Kaius excused himself from Raya with a gentle smile and a whisper about needing to visit the restroom, pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead before slipping away, heart hammering against his ribs with a premonition he could not yet name. He moved through the grand halls with swift, silent steps, his nerves drawn tight as a bowstring until he reached the familiar door and slipped inside once more.
King Markus, Henry, and Alpha Azriel were already there, but gone was the earlier lightness; their faces were carved from stone, expressions somber, grave. Kaius immediately picked up on the crackling tension, his instincts screaming a warning.
"What is the matter?" he demanded, stepping fully into the room, closing the door behind him with a solid click that seemed to echo too loudly in the
