The first day of senior year at Greenwood High felt strangely hollow, like a familiar song missing its most important note.
Claire stood at her locker, fingers moving automatically through the familiar combination as the hallway buzzed with the usual first-day energy. Students laughed and hugged, comparing summer stories and showing off new outfits. But for Claire, the excitement felt muted. The tall, confident presence that had walked these halls beside her for the past year was gone.
Xander was at Harvard now.
She closed her locker with a quiet sigh, adjusting her backpack on her shoulder. The silver wolf pendant rested warm against her chest, a constant reminder of him. The mate bond tugged gently in her heart — a distant but steady pull that connected them across the miles. It was c
