Chapter 37

DAX’s POV

Walking away from our meeting point, the forest remained calm; the only sound the crunch of leaves under my feet produced. The smell of autumn stayed in the air—a subtle blend of wildflowers and something else, something known. I shook my head, attempting to throw the idea aside. It was unattainable. She was not able to be.

Still, the sensation persisted—a nagging awareness that I couldn't ignore. Although I had never seen Autumn before, something about her seemed oddly familiar. Her movement, head tilt, sadness in her eyes—all of it pulled at my memories like a half-lived dream.

I turned aside the idea and concentrated on the current work. I led from a pack and had a sibling to save. No matter how interesting they could be, there was not time for distractions.

As I returned to the renegade camp, the clean night air did not help to calm the anxiety that crawled at my skin. Usually a consoling hug of shadows and whispers, the forest trail suddenly felt sinister, every leaf ru