Aria sat on the couch in the Silverfang mansion's grand hall, wrapped in a soft gray blanket, sipping warm herbal tea she barely tasted. The others paced or argued around her while the fire crackled behind a stone hearth. Shadows danced across the walls like ghosts eavesdropping on their conversation.
Alpha Thorne stood by the tall windows, arms crossed, eyes narrowed at the storm clouds gathering outside.
"Now that it is confirmed she is out there," Kael said, his voice clipped. "We are wasting time."
"From my research, she left willingly," Serana said, lounging on one of the armchairs like a queen. "She was not dragged or chained. Why are you all playing hero for a girl who clearly did not want to be here?"
Liora didn't miss a beat. "Why don't you get kidnapped first, then let's see how you like it?"
Serana sat up straighter, flipping her long, glossy hair. "I would never be kidnapped. I know how to protect myself."
