Morning came in muted shades of gray, the sky overcast, heavy with the promise of rain. I awoke to the scent of damp earth and something else—*him*.
Zain.
It clung to the fabric of my dress, to my skin, as if his presence had seeped into the very air around me. The memory of last night lingered just as strongly—the way his wolf had watched me, how his breath had warmed the cool night air between us.
A test.
A warning.
And yet… I hadn't run.
I sat up, stretching the stiffness from my limbs. The unfamiliar bed had done little to ease the weight pressing on my chest. I wasn't used to such luxury. Soft sheets, a thick blanket—things I hadn't known in years.
It was a cage disguised as comfort.
A knock at the door cut through my thoughts.
Before I could answer, Liora stepped inside, her expression unreadable as she carried in a silver tray.
"Eat," she said simply, placing it on the small wooden table near the window.
