Lucian's POV
The moment we stepped out of the Whispering Caves with the Nightflower Bloom secured carefully in Selene's pouch, I felt a strange sensation wash over me, a mixture of relief, exhaustion, and an overwhelming sense of gratitude that the two of us were walking out together, alive and unharmed. The forest light seemed brighter, the wind warmer, the very earth beneath us welcoming, as though the land itself recognized the completion of our third and most mentally demanding trial.
We began our journey back toward the Moonfang Pack with steady steps, and as we walked, Selene slipped her fingers into mine, her warmth calming the faint tremor still lingering in my bones. The illusions inside the Whispering Caves had clawed deeply, and I could still see flashes of them whenever I blinked, but having her beside me kept the darkness from settling.
