~The Calm Before the Threads~

EIRA

I woke to the quiet hum of the pack, the kind of morning that felt heavy even though the sun was just rising. The compound was mostly still, the children sleeping a little longer than usual, and Elrich was already moving around the house.

I could tell by the low sound of his footsteps that he wasn’t in a rush, but he was deliberate, focused. He always was.

I slid out of bed quietly, trying not to wake anyone, and made my way to the kitchen. Elrich was ...