Kaelen's POV
The sound that escaped Helena's lips wasn't polite surprise. It was raw shock, like the idea of Lyra being treated decently was completely foreign to her. The reaction hit me wrong, settling uncomfortably in my chest.
Daphne jumped in quickly, her voice shaking as she tried to smooth over her mother's response. "What she means is, could we please see Lyra? Just for a moment?" Her words cracked with emotion. "I need to look at my sister. I need to know she's okay."
It sounded reasonable enough. What kind of Alpha would deny a sister that basic right? But something felt off. Through the mate bond, Lyra's fear kept building, wave after wave of pure panic washing over me. My wolf began pacing restlessly, sensing danger but unable to identify its source.
