Elara’s POVThe vehicles stopped outside the gate without forcing their way in, which alone lowered the tension slightly. Still, the entire clubhouse reacted immediately. Conversations inside cut off mid-sentence, chairs scraped against floors, and members moved toward positions they had occupied so many times before that the motions felt instinctive, not panicked but prepared.I stood near the kitchen entrance holding Aurelia against my chest while Ruin and Axel stepped back inside from the courtyard. The shift in Ruin happened instantly when he saw the headlights through the front windows; old instincts woke fast. But this time, something else happened too. He did not immediately take control of the room.Axel moved first. “Everyone stay calm,” he said firmly. “Nobody escalates unless we know what the situation is.”People listened, and that still surprised me every time. Ruin glanced toward him briefly, then nodded once in agreement instead of overriding him. Dean headed toward the
Read more