Was wait

Emily's POV

The tension in the air was palpable. I could feel it crawling beneath my skin as I stood frozen in the foyer, staring at the stormy faces of Alpha Ronan and Caden. The sound of their footsteps echoed down the hallway, heavy with anger, and my pulse quickened in response.

Lila stood at the center of it all, her eyes burning red, a reflection of the fury that seemed to pulse from her like an electric charge. I had seen her angry before, but this? This was different. The wolf within her was practically vibrating, her aura fierce and untamable, and I felt the pressure of it suffocating me.

"Where is he?" Lila's voice cut through the air like a blade, her words laced with an edge so sharp I could almost feel the weight of them pressing against my chest.

Caden, standing just behind her, was no better. His usually composed demeanor had shattered, and in its place was a feral intensity that made my heart skip a beat. He didn't even try to hide it. The tension between him and Lila was thick enough to slice through. The two of them were like storm clouds about to collide.

"Where the hell is he?" Caden's voice was tight, strained with an emotion I couldn't place. His eyes darted from Lila to me, desperate for an answer.

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. Fear gripped me in its icy claws. I wasn't a wolf, I wasn't a fighter, and I certainly wasn't prepared for this. These were wolves, alphas, and here I was, standing in their path like some fragile human caught in the crossfire.

Lila stepped closer to me, her eyes never leaving mine. "Tell me, Emily," she demanded, her voice dangerously calm, "where is he?"

I could feel her wolf, her power, pressing against me. It was overwhelming, suffocating even, but I couldn't just stand there. I had to answer her, even though my mind was racing, and my body was trembling.

"I-I don't know where he is," I stammered, taking a step back as I felt the heat of their combined fury closing in on me. "I haven't seen him since-since he went upstairs."

Lila's eyes flared. "Upstairs?" Her voice was tight, the question coming out as more of a demand. She didn't believe me, and I couldn't blame her. I wouldn't have believed me either.

Caden moved toward me, his eyes locked onto mine. "Stop lying, Emily," he growled. "You're the only one who knows what happened."

I could feel my heart pounding against my ribs, like it was trying to escape. "I'm not lying," I said, though my voice barely made it past my lips. I could feel their anger pressing against me, and my knees nearly buckled under the weight of it. "I swear, I haven't seen him. I don't know where he is."

Ronan stepped forward then, his gaze intense, but there was something else beneath it-something that made my breath catch. "Where the hell is Reuben, Emily? We need to know now."

I could see the frustration and worry in his eyes. Despite his fury, I knew he cared. He wanted answers. But I didn't have them. At least not until-

"He's in the basement," I blurted, the words escaping before I could stop them.

I felt the room go still. The tension in the air shifted, as if the storm had gathered on the horizon, ready to unleash itself. The silence stretched on for what felt like an eternity, each second stretching longer than the last. The others stared at me, and I could see their wolves stirring, their power barely contained beneath the surface.

Lila's eyes narrowed, still glowing faintly red. "The basement?" she repeated, her voice cold and calculating.

"Yes," I said, my voice trembling. "He went down there... I don't know why, but I think he needed space."

Caden cursed under his breath, his fists clenching. "Why the basement?" His frustration was evident, and it made me feel even smaller, more insignificant than I already did.

"Why not just confront us?" Ronan spat, his anger flaring again. "What the hell is he doing hiding down there?"

I swallowed hard, trying to steady my nerves, but it was useless. My heart was pounding too loudly in my chest. "I-I don't know. He just... he went down there after the argument."

Lila clenched her jaw, but her posture relaxed just a bit, as though the revelation had taken the edge off her fury-if only for a moment. "We have to go down there," she said, her voice firm, but with a touch of resolve.

"Not yet," Ronan said, his voice harsh. "Not until we're sure."

Caden was already turning toward the door. "I don't care about 'sure,' Ronan. We're rescuing those kids. Now."

"Wait," I said, the words tumbling out before I could stop myself. "Please, just... give him some time. He-he's not ready to face any of you right now."

Ronan stopped, his broad back stiffening as he turned to face me. His eyes were dark, dangerous. "You don't understand, Emily," he said slowly, his voice a warning. "He's not just hiding. He's making things worse. We need to bring him back-now."

I felt my heart twist at his words, but I didn't know what else to say. "I don't know what else to tell you," I whispered, feeling helpless and small. "He just needs time."

There was a tense silence in the room as the weight of everything hung between us. It was clear that neither of them-Ronan nor Caden-was going to wait. They were both consumed with urgency, their wolves restless, demanding action.

"We're going," Caden said, his voice low but certain. "We'll figure it out once we get him out of that basement."

Ronan nodded, his jaw tight. "We can't waste any more time."

Without another word, they moved toward the door, their purpose clear, their anger still simmering beneath the surface. I watched them go, the intensity of the moment not lost on me. I felt helpless, standing there in the empty foyer, knowing that things were only going to escalate from here.

And all I could do was wait.