Giselle’s POVAstrid’s sudden arrival sent a shockwave through the crowd. Whispers broke out, rippling across the gathered pack members, all eyes turning to her and Ryker. My carefully constructed plan, my painstaking performance of a frantic, grieving mother, began to unravel in that instant.Killian rushed forward, his expression a mixture of relief and confusion as he dropped to one knee, pulling Ryker into his arms. “Thank the goddess,” he breathed, his voice thick with emotion. “Ryker, you’re safe.”I watched, frozen in place, as the crowd’s attention shifted entirely to them. Everything I had worked for, all the careful manipulation, was crumbling before my eyes. Ryker was safe. Hazel, I realized with growing panic, was still missing.Astrid’s gaze met mine for just a moment, and there was something in her eyes — something knowing, something resolute — that sent a chill down my spine. She didn’t speak, but her presence alone was enough to make me feel cornered, as though s
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