Caught off guard and unable to evade Zephyr’s direct command, Mateo reluctantly halted in his tracks, his muscles tense with apprehension. He glanced around nervously, searching for an escape route that would allow him to avoid the inevitable confrontation that now loomed before him.
Zephyr’s gaze bore into him with an intensity that made Mateo’s skin prickle with discomfort. There was no escaping the piercing scrutiny of those penetrating eyes, each glance a silent accusation that seemed to strip away the layers of Mateo’s carefully constructed facade.
“Zephyr,” Mateo began, his voice faltering slightly as he struggled to find the right words to explain his sudden retreat. But before he could utter another syllable, Zephyr raised a hand, his expression inscrutable as he cut off Mateo’s
