Nicole’s POV
The door shut behind Nathan with a heavy thud, leaving me alone in the dim room. My chest felt tight, and my hands trembled as I sat on the edge of the bed. The faint morning light filtered through the curtains, doing little to chase away the shadows in my mind. I clutched the blanket in my lap. My thoughts were all over the place as I imagined how everything could go wrong.
What if Nathan could not protect me? What if the council believed Jake’s lies? My heart twisted painfully. I had told Nathan the truth—I had not killed Alexandra. But would that be enough?
The soft, golden light of dawn spread across the walls, and my gaze drifted to the window. The thought of my children—Danny, Mia, and Amy—hit me like a tidal wave. I pictured their tiny faces, full of joy and innocen
