The fire crackled softly in Karl’s study, casting flickering shadows across the room. Lucy sat in the chair opposite him, feeling the weight of the past few days pressing down on her. Karl had barely spoken since they returned from the forest, his sharp blue eyes distant. She wanted answers, and for once, she wasn’t afraid to demand them.
“You’ve been avoiding me,” she said, breaking the silence.
Karl looked up, his gaze piercing. “I’ve been thinking.”
“About what? You drop these bombshells about my bloodline, warn me that half the pack might want me dead, and then just shut me out?” Her voice rose, frustration spilling over.
He leaned back, rubbing a hand over his face. “It’s not that simple, Lucy.”
“Nothing ever is with you, is it?” she shot back.
Karl’s lips twitched in what might
