Windsor's POV
Jelly perched on the porch steps, her small legs swinging restlessly while she clutched the stuffed wolf Zion had brought her. Those enormous eyes tracked my every movement as I secured the final items in my travel bag. The silence stretched between us until I knelt before her trembling form.
"Are you truly going away?" Her whisper barely reached my ears, tinged with desperate hope that we might extend our stay. My chest tightened with the same longing. This precious she-wolf possessed a rare beauty that radiated from her very soul.
"I must," I murmured, gently tucking loose strands behind her ear. "Only temporarily."
Her chin dipped in reluctant understanding before her gaze drifted to Zion, who was securing our last bag in the vehicle. "Be careful," she breathed.
"Always," I promised.
Her tiny fingers grabbed my shirt hem. "Watch over Zion as well."
A soft laugh escaped me. "Without question."
