[Ace's POV]
Khaleed's steps faltered for a fraction of a second when our eyes met. His gaze wasn't that of a cornered animal, but of a man steeling himself for a confrontation he wished to avoid. The scent of his sweat was sharp with adrenaline, but underneath was the heavy, cloying odor of guilt.
"What are you doing here?" I kept my voice level, but my wolf stirred beneath my skin, sensing the rigid control Khaleed exerted over his own body, a stillness that felt more dangerous than a flinch.
"Chief's orders," he said, his voice a low gravel. He didn't wipe his hands on his trousers, but I saw the deliberate curl of his fingers into fists at his sides before he forced them to relax. He moved past me not with awkward haste, but with the grim purpose of a man walking a path he despised, his shoulder clearing the doorframe with an inch to spare.
