The shift is subtle at first.
It happens in the space between hands, when the cards are stacked and someone is reaching for a drink. The room exhales, the noise dipping just enough that silence becomes noticeable.
That's when Marie speaks.
"You guys should have seen how vicious Vee was at the zoo."
Her voice is light. Too light. Wrapped in a brittle little smile.
The words don't register all at once. They hit in pieces—vicious,zoo,my name said aloud in a room full of people.
"She tried to hurt me, you know. Pushed me into the gorilla pen."
My stomach drops so fast it feels like my insides shift.
For a heartbeat, no one reacts. Then one of the hospital guys lets out a short, disbelieving laugh.
"No way. The Vee I know wouldn't do that."
Relief flickers—brief, fragile.
Marie's eyes narrow.
"Well, she's changed since our pack found me. I'm their scent match. She's jealous because our alphas like me more."
The silence that follows is absolute.
It presses in on all sides, thick and suffocating. I feel myself shrink without meaning to, shoulders drawing in, spine curling as if I can make myself smaller.
My fingers clamp down on my cards too tightly. The edges bite into my skin. Heat floods my face, rushing up my neck and into my ears.
I can't speak.
My throat locks around nothing, every thought scattering. I want to saythat's not what happenedorshe's lyingorplease don't look at me like that—
But the words won't come.
Across the table, someone shifts uncomfortably. Another clears their throat.
Then Ragon stands.
His chair scrapes back against the floor with a harsh sound that makes me flinch. I barely have time to look up before he's already moving.
He doesn't say a word.
He reaches Marie, grips her by the back of her neck, and hauls her up out of her chair like she weighs nothing.
It's the same way he grabbed me at thezoo.
The same motion. The same efficiency. The same complete lack of hesitation.
Marie makes a startled sound, then a sharp, broken cry as he drags her from the room. Her protests blur into muffled sobs as they disappear down the hall.
The living room stays frozen.
No one speaks. No one moves. The cards sit abandoned. The chips gleam under the lights.
My hands are still clenched around my cards. I force my fingers to loosen, one by one.
