68

PHIN

It had been a week since Viviana arrived, and I couldn't remember feeling this at peace in all that time. A calm settled over the Bayou pack, a sense of rightness that I hadn't felt in years. Viviana had brought more than just herself into my life; she'd brought a balance I hadn't realized I was missing. We spent our days together, learning the rhythms of each other's lives and finding comfort in the simplest routines.

Viviana made everything feel natural, as if we had been doing this—being together, raising Marilee, building a life—for years. It was easy to fall into this new reality, to let myself believe that the past was finally behind me. No more ghosts of my father's mistakes haunting my every move, no more wondering if I'd ever find someone who truly understood me. With Viviana, it felt like I'd found that missing piece, and I didn't want to let it go.

But as perfect as the week had been, there was still that nagging fear, that voice whispering doubts in the back of my min