The forest path stretched before them in twilight gray, quiet except for the crunch of leaves beneath their boots and the distant howl of a lone wolf greeting the evening. Roselyn’s hand brushed against Calvin’s as they walked, the warmth between them grounding her despite the chill creeping through the trees. They were almost at their cabin when she finally spoke—her voice soft, but heavy with the weight of questions that had been clawing at her heart.
“Calvin,” she murmured, stopping him gently by the sleeve. “What will happen if the council finds your parents guilty of interfering with the mate bond?”
He inhaled slowly, jaw tensing, eyes darkening like storm clouds. “There are… multiple consequences,” he said, voice low. “The least severe is ostracization. They wouldn’t be banished, b
