The cool night air brushed against my skin as I stood on the balcony, staring out into the forest that stretched beyond the pack house. Everything felt different lately. The quiet moments like this, alone with my thoughts, were becoming more and more rare. I’d always been someone who thrived in the peace of nature, who found solace in the sounds of the wild. But lately, even the peace seemed heavy.
The bite mark on my shoulder was a constant reminder of what I had chosen, of the path I had willingly taken. Maeve had marked me, tying me to her and her world in a way that went beyond anything I had ever known. And yet, as much as I wanted to be there for her, for the pack, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wasn’t enough.
I wasn’t like them. I wasn’t a wolf, and despite everything Maeve h
