sound of my own heartbeat, pounding in my ears like a drum.
Alpha Leon stood in front of the cave entrance, blocking the only way out. His shadow fell over me, long and dark, almost touching my feet.
But his face…
his face was not angry.
He looked calm. Too calm.
Like he had expected me to follow him.
Like he already knew I had seen everything.
My fingers shook at my sides.
I took a tiny step back, but my back hit the cold cave wall. There was nowhere to run. The air around us felt thick, warm, and heavy, like the cave itself was breathing with us.
“Alpha Leon…” I whispered, my voice weak.
He lifted his hand slowly, gently, the way someone would move around a frightened animal.
“Aria,” he said softly. “You don
