Chapter 44 Secrets and Strained Forgiveness.

I stood in the shadows of the forest, the crisp night air cooling the heat that still clung to my skin from the encounter with Noah. My mind was a tangled web of emotions, guilt, and confusion. I could still feel the weight of his touch, the intensity of our connection, but there was no denying the gnawing guilt that accompanied it. How could I face Elsa now, knowing what I’d done? Again. The trees whispered around me, the rustling leaves echoing my turmoil. I had apologized to Elsa, and though she had rejoined the pack, the tension between us remained. It was a fragile truce, one that could shatter with a single misstep. I knew I had to be careful, to tread lightly, but the bond between Noah and me was growing stronger with each passing day, making it harder to resist the pull. I returned to the pack’s gathering spot, where the others were beginning to settle in for the night. The atmosphere was tense, the looming threat of the hunters hanging over us like a dark cloud. Everyone was