Elena’s POV

The darkness in the corridor was thick enough to swallow sound. Even the candle the butler held several minutes ago felt like a distant memory. Without it, the villa’s long hallway became a tunnel of cold air and uneven breathing.

Right beside me, Silvia’s crying sharpened. Her voice rose in high, panicked bursts, each one louder than the last, far too dramatic for someone who had spent the entire day scheming.

“I…I can’t see anything… Damien… Alpha… where are ...