I woke early the next morning before the sun had fully risen. The house was still quiet, the soft sounds of the wind rustling through the trees the only sign that the world was stirring around me. It had become a habit, waking up before everyone else, avoiding the busy energy of the pack as they went about their daily lives. I liked it better this way—when it felt like I was the only one awake like I had a small window of freedom before I was forced to remember where I was.
Throwing on a simple sweatshirt and jeans Faruk stirred in his sleep but didn't wake up but I knew he would get up in a few minutes and follow me like always, I padded quietly down the hallway, my footsteps muffled by the thick carpeting. As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I paused, listening for any sounds of move
