The silence that follows is deafening. Tessa exchanges a glance with Ben, then looks to Clinton, who nods once.
“I didn’t want to believe it,” she finally admits. “But with your bond acting up… and if what she says is true…”
“It’s worth investigating,” Ben finishes.
“And who has the most to gain from Hope being gone?” I ask. “The same people who killed the King. The Nightshade Pack.”
Tessa’s expression hardens. “You think they took her?”
“If she’s alive, yes. If not… then they were still involved somehow. This whole thing feels like a setup.”
Ben steps forward, pulling a worn map from the shelf and spreading it across the table. “They’ve been quiet. Too quiet. If they’re planning something again, we can’t let them get ahead of us.”
“Then we go,” Tessa says. “Together. We pay Nightsh
