CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE
The air is thick with the smoky aroma of grilled meat and the sweet scent of early summer blossoms as the feast kicks off. Laughter echoes through the clearing, a harmonious backdrop to the chatter of the pack assembled around tables laden with food. I weave between them, my senses alive with the pulse of the celebration.
"Try the venison, Bella!" someone calls out, and I snag a piece from a passing plate, the savory taste exploding on my tongue. The warmth of the setting sun bathes us all in golden light, making the gathered faces of my friends and family glow. It's moments like these when I can almost forget the weight of expectation pressing down on me as a member of this pack.
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch sight of Alec. He's hard to miss, standing taller
