The storm raged outside, turning the Citadel into a cold, steel fortress, a lifeless shell against the fury of the elements. Inside, however, the air was thick with tension as Camilla stood alongside Aiden, their gazes locked on the battlefield map. It had only been hours since the operation had begun, but already the weight of what they had committed to was sinking in.
Aiden was different tonight—his usual control cracked under the pressure, his movements tighter, his breathing more labored. Camilla could sense it even as she administered the final doses of the stabilizer serum to the soldiers. She hadn't missed the subtle tremor in his hands, the flickers of exhaustion behind his otherwise unyielding eyes. Despite his Alpha strength, despite his unbreakable will, he was beginning to sho
