That night, at council fire…
Liora sat beside Sienna. Kaelen stood across the circle with his arms crossed. He didn't speak unless addressed.
The room felt… different.
It was the way some wolves leaned back when Liora spoke. The way they shared glances when her name came up in whispers. Not out of malice. Not yet.
Out of uncertainty.
She was changing.
And no one liked what they couldn't define.
---
"What exactly did Driftside ask of you?" Kael asked softly when the room cleared.
"Nothing," Liora said. "And everything."
Kael raised a brow.
"They didn't want me to carry their hopes. They wanted to see if I still carried mine."
Kael nodded slowly. "Did you find them?"
"I'm trying."
---
Later, she sat by the outer firepit, watching the embers shift.
Kaelen joined her after a while, lowering himself onto the stone beside her.
He didn't speak for a long time.
Then, finally: "They don't trust me."
"They don't know you."
"They don't want to."
Liora looked at him.
