Michael
Home looked different with her beside me.
I’d seen White Moon a thousand times—lanterns glowing against the frost, cabins tucked around the clearing, smoke curling from chimneys like threads of silk in the night. But that was always with my own eyes, my own wolf, my own place carved into the rhythm of this pack.
Now, every detail was sharpened by her presence. Every sound felt louder, every stare heavier. The air itself seemed to hold its breath as Michelle stepped out of the treeline.
Nicolai prowled inside me, tail lashing. They’re staring at her, he growled. Too long. Too bold. Rip their eyes out.
They’re curious, I reminded him, keeping my face calm. She’s new. She’s different. They have a right to wonder.
No right, Nicolai spat. She’s ours. Let them look once and never a
