Chapter 162
The room remained silent after Ryder's warning, and Ariana felt the tension inside the house tighten so heavily that even breathing suddenly felt difficult. Kael stood beside her without moving, but she noticed the change in him immediately. The pressure beneath his control had sharpened again, not unstable yet, but alert in a way that made the atmosphere feel heavier around everyone in the room.
"You never mentioned Mira had a brother," Ariana said quietly.
Ryder glanced toward Kael before answering. "Most wolves don't talk about him."
Ariana frowned slightly. "Why not?"
"Because he left the territories years ago," Ryder explained carefully. "Some people think he abandoned the witch clans. Others think he refused to involve himself with the council."
Kael's expression darkened slightly. "I've heard the name before."
"But you never met him," Ariana said.
"No."
The answer made the situation feel stranger somehow.
