Chapter Seventeen
Morning arrived slowly over the pack territory.
The snow had stopped sometime before dawn, leaving the forest quiet and glittering under pale sunlight. Thin smoke curled from the cabin chimney, disappearing into the cold sky.
Inside, Lila stirred beneath the blankets.
For a moment she didn’t remember where she was.
Then the warmth beside her shifted.
Darian.
The memory returned instantly.
The forest. The pack. The rival Alpha. The strange power she had started to feel inside her.
And the bond.
She felt it again now — stronger than ever.
It pulsed gently beneath her skin like a second heartbeat.
Darian’s arm was draped loosely across her waist, holding her close even in sleep. His breathing was slow, steady, warm against her shoulder.
Lila studied him quietly.
