Hailey's fingers drummed against the side of the carriage as it rumbled along the uneven path, the faint scent of pine and the oncoming of snow filtering in through the small opening at the top. She kept sneaking glances at Fang, who sat opposite her, his posture rigid yet betraying the exhaustion that still clung to his bones like an unwelcome shadow. The glow of the morning sunlight made the bruises and faint scratches on his skin appear starker, a testament to the price he always seemed willing to pay for Selene.
"You know I could hear you talking right outside the carriage," Hailey finally said, her voice a quiet push against the hush of the clearing.
"Good, then I am spared the effort of debriefing you again," Fang answered, his voice flat, his eyes trained on the window as if the world outside might offer a distraction from the tangle of burdens coiled inside him.
Luckily, his goal to keep Selene safe will align with everyone's goal to keep the werewolves living.
