The air was thick with tension as we reached the heart of the pack's territory. Wolves had gathered in a circle, their forms illuminated by the flickering light of the bonfire in the center. Kieran’s hand never left mine, even as we moved through the crowd, the pressure of his grip reassuring but equally possessive. My heart still raced from the kiss, my mind a chaotic swirl of emotions, but now was not the time to focus on that.
There was a bigger threat looming.
As we approached, I could feel the eyes of the wolves on me. Some were filled with awe and respect, others with suspicion. I was still an outsider, still a princess from a distant land, and despite my growing abilities, the mate bond—or lack of it—separated me from Kieran's pack in a way I couldn’t control.
But that was the le
