Rhyker’s POV
The car hummed quietly along the winding road that led back to the pack, the familiar forest stretching out on either side of us, its trees thick and lush, casting long shadows over the path.
I leaned back in my seat, watching the play of sunlight on the branches, feeling a sense of calm settle over me as we drew closer to home.
Beside me, Lyra shifted slightly, her hand resting in mine, her warmth grounding me, filling me with a quiet joy that was almost foreign after the turmoil of the past few weeks.
I glanced at her, taking in the softness of her expression as she looked out the window, her gaze distant but content, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips.
In that moment, she was more beautiful than I’d ever seen her—her face softened by the light, her pres
