Breathing—that was the one thing I could control, the one thing I knew wouldn’t get me killed when I returned to that hell of a place.
Still, every breath I pulled in felt tighter, like my ribs were closing around my heart, like I was preparing myself to walk into a battlefield with no armor left.
For some reason, even knowing Jacob was helping, even knowing my mother was fighting for me, it didn’t stop the crushing anxiety that swirled inside my chest.
Before I could fully spiral into my fear, Jacob’s voice broke through, steady and low, grounding me.
“My team will be there to take care of you instead of Aria,” he said, leaning closer, his hazel eyes soft but firm. “I’m switching the teams, and all you have to do is trust my team, alright?”
I nodded slowly, my muscles unclenching jus
