"Where is she?" Ethan's voice boomed through the hall, his eyes scanning the room. His pack members stood in tense silence, their gazes shifting uneasily.
"She's gone, Alpha," Marcus said, stepping forward. His tone lacked emotion, but the tension in his stance betrayed his unease.
Ethan narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean 'gone'?"
"She slipped out during the night," Marcus explained. "No one saw her leave. She left this behind." He held out a folded piece of paper.
Ethan snatched it and opened it quickly, his heart pounding as he read Avery's words:
Ethan, this is the only way I can protect you and the pack. Don't come after me. Take care of them, and take care of yourself.
The note crumpled in his hand as he looked back at Marcus. "Why wasn't I told immediately?"
"Alpha," Marcus began, "we thought she might come back. But it's clear now—she planned this."
