One afternoon, Kim stood guard at the manor's gate, posture straight, eyes scanning the horizon. The late sun pressed heat into the stones, but he neither shifted his weight nor sought shade.
Therese approached with a tray of bread and dried fruit. "You've been standing here for hours," she said gently, holding out the food.
Kim gave a small smile as he accepted a slice."Part of the duty."
"You're guarding more than a gate," she insisted, handing him a cup of watered wine. "You are protecting my brother. And us. For that, I thank you."
Kim bowed his head slightly. "It is my Alpha's order. But… it is also what I believe in."
Therese's expression softened. She stayed beside him, sharing food while speaking of ordinary things—the goats bleating by the pens, the hens refusing to lay properly, the garden that had to be replanted twice. The small talk eased the heaviness of constant vigilance, turning duty's silence into something almost companionable.
