Azura's POV
The sun felt incredibly hot on my skin. Somewhere above us, birds were singing their hearts out, and the trees were swaying gently in a warm breeze. Everything felt peaceful, way too peaceful for my life.
The children at the orphanage had finished their meal, and some of the warriors stayed behind to keep an eye on them. Liona and I started walking back toward the packhouse, taking our sweet time. There was no rush, no pressure. Just the quiet hum of a day that had actually gone right.
Liona was walking beside me, her arms crossed and a lazy, playful smile on her face.
"Honestly," she said, shaking her head. "That Alpha? He's got a face like a block of ice and a heart made of stone."
I snorted, kicking a pebble out of my way. "You noticed that too, huh?"
She laughed. "Azura, if pride could kill, that man would have been dead and buried years ago."
I smiled. It felt good to talk like this. Easy. Normal.
