Kora’s POV
I didn’t sleep that night.
Even with Edward’s arm draped protectively around me, even with the low sound of his breathing steady beside my ear, my eyes stayed fixed on the ceiling until dawn. My hands lay flat against my stomach, palms tingling faintly, the ghost of that ember from training still warm under my skin.
Aaron’s words had been running circles in my head since Mara delivered that message: *what belongs to him.*
He wasn’t talking about land. He wasn’t talking about territory. He meant me.
By the time the first streaks of light slid across the floor, I’d already slipped out of bed. The compound was quiet, the pack still asleep. I walked barefoot to the window and pushed it open, letting the cold air slap me awake.
I should’ve been afraid. Instead, I felt… sharp. L
