Chapter 125

• The words leave my mouth in a tired sigh as I reach up and pinch the bridge of my nose. The tension has been building behind my eyes for hours now, and no amount of planning seems to ease it. The halls may be quiet for the moment, but we both know how quickly that can change.
• We have enough guards to fend off a few angry commoners—disorganized, desperate individuals acting more out of fear than strategy. But if they come in numbers, unified in rage, it’ll be another story altogether. And I’m not confident we’re ready for that.
• Clark stands beside me, arms crossed, jaw tight with tension. He’s assured me—repeatedly—that this will all be temporary. That we only need to hold the line until Lucas stabilizes, until his Beast adapts to the bond and he regains full control. But it’s a weak thread of hope, and I’m not sure how much longer it can bear the weight of our expectations.