“This is the royal office,” the person said, their tone harried and breathless.
I felt a cold stab of confusion, my grip tightening on the phone. “Who the hell is this?” I barked, frustration mounting.
More noise, a clatter, the sound of someone fumbling. My patience, my composure, frayed at the edges, and I struggled to maintain control. The need to know, to understand, roared inside me.
Then, I heard my father’s voice cutting through the chaos with unexpected clarity. “Darren,” he said, the sound of it both a relief and a new kind of dread.
“Dad?,” my voice was sharp and I could feel the fear overwhelming me. My mate didn’t answer, and now I knew something was wrong. “Where’s Allissa? Why isn’t she answering?”
There was a pause, a hesitation that sent my thoughts spiraling into dark
