After the briefing, after the pack dispersed to prepare in their own ways, Kendrick pulled Ashina aside.
"Come with me," he said quietly, his hand finding hers.
He led her not to their suite, but out of the manor entirely. They walked through the territory in silence, the night air cool against her skin, the moon bright overhead—almost full, its power thrumming through Ashina's veins like a second heartbeat.
They stopped at Lake Luna, the same place where they'd shared their first real conversation, where walls had started coming down. The water reflected the moon perfectly, turning the surface to liquid silver.
"I wanted to bring you here," Kendrick said, pulling her to sit beside him on the grass. "To remember this moment. This place. Before everything changes tomorrow."
Ashina leaned into his warmth, her head on his shoulder. "It's beautiful."
