Elias’s pov :
The week dragged on like a shadow lengthening across the pack lands, but for the first time in what felt like ages, a quiet relief settled in my bones.
Seven days since Darius's deadline, seven days without a whisper of poison in my drink or a blade in the dark. Naomi had chosen me.
Over her father, over the coercion that bastard had forced on her. The bond hummed with it, a steady affirmation that warmed me from the inside out.
Gods, it made me happy, a deep, unexpected joy that bubbled up in rare moments, like when I'd catch her silhouette in the hallway, or feel her presence through our link.
Her strength in refusing Darius, her vulnerability in the aftermath, it drew me in, making me crave more than just possession. I found myself thinking of her constant
