The ride back to Sage’s place was quiet—too quiet. Tyler rode ahead of them on his bike, helmet hiding his face, but his posture was all sharp lines and tension. He didn’t look back once. Alaric’s car followed behind in the mirror, a steady, dark presence. I stared straight ahead, pretending I didn’t keep glancing between the two of them like some part of me needed reassurance that they were both still there.
By the time we pulled into Sage’s driveway, my nerves were frayed. My chest felt tight, like I’d been holding my breath all day and still couldn’t exhale.
We gathered around the coffee table in Sage’s living room, a pizza box open between us. I picked at the crust of a slice I wasn’t going to eat. No one said a word. The smell of grease turned my stomach.
Alaric broke the silence f
