I straighten my spine, trying to project confidence even as dread coils tight in my chest. “Yes, Beta.”
Denver’s brows knit together. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah,” I lie smoothly. “Just a quick check-in.”
He doesn’t look convinced, but he lets it go. I turn to follow Jace, my boots crunching softly over the forest floor as the air grows heavier between us.
We walk in silence at first, the camp coming into view beyond the trees. The enforcer cabins, training fields, and the main lodge stand in neat formation, smoke curling lazily from chimneys. Everything looks so normal, so peaceful.
If only I felt the same.
“So,” Jace says suddenly, his tone deceptively casual. “You and Denver.”
I grit my teeth. “What about us?”
He glances sideways at me, one eyebrow raised. “You’re close.”
“We’ve t
