Chapter 26

ALINA

Something felt wrong with Kai.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that had settled deep in my chest, the sense that something was off with him. He had been acting strangely for the past few days—distant, distracted, like there was something weighing heavily on his mind. And while he tried to hide it, I could see through him. Normally, I would over think and maybe think that perhaps he was not who he said he was. Maybe he was just putting up an act with me, but then a part of me strongly did not believe that.

This morning, I hadn’t seen him at all, which only made the knot in my stomach tighten. I needed to know what was going on, so when one of the maids brought my breakfast, I asked her directly.

“Is there something big happening in the pack?” I asked, trying to keep my voice casual, though the anxiety in me was growing.

The guard’s eyes widened slightly, like she was not expecting me to speak to her, and she shook her head quickly. “No, ma’am,” she said, her voice tense. “Everyth