RAVEN POV
The week after the northern lights shoot, something shifted between us.
Not dramatically. Not obviously. But Colton stopped sending single word emails and started including actual information. Approved. The weather looks clear. Watch for fresh wolf tracks near the eastern trail. Small things. Professional things. But more than silence.
And when I saw him around pack territory, he’d nod instead of looking through me. Sometimes he’d even stop to ask how the project was going.
Progress. Tiny, fragile progress.
I was reviewing my aurora photos at the cabin when my phone rang. An unknown local number.
“Hello?”
“Raven, it’s Margaret Chen.” The elder’s voice was warm but businesslike. “I’m calling because we’re planning a pack gathering this weekend. A celebration of the winter s
