Selene stood at the edge of the forest, her heart pounding in her chest. The towering trees felt like sentinels, guarding secrets she wasn’t sure she was ready to learn. The wind rustled through the leaves, carrying with it the faint scent of pine and earth. Beside her, Caleb was calm, his mismatched eyes—one green, one blue—fixed on her with quiet encouragement.
“You’ll be fine,” he said softly, sensing her anxiety.
Selene shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "I'm not sure they’ll want me here."
“They will,” Caleb reassured her, his voice gentle but firm. “Trust me.”
He stepped forward, motioning for her to follow, and after a moment's hesitation, she did. As they walked, Selene couldn’t help but feel the weight of the moment pressing down on her. This was it—the first time
