The Jeep roars through the forest, its headlights cutting through the thick darkness.
Ace sits stiffly in the passenger seat, his arms crossed, mind racing. The case of vials rests between them, containing the cure that has the potential to save the wolves.
But something still doesn't sit right.
The ruins, the sudden attacks, the eerie symbols carved into stone_ none of it feels like a coincidence.
And then there's Rehan. His presence, his insistence, the way he shielded him without hesitation.
It wasn't self-preservation.
It was calculated.
"You're unusually quiet," Rehan finally says, keeping his eyes on the road.
"I have a lot on my mind," Ace replies without looking at him.
Rehan chuckles. "Like how grateful you are that I just saved your pack? And more __ your life?"
Ace scoffs. "Don't flatter yourself, you haven't even saved them yet."