Alden asked the question on a day that felt ordinary.
That was how Lila knew it mattered.
They were near the riverbank where the water slowed and widened, Seren skipping stones with Elowen while Alden crouched near the edge, studying pawprints pressed into the damp earth. He had grown into his body quickly these past months—legs longer, shoulders broader, movements more deliberate. There was a restlessness in him now that hadn’t been there before.
A pull.
He straightened suddenly and looked at Lila with an intensity that made her breath hitch.
“Mama,” he said, “can I go to a real pack?”
The words landed softly.
But they carried weight.
Seren stopped mid-throw. Elowen tilted her head, watching her brother with curiosity. Lila didn’t answer right away. She took a breath, steadying he
