CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTEEN – BON VOYAGE

The gentle rocking of the ship lulled them into a fitful sleep. They took turns keeping watch, always alert for any sign of danger. But as the hours stretched into days, they began to relax incrementally. They passed the time talking, planning, and simply being together. Cassie told Florian about her childhood in foster care, the dreams she'd had before life took an unexpected turn. Florian opened up about his family, the weight of expectations that had always rested on his shoulders. "I never felt like I belonged," he admitted one night, his voice low in the darkness. "Even before I first transformed. I was always the odd one out, the disappointment." Cassie squeezed his hand. "You belong with me," she said firmly. "We may not have a pack or a clan, but we have each other. That's enough." As their journey neared its end, a new tension began to build. What awaited them in Rotterdam? Would they be able to slip into the country undetected? And even if they did, how long could they st