Esme's POV
Cole calling Nolan’s name changed everything in the room. The tone was calm, but it held a weight that made even the walls feel tight. I felt Nolan’s rage drop for a second, like he had been hit with something he never expected.
“Nolan,**” Cole said again, clearer this time. “Let her go.”
The words were simple but they held the kind of strength Nolan never liked to hear from anyone, especially from Cole. People looked at Nolan to see what he would do. His jaw locked. He looked at me, then at Cole, then back at me again.
Nolan was an Alpha. He wasn’t used to people giving him orders. He wasn’t used to anyone telling him what to do, especially not his own Beta. Cole rarely gave commands anyway. He was the type who acted without speaking. But when he did speak, his words hit w
