Thalia
Dinner the following evening was much calmer. The tension from the night before had eased, thanks in large part to Ryker. The Beta kept the conversation moving, filling the silence before it had a chance to settle.
Vivienne was still herself, wearing her usual look of quiet displeasure, but for once, she kept whatever was on her mind to herself. Hailey, on the other hand, barely spoke at all. She sat quietly, watching everyone from the sidelines.
Every now and then, our eyes would meet, but she'd always look away first. I couldn't shake the feeling that she still thought I was upset with her. I wanted to tell her I wasn't—that I'd never blamed her—but with the distance between us, I couldn't find the chance.
Ryker leaned back in his chair, a playful glint lighting up his eyes. "
