Ridah’s POV
Three months.
That’s how long it took for “normal” to stop feeling like a trap.
The quarry was quiet now. Patrols ran smooth. The eastern packs sent trade caravans through twice a month, and no one flinched when their scouts crossed our borders. Kael hadn’t been seen since the night in the pit. Some said he’d left the territory entirely. Others said he was waiting.
I tried not to care which it was.
Mornings started with coffee that wasn’t cold, and evenings ended with Forsaken’s arm around me on the porch, watching the pups chase each other through the grass. The bond between us was steady now—no spikes of panic, no sudden surges of control. Just quiet.
It felt foreign at first. Like waiting for the other shoe to drop.
It never did.
I was in the training ring when
