Chapter 31: Embers in the Night

Dad’s call came late at night, and ever since, Rael hadn’t been able to sit still. He paced the living room of my little house in Brooklyn like a wolf who smelled danger in the wind.

Rael was Dad’s most trusted Beta—the backbone of Moonveil, a silent protector. His loyalty had never wavered. Sometimes I wondered what kind of debt he owed my father, or what kind of goodness Dad had once shown him, that Rael would willingly die for him... and for Moonveil.

He stood by the window, staring into the thick night. Then, with a swift motion, he picked up his phone and tapped something.

“Sean,” he called out.

It didn’t take long before a tall man appeared at the door. At a glance, he could’ve been mistaken for Rael—broad shoulders, serious stance.

Rael gave him a sharp look. “You’ll take my place guarding Princess Willow. Wear my jacket, this mask, and the cap. Make sure you’re visible from outside.”

Sean hes