Jaden
The room fell into a heavy silence as we all contemplated Stacey’s words. My gaze shifted to her striking blue eyes, filled with worry and uncertainty. Gently, I took her hands in mine, feeling the warmth of her skin against mine, and pulled her close to me. “Don’t worry, pumpkin,” I reassured her, pressing a tender kiss to her knuckles. “Hunter’s right. We’ve been monitoring all entrances and exits. If she was here, we would know.” A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips and her tense shoulders relaxed slightly at my words.
Caleb’s sharp gaze followed our interaction, his hand absently rubbing his stubbled chin. “Why didn’t you take Stacey as a chosen mate from the beginning? You never would have had Felicity here if you had,” I seethed at him, but he only shrugged nonchalantly. Stacey’s cheeks flushed a deep shade of pink, her gaze fixed on the ground as she avoided my burning stare. Her nervousness was palpable, evident in the way her fingers fidgeted and her breath h
