Chapter 396

ZADE I was having coffee in my office, reviewing some relatively mundane pack administrative work, when I felt the portal activate. The dimensional gateway we'd established between territories had a distinctive energy signature whenever someone passed through—like a small ripple in reality that my supernatural senses could detect. Two signatures this time. Xenois and Lumina, returning from their overnight stay at the cabin. I checked my watch. Nearly ten in the morning. Good. They'd actually managed to sleep in for once instead of rushing back at dawn to handle pack business. Progress. I gave them about twenty minutes to settle back into their own territory before making my way through the portal to Xenois's side. I wanted to see them relaxed and refreshed, wanted confirmation that forcing them to take a break had been the right call. What I found when I walked into Xenois's kitchen was exactly what I'd hoped for. Xenois and Lumina were sitting at the breakfast table, both looking sign