Adam’s perceptive gaze lingered on me, sensing the weight of my unspoken thoughts. I attempted to immerse myself in my schoolwork, hoping it would distract me from the turmoil within. As I scribbled notes and flipped through pages, an undercurrent of tension filled the room. I completed my assignments, but the restlessness that had settled over Adam was beginning to seep into me, like a slow creep of anxiety.
With a resigned sigh, he set about changing Bentley’s diaper and preparing a couple of bottles. The hum of mundane tasks offered a brief reprieve; we both knew our outing would be limited to the familiar paths of the pack territory. Though there wasn’t much to explore, I felt a distinct reluctance to plunge into the throngs of our neighbors.
Crowds had a way of drawing people towa
