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The scent of smoke reached Aria before the heat did. It slid into her lungs like an uninvited guest, clinging to her senses, turning her pulse erratic. Somewhere beyond the Blackthorn Manor’s sprawling courtyard, the night blazed.
She didn’t need to see it to know this wasn’t an accident. Wolves didn’t set fire to their own lands.
“Stay inside,” Kael growled over his shoulder, already shrugging off his suit jacket. His voice was a command—Alpha authority lacing every syllable. The glow from the windows caught in his irises, turning them molten gold.
Aria’s fingers curled into the silk of her dress. “And what? Pretend nothing’s happening? That’s not how I—”
“You’ll do as I say,” he cut in, voice like steel.
But she was already moving. Past the dining hall, down the corridor, towar
