13

I told Kyran I needed to talk to Kael, suggesting he and Knox return to the river. His mental sigh conveyed his reluctance. 'Skyla, if you start always trying to console him like this, it'll never end. I promise you.'

Kyran's directness caught me off guard, starkly contrasting his usual demeanor. It dawned on me that he felt comfortable expressing these concerns because it was just the two of us communicating. 'I'm a big girl, Ky. I'll be okay,' I reassured him mentally before heading to the tent.

Inside, Kael was sitting rigidly, fully clothed and human, his eyes fixed on the ground. I tried to communicate mentally, but he immediately cautioned, 'No, don't do that. It'll give us both nasty headaches. Only communicate human to wolf in emergencies.'

Desperate to talk, I made the painful decision to shift back. The transformation was excruciating, each bone and muscle contorting back into human form. When it was over, I lay in the dirt, naked and vulnerable, looking up at Kael's concern