The truth settled into me like something heavy and unshakable. Elliot hadn't just interfered once—he had been there all along, shielding my father, strengthening our pack from the shadows for years. This wasn't a single act. It was a silent bond I had never seen.
"Please don't blame President Presgrave, Miss Tillman," Rey said, his voice steady but filled with restrained urgency. "He hasn't done anything wrong. He's been looking after your father all these years."
Each word pressed deeper, tightening around my chest. Rey had witnessed it all, which meant there was no doubt. Everything I believed about our rise, about our strength, cracked under the weight of that truth.
I couldn't respond.
Elliot said nothing at first. I could feel his gaze on me, heavy and unreadable, as if he wanted to speak but couldn't find the words.
Then, quietly, he said, "It's what I should have done."
That was it. No explanation. Just a simple statement that carried far too much weight.
