Aurora's POV
Night settled over Deephowl with a weird calmness.
From my balcony, the pack grounds below looked almost peaceful. Torches burned low along the pathways, their flames steady in the cool air. Wolves moved in pairs, patrols rotating with practiced ease. Laughter drifted from the lower halls,soft, careful, as if joy itself were testing whether it was allowed to exist again.
I rested my hands on the stone railing, breathing in the familiar scents of earth and pine. The mountain felt solid beneath my feet, ancient and patient, as though it had seen countless wars come and go and knew this one wasn't finished yet.
I wasn't fooled by the quiet.
