#Chapter 53: Trusting Her Instincts

XADEN POV “Well…” Henry slumped back in his chair with a huff. “I’m certainly glad that’s over with. Holding a meeting after a long night is always rough.” It just so happened that, the morning immediately following the banquet, the two of us were scheduled to hold a brief, private conference regarding our men stationed near the border. With tensions increasing every passing day between us and the Bear Shifters, it didn’t hurt to err on the edge of caution, which we both agreed was the best course of action. The timing, however, was indeed rather… inconvenient. “Tell me about it,” I drawled, crossing my arms. “Last night, Maeve was—” Henry released a loud sigh as he rubbed a hand over his tired face, drawing my keen attention. And, for the first time that morning, the prominent circles under his eyes became very apparent, making me wonder what on earth happened in the hours following the banquet. “No offense, little brother,” he said, “but I could use a break from heari