Aurora fastened the silver clasp of her cloak with steady fingers, though her heart drummed an uneven rhythm beneath her ribs.
The air in the Alpha house was thick with tension. No one spoke, yet the silence was deafening. Kael leaned against the far wall, arms crossed, his jaw tight. His disapproval radiated from him in waves, but he said nothing. Not yet.
Across the room, Gina finished braiding Aurora's hair into a tight plait, her fingers quick but gentle. "Are you sure about this?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Aurora met Gina's gaze in the mirror, her silver eyes unreadable. "I have to be."
Sarah, adjusting the dagger strapped to her thigh, scoffed. "That's not the same as saying you are sure. I can go alone, Lyra. I'm still his sister. He probably won't harm me."
"I need to be there," Aurora insisted.
Kael exhaled sharply. That was all it took.