Adele turned at the sound of the door opening, her body going still for a split second.
The tension left her just as quickly as it came when she saw who it was.
Her father stood at the doorway.
She let out a soft breath, one she hadn't realized she was holding.
Alpha Blackfen drew in a slow, measured inhale. His palm pressed flat against his chest, steadying everything unsettled within him. For a brief moment, he simply stood there, looking at her.
He didn't know why he had expected otherwise.
Still, the sight of her in the room grounded him in a way he hadn't anticipated. He stepped inside and shut the door behind him with quiet finality.
"Why didn't you come to dinner?" he asked, his voice controlled now, with his breathing even again.
Adele lowered the lid of the chest in front of her. The soft thud from the chest echoed faintly in the room. Then she turned fully to face him, her expression composed, and her gaze steady.
"I was preparing for our leave," she replied.
