Elle’s steps faltered as she turned toward the hallway, her mind set on finding a way out, a way to fight back. But before she could take another step, a firm grip seized her arm, pulling her back with a force that nearly sent her crashing to the ground.
Her breath caught in her throat as she spun around to face Jude’s father, his face twisted with a mixture of regret and resolve. “You can’t leave, Elle,” he said, his voice low and controlled, but there was an underlying urgency to his words.
“What the hell are you doing?” Elle snarled, struggling against his hold. Her pulse raced, her mind spinning as her fury grew. “Let me go. I’m not staying here. I’m not waiting for the Higher Council to come and take me!”
Jude’s father’s grip tightened. “You don’t understand. If you leave now, they’ll find you. They’ll use you against us. We can’t let that happen. I’m doing this to protect you... and us.”
Elle’s heart skipped a beat as he pulled her toward the back of the house, away from the fron
