In the days that followed, Eve found herself appreciating the quiet.
There were no urgent messages from the Court. No pack emergencies demanding immediate attention. No crises that needed her intervention.
Just the steady, gentle rhythm of a community functioning well. Just the comfort of knowing that the systems she'd built were holding. Just the peace that came from completing a great work and stepping back to appreciate it.
She and Damian spent an afternoon in his studio, with him working on a new painting while Eve simply sat nearby, reading and occasionally watching him work.
She and Damon took a long walk through pack territory, visiting the training facilities and the schools and the housing areas, seeing firsthand how people were living and thriving.
She and Silas spent an evening in the library, surrounded by books and knowledge, talking about history and politics and the fascinating complexity of building communities.
