CHAPTER SIX
The sun rises over the arid landscape, casting a warm, golden light on the pack's territory. My feet pad softly against the cool morning earth as I follow the sound of laughter to the clearing where the young ones play. There he is, Jake, right in the middle of them all, a pretend snarl on his lips as he lets the kids tackle him to the ground. They're shrieking with delight, and their joy wraps around my heart like a vine.
"Gotcha, Jake!" one of the kids yells, triumphantly pinning an arm that could undoubtedly send him flying if Jake so wished.
"Ah, you got me," Jake concedes, his eyes sparkling with a warmth I haven’t seen in him before. A warmth that somehow spreads through the space between us, heating my cheeks.
"Morning, Lily," Jake says, sitting up now, brushing dirt
