"Better than I expected," I admitted. "Still processing everything, but... there's a strength in him that the Northern Alliance couldn't break."
"Blackthorne blood," Alpha Maxwell said with approval. "Your family was always known for its resilience."
I accepted a cup of coffee from Liam with a grateful smile. "He's agreed to join us this afternoon when we visit the rescued children, though he's unsure about revealing himself to them immediately."
"Understandable," Kane nodded. "He doesn't want to trigger any negative associations they might have with the facility."
Breakfast conversation flowed around me—updates on pack security, reports from allied packs, news about Helena's continued refusal to cooperate with questioning. I listened with half an ear, my mind still on my brother and t
