Rex’s POV
Waking up felt… different.
For the first time in weeks, I felt rested—like nature itself was embracing me. Maybe it was because I was with my people, or maybe it was something else entirely, but the shift was undeniable.
I’d ended up sharing a room with Rose, mostly because Julian had very loudly forbidden Zane from staying anywhere near her. He was in full protective-brother mode, and honestly, I couldn’t wait to see how long he’d keep it up. Mates never stayed apart for long, and we all knew it. He was probably just stalling until Aries had a say in it. Those two had an unspoken Alpha-level synchronization when it came to things like this.
Careful not to wake Rose, I slipped out of bed and made my way outside.
The village was calm. Peaceful. People bowed as I passed, and
