I stayed hidden behind the window, shadowed and silent. Even in human form, my pulse raced. Something in the air was… different. Sharp. Alive.
The King had arrived.
The carriage rolled into the clearing, every wolf in the house frozen in awe. I stayed hidden, obeying my father's orders. I would not let them see me—not yet.
But I didn't need to.
Something stirred within him. Kai—the King's wolf, dwelling inside him—stretched his senses. Even in Levi's human form, his instincts were sharp enough to detect me—the faint pulse of a rare white wolf brushing against him. He paused, alert. He had found me.
Snow, my wolf, stirred in response. Our instincts hummed in silent recognition, communicating across the invisible thread that wolves alone could sense.
Kai whispered to Levi, Raelia. She is here.
Levi's head lifted. Even though he remained human, his awareness reached for me. A subtle pull threaded through the air, fated, insistent—but I stayed hidden.
I pressed back into the shadows, chest tightening. The pull was strange, insistent, but I didn't understand it. And even if I did, I would not trust it yet. Hope was dangerous. Trust was earned.
The carriage moved closer, and Levi's attention shifted to the gathered pack. His voice cut through the air: "The Alpha's son has been appointed as the next leader. I am here to ensure the transition proceeds smoothly."
The pack murmured, tension thickening the air. My father's hands clenched; my brother's jaw tightened.
Even hidden, I felt the shift in the world around me. Something had changed. My life, my destiny… the thread that would one day connect me to him had been tugged.
And somewhere deep inside, I knew that if the moment ever required, Levi could become Kai—fierce, unstoppable, and utterly wolf.
But for now, I stayed silent. Careful. Cautious. Trust and hope would come later—when I was ready.