{"When you come out of the storm, you won't be the same person who walked in."}
The walk back was quiet. Qadira's fingers were laced with mine the entire way, her presence grounding me even as something distant stirred within my chest. We returned to the small stone guest home at the edge of Bay Shifter territory, nestled beneath trees that whispered with the night wind. A place meant to feel temporary, yet with her in it, it already felt like home.
We undressed in silence, slipping beneath the cool sheets. She curled into my side, head resting against my chest, her breath warm and steady. I kissed her hair, murmured something soft I did not remember, and closed my eyes.
