Pecan's pov
The night air was heavy with an eerie stillness, the kind that wrapped itself around you like a shroud. I sat on the edge of the creek behind the pack house, hugging my knees to my chest. The water mirrored the moonlight, casting silvery ripples that seemed to dance to an inaudible tune. It was quiet here,too quiet,and yet, the silence was exactly what I needed.
My chest felt hollow, like a space that should have been filled but instead ached with the weight of too many unanswered questions. Everything had been piling up,Stella's accusations, Pate's supposed schemes, and Paul's increasingly strange behavior. I didn't know who to trust anymore, not even myself.
The sound of crunching leaves pulled me from my thoughts, and I turned sharply, my heart leaping into my throat. At first, I thought it might be Julian or Fiona checking on me, but when Paul stepped into the moonlight, I froze.
