When she finally returned to her tent, exhaustion settled over her like a heavy blanket. She sat down on her bed, her mind racing with thoughts of the battle ahead. But even as fatigue threatened to overtake her, she knew she couldn’t rest yet. There was still one more thing she needed to do.
Taking a deep breath, Aria reached for the small, intricately carved wooden box that sat on a shelf by her bed. Inside, nestled among a few personal mementos, was a small piece of parchment—a message from Steve, delivered to her by one of his trusted warriors earlier in the day.
She unrolled the parchment, her eyes scanning the words. The message was brief, but it conveyed everything she needed to know. Steve was ready, his pack prepared to fight alongside hers. He had faith in her, in them, and in
