Evander's POV
The entire mansion was silent except for the muted thump of bass vibrating from inside the walls—my gym speakers. The place had been soundproofed so well that even a bomb outside wouldn't disturb me. That was exactly how I wanted it. The gym was my sanctuary. My escape. My one place where nobody dared to breathe wrong.
I'd been working out for hours—no plan, no structure, just raw frustration bleeding through every punch, every pull-up, every swing of the rope. Sweat ran down my spine, dripping off my jaw, soaking the waistband of my sweatpants. My muscles burned, my lungs stung, and still it wasn't enough.
Too much shit was happening all at once.
The council.
The elders.
The attacks.
The poison.
My mother.
The vampire's scent lingering in the back of my thoughts like a warning.
And Odette… God, Odette.
