RONAN’S POV
I found Mother in her private chamber, the one she rarely allowed anyone to enter. The door stood ajar which to me was already a warning sign. Mother never left doors open.
"Mother?" I called, pushing the door wider.
The scene inside froze me. Blood speckled the hardwood floor. Ash dusted the surfaces like dirty snow. And Mother—always composed, always controlling—paced the room like a trapped animal. Her usual mask had cracked, revealing raw panic underneath.
Her head snapped up. "Ronan."
"What happened?" I stepped inside, closing the door behind me. The air felt wrong. It was charged and thick with the metallic scent of blood and something else. Something primal that made my wolf stir restlessly beneath my skin.
"She's gone." Mother's voice cracked. "Riona is gone."
"
