Elvira's POV

The day two Festival ended, Morrien felt different—quieter, almost empty. The once-lively grounds now echoed only with the distant rustle of trees, as it usually does but tonight, it felt lonelier.

I wandered the corridors, my fingers grazing the cool stone walls as I searched for Alpha Jaxon. He hadn’t returned to his chambers after the festival, and a strange worry rosed to my chest. Something about the way he kept pacing, ...