ElaraI don’t say the word.I don’t even let myself think it at first.Because once you name a thing like that, it becomes real in a way you can’t undo. It takes shape. It demands choices. It draws eyes.And right now, the last thing Elara needs is the weight of certainty pressing down on her.So I do what I’ve always done best.I observe.I calculate.I prepare.She’s sitting on the edge of the low bench by the window, shoulders drawn in, hands resting over her stomach like they belong there. The motion isn’t dramatic. It isn’t panicked.It’s instinct.That’s what sets my wolf on edge.Elara has always moved like someone surviving—reacting to danger, bracing for impact, flinching before the blow ever landed. This is different. This is quiet. Purposeful. Protective.I lean against the stone wall across from her, arms crossed, forcing myself to keep space between us even though every part of me wants to close it.“Tell me exactly what you’re feeling,” I say.She lifts her head, meeting
Last Updated : 2025-12-23 Read more