We rode back to Frostfang and entered the gates just as the sky began to lighten.
Our baby slept against my chest, wrapped tight in Rylan's cloak, her tiny breaths warm through the fabric.
My body felt wrecked, every muscle screaming from the birth and the long ride, but I kept my back straight and my hand on her back.
The witch's mark on my chest had faded to a faint scar, still there but no longer burning like a brand.
The bond hummed steady between the four of us now, warmer than it had ever been, but I could still feel the shadow of the curse at the edges, waiting for the next full moon to test us again.
The pack lined the bailey in silence at first. Then the cheers started, low and ragged, growing louder as they saw the small bundle in my arms. A woman near the front dropped to her knees. Others followed. The beta who had questioned me twice stepped forward, eyes wide on the baby.
"She's here. The child is born."
