The bedroom was dark, except for the faint glow of moonlight slipping through the curtains, painting pale silver across the bed and the curve of Kael’s shoulder. Outside, Polaris already slept—safe, unaware, healing. Inside, I lay awake with my cheek pressed to Kael’s chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart, grounding myself in the fact that this was real.
That he was real.
That we were here.
Kael’s arm was wrapped around me, possessive without being tight, his thumb tracing slow, absentminded patterns along my spine. It was the kind of touch that said I am not going anywhere, even when his mind was clearly somewhere else.
I shifted slightly, the question I’d been holding onto all evening finally pushing its way free.
“How did the Alpha meeting really go today?” I asked qui
