[Emma's POV]
Dinner was a strained, surreal affair. The simple wooden table, which should have been a place for quiet intimacy, felt like a bargaining table in a tense ceasefire. Maddox dominated the space, his presence sucking all the air from the room. The girl, Tina, was a petite, sharp-eyed woman whose smile never quite reached her eyes.
She was, as Maddox had introduced her with a dismissive wave, an "event manager."
"Logistics for the upcoming Blackwood Run," Maddox explained, sawing into his steak. "Biggest bike race in the territory. Starts just a few miles from here." His gaze flicked to Jaxon. "You should enter. Remind the local packs that the Alpha's heir hasn't gone soft."
Jaxon’s jaw tightened, but his voice remained even. "We're here to rest, Maddox. Not to race."
Maddo
