Nathan’s pov

Just as Anita raised her hand to signal the attack, a figure appeared from the darkness, stepping into the faint light. We all got tensed up, ready for another threat, but the figure raised a hand, and the loyalists hesitated, their aggression suddenly stalled.

It was a man, tall and lean, with a shadowed face that held a mixture of authority and something more primal. His voice, when he spoke, was calm but commanding, cutting through the tension like a knife.

“Stand down,” ...