We crested a hill, and I stopped abruptly. Below us stretched a valley I recognised, even after eight years. The Graystone territory—my ancestral home. I hadn't realised we'd come so far, hadn't noticed that Maison and Jackson had been subtly guiding our run toward this overlook.
I sat back on my haunches, gazing down at what had once been mine, what would soon be mine again. Even from this distance, I could see changes—sections of forest that had been clear-cut, buildings that hadn't existed before, a general sense of neglect that made Star whine softly.
Maison's wolf pressed against my side, offering silent comfort. Jackson moved to my other flank, the three of us forming a living bulwark against painful memories.
-Home,- Star whispered, the word tinged with both longing and apprehens
