STEPHEN
I watched Katherine step out of the car, her back rigid as she marched toward the palace stairs without a backward glance. I didn't try to stop her from walking away, but I signaled the guards to follow her immediately and ensure she went straight to her room. She tried to protest when they caught up to her at the entrance, throwing a sharp look over her shoulder that was meant to sting, but I wasn't in the mood for her games. I ignored her refusal and kept walking toward the command center, but then I stopped and looked at her one last time before she disappeared around the corner.
"You had better not plan on running away again, Katherine," I said, my voice cutting through the hall with enough weight to make her stiffen. "The next time you decide to take a midnight stroll, you
