KIERAN’S POV
Running had always been my sanctuary.
Every Alpha knew the feeling—that exhilarating freedom of stretching every muscle beneath a full moon, the forest opening before you while your pack thundered at your heels like a single living creature.
Warriors ran beside elders without distinction.
Young wolves darted between their parents as joyful thoughts drifted through the pack bond, creating a tapestry of laughter, affection, and belonging unlike any other.
This was what being Alpha was truly about.
Not commanding an army or winning battles.
It was protecting nights like this. Protecting the freedom to simply run beneath the moon with the people we loved.
I had experienced this feeling countless times over the years.
Yet never like this.
Ashar's joy coursed through me with such overwhelming force that it was impossible to tell where his emotions ended and mine began.
