Chapter 301. Forging a Plan

Aurora’s POV

As soon as the door to Alice’s room shut behind us with a quiet click, I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. The air felt heavier than usual, as though whatever truth Alice was holding inside had clung to us like static electricity, hitching a ride on our backs as we made our way down the dim hallway.

The others fell into step beside me—Caleb, Caroline, Shane—all of us moving as one unit, like soldiers retreating from a battlefield that hasn’t exploded yet but was primed and ready. We didn’t speak. Not until we reached the games room and closed the door, locking it behind us. The old oak panels groaned a little, as if in protest, but the privacy was worth the noise.

Caleb was the first to speak. “Alright, so what now?” he asked, his voice low but urgent. “How the hell are we going to get Maggie and Avery to give up their blood?” He looked directly at me, his sharp blue eyes flickering with the heat of too many sleepless nights.

“