The agreement with the eastern ridge pack did not change everything overnight.
It changed it quietly.
Which was how Lila knew it would last.
Trade routes opened in cautious steps. Joint patrols began along the border where tension had once thrived. Wolves who had once watched each other with suspicion now walked side by side, learning each other’s rhythms, strengths, and stubborn habits.
Trust, Alden realized, was like muscle.
It only grew if you used it.
Alden stood with Rowan at the southern training grounds, overseeing a joint drill between their pack and the visiting wolves.
“Too fast,” Rowan called to one of the younger fighters. “You rush when you’re nervous.”
Alden nodded. “Slow is steady. Steady wins.”
The fighter adjusted.
Rowan glanced at Alden. “You’re getting better a
