CHARLES POV
The manor had consistently been silent at night ...too silent and not in a serene way, but rather the type that murmured secrets hidden away and betrayal thickened like the blood in our veins.
I remained in the study, the glow of the fire creating shadows on the smooth wood paneling and the half-full glass I held. Bourbon. Matured and polished. However, this evening, it felt like ashes.
Leena's name had started to resonate in circles I didn't foresee. Individuals were inquiring. Not from worry about her, but rather due to the ripple effect her downfall had caused. Zack’s carelessness had stripped away the initial layer of decay. Now the rest of us were rushing to mask the odor.
I was aware that Ethan had returned. The wayward wolf-king holding secrets that could engulf a
