VANESSA'S POV
The return to the Eclipse pack territory was nothing like our quiet departure. Word had traveled ahead of us, carried by mindlink and the electric buzz of a victory that felt more like a warning.
As we crossed the border, we were met not by silence, but by a gathering. Warriors stood at attention, their postures rigid with respect, but their eyes were wide, fixed on me. Families stood on porches and in doorways, their expressions a complex mix of awe, fear, and a dawning, protective pride. The air hummed with a energy I couldn't name.
I was still wrapped in the blanket, walking on my own now but with Adrien's arm a steady, unyielding presence around me. I felt exposed, the weight of their stares a physical pressure. I was no longer just the strange, wolfless rogue, the Alp
