Kael's POV
Leo's eyes burned with a mixture of defiance and fear as he watched me process his words. This boy—hardly more than a child—had shouldered burdens that would crush most adults. I studied his face, noting the tension in his jaw, the way his hands curled protectively around his knees.
"How many others like you are there?" I kept my voice deliberately calm despite the rage building inside me.
Leo shrugged. "Hundreds. Maybe thousands."
My control slipped. "Thousands?"
"All over. Every territory." His voice was matter-of-fact, as if stating something obvious. "Most packs have at least one or two aberrants born every few years."
The word struck me like a physical blow. Aberrants. A cruel label for children whose only crime was existing differently.
"That's what they call us," Leo added, seeing my reaction. "Aberrants. Spliced souls."
