Nathan's POV

I let the silence stretch. Malachi shifted again, rubbing the back of his neck. Sweat collected near his hairline. For an Alpha, he was radiating the kind of nervousness a man feels when he’s navigating a trap, one that he knows could snap shut at any moment.

He cleared his throat. “Nathan… this isn’t easy for me. My pack is at stake. My daughter is at stake.”

I kept my expression carefully neutral. “And you want me to save them for you.”

His jaw tightened. “I ...