Gideon woke before the sun, his body already tense.
The blue moon was still two nights away, yet the pull beneath his ribs had sharpened overnight. It wasnt his wolf stirring.
It was hers.
It was a quiet, steady awareness that hadn't existed before Henrietta's first proper shift. And the bond had changed after that.
It wasn't louder or violent. Just... clearer than before.
He sat up slowly, drawing in a controlled breath. The packhouse was silent. Too silent for dawn. No early risers. No guards changing posts. Even the wind outside felt cautious, as if it knew better than to announce itself.
His mind recklessly deepened to the High Council, who had been pressing for his summons for days now.
Not requesting.
Demanding.
Gideon clenched his jaw, staring at the stone floor as if it
