It's been days since Kieran left. Days of restless nights, of wandering thoughts that circle endlessly in Ace's mind.
He barely remembers what sleep feels like.
Now, sitting in the college library, staring at a textbook he hasn't turned a page of in an hour, Ace feels like he's running on fumes.
His fingers grip the edge of the table as he forces himself to focus, to find a strategy, to figure out a way_ anything_ to track Kieran down.
His phone vibrates.
Ace barely glances at it before swiping to answer, his voice low. "Rey?"
On the other end, Rey's voice isn't its usual steady calm. There's something off_ strained, almost breathless.
"Ace." A brief pause. "I don't think what's happening to the wolves is just the stress of losing Kieran. It's getting worse."
Ace's grip on the phone tightens. "What do you mean?"