Jasper's footsteps were the only sound that echoed in the empty halls of the manor. His heart, heavy with grief, pounded in his chest with a rhythm that matched the fury in his soul. His mind raced with a thousand thoughts, all circling back to one thing—Nicole. She was gone. The love of his life, the one person who had ever truly understood him, had been taken from him, leaving nothing but an empty space where her warmth had once resided.
Rowland stood by the door, the twins cradled safely in his arms, a worried look in his eyes as he watched Jasper disappear into the shadows. He knew that the man he had once called his friend was no longer the same. The fury that now burned in his heart was unlike anything Rowland had ever witnessed.
"Watch over them," Jasper had commanded, his voice cold and unfeeling.
Rowland, though loyal, couldn't help but feel the weight of the darkness that had overtaken Jasper. It was a weight that would crush anyone who wasn't prepared for it.
