Hazel's POV
"They call themselves the Purists," Leo's words hung in the air like a death sentence.
My stomach twisted into knots as I watched Kael's reaction. His face remained impassive, but his tattoos writhed beneath his skin, betraying the rage simmering just below the surface.
"And what exactly do these Purists want with aberrant children?" Kael's voice was deceptively calm.
Leo glanced at me, then back to the Lycan King. The boy's shoulders hunched forward, making him appear smaller than his thirteen years.
"Power," he said simply. "Our energy is... different. Stronger. More volatile."
I gathered the younger kids closer, trying to shield them from this conversation. But Leo continued, his voice hollow with horrible knowledge no child should possess.
"They drain us," he said. "Like batteries."
Kael's eyes narrowed. "Explain."
