Ash's POV
The warm afternoon light poured through the open windows of Kael's packhouse, golden and soft. The scent of fresh pine drifted through the halls, mingling with the hum of quiet conversations.
Ash leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his silver eyes fixed on Seraphina as she spoke animatedly with some of the pack's healers.
He should have been paying attention to the meeting—hell, he should have been part of it—but all he could focus on was her.
The way her hair caught the sunlight, strands of deep chestnut gleaming with rich copper undertones. The way her green eyes sparkled when she laughed, like she held entire forests within them.
He was a warrior, a protector, a man who had spent his entire life fighting battles he could see. But this? This pull, this bond, this woman?
It was the first battle he had ever surrendered to.
She was his.
His mate. His equal. The missing piece he hadn't even known he was searching for.
