The rain began without warning.
It came in hard, silver sheets that pelted the roof of the Blackthorn mansion and hissed against the stone terraces. The storm’s arrival felt sudden, but Ariana welcomed it. The chaos in her chest needed an outlet, and the drumming rain masked the sound of her hurried footsteps as she slipped through the hallways.
Every corridor she passed felt heavier, as though the walls themselves were aware of her plan. The pack’s eyes had been everywhere today, curious and suspicious in equal measure. But Kael’s had been the worst. That constant, unshakable pull had shadowed her since their conversation on the balcony.
She had to get away—just for a little while. Away from his presence, away from the mate bond clawing deeper into her thoughts.
A side door near the k
