The ride up had been silent.
Uncomfortably so.
The only sound filling the elevator was the mechanical hum of its ascent and the steady ticking of numbers climbing higher on the display above the door.
But Eli's own body betrayed him—his heartbeat thundered, a panicked drumline rattling against his ribs, so loud he swore it echoed in the metal walls.
Each ding carved deeper into his nerves, like a countdown.
One step closer. One floor higher. One second nearer to meeting the big guy of the hunter's association.
When the doors finally slid open with a low hiss, his pulse spiked so violently it nearly choked him.
Lawrence stepped out first, sharp and unyielding, his voice clipped, perfectly professional."This way, please."
Eli moved without thinking, his feet dragging him forward on instinct alone. His posture was stiff, his shoulders locked like stone, every muscle refusing to relax.
His eyes darted left, then right, scanning.
