CALEB
I exchanged alarmed glances with Kalel, our twin-bond vibrating with shared tension. The familiar heat of his anger washed against my naturally cooler temperament—a contrast that had defined us since childhood. Rachel Santiago shouldn't have been anywhere near this meeting. Abjured wolves were forbidden from entering pack territories under ancient law, their scents marked as intruders to even the youngest cubs. Our border guards would have detected her immediately.
"How the hell did she get past the guards?" Kalel growled, already half-risen from his seat, golden-silver light flaring around his clenched fists. The energy circuit connecting us intensified with his emotion, making my own skin crackle with borrowed power.
Thorne's hand moved subtly toward the ceremonial dagger at her
