I ran my fingers through the soft golden curls of the little girl in my lap, trying to focus on her sweet face rather than the gnawing anxiety that had been my constant companion since Kaelen left. Three days had passed since I'd felt that terrifying surge through our bond. Three days of waiting, of forcing myself to breathe normally, of pretending I wasn't falling apart inside.
"Another story, Luna Seraphina?" the child asked, her blue eyes wide with hope.
"Of course, Lily," I replied, summoning a smile that I hoped looked genuine. "One more before nap time."
The nursery in Silverholm Palace had become my sanctuary—the one place where I could escape the pitying glances and hushed conversations that followed me through the halls. Here, surrounded by refugee pups who needed comfort far more than I did, I could pretend that my world wasn't balanced on a knife's edge.
"The one about the brave wolf again!" called a little boy from the circle gathered around me.
