The grand hall of the Welles estate had never felt this tight before, as though the walls themselves had leaned inward to listen. Cade's absence lingered like a shadow no one could step out of, and even the air carried a strange stillness that made every breath feel deliberate.
Levi stood at the head of the long table, fingers resting lightly against the surface, his posture composed but his gaze distant in a way that did not belong to a man who claimed control over everything around him.
Grace sat to his right, her legs crossed, her expression unreadable, though the faint tapping of her finger against the armrest betrayed the storm she kept buried beneath her calm exterior.
Nyx leaned against one of the tall windows, her reflection merging with the darkness outside, while Finn refused to sit at all, pacing like a caged animal that had forgotten what stillness meant.
Finn stopped abruptly, dragging a hand through his hair before turning sharply toward Levi.
