An Aunt's Touch and a Father's Joy

Silas approached me with a bundle of clothes, his face ashen. I could see the guilt eating away at him, making his movements stiff and uncertain. My heart ached seeing him like this—my usual confident, intellectual bond reduced to this shell of himself.

"Here," he said quietly, avoiding my eyes as he handed over the clothes.

Before I could thank him, Kaelen's sharp voice cut through the tense atmosphere. He was pacing near the door, phone pressed to his ear, every inch of him radiating controlled fury.

"I want a complete shutdown of the kitchen immediately," he ordered. "Full contamination protocol. Every piece of food needs to be tested, especially the cheese. And find Isla—I want her in my office within the hour."

I glanced toward the cheese that Jaxon had flung across the room. Had Isla really poisoned it? My wolf growled inside me, protective and angry, but I couldn't help wondering if we were overreacting. I felt fine now that the initial panic had subsided.