LEANDER’S POV
By the time we reached Jeff’s house, my mind was already spinning in a thousand different directions, and none of them led to anywhere good. The porch light was on and the small yard was quiet except for the faint creak of the old swing on the side. Jace stayed close behind me as I knocked once, and then twice, before Jeff’s mate opened the door.
She looked tired and stressed, with dark circles under her eyes, and her hair pulled back in a messy knot, but she managed a soft smile when she saw me.
“Leander, thank you for coming,” she said, her voice low and tired. She stepped aside to let me and Jace in.
“Of course,” I said, but somehow my chest felt tight with a guilt I didn’t fully understand yet.
Inside, the living room lights were dim. Jeff sat hunched on the couch wi
