Chapter 197

Sienna

I knew the second Damon walked into the council chamber that something was wrong. The tension in his shoulders. The silence pressing down on him like the sky had collapsed. He didn’t have to say a word, I could feel it.

I saw it in his eyes, and I felt it in his wolf, our mating bond making my own wolf whimper as she wanted to comfort him. But I could not approach him, not when I knew that there were others around, that they were watching.

My breath caught in my throat. And I looked at him, studying his expression, fighting back the urge to rush towards him, to ask him what was wrong.

Delilah, who was now amongst us within the council meeting, looked at me for a moment, but she then turned her attention to the alpha. Even she noticed that something was off. She straightened, studying his expression as she frowned.

He looked… hollow.

And then he said it.

“Caleb is gone.”

The words didn’t make sense at first. Caleb? Damon’s