Chapter 9

Paige's POV "What happened to Mom?" Alex asked, his amber eyes flickering with concern as he sat across from me. The dining hall of our house was quieter than usual, the scent herbs lingering in the air. Aunt Precy hadn’t joined us—she’d locked herself in her room, unwilling to let her sons to see her puffy eyes. "Alpha Simon happened," Ares growled, his voice laced with irritation as he dropped into his seat. His muscles were tense, his wolf’s aggression simmering. He shot Achilles a sharp look. "You should take her some food." "Can we talk?" I asked, my fingers tightening around my fork. All three of them turned to me, but Ares’ expression darkened—he already knew what I was going to say. "You can’t change my mind, Paige," he snapped, his black eyes flashing with defiance. "That bastard will just hurt her." I glanced at Achilles, who merely lifted a shoulder in a half-shrug, his usual silent neutrality. Alex avoided my gaze entirely, pushing his food around his plate. My wolf, Tiana,