Rowan
She was doing better than I thought she would. When I pushed those dining hall doors open, I fully expected Elizabeth to panic and bolt the second every eye landed on her. I was an ass to admit this was a test in a sense, but I never claimed to be perfect. I expected her to retreat back into herself the way trauma had conditioned her to. But I should have known better by now. Elizabeth Thorne bent. She adapted. And she survived. And despite everything done to her, she still kept finding ways to stand back up.
I kept my attention forward while tracking her from my peripheral. Emma was doing most of the talking, but Liz was responding now. Quietly and carefully. Like a timid mouse. But she was participating. That alone felt like a victory. Emma was a good wolf. She is loyal, capable
