The forest felt different after Selene’s departure.
Quieter.
But not peaceful.
It was the kind of quiet that came before something broke.
The pack had resumed movement, but the energy had shifted. Whispers lingered at the edges. Eyes followed Rowan more openly now.
Not just curiosity.
Recognition.
Respect.
And something else.
Expectation.
Rowan rolled his shoulders slowly, testing the new steadiness in his body. The chaos from before was gone. In its place—Control.
Not perfect.
But real.
Lyra stood a few feet away, watching him with that same unreadable expression she always wore.
“You feel it,” she said.
It wasn’t a question.
Rowan nodded.
“Yeah.”
He flexed his fingers slightly.
“It’s… quieter now.”
Lyra stepped closer.
“That means it’s listening.”
Rowan huffed a bre
