Caleb's POV
I mind-link Zoey before responding to Silas, the urgency burning through the connection like fire. 'Zoey, who did that to her? I need names, and I need them now!'
The pause that follows feels like an eternity. When her voice finally comes through, it carries a weight that makes my chest tighten. 'Honestly Caleb, I don't know. She wouldn't tell me anything yet. She needs rest right now, and I'm not going to push her for information when she can barely keep her eyes open.'
A growl tears from my throat, raw and frustrated. The sound echoes off the hospital walls, drawing stares from passing nurses. "Fuck! Yes, it was bad. She looked like someone used her as a punching bag during combat training." The words come out harsher than I intended, aimed at Silas, but really directed at my own helplessness.
