Nicholas~
I couldn't believe it—there she was, Winter, my mate, wrapped in my arms on that desolate beach. The salty wind whipped around us, carrying the crash of waves that mirrored the storm still raging in my heart. Her blonde hair tangled in the breeze, damp from the earlier rain, and her body trembled against mine, not just from the cold but from the shock of it all. I held her tighter, my earlier worries forgotten in this moment of raw vulnerability, my hybrid strength channeling into something protective, fierce. Gods, I'd been such a fool, running away like a coward when she needed me most. But now, with the moon sliver spilling pale light on her tear-streaked face, all I felt was overwhelming joy. I'd found her. She was here, alive, and in my arms.
