The forest no longer felt like a place Luna walked through.
It felt like something she belonged to.
Every step she took was quieter now. More deliberate. The ground responded beneath her feet as though it recognized her. The wind brushed past her skin with a familiarity that no longer startled her.
She wasn’t the same girl who had arrived in Silverpine.
Not anymore.
And tonight, the change felt undeniable.
The moon hung full above the trees, glowing brighter than she had ever seen it. Its light poured through the branches in silver streams, illuminating the clearing where she stood.
Waiting.
Her wolf was restless.
Not afraid.
Ready.
“You came early.”
Ethan’s voice carried from behind her, low and steady.
Luna didn’t turn immediately. She inhaled slowly, grounding herself in th
