Ariana’s POV
Night was the only time Silvercrest truly slept.
During the day, the pack was relentless—voices, movement, constant awareness pressing in from every direction. Even when no one was watching me openly, I could feel the weight of attention lingering like a shadow that refused to leave. But at night, when the moon climbed high and the pack grounds quieted, Silvercrest loosened its grip.
That was when I moved.
I waited until Clara’s house was still, until her breathing had evened out and the lamps in neighboring homes dimmed one by one. Only then did I slip from my room, pulling a dark cloak around my shoulders as I eased the back door open and stepped into the cool night air.
The forest beyond the pack boundary greeted me like an old friend.
Its silence was not empty. It wa
