The fortress had quieted, the day’s tension melting into night. But Elias lay restless, tangled in sheets, staring at the moon through the narrow window. Every shadow seemed to whisper his guilt.
Then warmth touched his shoulder.
“Come,” Kieran murmured, voice low and gentle. “I want to show you something.”
Elias blinked, confused, but let Kieran pull him from the bed. They moved silently through the halls until they reached the tower steps. At the top, the night stretched endless above them, the forest silvered in moonlight.
Kieran stood behind him, hands settling on his waist, grounding him. “This view saved me once,” he said softly. “When I doubted I could ever be Alpha. When I thought I wasn’t enough.”
Elias turned slightly. “You? Doubting? Hard to imagine.”
Kieran chuckled, fore
