Ethan’s POV
I told Ellie everything would be fine, but deep inside I wasn’t sure at all. Part of me wondered if the council would even bother to read my message, let alone send a reply. They didn’t exactly like me, and I couldn’t blame them. My past spoke for itself.
Still, this wasn’t just about me anymore. Somewhere along the line, Ellie had started to matter… maybe too much. I didn’t want her to get too close, not when the beast inside me had been getting harder to control. If I lost control around her, I didn’t know what I might do, and I couldn’t take that risk.
I also didn’t want to put her in a position where she’d have to choose between me, the omegas, or her pack. Those things meant everything to her, and I respected that.
When I stepped into the house, the warmth hit me first
