Liam’s POV
The parlor was dim, bathed in the last rays of the setting sun. Shadows stretched across the walls, mirroring the weight that hung in the air. I stood tall, my presence commanding as always, but tonight, the responsibility settled heavier than usual.
James sat across from me, his posture tense yet attentive. As my beta, he was steadfast, but I could sense the strain behind his sharp eyes. Outside the parlor, the faint sound of Juliet’s subdued sniffles carried through the hall, a haunting echo of the fractures within their family.
I wasn’t blind to the turmoil. Juliet's tears weren’t just for Hannah’s absence they were the culmination of pride, guilt, and years of emotional distance. It was maddening. How could they not see what I did?
Hannah hadn’t run because she was
