Isabella’s POV
Days had passed since Lucan walked out of our chamber without looking back.
A new healer — an older, stern woman from the pack — tended his wounds now. I told myself it was better this way. The distance would protect us both from the madness we had nearly become.
I lied to myself every single hour.
The war with EdgePoint pressed heavier on the pack with every passing day. Scouts reported silver weapons advancing toward our borders. Tension had thickened the air until breathing felt like an effort. And yet tonight the Fertility Ritual could not be cancelled. It was smaller than usual, stripped back because of the threat, but still mandatory. Only established couples. No outsiders. No excuses. The pack needed its blessing even in wartime, and appearances had to be mainta
