Dawn breaks over the forest without softness.
Light filters through the trees in pale, measured bands, illuminating the mist instead of burning it away. Everything feels paused in that in-between state where night has not fully released its hold and morning has not yet made any promises. The tension from the night before lingers, unresolved but contained, like a held breath that refuses to ease. Even the birds seem hesitant, their calls spaced farther apart, as if they are waiting for permission to resume.
Derek does not rush.
That is the first thing I notice as we approach the local Alpha’s packhouse. He walks at my side with deliberate calm, his pace steady, his presence controlled. His shoulders are relaxed, his breathing even. There is no aggression in him this morning. No visible a
