AIDEN
The bond stirred before my thoughts fully caught up with it.
It wasn't loud or sharp the way it had been the night Claire walked away. Back then it burned through me like something newly awakened and badly contained. Now it was quieter, steady, almost patient, but it carried more intention. It settled low against my ribs and pulsed slowly, testing how much awareness I would allow before it pushed harder.
Claire's emotions were different today.
They weren't edged with the anger that had kept her upright in the forest, and they weren't buried beneath the tight fear she used when she needed control. Something warmer had moved in, cautious but unmistakable. The bond didn't translate it into words, but it didn't need to. The shift felt like a door cracking open, just enough
