Chapter 36
Sleep was a joke.
I'd been staring at my ceiling for three hours, replaying Mason's confrontation with Eliza over and over. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw that torn document and heard Eliza's warning about inter-pack conflict.
Mason had chosen me over peace. The weight of that decision pressed down on my chest like a boulder.
Finally, I gave up on sleep and slipped out of my room. The compound's corridors looked entirely different at night—more mysterious, more ancient. Shadows seemed to whisper secrets in languages I didn't understand.
I found myself drawn to the central courtyard, needing fresh air and space to think. But I wasn't alone.
Mason stood in the middle of the courtyard, his back to me as he stared up at the star-filled sky. His posture was tense, his shoul
