Three days passed in an uncomfortable limbo.
I stayed at my parents' house, visiting Dad at the hospital during the day and avoiding pack gatherings at night. Skyler kept his distance—I'd catch glimpses of him around town, always at the edges, never approaching. The bond hummed between us constantly, a low-grade ache I'd learned to ignore.
Mostly.
Jace texted daily. Nothing pushy, just friendly check-ins and terrible jokes that made me smile despite everything. He was easy. Safe. Everything Skyler wasn't.
And I hated myself for comparing them.
On the fourth day, Ronan cornered me in the kitchen. "Elder Thomas wants to see you."
I looked up from my coffee. "Why?"
"He's working with Skyler on the wolf control thing. Apparently, he thinks talking to you might help." Ronan's expression
