Chapter 25

• Ethan and I then stood on the stairs of the mansion, side by side, looking out over the crowd that had gathered in front of the packhouse. Every eye was fixed on us, and an uneasy silence hung in the air. People were staring, clearly trying to make sense of what was happening. Their expressions ranged from confused to concerned, and some even looked a little afraid. They didn’t know what to expect from us—or from what had just happened.
• They would have seen the damage to the front of the house, of course. It was impossible to miss. The shattered glass, the wrecked window frame, and the scattered debris on the lawn all pointed to something violent and chaotic. Nova had jumped through the window to attack Dad, and while they wouldn’t have seen the exact moment it happened, they would’ve noticed the aftermath. But without context, they had no idea what it meant. Why had the front of the house been destroyed? Where was the Alpha? Why were Ethan and I standing in his place?
• They were all asking the same question with their eyes: What the hell is going on?