The video call connected on the very first attempt. Three anxious faces instantly flooded my screen. Amy, Jor, and Margie were a portrait of strained worry. Even from afar, their concern seeped into my skin, dense, unspoken, and impossible to ignore. To alleviate their immediate panic and convince them that their fear was misplaced, I forced a wide, dazzling smile onto my face, ensuring my eyes radiated genuine, relieved joy. The maneuver worked. Their shoulders visibly dropped, the tension melted and the strain around their lips unraveled, revealing a softness born not of something no longer feared. “Anna, you nearly drove us insane with worry!” Amy exclaimed, her relief quickly morphing into irritation. “For months, we debated whether we should issue a pack-wide red alert to try and locate you. Where were you this entire time, what were you doing, and more to the point, who was there with
Last Updated : 2025-10-12 Read more