Chapter 118

I paced back and forth in the shoebox-sized cell, feeling like a caged rabbit desperate to escape. More than ever, I longed to be in the courtroom, where I could support Xavier. I knew he was enduring unimaginable turmoil, grappling with the horrors my father had inflicted upon him and the rest of the military—no, not just the special ops, but the entire military. I had heard enough to grasp that many involved would likely prefer death over what they were enduring.

 The name Captain Xavier De Ross echoed in my mind; I remembered the way my father spoke of him during his recruitment. Initially, my father portrayed Xavier as a savior for this unwanted waif of a shifter, a young man he believed deserved a future. My mother had supported this decision, believing Xavier would provide a sense of purpose for someone who had spent much of his young life in turmoil.

Over the years, my father's tone shifted as he began to speak of Xavier with pride, as if he had personally ha