Elariana
The morning felt different somehow. As if the air itself was breathing more carefully. The sunlight did not dare to enter the camp with full strength. It only gently brushed the ground and the pine needles. As if it too respected the fragile thing that had begun to form between us last night.
I was still sitting by the fire. The cloak was pulled over my shoulders. The members of the pack slowly scattered and went about their tasks. They fed the horses, adjusted their gear, spoke quietly. They did everything except the one thing no one had ever done before. They did not come closer to me. In their eyes was a strange mix of caution, curiosity, and respect. Zane had made it clear once. What they did for me was not a scandal. It was a rule.
When I finished the last bite, I fel
