Before Ruby could even process her last thought, the van slowed, then rolled to a stop before a breathtaking structure, a vast, modern building of glass and stone that gleamed under the soft morning light. The main house was nothing like the primitive fortress she had imagined; it was elegant, imposing, and alive with quiet purpose.
The door opened, and she immediately noticed the small crowd waiting. They weren’t bystanders, they were his people, his trusted circle. The air shifted as Ethan stepped out first, the weight of his authority rippling through the group like an invisible command. Heads bowed slightly, some with open reverence, others with quiet discipline.
Jason, Ethan's Beta, approached first, his expression a mix of relief and steel, his stance that of a man still on edge af
