Malakar's POV.
The forest stretches out before us, dense, ancient and humming with quiet danger. I move through it like a shadow, every step silent, precise. Lucian follows a few steps behind me, his energy coiled and watchful, but I barely register him. My mind is elsewhere.
Hope.
The thought of her hits me like a pulse of warmth through the cold tension in my chest. Her scent still clings to me, faintly, threaded with the smell of the wildflowers. It's a strange but comforting blend. I can still feel the brush of her fingers along my jaw from this morning, the way she tried to hide her fear behind a brave smile.
She trusts me. Believes I'll come back.
My jaw clenches.
I have to.
But the weight that's pressing down on me isn't just about Hope. It's the whole pack. My people. The pu
