Lyra knew something had changed.
Not just between her and Kael.
Inside her.
She felt it the moment she stepped outside the next morning. The air felt the same, the pack moved the same, but her thoughts wouldn’t settle.
Because now—
There was no pretending.
The door behind her opened.
She didn’t need to turn.
Daniel.
“You’re avoiding me,” he said.
Lyra exhaled softly. “I’m not.”
A pause.
Then she turned.
And the moment their eyes met—
He knew.
It was subtle.
Barely there.
But it was enough.
His expression didn’t break, but something in his gaze shifted. Sharper. Quieter.
“Something changed,” he said.
Not a question.
Lyra’s chest tightened. “Daniel…”
He stepped closer, not too much, but enough to hold her attention. “I told you not to lie to yourself.”
“I’m not lying.”
