I felt the weight of the air shift as Axel stepped forward, his eyes cold and calculated. The once-familiar presence beside Ryker, the man who had sworn loyalty to him, now seemed like an alien force, unrecognizable. My heart hammered in my chest, the bond between Ryker and me pulsing with the intensity of the moment. I could feel Ryker's rage building, like a storm ready to break, but there was something else there too—hurt, confusion, betrayal.
“You’ve been working with them, haven’t you?” Ryker’s voice was low, dangerous. He was barely holding onto his control.
Axel’s lips twisted into something between a smile and a sneer. “You’re not as sharp as I thought, Ryker. But it doesn’t matter. I’ve made my choice.”
I could feel Ryker tense, the air around us thick with the tension of a tho
