Malakar's POV.
I find Lucian beneath the canopy of twisted oaks, the moonlight breaking through the leaves in jagged shards. Lucian's pacing stops the moment he senses me, but he doesn't look up. His shoulders are rigid, fists clenched at his sides.
"Lucian." I call out quietly. He doesn't respond.
I approach him slowly, cautiously, like one might approach a wounded animal. "You stormed off after the meeting. Everyone noticed."
"I needed air." Lucian says flatly, still avoiding my gaze.
"You don't look like a man who just needs air. You look like a man carrying a secret that's breaking him in two."
Lucian turns away, jaw tight. "Let it go, Malakar."
"I can't. Not when something is clearly wrong. If it's about the pack... about their safety. I need to know."
Lucian lets out a low, h
