The car door closed with a soft thud, sealing us inside a bubble of tense anticipation. I sat between Asher and the lead girl, my hands trembling, my wolf restless. Outside, the world blurred in streaks of black and silver, the trees bending in the night wind. I felt like I was moving toward something I feared, but also something I had to face.
The girls didn’t speak, only shifting to get comfortable. But the lead one’s hand brushed mine once, just enough to let me know she was there. Alive and real. Maybe, in a strange way, it anchored me more than Asher ever could.
“You okay?” Asher asked quietly.
I nodded, but my throat was tight. “I will be.” I whispered. “I just… I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long, it feels unreal.”
He squeezed my hand gently. “It’s real. You’re ready f
