Chapter Twenty-Two
Gabriella’s POV
Light filtered in softly, silver and golden, slipping through the cracks of the canopy above the collapsed ridge. My body ached in places I hadn’t known were bruised, but beneath it all, I felt… whole. Strong. Whole in a way that frightened me with its certainty.
Ava stirred in the edges of my mind, gentle but insistent. You’re awake. And you’re not alone.
The sensation was familiar now—the quiet hum of our bond, threading through my thoughts, brushing against my emotions. It wasn’t a whisper anymore. It was a current, a pulse, a partner in thought and instinct. I flexed my fingers and felt the connection deepen, solidifying with a calm, unshakable certainty.
The Alphas were nearby. I could sense them, hovering just outside my private space. Mark, Rh
