"You letting a girl cloud your mind, son?"
The voice cut through the room like a whip, powerful yet deep with that familiar cruelty.
Azrael's stomach twisted. The words hit him harder than he wanted to admit.
"I thought I taught you better," his father continued, every word echoing across the walls, like judgment itself. "But here you are,staring at the moon like some weak-hearted boy, letting emotions dull your instincts."
Azrael's jaw tightened, eyes flashing briefly with light. He wanted to speak, wanted to throw those words back but years of control he had thought of himself held him still.
The man stepped forward, the sound of his boots against the floor echoing, softly. "Do you know what happens to wolves who let love weaken them, Azrael?" His tone dropped, cold, hinting Azrael about how exposed his thoughts are to him. "They die."
The last word hung heavy, sinking into the silence like lead.
