A moment later, they stood before us. My eyes landed on Owen, and I breathed out a sigh of relief at seeing him in the flesh.
“Owen,” I whispered his name before I could stop it. My chest loosened for the first time in hours. He stood there, tall and steady. Just as I had remembered. Broad shoulders with sharp eyes that never missed a thing. Bloodhowl warriors fanned behind him, all of them carrying the scent of home. Relief hit hard, but right behind it came suspicion.
“So, it is true,” Owen said. “You are alive,” his tone wasn’t kind, but it was soft, and it carried something I couldn’t name. Maybe it was surprise. Maybe it was suspicion. Maybe it was disappointment. But it didn’t matter. Owen took a step forward, and his boots sounded loud in the silence that hung heavily.
“I am,”
