Ariana’s POV
The pack grounds felt different the morning after I spoke with Adrian.
Nothing had changed on the surface. Warriors still trained at dawn. Omegas moved through the pathways with baskets and tools. Children ran laughing between houses, unaware of politics, bonds, or expectations. Silvercrest looked exactly as it always had.
And yet, the air carried a subtle tension, like the moment before rain.
Word had spread.
Not loudly, not officially, but in the way wolves always knew things before they were spoken. Glances lingered longer. Conversations stopped when I passed. Some eyes held curiosity, others suspicion, and a few—thinly veiled judgment.
I kept my head high and my pace steady.
Four months ago, I would have shrunk under that attention. After the rejection, I had learne
