POV ESMERAY
The clock on the wall of Ruan's room ticked with a rhythmic cruelty, marking the seconds until my old life officially became a memory. I had packed the small bag as he'd ordered"mostly simple clothes, a few medical supplies I'd scavenged from the clubhouse's stash, and the heavy black t-shirt with the Steel Phantoms emblem that I was currently wearing. It felt like a shroud, a constant reminder that I was no longer Esmeray Fenlon, the nurse with a quiet life and a clear conscience. I was something else now. I was a shadow trailing behind a king.
At exactly midnight, the lock turned. Ruan stepped inside, his presence immediately making the room feel too small. He was fully geared up now: heavy boots, dark jeans, and his leather vest back in place over a black hoodie. He
