Ariana’s POV
I did not sleep well that night, even though my decision had felt clear when I made it.
Leaving the royal pack had seemed like the only way to fix what I had been avoiding. I wanted to go to Silvercrest, stand in front of Adrian, Leah, and Ethan, and finally tell them everything without holding anything back. The thought stayed with me into the morning, steady but heavy, like something I could no longer ignore.
I dressed quickly, already thinking about how I would speak to my father. I had planned it in the simplest way I could manage. I would tell him I needed to leave for a few days, explain that it was something personal, and return before anything important required my presence.
It sounded reasonable in my head, but something about it still felt uncertain.
As I approa
