Darius nearly snapped at the man standing in front of him. He waved his hand dismissively, jaw tightening as he squeezed his eyes shut. The weight pressing against his temples had been building for the better part of an hour, and the man's prattle about vineyard plots and summer tariffs was the final stone atop it.
"Enough," Darius muttered, then more firmly, "I said enough."
The steward paled and bowed hastily. "Yes, Alpha Darius."
He left without argument, leaving Darius alone in the antechamber. The silence did little to ease the strain. He paced once, twice. The council chamber had long since emptied, and the night stretched late. It had not occurred to him at first, she had simply stepped out. But now…
Now it had been far too long, too long for his heart to remain at ease. Where had Serena gone?
