For a moment, Naya couldn't move. She stood there, frozen, as the reality of the situation finally pierced through her shock.
Noah was gone. He wasn't just missing or late; he was in actual, mortal danger. The realization hit her with full force.
She raised her hands, burying them deep into her hair and pulling at the roots as if the pain could ground her.
Her breath started coming in short, jagged gasps that didn't seem to reach her lungs.
The walls of the house felt like they were closing in on her.
She was panicking, spiraling into a dark place where her mind played out every worst-case scenario.
Xavier noticed the change in her instantly.
He moved with a surprising grace for a man of his size, closing the distance between them in two long strides.
He didn't grab her or shake her; instead, he stepped into her line of sight and spoke in a low, grounding tone that cut through the noise in her head.
