Kael’s POV

The night after I kissed her, sleep refused to touch me.

Not because of nerves.

Not because of guilt.

But because for the first time in a long while, I felt like I’d found something worth losing.

And that scared me more than any battle ever had.

I stayed near her house, hidden in the shadows between the forest trees. Not stalking. Just...watching over her. Like some cursed guardian wolf who couldn’t help but stand between her and the night.

Around midnight, I sensed it.

The shift in the wind.

The pressure drop.

Something ancient stirred.

I bolted toward the patrol ridge without hesitation.

And that’s when I...