Chapter 103: Calling Him a Coward
Evaline:
If I found the headquarters suffocating on my first day of internship, then today was far worse than that.
From the moment River and I walked into the building, tension clung to us like a second skin. Neither of us spoke as we made our way to the Alpha floor.
The silence between us was loud. Deafening, even. But I kept telling myself I would get through the day. I had already faced worse than River Thorne and his volatile moods.
It didn’t help that the atmosphere inside the Council headquarters was as heavy as ever. Warriors in crisp black uniforms were standing at every corner, Alphas and their betas were moving like shadows through the halls, and I had tasks stacked on my desk waiting for me. There were reports to sort, summons to prepare, files to organize. The usual.
I buried myself in the work.
I didn’t look at River unless I had to. Didn’t speak unless required. And he... he stayed silent for the most part, though his tension was tangible - like he was a bomb ticking down to detonation.
Somehow, the hours passed and before I knew, it was almost the end of the working hours. I stepped into the office and found River standing stiffly near his desk with his phone pressed tightly to his ear. His voice was low, dangerous, and laced with the kind of sharpness that made your skin prickle even from across the room.
"No, I don’t give a damn what the High Table thinks," he growled into the phone. "Tell them if they push this any further, they are going to regret it."
The line went dead with a final click, and he stood there, unmoving.
I should have backed away. I should have turned and walked out without another word.