Chapter 10 Staying

(Hilda)

I stood at the edge of the training grounds, watching the warriors go through their drills. It was a sight that should have brought me comfort, something familiar in this sea of uncertainty. Instead, it only reminded me of what I had lost, and what I was now striving to regain - my sense of purpose, my place in the world.

But I have to get my strength and confidence back, and this is the only way I know how.

Arlo’s pack was different from Soren’s. The warriors moved with a fluidity that spoke of years of disciplined training, yet there was an underlying tension in the air, a sense of something dark and unspoken. I needed to be wary, to keep my head down and focus on what I could control.

I approached Arlo earlier that morning, my mind made up. “I want to stay,” I had said, meeting his piercing gaze head-on. “But I want to stay as a warrior, not as your mate. I need to find my own way.”

His eyes had narrowed, the lines of his face hardening. “You think you can just decide th