The high from their first date didn’t last long.
Alex Jr. felt the shift the moment he arrived at the next joint training session. The air in the shared clearing felt thicker, heavier. Warriors from both packs still trained together, but the easy camaraderie from before had cracks in it. Whispers followed him as he walked through the groups. Glances lingered too long.
Elara was already there, but she wasn’t smiling when their eyes met. Her face looked tight, shoulders stiff. The mate bond between them still hummed warmly, but now it carried an edge of frustration.
He moved to her side during a water break, keeping his voice low. “Hey. Everything okay?”
She shook her head slightly, hazel eyes flicking toward a group of Moonridge elders watching them. “Not really. My father found out abo
