Lyra POV The council clearing was buzzing with tension when we arrived. Warriors had formed ranks, and elders stood in their usual places near the stone platform, but there was a new energy in the air—a hum I couldn’t ignore, threaded with curiosity, speculation, and expectation.I kept close to Kael as we stepped into the center, the bond thrumming between us, insistent and unrelenting. My pulse was still high from the forest, from the near-kiss, from the realization that had settled deep in my chest. Being near him was like standing in the eye of a storm, calm and chaotic at the same time.Alpha Darius cleared his throat, and the clearing stilled. The sound carried far, drawing every eye toward him, but mine stayed on Kael. He shifted slightly beside me, muscles taut, gaze fixed forward, but I could feel the tension radiating from him. It matched my own.“We gather not only to address threats,” the Alpha began, voice steady, carrying over the crowd, “but to honor bonds that strengt
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