Nivia POV"I'll be back before dark," Mateo said, adjusting the makeshift spear he'd carved from a branch.We'd been on this island for almost two weeks now. Two weeks of surviving, of learning to hunt, fish and build shelter.Two weeks of being close to both Justin and Mateo in ways I'd never imagined."Be careful," I said.Mateo smiled at me, that soft smile that made my heart squeeze. "Always am."He disappeared into the jungle, leaving me alone with Justin.Justin stood by the fire, poking at the embers with a stick. His ribs had healed well over the past week. The bandage was gone, replaced by pink scar tissue.Without his wolf, he healed slower. But he still healed."We should wash our clothes," Justin said, not looking at me. "They're getting pretty bad."He was right. Our clothes were torn, dirty, stained with sweat and blood and everything else."The lagoon?" I asked.We'd found it a few days ago. A hidden pool of fresh water surrounded by rocks and trees. Private. Beautiful.
Last Updated : 2026-02-21 Read more