The silence in the packhouse was suffocating as we returned, every step echoing in the grand halls. Brenda and I exchanged nervous glances, Calix’s soft breaths the only sound as he slept in my arms. Daemon had saved us. He had come like a storm, relentless and furious, but now… there was something even more terrifying in the stillness. I could feel the tension vibrating in the air, thick like a noose tightening around my neck.
Once inside, Daemon’s icy gaze flickered across the room. The pack warriors stood ready, waiting for orders. My heart thudded painfully in my chest. I braced myself, knowing I would be punished for what I did—for running, for taking Calix, for risking everything.
“Leave us,” Daemon commanded, his voice low but filled with an authority that brooked no argument. Hi
