VERA
The dagger hidden beneath the folds of my dress felt like it weighed a hundred pounds, dragging me down with every step I took along the dimly lit corridor leading to my father's office. My breath came shallow, ragged, and unsteady as though the walls themselves were closing in on me.
I had already checked his quarters, it was empty. If he wasn't here, if he was out of the pack. I swallowed hard, forcing the thought away. I needed him. I needed him now.
As I reached the carved oak door, low muffled voices drifted through deep. My stomach knotted painfully. Father wasn't alone.
For a moment, I hesitated. My trembling hand hovered over the doorknob. I should wait. I should, but I couldn't. Not with Kane's blood sticky and drying beneath my nails.
