THESSARA'S POV

I found him in the armory.

Not the polished conference rooms where he usually commanded his pack, but in the basement—a stark, concrete space that smelled of gun oil and old leather. Kieran stood with his back to me, methodically checking weapons with the kind of focused intensity that made my chest tighten. He knew I was there. Of course he knew. But he didn't turn around.

"Kieran." My voice came out smaller than I intended.

His shoulders tensed, just barely. "You ...