Aeron's POV
Cyrus was still standing by the door, mid-sentence, when both of us felt it—faint at first, but unmistakable. The scent of iron and pine needles, clipped and cold. Kael.
I glanced toward the entrance before Cyrus even turned. His posture stiffened immediately, his throat bobbing once. His words stopped altogether, buried under the weight of tension that now filled the room.
I knew what he was thinking. He wasn't worried about Kael. He was terrified of what would happen if Kael realized he'd been reporting to me behind his back. I had no fear of my brother knowing.
I didn't hide my thoughts, and Kael would never confront me directly. But for Cyrus, a beta, loyalty ran in a different current. Reporting on his own Alpha's brother was as close to treason as one could get in this pack.
He swallowed again as the door opened.
