The night air tasted of pine resin and possibility as they emerged from the great hall, stomachs full and pack bonds tentatively established. Akira's skin prickled with hyperawareness—every breath brought new information, mapping this territory that would become theirs through blood and promise and the screaming need to mark every surface with their combined scent.
"Guest quarters are this way," Landon said, his voice lighter now that the alpha weight had lifted. Caleb walked beside him, no longer hiding, their fingers interlaced with casual defiance that made several traditional wolves look away. "Fair warning—they're not exactly luxury accommodations."
"Better than caves," Elena rumbled, her massive form creating a moving wall of protective muscle. "Better than tree roots digging into
