Elle’s POV
When we finally pulled apart, she gave me a little smile and wiped at her cheeks with the sleeve of her robe.
I followed her back to the sitting room, where we both sank into the same chairs again. The fire in the corner had burned low, casting soft flickering shadows across the room.
We sat in silence for a moment, just breathing, listening to the quiet crackle of the fire and the rustling of leaves outside.
Then I looked over at her again.
“I want to do this properly,” I said softly. “The fake mate thing, I mean. If we’re going to convince people… especially my old pack… then I need to know Ethan better. I need to understand who he is—who he really is.”
She turned to look at me, a curious look in her eyes.
“And who better to ask than his mom,” I added, giving her a sma
