Noah’s POV
The morning sprint was supposed to clear my head. Running always had that effect on me—when my paws hit the dirt and the wind tore past my ears, I could almost forget the noise of the world. Forget the whispers, the looming war, the endless pressure of being one of the Faron triplets.
But that morning, nothing—absolutely nothing—on earth prepared me for her.
I slowed at the edge of the trail, shifting back into my human form as I caught the scent first. Warm honey and lavender. My heart stuttered in my chest before my eyes confirmed what my wolf already knew.
Aliona.
She wasn’t alone. A woman I vaguely recognized walked beside her—older, stern but gentle in her movements. Her aunt, I realized. Aunt Emma.
For a fleeting second, I just stood there, hidden in the shadows of t
