Henrietta woke to the sound of her own heartbeat. The ache in her limbs came next, spreading slowly as sensation returned. It wasn't the sharp, panicked pain she'd learned to expect after pushing herself too far.
This was different. It was heavy and earned.
Her lungs filled easily when she breathed in. That alone made her blink.
She lay still, half-afraid the moment would break if she acknowledged it too quickly. The room smelled faintly of earth and iron, and something warmer beneath her. The wolf hadn't retreated in a rush this time. It lingered, curled somewhere just under her skin.
She flexed her fingers. They obeyed without trembling.
A shadow shifted beside the bed, and Rowan's presence grounded the space before she even looked at her. She moved with the same careful precision
