The morning air was crisp, biting at Ren's exposed skin as he stood by the idling black SUVs. Mary stood by the open trunk, having already loaded the bags she'd packed with silent, efficient precision.
Ren felt a strange, hollow weight in his chest; he was leaving the cage, but he wasn't escaping. He was just moving to a different one—one with wings.
Cilian descended the front steps slowly. He looked every bit the powerful Alpha, his charcoal overcoat draped over his shoulders to accommodate the medical brace beneath. His gold-brown eyes scanned the perimeter before settling on Ren with a sharp, unreadable intensity.
As he reached the bottom step, Cilian didn't head for the car. Instead, he stepped directly into Ren's personal space, his shadow falling over him.
"Before we leave," Cilian murmured, his voice a low vibration that seemed to bypass Ren's ears and go straight to his nerves. "I have a gift for you, Ren."
