The sun dipped low in the sky as I made my way through the forest, the vibrant colors of twilight casting an ethereal glow over everything. I needed this time to think, to process all that had happened. The encounter with Kael and the werebears had left me with more questions than answers. But even more pressing was the tension simmering between me and Carter.
After our kiss, everything had shifted. I could feel the mate bond pulsing between us, a constant reminder of what we had shared and what I had yet to tell him. He deserved the truth, but fear coiled tightly around my heart, holding me back. What if he didn’t accept me once he learned what I was? What if our connection crumbled under the weight of my secrets?
As I walked, I focused on the sound of the leaves crunching beneath my fe
