CHAPTER 12

The crackling of the fire was the only sound that broke the heavy silence, its flickering flames casting dancing shadows across the cabin's walls. Elena sat huddled in a chair, her son cradled protectively against her chest, her eyes fixed on the twin flames that danced in the hearth.

Ethan and Damien sat across from her, their expressions solemn, their gazes flickering between her and the fire as if gauging her reaction.

At last, Ethan cleared his throat, the sound jarring in the stillness. "I know you must have a million questions, Elena," he murmured, his voice laced with a strange mixture of regret and determination.

Elena's grip...