*Aria*
I pace the living room, trying to tell myself that everything will go well. The ticking clock on the wall feels deafening, each second stretching into eternity as I wait for news from Ryder and Theo. My mind races with thoughts, each one more anxious than the last. What if they’re walking into a trap? What if Viktor has anticipated their move? The ‘what-ifs’ swirl around me like a storm, but deep down, I know they have to take that chance.
Sawyer is sprawled on the floor, focused intently on a game of cards with Rayne Riley is talking to Elliot. I glance over at them, seeing the laughter and the playful banter, and it sends a pang of guilt through me. How can I protect my children when the very threat has its sights set on us? Every moment I watch them smile feels like a fleeting
