Three days passed, and the pattern held. Aria, Liora, and Kaelan met at the creek each afternoon, falling into an easy rhythm that felt natural and right. They talked, they laughed, they taught each other things. The absence of Elara became normal, though sometimes Aria caught Liora staring at the path, a wistful expression on her face.
Elara, for her part, had stopped coming to the creek entirely. But she hadn't stopped watching.
On the fourth day, Aria was in the garden earlier than usual, harvesting mint for tea. The morning was cool and misty, the kind of quiet that made every sound seem amplified. She was humming softly to herself, content in her work, when she heard footsteps on the path.
She looked up, expecting to see Cassidy or maybe one of the pack members coming for a remedy. Instead, she saw a figure she didn't recognize at first, a woman, middle-aged, with sharp features and calculating eyes.
"Can I help you?" Aria asked politely, setting down her basket.
