Chapter Seven – “Ash’s Truth”

Night in Silverveil used to mean rest.

Now it meant rotation.

By the time the moon cleared the ridge, border teams had already swapped twice. The triplets were finally asleep in a nest of blankets in Jessica’s room. Melody had marked every doorframe with sigils that looked like thin-etched frost and said, “Don’t rub those off or so help me, I will turn you into a hedgehog.” Liam was on the east fence with two Frostfangs. Heather and Zane had taken west patrol together — which Heather insisted was to “evaluate his field performance” and not “because he keeps doing that quiet jaw thing I like.”

Collin had circled the property so many times the dirt remembered his footprints.

Now it was almost quiet.

Almost.

Baylee sat on the edge of their bed, bare feet warm on the rug, one hand resting over her belly the way it did now without her thinking about it. Her pup was calm. Sleepy, even. Every so often, she felt the faintest flutter and had to bite down a smile.

Not fear tonight.

Not warning.