Aurora’s P.O.VHe turned slightly, just enough for me to see the pinch in his brow. “I know,” he said, quietly at first.“I’ve been thinking the same thing.”“Then why are we still having this conversation?” I pressed. “We keep him close. End of discussion. At least until we figure out what we’re really dealing with.”Caleb nodded slowly, the tension in his shoulders easing a bit, and for a moment, I thought that was it—that we were on the same page for once. But then, something shifted in his expression. His entire body stilled, his eyes losing focus, like he was staring through the walls.I narrowed my eyes. “Caleb?”He didn’t answer. Not right away. His mouth parted just slightly, and I could see the subtle flicker of connection behind his gaze. The pack link. He was listening. Communicating.So I waited.The silence was thick, stretching longer than it should have. I kept my arms folded, refusing to fidget, even though every instinct inside me wanted to shake him and demand what w
Aurora’s P.O.VI stayed awake long after Riley had succumbed to sleep, my mind a jumble of thoughts and emotions. My breath came in short, frustrated bursts. The silence was unbearable, the tension in the air crackling like a coming storm, and finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. I turned sharply to Caleb, who leaned against the wall with that unreadable look on his face—too calm, too distant, like none of this was shaking him the way it shook me.I gave him a subtle hint, a slight tilt of my head, before I got up and moved towards the door, keeping it open so that I could keep an eye on Riley as well. Caleb, of course, got the hint and came out right after me, keeping the door open behind him.“What on earth is going on, Caleb?” I demanded, my voice louder than I intended. “Why are the wraiths targeting Riley now?”His eyes met mine slowly, tiredly. There was something in them—confusion, maybe even a hint of guilt—but no answers.“I don’t know,” he said, and he actually sounded like
Aurora’s P.O.V"I need you to tell me exactly where you saw it, Riley," I asked him softly, crouching beside him so we were at eye level. I tried to keep my voice steady, calm, but I could feel the tremble hiding in my bones. My fingers clutched the edge of the nightdress as if it would anchor me.He looked up at me with those wide eyes, the ones that always made him look younger than he was. His lips parted, hesitated. "Outside the window," he whispered. "It was just… standing there. Looking in at me."A breath left my lungs before I could stop it. I didn't even realize I was holding it in. The image — that thing outside Riley’s window, watching him — burned itself into my mind like a brand. My spine stiffened, and I shivered, involuntarily."Looking at you," I repeated, almost to myself. "It saw you."Riley nodded slowly. "It didn’t move. It just stood there like it was waiting for something. I pulled the blanket over my head and I just… I hoped it would go away."Caleb’s voice cut
Aurora’s P.O.V “What are you talking about?” I asked sharply, exchanging a quick glance with Caleb, who took a step closer to me, as if ready to shield me from whatever was coming.Riley blinked, confused by our reaction. “Wait… you don’t know?” he asked, his voice faltering as if the realization had just struck him. “I thought you did. Aurora, I thought you knew. I—I saw it in your room too.”I felt every muscle in my body lock into place. “You what?” I asked, barely managing to keep my voice steady. My eyes darted to Caleb, whose expression had gone cold—stone cold. His jaw tightened as if he were trying to hold something back. “What did you see in my room?”Riley looked between the two of us, clearly starting to panic now that he realized that he might have said something that he wasn’t supposed to say out loud. “I—I thought you saw it too. The thing standing by your window. The eyes, Aurora… the red eyes.”I took a shaky breath, my stomach twisting painfully. “Red eyes?” I whispe
Aurora’s P.O.V “Is that so?” Caleb raised his eyebrows in interest. “Do you really want to know how ‘I’ slayed those demons?”“Yes, yes!” Gone was any trace of sleep, and now, Riley was grinning ear to ear, eager to know all about Caleb’s great adventures. “Please!“Alright! Listen up, and listen well.”I watched as Caleb’s lips curled into a sly grin, that boyish sparkle returning to his eyes as he leaned forward, popping himself up on his elbow. The firelight danced over his features, and I knew that familiar glint meant a story was coming. Riley’s tiny frame was tucked under the blankets, only his wide, eager eyes peeking out. Caleb nodded solemnly, as if accepting a royal decree from the young prince, and began.“Well,” Caleb said, his voice dipping into that theatrical tone he used when he was about to pull us into a world far from this one.“It was a cold night, just like this one. Me and my friends, we were wearing full armor—heavy, clunky, but we were brave. And in our hands,
Aurora’s P.O.VThe moment Caleb shut the door behind him and stretched out his arms, Riley practically leapt into his arms. I sat there, watching as Caleb’s expression softened completely—every hard line on his face melted into gentleness. He cradled Riley against his chest like he was the most precious thing in the world, then turned to me with a silent question in his eyes. I nodded. Without another word, Caleb carried Riley to the bed, his boots thudding softly against the wooden floor.Caleb slid into the bed first, placing Riley gently between us. “There we go, champ,” he said in that low, soothing voice of his, pulling the blankets up around Riley’s small frame. I moved closer and tucked the covers more securely around Riley, who squirmed a little before nestling closer to me. My hand found its way to his curls, and I began softly patting his head, brushing the strands back rhythmically to help him relax. His breathing was still shallow, the excitement and confusion of the day n