Chapter 23

• In the aftermath of the confrontation, Wyatt's piercing red eyes surveyed the scene. The rogue bodies lay still, the evidence of the skirmish tainting the once serene woods. He turned toward Ruben with a stern expression.
• "Ruben, clean this area. Leave no trace. We don't want Silas tracing us back here," Wyatt commanded, the authority in his voice cutting through the tension-filled air.
• Ruben nodded in acknowledgment. "I'll take care of it." As Ruben began the task of erasing any sign of the struggle, Wyatt's gaze fell on Hazel. She lay unconscious, a pawn in the supernatural battle. Wyatt's expression softened momentarily with a flicker of conflict in his eyes.