"Because I put it back together," he says simply. "Every piece. And I haven't stopped thinking about what that means, about what you mean to me."
The silence between them pulses with potential, with danger, with hope. Dorothy stares at the repaired Valentine, her artist's eye noting the careful precision with which he's reassembled it. The effort speaks volumes, more than words could convey.
Across the pack grounds, Ethan stands at his bedroom window, staring out toward Dorothy's studio. The lights still burn inside, golden squares against the darkness. His wolf paces restlessly, sensing something significant unfolding just beyond his reach. The protective instinct that has defined his relationship with his sister wars with the deep loyalty he feels toward his best friend.
"What are you
