Damien had spent the entire walk to Irene's house wondering whether his Alpha had finally lost his mind. The phone call had been frustratingly brief as Aziel had offered little to no explanation beyond ordering him to break into Irene's home and retrieve her laptop immediately and meet him at the front gates. There had been no discussion, no opportunity to ask questions and certainly no hint as to why any of it was suddenly so urgent.
Damien had obeyed regardless, letting himself into the small house Irene occupied before collecting the laptop from her desk in her locked bedroom (which he broke into as well) exactly where she'd left it. The house itself had been unsettlingly quiet, making the absence of its owner all the more noticeable.
The moment he reached the gates and spotted Valeria Aldrith standing outside with a man he'd never seen before beside her, his confusion only deepened.
