The room fell into an almost sacred silence as Livia stared at Henry, her breath catching in her throat. His question hung in the air like a tangible thing, heavy with possibility and meaning. She hadn’t expected this, any of it. The idea of finding her mate, of belonging to someone who truly wanted her, had been a dream she had dared not entertain for too long. But now, Henry was sitting before her, offering her not just a place in his heart, but a home, a life together.
Her mind raced, overwhelmed by the flood of emotions. She thought about her childhood in the pack’s orphanage, where she had clung to the hope of being chosen, of being adopted into a loving family. She had tried so hard to be the perfect child: quiet, obedient, and eager to please, but the years had passed, and each tim
