Dawn broke over Aria's estate, her grand manor house, normally known for its peace and power, now felt like a fortress under siege, not by external enemies, but by the tension that was building up due to truths that were once hidden getting revealed.
In the main sitting room, Betty curled on a couch, wrapped in blankets even though the morning was warm, her small body still trembling occasionally, the aftershocks that came from her unexpected first shift. The doctor had assured Aria that physically, her daughter was fine, in fact she was better than normal. A transformation at her age should have been impossible, yet she had managed it without any side effects.
But the emotional wounds left on everyone were another matter entirely. Betty's eyes kept their gaze at the tall man who hadn'
