Nathan's POV
I yanked my phone back out, fingers trembling as I scrolled through my contacts until her name lit up. Without hesitation, I pressed call. It rang once. Twice. Then—
"Hello?" Lila's voice was low and drained.
"Lila." My voice came out rough and panicked. "Is Hailee with you? Do you know where she is?"
Silence.
Every second stretched like a knife pressing into my chest. My wolf snarled, sensing her hesitation. She knew something.
"Answer me," I snapped, my tone harsher than I intended. "As your future Alpha, I'm commanding you to tell me the truth. Now."
On the other end, I heard her shaky breath, then a long sigh.
"I'm home," Lila whispered finally. Her voice cracked, and it made my blood run cold. "You should come. Hailee… she gave me something to give you. To give all of you."
My grip on the phone tightened until my knuckles ached. My heart pounded so hard it felt like it might burst.
