I snatched it up, fingers shaking as I checked for a signal. Weak, but still working. I hesitated for only a moment before typing a short message to the only person I knew could still be trusted inside Gavin’s ranks.
"Is he safe?”
Minutes passed. I held my breath, my pulse hammering as the screen stayed dark. Then, finally, a reply came.
But it wasn’t from my contact.
My heart nearly stopped as I read the sender’s name.
Mavin.
I inhaled sharply, my fingers tightening around the phone as I opened the message.
[Mommy, I need you. They're lying to me. Please come back.]
A choked sob caught in my throat. He knew. He knew. Despite everything, despite Avery’s poison and Gavin’s coldness, Mavin still trusted me.
Zach looked over my shoulder, his jaw tightening. “This is dangerous, Ofelia. If he’s messaging you, someone could be watching him.”
“I don’t care,” I whispered. “He needs me.”
Inside the pack’s estate, Avery watched Mavin with an expression of forced patience. He stood stiffly in the center of his room, fists clenched, glaring up at her.
“She’s not a traitor,” he said, his voice thick with defiance.