Kael’s POV
I’m dumbstruck as I make my way to the packhouse. Ayla lied—not with words, but with that single shake of her head.
I watch her walk ahead of us. There’s a stillness in her, a kind of brittle grace, as if she’s balancing something fragile inside herself and daring anyone to notice.
She moves through the snow and cold as if she can will herself invisible, as if the world might pass through her if she keeps her eyes forward and her pace even.
Her shoulders are straight. Her steps are measured.
“She’s holding something in,” Fenrir hisses.
I can see it too. I can practically feel the tension radiating from her—a silent storm brewing just beneath her skin. I just don’t know how to get it out.
“Do you believe her?” Ryker mutters beside me, voice sharp.
“No,” I reply, keeping m
