When Kael stepped in front of the gate, it felt like the whole world lost its shape. Nyra was just a few steps from freedom, but suddenly those steps stretched out forever. The gate behind Kael hung wide open, begging for escape, yet it seemed pointless now—like a fake door in a dream you’ll never reach.
The storm outside had faded. Inside the estate, everything was calm. Too calm.
Nyra’s breath came out in quick bursts. She fixed her stare on him.
Kael. The Lycan King. The man who’d once knelt for her, without hesitation. Now, he was the only thing between her and the one thing she wanted—leaving.
“Move,” she said, sharper this time. Her voice cracked, though she pretended not to notice.
Kael didn’t budge. He just watched her. That silence again—thick, analytical, as if her words wer
